Did Arc Boats Build a Boat Around a Pylon? Spoiler: Not Quite, But It's Still Bonkers
Image Credit: Arc.
I'm usually fresh off something loud and fast, be it on tarmac, wave, or sky. But today, we're talking electric. Specifically, we're back in the wonderful world of electric boats with Arc Boats, those whiz kids from Los Angeles who apparently hired half the folks who used to build rockets and electric cars to build boats. Electric boats, naturally.
Arc started life like many ambitious startups – with something eye-wateringly expensive and incredibly exclusive. Remember the Arc One? A sleek, 500 horsepower electric dart that cost three hundred grand? They only made twenty of 'em. Basically, if you didn't already own a private island and a solid gold yacht tender, you weren't getting one. Then came the Arc Sport, a powerful brute of a wake boat. Good fun, but again, with a starting price well north of two hundred sixty thousand dollars, it wasn't exactly hitting the sweet spot for your average weekend warrior. They're doing well, though, selling out and trying to ramp up production from "a handful" to "maybe a few hundred" a year.
But even a company staffed by ex-rocket scientists eventually realizes you can't just sell toys to billionaires. There's a whole spectrum of people out there who might actually want to use a boat for things like fishing, or taking ten of their closest friends out without needing a second mortgage just for the boat itself. Enter the new kid on the block: the Arc Coast.
Image Credit: Arc.
The name might sound a bit odd if you're used to cars. "Center Console"? Are they naming the boat after the bit where you put your coffee and change? Turns out, in the boat world, it's actually a meaningful design. It means the bit where the captain stands – the "console" or "helm" – is slapped right in the middle. Why would you do that? Well, it means you can walk all the way around the edges of the boat without tripping over seats or having to squeeze through narrow gaps.
Think about it. You're trying to reel in the catch of a lifetime (or more likely, a soggy boot), and the fish decides to swim around the bow. On most boats, you're either doing a complicated dance or just accepting defeat. On a center console? You just shuffle your feet and follow it around. Easy peasy.
Of course, there's a trade-off. Center console boats tend to be a bit more utilitarian. Less plush seating, less protection from the sun and spray than a big cruiser. You're out in the elements, which is great if you like that sort of thing, less so if you prefer sipping champagne in air-conditioned comfort.
Image Credit: Arc.
But this is where Arc gets clever. Because they've gone with this more stripped-back, center console design, they've saved a decent chunk of change on materials. And guess what that means? They can offer the Arc Coast with a lot of the same underlying tech and performance as their pricier siblings, but at a significantly less terrifying price point. How much less terrifying, you ask? A mere, cough, one hundred sixty-eight thousand dollars to start. See? Practically a bargain compared to the Sport or the One! It's still a serious chunk of change, don't get me wrong, but it brings it into the realm of maybe needing only a second mortgage. Not third, or fourth.
What do you get for your slightly-less-terrifying sum? You get a boat that's 24 feet long – a decent size for a day out. It's got a rather large 226 kilowatt-hour battery stuffed in it, the same size as the one in the Sport. Arc reckons that the battery is good for about four to five hours of run time in the Sport. Boating isn't like driving a car, where range anxiety is a constant companion; you tend to use bursts of power interspersed with just idling or drifting. Four to five hours is probably enough for a solid day's fun for most folks, but it's worth keeping in mind if you plan on crossing the Atlantic...
Power-wise, the Coast packs a decent punch: 400 horsepower. Four hundred electric horses pushing a 24-foot fiberglass hull through the water. That's enough to get you up to a rather sprightly 50 miles per hour. Fifty miles per hour on the water feels remarkably quick, trust me. Add in seating for ten of your nearest and dearest, and you've got a pretty capable package.
Image Credit: Arc.
One thing Arc bangs on about, and fair play to them, is that they designed their electric powertrain from the ground up. This isn't just a regular boat hull with an electric motor bolted on the back. They've integrated everything. The built-from-scratch ones are usually better balanced, more efficient, and just feel right.
Arc Coast is apparently more geared towards saltwater fun than the freshwater-focused Sport. A properly sealed electric powertrain? Should be far less hassle. Less maintenance, less time spent tinkering, more time spent actually enjoying the water. Plus, by ditching the big outboard hanging off the back, Arc freed up space for a low swim step – no more awkward clambering aboard. And some more space for a sunpad – perfect for lounging without inhaling exhaust fumes. It makes the whole back end of the boat a usable, pleasant area - a definite win.
Then there's the software. Yup, even boats have fancy touchscreens and connectivity these days. Arc designed their own interface that already looked pretty slick on the Sport, though it wasn't quite finished yet (and let's be honest, software is never finished - It's just in a perpetual state of 'updating'). The good news is it comes with over-the-air updates, so your boat can get better while it's sitting at the dock, which is genuinely cool. And connectivity means you can check the battery level from your phone while you're still having breakfast - peak 21st-century luxury/paranoia.
Now, a little dose of reality: as of me writing this, the photos and videos of the Arc Coast you'll see are lovely, shiny computer renders. Arc is still working on the final bits and pieces. And while you can plunk down a preorder right now on their website, they say the boat is "coming in 2026." The classic startup timeline. 'Coming Soon' often means 'Eventually, If Everything Goes Perfectly'. Still, the fact they're even announcing it, with these specs and that price point, is promising.
The Arc Coast - not exactly cheap, but it's a significant step down in price for Arc. It offers a boatload (pun intended) of electric power and modern features in a practical center console package. It promises less maintenance and a better experience than traditional gas boats, all wrapped up in that cool, techy, ex-SpaceX aura. I haven't driven this one yet, but I'm cautiously optimistic it'll be a good laugh.
