Explomar electric outboards win again at Monaco Open Sea endurance race

The Open Sea Class of the Monaco Energy Boat Challenge is where the e-boat industry comes to show their latest products in a competitive setting. Unlike other boat shows – even in-water shows – where the emphasis is on displaying the boats to the buying public, at Monaco the emphasis is on friendly competitions between companies intent on showing how the latest technologies and designs compare with each other. Two of the highlights of the Challenge are the YCM (Yacht Club de Monaco) Speed Record and the 16 Nautical Mile Speed Race. The YCM event is a one kilometre straightaway competition that takes place along the Monaco coastline just east of the Yacht Club, while the 16 NM Speed Race has the boats testing both speed and autonomy in the open sea, going from the Club to Ventimiglia, Italy and back. Listen to this article as a podcast This year the winning companies in each race were the same as last year – but they both did it using a different boat than their 2025 entries. Frauscher × Porsche took the YCM with a boat lighter and shorter than last year’s Fantom 850 Air, while Explomar high performance outboards in partnership with X-Tenders and XNRG won the Open Sea Race with a boat 250 kilograms heavier and .6 meters longer than last year’s winner. Challenging wind and wave conditions In the Monaco-Ventimiglia competition, the XNRG 8.3-meter carbon-fiber RIB – Rigid Inflatable Bat – powered by the ExploMar WAVE 300+ crossed the finish line in 35 minutes and 24 seconds, defending its title and finishing nearly nine minutes ahead of the Frauscher × Porsche Specter 797. The day before, that Specter 797 was the winner of the straightaway race, setting a new record time and speed of  38.2 seconds and 51.05 knots (84.95 kph / 52.16 mph) with the EXNRG-Explomar  boat placing second. Read: Frauscher × Porsche sets another speed record at 2026 Energy Boat Challenge While the YCM Speed Record is the more glamorous of the two events, the offshore 16 NM event is probably a better test of how the boats fare in conditions more like real life, although they were certainly put to the test on this day! Competitors faced Force 4 winds (13.9–20.7 knots) and 1–2 meter waves, creating severe pitching and heaving motions and rapid propeller ventilation and re-immersion. Those conditions are challenging for any boat and motor, and a good workout for electric propulsion in particular because there are dramatic load fluctuations and extreme demands on the system’s dynamic response, mechanical robustness, and the battery’s thermal management capability. One of the reasons Explomar and Team XNRG were able to repeat their victory from last year is the data collected during last year’s championship. It also helped that the same captain, Gerben Boomsma of XNRG, was at the helm. Four boats in race with Explomar electric outboards “It was a little bumpy for sure,” said Boomsma, “a lot rougher than last year, when it was very calm but the heat was what you had to deal with. This year it was already a bit rougher in the days before the race – even during the straightaway speed race – so we were able to look at what is the smartest way to run the boat, propeller-wise and with what RPMs to make sure that we were able to get the most efficiency and balance of speed and range.” ExploMar engineers collaborated closely with Boomsba’s team to optimize the WAVE 300+ system specifically for the Force 4 sea conditions. The torque control strategy was recalibrated to suppress torque oscillations during repeated propeller ventilation and re-entry. On the battery side, thermal management algorithms were refined to maintain cooling performance as the load fluctuated. There was also a fair bit of old-fashioned seamanship involved. “We held back a bit at the beginning, when everyone took off, “said Boomsba, “to look at what was happening and how the boats were behaving in the waves because it was quite serious. In front of the the stone walls on the shore where all the waves are coming back, there are random peaks and crosswake are all around you, the pilots call it ‘the washing machine’ when the conditions are like this.” “It was a serious journey” “We were together with Frauscher-Porsche and Vita at the first buoy and we were the first ones turning at the Ventimiglia buoy, but then we decided to take a bit of a different route, so we were taking it almost like half wind, so it was a bit more comfortable. We had to travel a bit more distance, but that gave us a steadier speed, so that was basically where we pulled ahead.” “But we were really happy arriving back  in Monaco because it was it was a serious journey I can tell you.” The technical analysis shows the boat maintained an average speed of 27 knots over the full 16-nautical-mile event, crossed the finish line with 40% battery capacity remaining, and recorded a maximum battery temperature below 45°C, demonstrating significant thermal management margin under sustained high-load operation. The winning boat was one of four entries using Explomar systems, each boat paired with and designed to showcase the versatility of the company’s different motors. Average speed 27 knots, 16 NM, 40% of battery untouched Like the 300+ on the XNRG 8.3, all of the Explomar systems were matched with Rigid Inflatable hulls, of varying sizes and shapes. Tokarex of Poland, distributors and dealers of Explomar and the Kolibri and Gala boat lines, showcased the first all-electric model they are offering for sale, a Gala Atlantis A500 Cruising RIB with the WAVE 70+. German full service yard, marina and broker Yacht Technik married Explomar’s WAVE 150 with a 6.5 metre (21 ft) RIB from Italian manufacturer ZAR Formenti. The fourth boat partnering with Explomar was the impressive Arcistratega presented by AS Labruna, a 10 metre (33 foot) RIB developed on a Python 33 platform with dual WAVE 300+ outboards. In addition to Explomar’s high-capacity batteries she is equipped with solar panels and a methanol-powered fuel cell used to generate electricity at night and during periods when solar production is insufficient. In collaboration with its official propeller partner SOLAS, ExploMar optimized each propulsion package through dedicated propeller matching and system calibration, ensuring maximum performance across every vessel platform. The 11-meter Arcistratega hit a speed of 29.58 knots despite a fully loaded displacement of 5.5 tonnes. The ZAR RIB powered by the WAVE 150+ achieved an average speed of 26.06 knots, while the 5-meter Gala RIB and WAVE 70+ reached 20 knots. “Winning this championship for the second consecutive year is both an honour and a responsibility for our entire team,” said Alex Dong, Founder and CEO of ExploMar. “Every victory is built upon countless engineering iterations, extensive sea trials, and the dedication of our partners. Looking ahead, ExploMar will continue pushing the boundaries of electric propulsion performance along with a broader electric marine ecosystem to deliver higher-performance, reliable, and smarter electrification solutions for waterways worldwide.” Explomar  xtenders  XNRG  Tokarex  Yacht & Technik  AS Labruna  Monaco Energy Boat Challenge See Explomar Motors for Sale in the Plugboats Marketplace The post Explomar electric outboards win again at Monaco Open Sea endurance race appeared first on Plugboats.