I've been on my share of boats, including large ferries, small sailboats, and plenty of others in between, but never been on a hydrofoil and I was curious what flying along the water might feel like during the brief ride from the Brooklyn Marina out toward Governors Island on the East River in New York. On the surface, the VS-9 looks like plenty of other catamarans. But under the hull are two wing-like structures that lift the boat as they slice through the water. Computer-controlled underwater flaps keep the ride smooth and stable. In the VS-9, most of the lifting is done by the front foil, with about 20% handled by the rear. The rear foil also hosts the electric motor, which Vessev makes in-house. Why not outsource it' Laakmann said that it's important to keep costs in line ' eventually, you'll have to bring production in house, so why not do it earlier in development' The only thing Vessev doesn't build are the batteries. 'Those have been commoditized,' Laakmann said....
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