The first VS–9 takes flight

We've reached our biggest milestones to date, with our first VS–9 touching the water at Oram’s Boat Yard in Westhaven Marina, and taking flight on its first day of sea trials.

The trials followed extensive testing of the designs before the vessel's launch. The VS–9 sailed through its initial on-water tests on day one, including slow speed manoeuvring, high speed turns, full throttle on the motor, and more.

At a speed of 12 knots, the foil stabilisation mode kicked in, significantly reducing the vessel's motion even when not foiling. With this final test complete, the next step was to attempt flight.

The transition out of the water was so smooth that our CTO and founder, Max Olson, only realised the vessel was flying when the team on the nearby chase boat erupted into celebration.

That moment was the culmination of the better part of a decade's hard work, dedication, and sacrifice from a team that always knew they could achieve the near-impossible.

We've built a boat that flies, and in doing so, opened up an entirely new way to move on the water.