Frydenbø Marine and Pascal Technologies are pooling their resources to launch a collaborative vision for the future of boating called Ripple Boats. The brand will design and build the next generation of long-range electric boats for the recreational market, incorporating Pascal’s range-extending air cushion technology.

Frydenbø is one of the largest boat producers in the Nordics with a factory in Poland offering boat brands such as Nordkapp, Sting, and Airborne. Through the Norwegian boat builder, the partnership has guaranteed access to high-quality manufacturing capacity and can launch an asset-light company at high speed and low investment cost.

The vision for Ripple Boats, led by CEO Stian Gulla and CCO Nathaniel Frithiof, is to create a boating experience that is simple, easy, and low maintenance. Its first model will be a 10-m electric day cruiser by Norwegian studio Thorup Design to cater to a range of water-based activities with spacious and configurable seating arrangements. It will include advanced safety features and user-friendly technology such as automatic anchor handling, remote monitoring, and over-the-air updates.

Pascal, an Oslo-based fast-growing marine tech startup, is developing an energy-efficient solution for leisure boats that significantly reduces water resistance and extends range considerably without the need for more complex technology.

“What’s truly unique about us in the startup scene is our ability to combine innovative, range-enhancing technology from Pascal with the extensive industry experience and manufacturing assets of Frydenbø, enabling us to quickly bring a unique and high-quality electric boat to market,” said Gulla. “Over the coming years, we aim to build a series of models in the 6-11 m range with a focus on international sales and not just in our ‘home market’ of Scandinavia.”

The leisure boat industry and electrification are at an inflection point, added Gulla: “Consumer sentiment is changing, battery costs are coming down, and investment in the space is growing rapidly—both from established players and startups. Ripple brings the combination of an innovative and fast-paced startup with the reliability and quality of an experienced boat builder.”

Pascal announced in April that it had raised €4.6 million in a funding round led by Ocean Zero LLC to bring its air-cushion technology for electric boats to market. Led by TED curator Chris Anderson and technology editor Stephen Petranek, Ocean Zero invests in innovative companies with the potential to eliminate emissions in maritime transport. Among its portfolio are electric hydrofoil boat producer Candela, outboard motor and battery system maker Flux Marine, and innovative sail system developer Ayro.

“We believe Pascal Technologies has the disruptive potential to eliminate fossil fuel consumption altogether on consumer boats, work boats, ferries, and even the largest commercial ships at sea,” said Petranek.

Formerly known as SES-X Marine Technologies, the company changed its name to Pascal to better reflect its ambitions inspired by the SI metric unit of pressure.

“We are very pleased to have renowned Ocean Zero as a significant shareholder in the company while existing shareholders have chosen to increase their investment in a challenging capital market,” said Glen Ole Rødland, Chairman of the Board at Pascal Technologies. “We are now well positioned to launch the first products into the market.”

Pascal’s AirHull technology is a next-generation SES (surface effect ship) solution that introduces an air cavity between the water and vessel to significantly reduce energy consumption at high speed compared to a conventional hull. It uses a fan to compress air, which creates an overpressure that lifts a boat partially out of the water like traditional SES technology. However, the AirHull is unique because it uses a special hull design and a flexible flap system to keep the air inside a cavity. The air cavity reduces water friction by reducing the wet surface area of the hull, enabling electric boats with long range and high speed.

The hull solution in effect combines the characteristics of a catamaran and a monohull, gaining the stability and deck space of a catamaran and the hull volume of a monohull. The air cavity is said to provide the seakeeping and efficiency of a hovercraft.

The system consists of an air system, driveline, and batteries. All components are integrated and regulated by a ride control system that ensures that a boat moves smoothly and efficiently.

Numerous onboard sensors collect boat operational data, with machine learning continuously improving the algorithms of the ride-control system. Over-the-air software upgrades further improve a boat’s performance over time.

The platform architecture is scalable for boats from 6 to 30 m. It is optimized for electric boating but is compatible with hybrid and diesel and is future-proofed for hydrogen.