Electric boating

It’s taken a while…for electric boating to fully take off. Its origins go back to the 1800s and by the turn of the century there were 100 electric launches on the River Thames alone, before other fuels took over.

Move forward to 2024 and we’re in an electric boating renaissance. Many Broads boatyards offer electric day boats in their fleet, so you can relax in the knowledge that your recreational activity is better for the environment than some others, with a smaller carbon footprint. Electric boats are quieter too, so more relaxing, and you can get closer to the wildlife. Please wear the life jackets provided.

Hiring a day boat, for an hour, a few hours or all day, is a fun way to get out on the water, and if you’re thinking about a boating holiday, it’s a good way to get the feel for it.

On a day boat there’s no need for recharging. If you’re taking a boat out for longer, or have your own boat, you can also relax in the knowledge that should you need to recharge your batteries literally as well as metaphorically, there’s a network of electric charging points throughout the Broads, maintained by the Broads Authority and other providers. The small but growing fleet of hybrid cruisers available on the Broads can also use these points.

If you can, think about how you get to the Broads, too. For example, taking the train (instead of driving) from Norwich to Wroxham to hire a day boat cuts the CO₂ produced during the journey by 80%.

The network of points will be expanding and we are working with partners to support the development of fully electric hire cruisers for holidays. We will also be working with private boat owners to enable them to move to greener fuels.

Find out more at broads-authority.gov.uk/looking-after.