Marine

Biomimetic electric outboard ditches propeller for fin-driven thrust

Biomimetic electric outboard ditches propeller for fin-driven thrust
Showing the FinS outboard doing its thing with H2O
Showing the FinS outboard doing its thing with H2O
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FinX started production on its FinS outboards in late 2023
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FinX started production on its FinS outboards in late 2023
The vibrating diaphragm creates a jet-like stream of propulsive water energy
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The vibrating diaphragm creates a jet-like stream of propulsive water energy
Showing the FinS outboard doing its thing with H2O
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Showing the FinS outboard doing its thing with H2O
FinX was founded in 2019 and developed its technology for several years before launching the FinS
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FinX was founded in 2019 and developed its technology for several years before launching the FinS
FinX looks to eliminate the propeller to create a clean, safe, quiet electric outboard that causes less turbulence in the water
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FinX looks to eliminate the propeller to create a clean, safe, quiet electric outboard that causes less turbulence in the water
A closer look at the key ingredient: the elastomer membrane that vibrates to create thrust
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A closer look at the key ingredient: the elastomer membrane that vibrates to create thrust
The FinS is the first outboard with FinX technology
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The FinS is the first outboard with FinX technology
Spinning the FinX drive around
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Spinning the FinX drive around
The FinS attaches to the boat with a pair of clamps
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The FinS attaches to the boat with a pair of clamps
FinX was inspired by long, functional fins like these
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FinX was inspired by long, functional fins like these
The 5-hp FinS is designed for small vessels like inflatable dinghies
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The 5-hp FinS is designed for small vessels like inflatable dinghies
FinX's second outboard, the FinE, will feature dual planar membranes with the same type of agitated movement
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FinX's second outboard, the FinE, will feature dual planar membranes with the same type of agitated movement
FinX plans to connect the FinE to a hydrogen fuel cell power system and give it up to 150 hp
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FinX plans to connect the FinE to a hydrogen fuel cell power system and give it up to 150 hp
FinE outboard rendering
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FinE outboard rendering
View gallery - 15 images

French startup FinX was founded on the idea that the best way to preserve nature is to look to it for inspiration. Toward that end, it's developed an outboard motor that allows boats to move through the water more naturally and efficiently, similar to actual creatures of the sea. It cuts out the basic propeller and replaces it with a fin-like undulating membrane directly inspired dolphins and jellyfish. When agitated by the electric motor, the membrane develops safe, steady thrust that quietly pushes the vessel forward.

Something of a circular trip in reverse engineering that unfolded over the course of decades, the technology behind FinX stems back to the university work done by engineer Jean-Baptiste Drevet in the 1990s. Determined to make a more efficient fluid pump system, Drevet looked to the dolphin for inspiration in innovating the idea of an undulating membrane.

The work captured the interest of Erik Guillemin, who founded AMS R&D to further develop and commercialize the technology under the trademark Wavera. The membrane tech has since found use in industrial fluid pumps and medical blood pumps.

FinX looks to eliminate the propeller to create a clean, safe, quiet electric outboard that causes less turbulence in the water
FinX looks to eliminate the propeller to create a clean, safe, quiet electric outboard that causes less turbulence in the water

Guillemin's son Harold founded FinX in 2019 after working at AMS R&D for close to a decade. With his eyes on bringing the technology back to the sea from whence it was conceived, he arrived with an exclusive Wavera license for the boating industry in hand. In the ensuing years, FinX has adapted AMS' undulating membrane design to create a smoother, more efficient style of electric outboard it bills as the world's first propeller-less fin motor.

In place of a propeller, FinX's outboard relies on a linear motor to excite the ring-shaped elastomer membrane. This causes it to undulate and send wave energy through to the water, creating thrust via fluid flow. This quick video clip illustrates it in action:

Discover the Fin S. Safe. Simple. Strong.

In addition to being safer for life, limb and line than a propeller system, the FinX drive is also designed to operate more efficiently. FinX says the linear propulsion consumes less energy than traditional rotational propeller systems and also claims the design produces less noise and agitation in the water, making it a less impactful on marine life.

FinX began production of its first commercial outboard, the FinS, last year. Previously, or perhaps stylistically and intermittently, referred to as the Fin5, the 2-kW FinS is designed for small boats, inflatable dinghies and sailboats up to 3 tonnes. It attaches to the transom via two clamps and is controlled via tiller. Manual and auto-lift hardware protect it in shallow waters.

The 5-hp FinS is designed for small vessels like inflatable dinghies
The 5-hp FinS is designed for small vessels like inflatable dinghies

With the accompanying 72-Ah 48-V lithium battery, the FinS delivers an estimated top speed just under 7 mph (11 km/h). It's made to run at top speed for up to an hour and 45 minutes before draining the battery. Dialing speed back to 3 mph (5 km/h), the system can deliver up to eight hours of on-water time per charge. Estimated ranges come in at 10.5 and 21 nautical miles (19 and 39 km) at those respective speeds.

FinX is now offering the FinS for a price of €3,200 (approx. US$3,450). It showed the newfangled marine drive at this year's Boat Dusseldorf show, where it also previewed its next model, the FinE.

FinE outboard rendering
FinE outboard rendering

A scaled-up version of the fin motor, the FinE will offer up to 120 kW with the aim of powering tourist shuttles, riverboats, work boats and other larger vessels. Instead of the ring membrane design of the FinS, it uses a flatter layout with two excited membranes. FinX is planning to offer it with a hydrogen fuel cell stack.

Below, AMS R&D founder and chief Erik Guillemin puts the FinX tech to work on small inflatable vessel.

The founder of this technology is experimenting it on a boat engine!

Source: FinX

View gallery - 15 images
6 comments
6 comments
Spud Murphy
Not sure about efficiency and reliability, but that's a hell of a lot safer than a regular prop.
Oirinth
Hard to judge with the loud music in the last video, but it sounds quite loud in comparison to a conventional electric outboard
freddotu
This method of propulsion appears similar in concept to the fluid dynamics of a Dyson fan, based on the Bernoulli principle. An interesting twist. Manatees everywhere would benefit.
Aross
As someone who is in the market for an electric motor to power a 20 foot pontoon boat on a small lake I am always looking for better ideas. I wonder how this system will handle weeds. Also they state that "the 2-kW FinS is designed for small boats, inflatable dinghies and sailboats up to 3 tonnes". My experience with electric motors so far would dispute that claim. It's not the weight that would be the problem but wind resistance that matters more in an electric outboards ability to move boats.
I would love to see this motor on a 3 ton sailboat into a moderate headwind.
Expanded Viewpoint
The animator got it backwards, when the ring moves towards the rear of the vessel, it shows it as deforming in the same direction, when it would be going in the opposite direction. Someone has no real world experience with moving parts and friction.
Username
Instead of simply claiming better efficiency , it would be nice to have a comparison with a standard prop on the same motor battery setup. On a side note , my grandfather had a 3 hp outboard that used the same reverse system!