Watercraft

While some people like the idea of kayaking, they may be put off by how cumbersome the boats are to transport, and how tippy they can be. The Super Kayak – currently on Kickstarter – is made to address both concerns.

The world’s first fleet of autonomous boats is growing – literally. MIT’s self-driving Roboat has now doubled in size, allowing it to carry two people at a time, plus the boats have had an intelligence upgrade and can now move in coordinated groups.

We've seen various fold-flat kayaks and canoes, but motorized watercraft? Not so much. That may be about to change, though, if the AquaNaut 270 reaches production.

Visitors to this year's Genoa Boat Show – which apparently is taking place in a physical venue – will see a rather unique watercraft. Made by Milan-based Moi Composites, the MAMBO is claimed to be the world's first "real" 3D-printed fiberglass boat.

If you want a kayak (that isn't inflatable), you typically also need a car with a suitable roof rack. German product designer Daniel Schult has come with an alternative, however, in the form of a folding kayak that can be carried like a backpack.

More than 10 years ago, François-Alexandre Bertrand came up with a concept for a novel above/below watercraft named the Platypus. The first Blue Ocean edition was sold last year and now his company has launched a new version, the Platypus Swordfish.

When numerous boats crowd into one cove for the night, each one drops an anchor that could potentially damage coral or other seabed marine life. That's why the Seafloatech system was created, as it lets several boats share one "anchor."

A tender is a smaller boat, used for going between yachts and the shore – and Salomé Yachts' new Atlantic is a doozy.

Boston's Sea Machines Robotics has developed and launched the Sharktech 29 Defiant autonomous patrol boat with shipbuilder Metal Shark.

The Rapid Raft is billed as the world's lightest pack raft, and packs down to the size of a loaf of bread when the fun is done.

Ten years ago, François-Alexandre Bertrand had an idea for a novel watercraft that cruised to a site and then lowered its passengers below the water to have a look around. Now the first Platypus Blue Ocean has been sold, and the order books officially opened.

​We hear a lot about aerial and underwater drones, but ones that travel on the water's surface … not so much. They can be quite useful, though, as we discovered when we recently checked out the Heron USV (unmanned surface vessel) at the International Conference on Robotics and Automation.