Lift Ocean ONE turns regular speedboats into fuel saving hydrofoils
The Norwegian modular retrofit kit cuts water friction and halves fuel consumption on craft up to nine metres.
Norwegian maritime technology firm Lift Ocean has developed an invention that retrofits standard outboard speedboats with retractable hydrofoils. The system, called ONE, lifts hulls clear above the waves to cut hydrodynamic drag and reduce vessel fuel consumption by roughly 50 percent.
Three motorized foils and an adaptive engine mount
Traditional hydrofoils require bespoke hull architecture built around fixed underwater wings. According to reporting by New Atlas, the ONE kit adapts conventional motorboats through three distinct assemblies, a modular invention that bypasses custom hull manufacturing. A trio of vertical motorized foil masts carry movable wings at their base, positioned with one foil at the bow and two flanking the outboard motor at the stern. A specialized engine lift bracket shifts any internal combustion or electric motor vertically to ensure the propeller remains fully submerged during flight, while an integrated hardware and software suite regulates craft attitude.
“Since our whole business idea is to mount hydrofoil systems on various boats, the performance will vary – in some cases the boats are heavy and slim, in the other cases they are wide and light.”
— Lars Bay, Lift Ocean
Automated flight control and switchable wings
When docking or navigating shallow shoals, the foils retract completely above the waterline. This design choice prevents marine growth accumulation and avoids hull damage near shorelines. Once deployed at low speeds from a helm console, the automated system engages at takeoff speeds between 16 and 18 knots on lighter hulls, before stabilizing at cruise speeds of 20 to 25 knots as reported by New Atlas. Skippers can select Low, Medium or High cruise elevations to match ambient swell conditions. Dynamic flight control relies on input from radar modules and dual GPS antennas, while operators can physically swap foil wings to tune the vessel for high speed, open-water cruising, or maximum operational efficiency.
Fleet adoption and maritime efficiency limits
Norwegian startup Lift Ocean designed the standard ONE package specifically for single-engine speedboats spanning 6 to 9 metres in length, with a minimum beam of 2.4 metres and a maximum loaded displacement of 2.5 tonnes. This technical innovation targets boatbuilders and commercial fleet managers seeking operational sustainability gains rather than private retail buyers. Lift Ocean representative Lars Bay confirmed that test vessels and client evaluations have shown an average fuel reduction of roughly half across varying hull geometries, as documented by New Atlas. Supported by patent protection, commercial order books are open, with initial fleet shipments scheduled for 2027.
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