First Look: Air Step® by Beneteau Motorboats w/video

Photo Source: Beneteau

Boattest.com released this review on Beneteau’s new  Air Step® hull design a few months back and the results seem very promising.  While there are similar “stepped hull” designs on the market; with Air Step® the air is vented from the side of the hull through ducts down to the running surface below.  Thanks to the revolutionary air ducting system, Beneteau claims they can achieve the same results as a conventional hull using 20% less energy.  The obvious advantage over traditional stepped hulls is the predictability of air flow over the running surface of the boat.

Photo Source: Beneteau

Beneteau boasts of 3 main benefits of the hull design including better performance, safety, and comfort.  The air flow helps to reduce the drag on the running surface which translates into faster time to plane, higher top speed, and better turning ability; all while using less fuel.  The safety and comfort achievements are inherent in the new hulls ability to remain stable in rough seas.  Not only does the boat remain stable, but the operator is under less strain.  That reduced fatigue could make all the difference as you race across the bay late for the yacht club cocktail hour.

Check out a video of the test hulls after the jump.

Sources: Beneteau, Boattest.com, and YouTube