Meet Wattson, the first high-voltage electric boat used by Maine fishermen. The Spruce Head Fisherman’s Co-op is using the vessel to tow lobster crates from moorings to the dock. From saving on high fuel costs to a quieter work environment, the fishermen operating Wattson are already seeing the benefits.
“We have to carry our own gas cans here to the skiffs. We have to go to town to purchase it—12 miles up, 12 miles back—and then we’re lugging six gallon cans to the old skiff. And it’s probably $50 a week. In the three to four weeks we’ve been working with Wattson, we haven’t purchased any gasoline.”
— Casey Morril, Spruce Head Fisherma’s Co-op manager
This project helps explore how electric propulsion can support real working waterfront needs—understanding where electric boats work well today, where improvements are needed, and what it will take to responsibly scale the technology for working waterfronts in Maine and beyond.
This project is a collaboration between Spruce Head Fisherman’s Co-op and Island Institute, with key support from Fogg’s Boatworks, ePropulsion, and Mack Boring & Parts.
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