De Antonio E23 first look: Remarkably comfy 100% electric boat

The De Antonio E23 is an entirely electric boat with a secure 5ft sunbed and sunken cockpit, perfect for family time.

With its penchant for extended aft ends and vertical hull sides, award-winning Spanish builder, De Antonio Yachts, has made a living out of cruise-ready day boats that offer much more usable volume than most of their competitors. It was only a matter of time then before the shipyard applied its expertise to the world of cats – and it’s done so in the form of a compact runabout known as the E23.

Not only is this the first multihull to emerge from the Barcelona-based builder; it’s also the first 100% electric boat. But in many ways, the E23 actually looks like business as normal. For instance, the Torqeedo Deep Blue 50 outboard is concealed beneath a raised sunbed with a full-beam (if extremely short) swim platform aft. As on past models, it compensates for the extra weight of those aft structures with the extra buoyancy of some hull extensions.

The sheltered bow lounge is enormous for a 23ft boat

In this case, it also pairs those twin hulls with a fixed hydrofoil to get the best return out of relatively modest power; and for exactly the same reason, this boat is built light, too. It weighs just 1,600kg, thanks to some clever construction techniques, as well as features like helm seats built from lightweight roto-moulded plastic and a fit-out that errs on the pared-back side of lavish.

That said, it’s still a remarkably comfy and versatile little boat. The backrest for the aft bench, for instance, can be flipped up, extending the sunbed to about 5ft in length. The sunken cockpit is also very secure for a family and it’s made all the more usable thanks to the fact that the rotating helm seats help create a five-person dining station.

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The lightweight De Antonio E23

Further forward, there’s an excellent little toilet compartment inside the console and the bow space itself is a triumph. Long and spacious with a beam that extends all the way to the forepeak, it comes with a well-engineered pram-hood. You simply hinge it up and tension it with straps and within about ten seconds you have a generous and sheltered bow lounge.

Deep cockpit coamings make it very safe for families

This is a short, lightweight boat with a very narrow beam by cat standards, so it makes sense for trim tabs to come as standard.

Performance looks well judged too. It will reportedly run for ten hours at six knots or two hours at 20 knots, which is plenty for most family trips – and if you can’t be bothered with a 12-hour slow charge, the fast-charging facility will enable you to get going again in 90 minutes.

A single Torqeedo electric outboard is enough to propel it

De Antonio E23 specifications:

LOA: 23ft 8in (7.20m)
Engines: Torqeedo Deep Blue 50
Beam: 7ft 6in (2.30m)
Top speed: 30+ knots
Price: €130,000 ex VAT
Contact details: www.deantonioyachts.com

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This article De Antonio E23 first look: Remarkably comfy 100% electric boat appeared first on Motor Boat & Yachting.