Canadian Yachting May 2022 - 24

The elegant steering wheel has a centre hub that remains fixed while the wheel rotates around it, thereby keeping some important control buttons
always in the same position. Just to the right of the wheel is the very interesting engine control which is shaped like a hockey puck with a bump.
You just dial up the speed that you want to run. Photo: X Shore
boat ever crosses it.
Like the Tesla, the X Shore Eelex 8000
is at its heart, a computer and an impressive
150 data points are collected per
second during operation, supplying you
with accurate, real-time performance data
that's accessible via the touchscreen and
X Shore app.
You don't " start " this boat - you just
activate it with the remote key fob and
even then, there is no noise until you give
it some throttle. The X-Shore silently
moves forward without apparent effort.
The absence of noise allows you to focus
on your boating experience and your
guests onboard. (By the way - the Bowers
& Wilkins stereo is awesome!)
But you feel closest to nature through
the power of silence. You have power and
speed if you need it, but you can do slow
enjoyment. On the screen, you can choose
the " Speedster " , " Cruiser " , or " Power of
Silence " setting which determines the performance
level.
Also, the performance level will determine
the power consumption. The most
economical setting is Power of Silence
and that will maximize your range.
On the helm screen at the top, you see
the battery range and your digital compass.
Power use in kilowatts per nautical
mile is displayed as are depth, motor
RPMs and the indicator for the performance
setting.
The entertainment and the lighting controls
all have digital dimmers. You see the
power control charging status, main and
house batteries. There is a propellor icon
to show that you are " in gear " and also,
icons for pumps as well as warnings for
pumps, power and thermal status. The
two battery packs are heated and cooled
for maximum performance.
The Side-power thruster in the bow
makes docking easier and an owner could
Our test boat was equipped with two couches, with generous interior storage, that had been set
up around a handsome teak table that includes drink holders. The all-weather cloth upholstery
is very comfortable and the table is fully removable.
also add a stern thruster for ultimate docking
convenience. The boat has SeaStar
hydraulic steering and the X Shore Eelex
8000 is a conventional shaft drive boat
with a rudder.
People often ask about charging the
batteries. The rapid charger system is DC
direct current to the battery and can charge
from 20 - 80% in 1 hour and 10 minutes.
AC (alternating current) takes longer,
although, with proper hookups, you could
easily re-charge overnight at home in your
boathouse, or at your dock.
24 CANADIAN YACHTING | MAY 2022
DRIVING THE X SHORE
Standing at the helm, I was comfortable
leaning on the backrest and the wheel and
throttle are well-positioned. You immediately
notice the elegant luxury car-styled
steering wheel with centre-hub mounted
controls for the media system, horn,
lights and arrow keys for on-screen functions.
What is especially neat is that the
centre hub and control buttons remain
steady while the wheel turns - love that.
There's also a USB at the helm and a fire
extinguisher is housed under the steering
wheel.
A unique feature is the throttle control.
X Shore has replaced the control lever and
throttle system with a big knurled rotating
nob like a hockey puck with a bump
on it. Line the bump up with the bump on
the deck edge and you are in neutral; in
other words, the engine and the prop are
not turning at all. You're using no power.
Rotate the puck forward, the motor starts
and the boat moves. Dial it all the way
on the Speedster setting and the X Shore
accelerates fiercely going from zero to 20
knots (planning speed) in approximately
4.2 seconds.
We saw a top speed of over 30 knots,
but when you switch to the Cruiser setting,
the acceleration is more gentle,
power consumption is reduced and your

Canadian Yachting May 2022

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Canadian Yachting May 2022