Hold My Beer and Charge My Boat - Arc Unveils a Wake-Making Monster

Folks, if you thought electric cars were the next big thing, think again. Electric boats are here, and they're just gonna keep getting bigger and… well, stranger if this new contraption from Arc Boat Company is anything to go by.

They call it the Arc Sport, a supposedly "mass-market" electric wake boat. Sure, if you consider a quarter-of-a-million dollars "mass-market". Now, don't get me wrong, I love a good, raucous wake boat as much as the next gearhead. But an electric one? That's, let's just say, a whole new ball game I wasn't sure I was ready for.

Arc, in typical startup fashion, claims this thing has "unprecedented performance". They're not wrong about the numbers, though. This boat's got a monstrous 226 kWh battery, good for over four hours of hooning around with a boatload of passengers and enough ballast to sink a small yacht.

The thing's also got more software tricks than an Elon Musk press conference. Arc boasts about the boat's ability to learn and improve its performance with over-the-air updates. I'll believe it when I see those software wizards figure out how to make the darn thing recharge in under an hour. But hey, at least with all that software, you can update your playlists on the fancy-pants entertainment screen while you're waiting.

As for the wakeboarding and wakesurfing this thing's meant for? The Arc folks reckon it'll do just fine. It's got a 570 horsepower electric motor that promises to yank you out of the water faster than an angry alligator. Of course, I'll be reserving my judgment until I actually see one of these things in the wild and someone manages to execute a decent backflip behind it. That's the real test!

The design's... well, it's got that futuristic, angular thing going on. Picture a Cybertruck decided to try watersports. I suppose it's fitting, it is from LA after all. I do like the retractable hardtop tower, though. Imagine hitting a gnarly headwind and being able to lower the whole thing for a smoother ride. That's one point for convenience and maybe, just maybe, style.

Speaking of convenience, this boat takes it to the next level. Fifteen of your closest friends (or freeloaders) can pile on board and crank up the onboard JL Audio sound system through their phones connected to the boat's massive entertainment screen. And if you think docking a "normal" boat is tough, this futuristic beast comes with bow and stern thrusters to make you look like a seasoned captain. There's a reason they call this thing "ultra-intelligent".

Oh, and those of you worried about saving the planet, don't worry. Arc claims its electric wake boat is cleaner and quieter than those gas-guzzling relics currently clogging up the waterways. That's nice, but I'll miss the satisfying roar of a big V8 when it's time to pull someone up on the board. Some things just won't be the same.

Now, about that price tag… brace yourselves.  Starting at a cool $258,000, the Arc Sport ain't cheap. This thing practically costs as much as a lake house, which sort of defeats the purpose of owning a boat at all, doesn't it? Then again, it is supposedly "mass-market", albeit for anyone whose financial advisor uses words like "portfolio diversification" a lot.

So, there you have it. The Arc Sport electric wake boat – a strange, expensive, and probably exhilarating new way to spend a day on the lake. If you've got the cash, and the patience to wait for the thing to charge, then color me curious. I'm starting to think electric boats might be more than just a gimmick. I just gotta try one out and see if they can deliver the same thrills we all crave.