The future of boating is here and the only fuel this wave crasher needs is sun.
The only solar powered boat in the United States is making a trek on Earth Day from the Bahamas to Miami.
The two-man crew will travel the 65 miles and arrive into Bayfront Park between 3 p.m. and 5 p.m. Thursday.
Keith Romer is the captain of the boat and Tony Albelo is the organizer for the Miami Going Green Earth Day Festival; both are looking forward to the symbolic trek.
"One of the greatest things about living in South Florida is the outdoors and the ocean and what better way to embrace that than with a solar powered boat," said Albelo.
The 100% electric boat requires NO fuel. The solar panels on the roof of the boat charge the batteries which then power the single electric motor.
And if it's a rainy day, no worries! You can plug the boat into a shore power plug and charge the batteries that way.
Local
"The biggest thing for me is to see the impact on the environment," Romer said. "Literally we just turn the key on and we are able to go. There is no fueling, no oil, nothing."
The 23-foot boat is meant to buzz around the bay, but it is capable of traveling on the high seas, which is why Romer and Albelo are making the trek from the Bahamas to Miami today. They want to prove that being green is an option and in the boating world, it's an option that is going to get a lot of people talking.
There will be other boats at their arrival in Miami today, shooting off water cannons and other green enthusiasts will be on hand as well to welcome the eco-friendly catamaran.
You can also check out the boat at this weekend's Miami Going Green Earth Day Festival where it will be on display. The festival is also at Bayfront Park from 10 a.m. - 7 p.m. Thousands of people are expected to come out and see the one-of-a-kind solar boat, browse more than 100 exhibitor booths, and even get VIP treatment with a complimentary bike valet.
The boat is up for sale at Yachting Experts in Miami. The sticker price: $90,000.
