Photo By: Nordvegen History Center
Where It All Began
The Professionals Powering the Next Generation of Boathouses.
Long before modern marinas and electric propulsion, the Vikings built some of the world’s earliest purpose-designed boathouses, known as Naust. These were specialized, often large, waterside structures used to store, build, and repair Viking ships—protecting them from winter ice, saltwater, and harsh coastal conditions. Many were shaped like an inverted boat itself, reflecting a deep understanding of form, function, and the sea.
Naust were more than storage. They were communal spaces woven into daily maritime life. The Electric Boathouse draws inspiration from this legacy. Our Viking ship logo is a direct nod to these early boathouses, symbolizing innovation, preparedness, and respect for the water. Just as Viking boathouses protected and sustained ships for the journeys ahead, the Electric Boathouse exists to guide modern boating toward a cleaner, more efficient, electric future.
Our Mission
Promote Power-Generating Boathouses.
Power-generating boathouses represent the next evolution of maritime infrastructure where shelter, energy, and innovation work together. By producing power on-site, boathouses become active contributors to cleaner waterways and smarter electric boating.
The Modern Electric Boathouse
From Then to Now
Where Viking boathouses once protected vessels from ice, storms, and saltwater, today’s boathouse has the opportunity to do more. With advances in solar, energy storage, and electric propulsion, the modern boathouse can evolve from a passive structure into an active part of the waterfront ecosystem.
The Electric Boathouse reimagines this historic building as a power-generating hub producing clean energy, supporting electric boats, and reducing reliance on shore-based infrastructure. Rooftops, walls, and surrounding space become assets rather than afterthoughts.
This shift honors the same principles that guided early maritime builders: efficiency, resilience, and respect for the environment. By combining time-tested design philosophies with modern renewable technology, the boathouse becomes not just a place to store boats, but a place that helps power the future of boating.
Why This Matters
Because the future of boating needs better infrastructure.
Boating is changing, but waterfront infrastructure has largely stayed the same. Most boathouses still consume energy rather than contribute it, relying on aging systems and shore power that were never designed for electric propulsion. Electric boats are already quieter, cleaner, and more efficient. What’s missing is infrastructure built to support them where they live at the water’s edge.
Power-generating boathouses close that gap. By integrating renewable energy directly into existing structures, they reduce strain on the grid, improve resilience, and turn overlooked surfaces into productive assets. This approach builds forward without rebuilding the waterfront.
At its core, this is about stewardship. Boathouses sit between land and water, making them the natural place to rethink how we protect, power, and sustain the future of boating.