GO WITH THE FLOW

What makes a boat truly stand out from the crowd? Sometimes you just need a little finesse and a taste for adventure

- ADAM PORTER

Not so long along, a narrowboat with a hybrid drive was something of a novelty. The technology seemed unfeasibly advanced, and we wondered whether it would really catch on. But the hybrid system has caught on, because it’s clear that more and more people are choosing to install one in their new build. It’s probably a case of history repeating itself, because there was probably the same level of scepticism, followed by enthusiasm, when diesel power took over from literal horse power.

Technology moves on, and it’s not just the advances in hybrid systems themselves that play a part. Ten years ago, solar panels on boats were pretty rare – whereas now, virtually all new boats have them. And being able to charge your batteries via solar makes a hybrid system even more attractive, with even less need to run the engine.

Given that hybrids are becoming so much more popular, it’s perhaps not surprising that we’re featuring a hybrid boat for the second month in a row. Momentous is from a relatively new

company, Trinity Boats (it’s just their second private boat, although all the people involved have worked with boats for a long time) and shows that it is possible to have a hybrid drive and a stylish interior, without breaking the bank.

Exterior

Momentous is built on a Mike Christian shell by Tyler Wilson. Mike Christian is the name the firm gives to their slightly less detailed hulls – so there are no scrolls in the handrails and cants for example. But the steelwork is still to their usual high standards, and importantly the underwater shape is still the same, so you get nice long swims to aid good handling.