The Boat That Flies Above Water

In the realm of maritime ingenuity, one vessel stands out as a symbol of innovation and defiance of convention—the Ghost Boat. Conceived by Greg Sancoff and brought to life through Juliet Marine Systems, this remarkable creation challenges the very essence of traditional boat design. At first glance, it might appear as a catamaran, but it is far from ordinary. The Ghost Boat boasts a revolutionary SWATH design—Small Waterplane Area Twin Hull—where twin hulls with submerged displacement counteract the relentless motion of waves. This design enables the Ghost Boat to skim gracefully above the water’s surface, seemingly defying gravity and making it impervious to waves up to 10 feet high.

Beyond its awe-inspiring appearance, the Ghost Boat offers unparalleled performance. Its submerged hulls house powerful gas turbine engines and fuel bladders, providing both speed and agility. It can travel up to 500 miles without the water hindering its progress, making it ideal for inshore operations. Additionally, the Ghost Boat possesses a remarkably low radar signature, rendering it virtually invisible to larger ships, a crucial advantage in modern naval warfare. It can also be customized with various weapon systems to address a wide range of threats, from anti-submarine warfare to piracy protection.

Despite its revolutionary design and capabilities, the Ghost Boat faced challenges finding its place in the United States Navy. A contract offer from DARPA was refused by the owner, who saw a commercial future for his creation. The Navy declined to purchase it, favoring larger, multipurpose vessels. Attempts to find international buyers also proved fruitless, leading to the project’s abandonment. Today, the Ghost Boat resides as a symbol of unfulfilled potential, on display at Albacore Park near the USS Albacore in Portsmouth, New Hampshire—a testament to human innovation and the unpredictable journey of visionary creations.

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This boat does not touch the water’s surface — it is flying above it! …and no, it’s not a catamaran. So how does it do it without magic? First of all, did you know that the Navy HATES their small patrol boats? That’s because the motion of waves makes them move side to side,

Up and down, making their operations difficult. They can’t even aim their guns properly! There is nothing they can change with their boats…but they could try a ship design that negates all wave motions called SWATH — Small Waterplane Area Twin Hull. Although this looks like a catamaran, in reality, it’s a different thing.

SWATH design offers twin hulls with a built displacement that is submerged under the water, reducing the effects of waves on the boat! They’re basically like little submarines a Ghost boat rides on. With a design like this, these hulls can hold gas turbine engines, fuel bladders, and gas turbine engines

That move the boat itself. And the water doesn’t lower the speed of the boat! As a result, you have a boat that can withstand waves up to 10 feet high and drive a maximum range of 500 miles that is moving smoother than a knife through butter! This is how Greg

Sancoff, who founded Juliet Marine Systems, invented a boat and made swift patrols a reality. It was tested relentlessly, at night out of sight. It was released only in 2011 to make its first public appearance. Their first client was the US Navy. But speed wasn’t the only thing the company could offer!

The boat itself is also stealthy! It has a very low radar section for its big size, meaning large ships won’t pick the boat up and engage it. Other than that, it could be attached with cannons, machine guns, missile systems, and more to handle anti-submarine warfare, piracy protection, and, most of all, protect

From smaller threats, like kamikaze drones, like those made by Ukraine that are now crippling Russia’s navy. But the US military, despite how revolutionary the idea was, didn’t like the invention and refused to buy it. But why? According to Jay Cohen, a Juliet Marine System advisor, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency,

Also known as DARPA, offered a contract in exchange for all its patent rights. But the owner couldn’t bring himself to take this deal — he saw a commercial future in this boat, so he didn’t want DARPA to take away his invention. Then he offered the US Navy this boat for $10 million,

But they didn’t have any interest in the invention. US Navy was a fan of larger ships that can conduct multiple missions both in- and offshore, while the Ghost could only perform inshore operations. The Ghost happened to be the technology the US Navy wasn’t keen to explore and implement in their fleet. Instead,

They had established a fleet of bigger boats that were proven in combat situations across the world. The inventor tried to sell the Ghost to other countries, but they didn’t express any interest in its even, leaving the inventor no choice but to abandon the project altogether. Right now, the only place you can see

The Ghost Boat is in Albacore Park next to the USS Albacore in Portsmouth, New Hampshire.