How data helps the Hydro Motion Team achieve a successful crossing

Hydro Motion Team's challenge: from 0 to the UK in 1 year

The Hydro Motion Team faced an enormous challenge: to develop a hydrogen-powered boat within a year that could make the crossing to the United Kingdom. This was no ordinary project; the combination of hydrogen technology, challenging weather conditions, and the open sea imposed complex technical requirements.
The biggest challenge? Stability. High waves and unpredictable winds called for innovative solutions to keep the boat as stable as possible. Daan and his team decided to use longer struts to minimize the impact of the waves, but that alone wasn’t enough. "We needed a way to collect and analyze large amounts of data quickly so we could develop the boat rapidly," Daan explains.

The impact of IMC during the concept phase

Back to the beginning. During the initial phases, it became clear that waves and unpredictable weather at sea would be major obstacles. Previous teams had struggled with instability due to high waves, so the Hydro Motion Team decided to use longer struts. These struts, which lift the boat above the water’s surface, were extended to 1.6 meters (compared to the previous team’s 1.34 meters). “One of the criteria was a 0.8 significant height. Very ambitious,” Daan recalls.

He continues: “We put a lot of energy into simulating the flight system. We used Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) to understand how the boat would behave under different conditions. These simulations generated so much data that we needed a smart way to monitor and trend it. Thanks to my earlier contact at the fair, we knew we had to reach out to Joël and his MSA-Service team. They set up the IMC ‘Multiped’ for us. The first experiences were great. Getting immediate insight into the results of the simulation adjustments was already a big win.”

Hydro Motion Team: measuring as much as possible

“Then came the design phase. Our goal was to measure as much as possible on the boat to achieve the best possible result. After presenting the boat, we immediately started building it. The hull was made of carbon due to its light weight and immense strength. All the data was collected onboard via a CAN bus system, with the aim of developing advanced software to process this data. However, this proved to be a huge challenge. Fortunately, Joël offered his help, as he and his team had experience with these types of systems. Together with the Hydro Motion Team, they connected the CAN bus to Multiped using a converter. Everything was then safely installed in a waterproof casing.”

The first Hydro Motion Team with real-time data during the test phase

“After the installation, we began the test phase. At that moment, we were incredibly grateful to have Multiped at our disposal. Thanks to this system, we had real-time data from every subsystem, allowing us to see in the finest detail whether everything was functioning properly. We had to sail as efficiently as possible while optimizing the boat’s stability, and every bit of data counted.

We installed an IMU motion sensor in the middle of the boat and an ultra-precise altimeter at the front. During testing, we could immediately see which settings worked best. While the previous team had to manually extract all the data from the CAN bus and search for the optimal settings, we could monitor in real time from a chase boat how the boat responded to the adjustments in the struts.

We saw the settings for each subsystem in real time on a dashboard, displaying consumption, speed, height, stability, and engine settings. And very precisely, as this IMC processes 1,000 signals per second, allowing us to analyze every detail of the deviations.
The real strength is in the ability to trend, compare all the data, and quickly identify optimization opportunities. Thanks to this approach, our testing phase was twice as fast as usual, with maximum hydrogen consumption savings as a result. Within two days, we had the boat ‘flying,’ which was an incredible thrill!”

The ultimate Hydro Motion crossing: served and saved by data

The key moment arrives: the crossing. Daan: “Right at the start of the crossing, we noticed the boat wasn’t running smoothly. We pulled up Multiped, and the first info showed that there was a problem with the engine. We zoomed in on a few parameters and quickly discovered that the insulation between the high- and low-voltage systems wasn’t working correctly. This was a dangerous situation, especially because carbon conducts electricity very well. Thanks to the IMC, we were able to quickly detect the problem, intervene, and continue sailing safely.

But we weren’t done yet. We also discovered through the system that a pump had failed. In Zeebrugge, we installed a new pump and then resumed the crossing. Thanks to the support of Joël and his team, we finally made it. What an amazing collaboration and fantastic tooling!”

Hydro Motion Team as a model for the maritime sector

Daan is convinced that data can promote maritime sustainability and research: “I chose to join the Hydro Motion Team because I want to make a positive, sustainable impact in the maritime sector. With this research, we aim to set an example of what maritime sustainability looks like.”
Julia Overbeek, one of the new team members taking on a new challenge with the Hydro Motion Team in 2025, joins in. She shares: “We will focus on maximum maritime sustainability. I can already reveal that we will use sustainable composites. I’m really looking forward to it.” Daan wraps up with a smile: “You’re definitely going to need this system.”