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WoKart: The 70 km/h Go-Kart for the Water, and What the Figures Really Mean

WoKart is a single-seat catamaran built around a mid-mounted outboard, marketed as a go-kart for water. Its 70 km/h figure comes from 2013 and 2014 reports, not a current measured test.
Entry828 Date Time5 min MechanicCarCody Team
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WoKart is a single-seat watercraft, not a land kart. It is an asymmetric catamaran with a 70 hp outboard mounted in the middle of the hull, designed to steer and respond the way a go-kart does. The 70 km/h in the name traces back to 2013 press coverage, which cited a top speed of more than 40 knots (about 75 km/h, or 46 mph). Those are historical claims. The maker’s current page confirms the craft is in production and takes direct sales inquiries, but it does not publish a price, a current specification sheet, or a verified performance figure.

What the WoKart is

WoKart’s own product page describes the craft as the first patented designer watercraft with a mid-mounted outboard and a unique asymmetric catamaran layout. The company says the layout is meant to deliver responsive handling and fast, tight turns. Those are manufacturer descriptions. They have not been reproduced in independent tests that we could confirm.

The concept is easiest to picture as a small, narrow catamaran with one seat, where the engine sits between the hulls rather than at the stern. That placement is the reason the design gets compared to a go-kart: weight and thrust are concentrated near the centre, and the boat is meant to pivot quickly rather than carry its power at the back.

Where the 70 km/h figure comes from

The number in the title is not a measured result from a recent trial. It is a conversion of period claims. Mike Hanlon’s report in New Atlas, published 8 December 2013, described a centrally located 70 hp outboard and a top-speed claim of beyond 40 knots, which it gave as 75 km/h (46 mph). A January 2014 nautical catalog, reported by Naucat on 21 January 2014, listed 40 knots. Forty knots converts to about 74 km/h, so the two historical sources agree within rounding.

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Figure Value Source and date Status
Engine 70 hp centrally mounted outboard New Atlas, 8 Dec 2013; Naucat catalog, 21 Jan 2014 Historical specification
Optional engine 85 hp could be fitted New Atlas, 8 Dec 2013 Reported possibility; compatibility not confirmed
Top speed More than 40 knots (about 75 km/h, 46 mph) New Atlas, 8 Dec 2013, citing WoKart partners Attributed claim; no independent test reported
Top speed (catalog) 40 knots (about 74 km/h) Naucat catalog, 21 Jan 2014 Catalog specification
Length / beam 3.80 m / 1.69 m Naucat catalog, 21 Jan 2014 Historical listing
Weight 210 kg (catalog); 215 kg hull without outboard (image caption) Naucat, 21 Jan 2014; New Atlas captions, 2013 Small difference between sources; not reconciled
Capacity One passenger Naucat catalog, 21 Jan 2014 Historical listing

Read the speed as “reported in 2013 and 2014,” not as “tested” or “guaranteed.” New Atlas attributed the speed and handling description to WoKart’s partners and said an evaluation drive was still to come. It did not state that the publication had independently tested the boat.

Why the layout is meant to feel like a kart

New Atlas quoted the designer, Dr. Theo Christen, on a question that matters for any boat this narrow: whether it needs a sprung seat. His account was that the centrally mounted outboard “acts as a shock absorber,” and that once the first prototype was in the water the team found it did not need one. This is a reported design observation from a 2013 article. It is not an engineering study or certification.

New Atlas also described the craft as having “the driving characteristics and low power-to-weight of a go-kart.” That is the core of the pitch: a light hull, a single seat, and an engine that sits where a kart’s engine would, so steering is supposed to follow directly from the driver’s inputs.

Price and availability today

The only published price is historical. New Atlas reported a price of €20,000 for the craft in December 2013, with the outboard excluded and an optional custom trailer available. Currency conversions in that coverage differ from one another, so use the euro figure only with its date, and do not carry it forward as a current estimate.

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The current WoKart page says the craft is in a “full production cycle” and that the company is working to build a worldwide distribution network. Buyers can contact sales directly. The same page lists the direct FOB price as “TBA,” which the company attributes to new U.S. tariffs. It does not state a delivered price, a lead time, a dealer list, a current engine model, trailer pricing, or warranty terms.

The engine has to be bought locally

According to the manufacturer, the outboard must be purchased in the country where the boat will be registered, because of international and national regulations. That changes the purchase from a single transaction into two: the hull from WoKart and the engine from a local supplier. Historical reports did not name an approved engine model, shaft length, or control setup, so do not assume that any 70 hp outboard will fit or perform as described.

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Safety claims and what they do not establish

New Atlas reported a WoKart-associated claim that no one had managed to tip the craft over during four years of prototype and production testing. The claim is attributed to the maker, and it is a historical statement from 2013. It is not a regulator’s finding, an independent safety certification, or evidence that capsizing is impossible in rough water, with a heavier rider, or with a different engine.

The current manufacturer page does not publish an operating manual, passenger or load limits, recommended water conditions, emergency procedures, or a list of safety certifications. Rules for registering and operating a powered watercraft depend on the jurisdiction where it will be used. Ask the manufacturer for written safety documentation and check with the local marine authority before buying.

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How WoKart compares with other kart-style boats

The fair comparison is not between two WoKart models. WoKart’s historical petrol concept is one category, and electric kart boats sold by other manufacturers, often aimed at resorts and rental fleets, are a separate one. Those electric boats are not WoKart variants, and their marketing does not establish how they compare on speed or safety.

Comparison point WoKart (per its sources) Electric kart boats from other makers
Propulsion Mid-mounted petrol outboard, 70 hp in 2013 and 2014 reports Electric; specifications vary by manufacturer
Published speed About 40 knots (75 km/h), historical claim Not stated in this comparison; check each maker’s test data
Price and delivery Direct FOB price “TBA”; engine bought locally Varies; confirm delivered cost with each vendor
Intended use Private recreation (direct sales) Often resort and rental fleets
Safety documentation Not published on current page Varies; ask for written documentation

Questions to ask before you buy

  • A current technical specification with dimensions, weight, passenger capacity, and maximum engine output.
  • A list of compatible outboard models, with shaft length, controls, and the installation drawings.
  • A written, delivered price that includes freight, import duties, and any trailer.
  • Registration guidance for your country or state, and the paperwork the registering authority will need.
  • Warranty terms, the nearest service provider, and parts availability.
  • The owner’s or operating manual, including load limits and recommended water conditions.

If the answers to these arrive in writing, the design becomes a practical proposition. Until then, treat the 70 km/h figure as a historical claim and the price as unpublished.

Sources for this article: Mike Hanlon, New Atlas, 8 December 2013; Naucat nautical magazine, 21 January 2014; WoKart’s current manufacturer product page (undated; contents may have changed since this article was written).

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