Electric boat pulls first skier on Minneapolis lake since 60s

The Go-Float RX 1 recently became the first boat to pull a skier on a Minneapolis lake since most motorized watercraft were banned in the 1960s.

Even though the National Waterski Championships were held on Minneapolis lakes in 1960 and 1965, growing lake neighborhoods led to motorized boats, excluding electric-powered watercraft, being banned from urban lakes Calhoun, Harriet and Lake of the Isles.

Go-Float Boats launched in 2008, and its electric-powered boats can run on a plane for an hour at speeds up to 24 mph. The boat was powerful enough to pull a skier for several laps around Lake Harriet.

"Our innovative technology certainly opens new doors. We see electric boats as a viable product category and skiing behind this Go-Float RX 1 proves their versatility," said Go-Float Co-Founder Bart Jones in a release. "I envisioned this day several years ago and it's exciting to see it become a reality."