Yamaha Aims to Build a Hydrogen-Powered Sauna Boat. Yes, You Read That Right

A good (hydrogen) steam is good for everyone?

Photo by: Yamaha

By: Jonathon Klein

Jul 24, at 8:15am ET

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Yamaha has to be the weirdest company on Earth. Sure, they make things like the Tenere 700 and Grizzly ATV, as well as the RMAX UTV, and once made snowmobiles. And produced a number of insane concepts like the four-wheel, tilting motorcycle/ATV, a self-balancing robot, and a plethora of others.

But the Japanese company also makes things like guitars, keyboards, full-on grand pianos, and even a damn piccolo—not the Dragon Ball character, unfortunately. Yamaha also made archery gear, including bows, and DVD players for a while, the latter of which I'm pretty sure I had at one point. Who's ready for that business to come back and own some actual media again?

Yet, the iconoclastic brand's latest foray, one being developed in conjunction with the Fins—as you'd expect—has to be one of the weirdest offshoots it's ever embarked upon. Not only does it have nothing to do with powersports, woodwinds, digital media, or archery, but it doesn't use any sort of regular propulsion at all. Nor is it designed for clothed humans.

Yeah, um, Yamaha is building a hydrogen-powered sauna boat. Yes, you read that correctly.

Yamaha Motors Jet Sauna Boat Concept

Photo by: Yamaha

The "Proof of Concept" boat will be co-developed with the Finnish non-profit, Central Finland Mobility Foundation (NPO Cefmof), and is billed as "Yamaha Motor's first initiative to explore a marine application combining hydrogen and electric power in this way, in collaboration with external organizations."

Yamaha and NPO Cefmof's idea is to take Yamaha's HARMO electric boat control system, combine it with a hydrogen system, and run both it and the sauna itself off the cracked resource. Why a sauna boat? Unclear. But Yamaha states that its low-vibration jet propulsion system, along with the EV powertrain, mean that the whole thing feels as if nothing is propelling the sauna boat forward. Probably a good thing considering saunas are meant to be relaxing and the constant thrum of gasoline power would likely disrupt that peace and serenity.

What do you think?

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According to the release, "For this project, Yamaha Motor will supply HARMO units and offer technical and personnel support for its installation on the boat," but states, "Note that this is a PoC project and future commercialization or sales are not being considered at this time." So, unfortunately, it looks like you won't ever be able to buy a hydrogen-powered jet-sauna-boat. Lame.

However, the boat is said to be being unveiled at...Rally Finland next week. For some reason. Again, this company is absolutely mad, and I sort of love the chaos it brings to the market. Keep being weird, Yamaha!