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The Varend Corso (Floating Parade) is the maritime and cultural event of the year in Westland and Midden-Delfland. In the fall, we offered the support and sponsorship of Robust-MT Marine Technology BV and had a wonderful visit from several of the Corso .
January saw the spectacular kickoff of the 2023 Floating Parade, themed "On Stage ." We were so surprised to be invited, and what a fantastic spectacle we were treated to. As Westland residents, we were certainly familiar with the Floating Parade , but honestly, we had no idea of the enormous organization, largely run by volunteers, that goes into it. After that evening, we were not only happy but especially proud to be a part of it. Afterwards, there was ample opportunity for drinks, a chat, and, above all, plenty of networking. That's how they do it here, and they do it well!
Friday afternoon, March 10, telephone:
“With Wim from the Varend Corso, on Tuesday evening, March 14th, we have a skippers' evening for the Corso. Would you like to tell us something about electric boating?”
Of course, I didn't have to think about it for a second; of course I wanted to. However, I had no idea what a boaters' evening entails. Who's there? How many people are there? 10? 20? To what extent do these people actually have any interest or ambitions for electric boating? To what extent do we actually offer products that make electric boating possible at the Varend Parade?
We live by the motto of doing everything to the best of our ability. We don't rush things, always try to go the extra mile, and don't believe "too good" applies to preparing for an introduction or a first conversation. I decided to prepare a presentation in advance so I could at least have a complete storyline for myself, perhaps show something, and perhaps hand out a few handouts.
Through Wim, I spoke to Carlo that Monday and he arranged the presentation for the following evening.
“Hey Carlo, where is it tonight, how much speaking time do I have and how many people are you expecting?”
“It's at Verburch in Poeldijk, you have about 10 minutes for your presentation and some time for questions, but don't make it too long because people mainly come to have a beer together and catch up.”
"Okay, no problem, that'll work out. How many people are you expecting?"
“Oh, about 120”
!!!WOW!!! This was one of those moments where our motto truly applied. I was so happy with my presentation and storyline, so glad I wouldn't be standing there speechless in front of 120 people. Just before my presentation, the photo below was taken of the group. I was setting up my gear, so I'm not in the picture; our Nils is right there in the middle of it.
Fortunately, speaking in front of a large audience is something I do fairly regularly, and when it's a topic that's close to my heart or about which I, as expected ;-), know more than my audience, I do well. The audience was very interested, and that led to a very interactive presentation. What a great group of people.
Of course, the question of sustainability came up. Time for a bit of group participation. I asked how many of the attendees drive electric cars. About 10 fingers raised. Okay, and how many do so purely for sustainability? No more fingers raised.
When we talk about the sustainability of electric boating on a global scale, we honestly don't know if it's directly more sustainable than an economical four-stroke engine or marine diesel. What we do know is that we immediately eliminate local pollution from exhaust fumes, leaking oil or gasoline, and noise pollution. So, on a local scale, there's demonstrably an immediate sustainability improvement. Furthermore, an electric drive offers advantages due to much higher torque, virtually no maintenance, and the comfort of sailing without screeching outboard motors or pounding diesel. You only have to experience it once and you'll never want anything else. This answer made the point.
We're increasingly noticing that people want to see, feel, and run our products in person. For the occasion, we brought an ePropulsion Spirit Plus , a Temo450 , an ePropulsion Vaquita SUP motor , and a Swimn water scooter . It was a huge success; all the products were thoroughly examined and evaluated, and it was clear that the attendees were impressed.
Quite a large group, with a wealth of tradition and life experience 😉 However, the interest was clear and genuine, the engagement from all levels, and the questions well-thought-out. All in all, a wonderful group to speak to.
Afterwards, there was plenty of time for chatting, answering questions, enjoying drinks, and, above all, getting to know each other. What a wonderful evening! The photo below shows the water scouts from Scouting Wessel Groep in Vlaardingen . This conversation led to a super fun test day with a Scouting lelievlet .
The ePropulsion Spirit 1.0 Plus was the star of the evening. Attendees couldn't stop talking about how quiet this motor is, how easy it is to operate, and how handy it is thanks to the removable battery.
This motor will be sailing in the 2023 Varend Corso ( , most likely behind a scouts' lily boat Varend Corso that we might just unpack our daily supply at the time of the 2023 Varend Corso and make it available to electrically propel an entire fleet of boats. What an event, what energy, and what a fantastic showcase for the Westland region, but also for us as a Westland company specializing in electric propulsion systems and sustainable watersports.
Robust-MT Marine Technology BV is a proud sponsor of the 2023 Varend Corso . We'll be there on stage!
