E-Stroke
About

Born around a campfire at Glendhu Bay

He waka kōhinu kore mō te moana toitū. A low-impact vessel for a sustainable ocean.

Estroke Marine is a family-owned electrification workshop in Christchurch. It started with a simple question shared around a campfire at Glendhu Bay: why is there no affordable way to power the boats we love without petrol?

In 2021 we went looking for an electric boat that could pull a skier and didn't cost the earth. There wasn't one. So we built our own, from recovered electric vehicle motors and batteries. What began as a hands-on experiment is now a practical engineering business, delivering reliable electric conversions for real New Zealand lakes, rivers and coastline.

We're driven by three things: making low-carbon boating affordable, giving EV batteries a useful second life, and sharing what we learn so the whole industry moves faster.

The Estroke team with the E-Stroke electric outboard

The team

Jeff Smit

Co-owner and Commercial Lead (and Chief Test Skier)

Jeff is a mechanical engineer (University of Canterbury) and Director, GM Strategy at DETA Consulting, where he develops low-emission strategies for companies, regions and countries, and works across industrial electrification and electricity distribution. He sees marine as one of the hardest sectors to decarbonise, and one where everyday people can make a real difference. Estroke also gives him the chance to get his hands dirty.

Jeff can run the slalom course at 15-off, as long as the driver keeps the speed in check.

Michael Smit

Co-owner and Technical Lead

Michael is a fitter and turner who has spent more than 15 years building and tuning some of New Zealand's most expensive motorsport cars, with work taking him as far as Laguna Seca in the USA. He designs Estroke's custom battery modules and the modifications that turn an outboard electric. He's building a lower-carbon future for his young family.

Michael can't quite get through a slalom course yet. He's working on it.

Our partners

  • EECA Low Emission Transport Fund supports our development, testing and early-adopter pricing.
  • Rippletech provides the control system in every Estroke boat.

Ready for a quieter summer?

Early-adopter places are limited. Tell us about your boat and we'll send a fixed-price proposal.

Book a chat