Wada Hoppah (TM)

Wada Hoppah is a privately financed electric ferry and commuter service designed for the Charles River, linking Watertown Square with the TD Garden area of Boston. Its boat, which the company calls an Eco-Ferry, is all electric, wakeless and shallow draft, so it runs without fumes, engine noise or smell. The pitch is a calm commute on the water for people tired of traffic and unreliable transit, plus evening and weekend trips to eat, shop or catch a Red Sox game.

The founders spent three years designing and building the prototype, and in August 2026 it became the first ferry to reach Watertown Square and the first all-electric ferry to travel the Charles from end to end. Licensed captains with river, rowing or coaching backgrounds will run it, aided by an AI object-recognition system that tracks nearby craft. The company also hopes to serve as a Freedom Trail extension, bringing visitors by water to learn about Watertown’s role during the British occupation of Boston.

What to Know

• The ferry is not a public agency project; it is privately designed and financed.
• Enclosed windows and heated seats are meant to allow service as long as the river stays ice-free, ideally year round.
• Private charters and parties are planned; interested groups can preregister.
• The project has been covered by CBS, NBC, WBUR, the Boston Globe and BoatUS Magazine.