Beau Lake Runabout - Human Powered Yacht

The Beau Lake Runabout is a human-powered runabout boat that reinvents the pedal boat from the ground up, replacing cheap plastic and squeaky pedals with molded fiberglass, mahogany veneer, hand-carved black walnut, and one-inch leather seats. Built by Canadian design company Beau Lake, the Runabout draws its silhouette from 1950s and 60s Mediterranean speedboats, offering a human-powered alternative that cruises silently at up to 5 knots with zero emissions.

What Is the Beau Lake Runabout?

The Runabout is a two-seater pedal boat designed to look and feel like a classic wooden runabout yacht. Its reverse-transom hull creates a visual sense of forward motion even at rest. Three primary construction components define its structure: a molded fiberglass hull, an ergonomically shaped cockpit liner, and an inlaid mahogany veneer deck finished with mirror-polished stainless steel hardware and castings. The result is a human-powered boat that would not look out of place moored alongside a classic Riva at a Cote d'Azur marina.

Engineering: Silent, Efficient Propulsion

Unlike conventional pedal boats that churn water with a surface paddle wheel, the Runabout uses a submerged drive shaft that transfers pedal energy directly to a propeller beneath the waterline. The mirror-polished stainless steel shaft eliminates surface splash and noise, making this one of the quietest human-powered vessels on the lake. The tunnel hull design, two planing hulls with a trapped-air centre, improves efficiency and stability. Steering is handled by a hand-carved black walnut tiller with a joystick feel that gives the driver precise, intuitive control.

Luxury Details on Board

The cockpit seats are upholstered in one-inch thick leather that snaps off for easy cleaning and storage. Beneath each seat is a compartmentalized cooler that contours to the hull, so cold drinks are never more than an arm's reach away. All hardware is stainless steel, all wood is hand-finished, and every surface is built to endure years on the water without the fading, cracking or warping that plagues standard fiberglass pedal boats. According to The Manual, the Runabout retails for around $20,000, making it one of the most premium human-powered watercraft available. Wallpaper* called it "a luxury 1950s-inspired paddle boat" and named it one of the most beautifully resolved small watercraft of its generation, a view covered in detail in their Beau Lake feature.

How Does It Compare to Other Premium Human-Powered Watercraft?

The Runabout sits in a category of its own. Where the Beau Lake Pedal Boat is the brand's entry model and the Beau Lake Electric Runabout adds an electric assist motor for longer range, the original Runabout is the purist's choice: entirely human-powered, entirely silent, with a classic aesthetic that no electric drivetrain can replicate. For those drawn to refined watercraft, TheArsenale also carries the The St Tropez Luxury Pedal Boat and motor-assisted options like the SAY29 Runabout Yacht for buyers who want more speed on open water.

Who Is the Beau Lake Runabout For?

The Runabout is built for lake house owners, marina collectors, and anyone who wants a human-powered runabout boat that earns its place in the water alongside much more expensive motorised craft. It is eco-friendly by design, produces no fuel emissions, and its quiet propulsion makes it ideal for wildlife reserves, private lakes, and noise-restricted waterways. It is also, simply, one of the most beautiful pedal boats ever made.

Discover the full range of premium watercraft at TheArsenale in the boat collection, from compact human-powered runabouts to full-scale luxury yachts.