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Dick Gildersleeve, owner of the Crab Shell, said the 1½-hour tour will cost $25 per person. The boat, a Duffy 21 Classic, has leather interior, dim lighting, a refrigerator and a table with drink holders, It travels at speeds of up to 6.4 miles per hour on a quiet electric engine - no engine noise, water splashing or gasoline smell.

"The Duffy electric is like a stretch limousine on water," Gildersleeve said.

With the addition of Avalon Harbor's 323 apartments and proposed Admirals Wharf, a 1.12 million-square-foot complex that will include apartments, offices, a maritime center, marina and ferry terminal, the owners of the Crab Shell said they anticipate using the boat as a water taxi.

James Clifford, Gildersleeve's business partner, said with all the new offerings on the waterfront, the boat provides an opportunity for non-sailors to become familiar with the Sound and for enthusiasts to relax.

"A lot of customers come from New York City or upstate Connecticut where it's inland. They don't get the opportunity to get to a restaurant by boat," Clifford said. "When you take your own boat out on the water, there is often a lot of work."

Stamford Harbor Master Donald Sherer said the idea of having an electric-powered boat in the harbor is environmentally appealing, and he hopes the idea catches on to use the boat as a water taxi.

"In light of the risks involved and potential for problems with oil-fueled vessels I think it's a great idea," Sherer said.

"The use of the water for transportation, in any way, solves some of the congestion on the highways. For far too long our waterways have been very much unused and an underused resource. I think that any type of water taxi or ferry service could be very appropriate for our harbor especially as it gets more developed."

The Duffy is operated by a 36-volt power plus battery that Gildersleeve says costs him "a half a buck a day" to recharge. Once charged, it can operate up to 10 hours.

"It's a nice sunset cruise," said Larry Basinger, yacht broker at Robert Christopher Marine Yacht Sales at 84 Southfield Ave. "It's an inexpensive, romantic getaway."