If my engine ever decides to give up the ghost...I'm going QT10.0 >>>

[1911tex]

Electric Yacht - Electric Sailboat Motors. Complete Solutions, Easy Install

Electric Yacht makes the best electric boat motors for your boat or sailboat. Easy to install, plug and play manufactured to make it a breeze.

electricyacht.com

No fresh/seawater pumps, no seawater cooling thru-hull, no diesel fuel, no fuel tank, no oil, anti-freeze, hoses, etc., etc., etc...but what would I do with all that extra space in the engine compartment and fuel tank compartment, extra gallon of antifreeze, extra 5 gal fuel containers, extra belts, extra engine parts, tools, filters, etc.?

 

[Alan Gomes]

Electric Yacht - Electric Sailboat Motors. Complete Solutions, Easy Install

Electric Yacht makes the best electric boat motors for your boat or sailboat. Easy to install, plug and play manufactured to make it a breeze.

electricyacht.com

No fresh/seawater pumps, no seawater cooling thru-hull, no diesel fuel, no fuel tank, no oil, anti-freeze, hoses, etc., etc., etc...but what would I do with all that extra space in the engine compartment and fuel tank compartment, extra gallon of antifreeze, extra 5 gal fuel containers, extra belts, extra engine parts, tools, filters, etc.?

And no range....

 

[Loren Beach]

Batteries for electric propelled boats, cars, and even light aircraft allow a little more range every year. We have several friends with Tesla cars, and I do find the whole discussion pretty interesting... but sailors are such a tiny slice of a niche market.... I wonder if anyone will ever perfect this stuff for our boats? Companies seem to come and go pretty rapidly.
Even the present day existence of reliable small diesel power plants for us is a fortunate byproduct of the huge tractor and stationary engine market.

 

[1911tex]

And no range....

No doubt you are correct if I sailed the Great Lakes or ocean....Factory states 1 hour at maximum power..that's 6 miles at full power using mid quality house batteries and no solars.

However, Alan just for friendly argument sake...my boat is an Ericson sailboat...vast majority of the time, engine time is warming up, then under 1k rpm for 125 yards or so getting out of the marina, then up goes one or both sails....with an electric motor to use the equivalent of 6 miles at full power...I would need to charge once every couple of months! My pier does have shore power however.

Also I am on a large lake...therefore according to my diesel fuel usage in and out of the marina...now use about 2-3 gallons a month at maximum; most of that engine time is for warming it up from cold..and extra 30-40 minute runs every 10 days at 75%+ power, just to keep the moisture out of the oil/engine for long life. Nothing worse for an engine is a short run...be it a car, boat or airplane.

Interesting how many folks with sailboats on inland lakes (or coastal waters) use their engines only for getting in and out of marinas, to the fuel pumps or loading their palpable water tanks...and running their engines for longer periods just to keep them in condition. How often do folks change engine oil and oil filters and check their oil level, not to mention fuel filters and air filters...or just purging water out of their fuel filters. Or constantly monitoring their bilge for evidence of antifreeze/oil..and almost go into cardiac arrest when something shows... Or even worse, after leaving the marina for home..question.."oh my gosh, did I shut off the sea water thru-hull valve to the engine"?? Or, oh my gosh, started the engine and noticed no water out the exhaust...forgot to open the engine thru-hull raw water valve!"

How many folks take great care where they obtain their fuel ? Many marina fuel stations are rarely used, seldom change service pump filters and deliver poor fuel. Diesel engines are spoiled rotten...they get the best care, best fuel, long run times or inevitably become problematic at the worse times. Been there and done it.

Again, just for friendly argument sake. My Diesel engine is very low time and will most likely last 2 lifetimes. I am just an old school green old person who drives a trouble free 10 year old Prius with 128k miles that averages 51 mpg and the only service is annual oil/filter changes. Always drive in eco mode.

Alan...it's your turn!! Smile.....!

 

[Tin Kicker]

The couple on S/V UMA installed an Electro-Beke and provided some data here:

Sailing Uma— ELECTRO-BEKE

www.sailinguma.com

 

[steven]

I have done extensive calculations for conversion to electric.
It all comes down to how much range do you need ?

If a mile or two, then electric looks inviting.
If 40miles - you can get becalmed for days on end on the Chesapeake in the summer - then need the internal combustion beastie.

I am thinking of leaving in the (currently nicely working) A4 and putting in an electric motor coupled with a belt drive to the shaft behind the A4.
An auxiliary auxiliary ?

I've also looked at hybrid mode of the genset + electric. Looks workable but expensive.
A solution could be AC generator+ AC motor - like electric ships. (installed to standards by a licensed electrician)
Problem might be cooling.

 

[Alan Gomes]

No doubt you are correct if I sailed the Great Lakes or ocean....Factory states 1 hour at maximum power..that's 6 miles at full power using mid quality house batteries and no solars.

However, Alan just for friendly argument sake...my boat is an Ericson sailboat...vast majority of the time, engine time is warming up, then under 1k rpm for 125 yards or so getting out of the marina, then up goes one or both sails....with an electric motor to use the equivalent of 6 miles at full power...I would need to charge once every couple of months! My pier does have shore power however.

Also I am on a large lake...therefore according to my diesel fuel usage in and out of the marina...now use about 2-3 gallons a month at maximum; most of that engine time is for warming it up from cold..and extra 30-40 minute runs every 10 days at 75%+ power, just to keep the moisture out of the oil/engine for long life. Nothing worse for an engine is a short run...be it a car, boat or airplane.

Interesting how many folks with sailboats on inland lakes (or coastal waters) use their engines only for getting in and out of marinas, to the fuel pumps or loading their palpable water tanks...and running their engines for longer periods just to keep them in condition. How often do folks change engine oil and oil filters and check their oil level, not to mention fuel filters and air filters...or just purging water out of their fuel filters. Or constantly monitoring their bilge for evidence of antifreeze/oil..and almost go into cardiac arrest when something shows... Or even worse, after leaving the marina for home..question.."oh my gosh, did I shut off the sea water thru-hull valve to the engine"?? Or, oh my gosh, started the engine and noticed no water out the exhaust...forgot to open the engine thru-hull raw water valve!"

How many folks take great care where they obtain their fuel ? Many marina fuel stations are rarely used, seldom change service pump filters and deliver poor fuel. Diesel engines are spoiled rotten...they get the best care, best fuel, long run times or inevitably become problematic at the worse times. Been there and done it.

Again, just for friendly argument sake. My Diesel engine is very low time and will most likely last 2 lifetimes. I am just an old school green old person who drives a trouble free 10 year old Prius with 128k miles that averages 51 mpg and the only service is annual oil/filter changes. Always drive in eco mode.

Alan...it's your turn!! Smile.....!

Well...how's about we say that we are both right? (I guess that's not as much fun as a knock down drag out, but on this subject I think it's true.)

Depending on the usage pattern an electric motor could make great sense. For the way I use my boat, it simply wouldn't work. I frequently do trips to Catalina Island, and that involves ~ 25nm, give or take. My last trip was marvelous: I raised the sails just outside of my slip, sailed all the way to Isthmus Cove, and only ran the motor long enough to pick up the mooring. Same on the trip home, but in reverse. HOWEVER...there have been *plenty* of other trips where I motored the entire way, both ways. Or motored over the entire way but managed to sail back. Or sailed over halfway and then the wind crapped out. Or motored part way over until the wind came up. No way was that happening with an electric motor.

I know there are some who say, "It's a sailboat! What's the hurry?" Well, there are times when I'm on a schedule or otherwise simply don't have the time to sit becalmed in the middle of the San Pedro channel for 12 hours when the wind craps out. I've got to go to work the next day, and so forth. For my usage pattern, I need the range.

So, I'm not anti electric--by no means! But I do observe that some (not you) who get cow-eyed over the prospect have inflated views of how far they are going to get. Sometimes this is due to advertising propaganda, or maybe just wishful thinking. MaineSail (Compass Marine) has produced some good and realistic information about batteries and electric conversions and this is a point he makes frequently. If someone has a clear-headed understanding of what the implications of going electric are--both pro and con--and it fits his or her needs, then it could be a terrific option.

 

[p.gazibara]

The maintanence schedule for our electric drive has been pretty great, one $12 belt in 4 years. That being said, we only have about 15nm of motor range. Hasn’t been an issue yet, but we aren’t on any strict schedules.

-P

 

[Mark F]

Some of my best friends have diesels in their sailboats ;-).

Back when I had fresh lead acid propulsion batteries in my E27 I motored for 5+ hours at 4 knots in calm flat conditions. I used about 1/2 of my "available" (200ah @48volts) battery power. That was definitely battery abuse as I ran that bank almost flat because I didn't know any better! I have two 48 volt battery banks.

I switched to lithium a few years ago and just recently added solar, no more plugging in at the slip and much more available electricity.

I know what my limitations are regarding motoring but for me it is a non issue. I usually bring a Honda 2000i with me if I'm going more than 30 miles - just in case. I've used the generator twice in 12 years.

Yes Pajo, keeping up with the belt maintenance is exhausting ;-)

 

[Solarken]

No doubt you are correct if I sailed the Great Lakes or ocean....Factory states 1 hour at maximum power..that's 6 miles at full power using mid quality house batteries and no solars.

However, Alan just for friendly argument sake...my boat is an Ericson sailboat...vast majority of the time, engine time is warming up, then under 1k rpm for 125 yards or so getting out of the marina, then up goes one or both sails....with an electric motor to use the equivalent of 6 miles at full power...I would need to charge once every couple of months! My pier does have shore power however.

Also I am on a large lake...therefore according to my diesel fuel usage in and out of the marina...now use about 2-3 gallons a month at maximum; most of that engine time is for warming it up from cold..and extra 30-40 minute runs every 10 days at 75%+ power, just to keep the moisture out of the oil/engine for long life. Nothing worse for an engine is a short run...be it a car, boat or airplane.

Interesting how many folks with sailboats on inland lakes (or coastal waters) use their engines only for getting in and out of marinas, to the fuel pumps or loading their palpable water tanks...and running their engines for longer periods just to keep them in condition. How often do folks change engine oil and oil filters and check their oil level, not to mention fuel filters and air filters...or just purging water out of their fuel filters. Or constantly monitoring their bilge for evidence of antifreeze/oil..and almost go into cardiac arrest when something shows... Or even worse, after leaving the marina for home..question.."oh my gosh, did I shut off the sea water thru-hull valve to the engine"?? Or, oh my gosh, started the engine and noticed no water out the exhaust...forgot to open the engine thru-hull raw water valve!"

How many folks take great care where they obtain their fuel ? Many marina fuel stations are rarely used, seldom change service pump filters and deliver poor fuel. Diesel engines are spoiled rotten...they get the best care, best fuel, long run times or inevitably become problematic at the worse times. Been there and done it.

Again, just for friendly argument sake. My Diesel engine is very low time and will most likely last 2 lifetimes. I am just an old school green old person who drives a trouble free 10 year old Prius with 128k miles that averages 51 mpg and the only service is annual oil/filter changes. Always drive in eco mode.

Alan...it's your turn!! Smile.....!

Hello,

Electric only range can be an issue. But I don’t get stuck. Wind does not always cooperate as we all know. But, on a windless day I started my HONDA BACKUP, 2000W and kept the 150AH LiFePo bank full while motoring 16 KM. I ran about 4 knots over ground into the current and swells. Not silent but comfortable. In 4 hours I used a little over 1-⅓ gallons of gas. I have a remote tank for the generator that is 6 gallons. 340W of solar also. I can tool around the islands and keep refrigerator cold, pickup a mooring or anchor point and never need shore power with some sun or a quiet buzz of the generator 45-60 minutes a day. The guy on the next mooring ran his diesel 3-4 hours a day. I guess it’s all in how you approach it. I never smell fuel or fumes in the cabin. It takes a bit to learn but it’s so nice in general. I prefer to sail but I don’t get stuck….

 

[p.gazibara]

Our boats sail really well, even in the light stuff. Full electric works great for everyone but the weekend warrior. Day sailors and cruisers gain great benefit from an electric drive imo.

We have found that cruising electric is such a great experience. KISS principle at its finest, and the large battery pack runs computers, fans, fridges, watermakers etc without much worry.

We did have some trouble living aboard in the middle of winter in the high latitudes (NZ) we would watch the battery percentage slowly drop for days until we finally got some sun and it would climb back up again. Ultimately, the need for heat convinced us to move to the marina and we plugged in for heat and charged the batts every so often if the sun was hiding for more than a week.

There is something magic about owning a floating battery pack that can take you anywhere. Just bring the food, beer, and crew and you are off! Quietly, silently.

We have been looking for a bigger boat with a little more room now that the family has expanded and will defiantly rip out the noisemaker in the next one and go fully electric again. Ideally we find a vessel with a dead engine that can be had for cheap.

Fortunatly, these kiwi designers seem to have been well ahead of their time and there are really cool old boats are everywhere if I look hard enough. For some reason, the modern bendy plastic boats seem to fetch a higher price, probably insurance related. I know which I would rather take to sea…

-p

 

[steven]

How is the Honda wired ? Do you run it into the shore power battery charger ?

 

[Solarken]

How is the Honda wired ? Do you run it into the shore power battery charger ?

Yes, I plug the shore power cord into it.

 

[Mark F]

I added a “swim/generator platform” on Lotus Flower so I could keep the generator out of the cockpit and downwind. I’ve used it once for the generator in 14 years.

 

[Teranodon]

Before converting to electric, owners should remind themselves that they will probably be selling their boat some day, that electric technology is evolving constantly, and that selling a boat with an obsolete drive may result in a loss of many thousands of dollars.

 

[p.gazibara]

Before converting to electric, owners should remind themselves that they will probably be selling their boat some day, that electric technology is evolving constantly, and that selling a boat with an obsolete drive may result in a loss of many thousands of dollars.

This may be true at present, but hardware hasn’t to advanced much since we converted back in 2016. The two components that make electric work, the motor and controller ha been pretty flushed out. The controller software keeps evolving, but like the chartplotter, you just need to upgrade the software.

The battery tech is what is changing, which would be swapped once you have run the batts out of their useful life. No doubt the next iteration will have more energy density.

What better selling point is there? Just arrive at the boat with beers, food, and crew. No fueling required. Just set off go wherever you want to go. No engine maintenance, no “winterizing” for those in freeze areas.

After sailing the South Pacific with an electric drive, my wife wouldn’t consider a yacht with an ICE. Whatever we get next will get converted.

-p

 

[Teranodon]

...

What better selling point is there? Just arrive at the boat with beers, food, and crew. No fueling required. Just set off go wherever you want to go. No engine maintenance, no “winterizing” for those in freeze areas.

.....

Different strokes for diff'rnt folks, but I still don't get it. When I arrive with beers, etc., my diesel engine is ready to have the key turned, just like your electric.

People say "most of the time I use my engine just to get out of the marina, so why not electric?" But that can be turned around: if that's all you need the engine for, then why not put up with the noise, vibration and smell for a few minutes, and then sail out, knowing that you have a couple hundred miles of range in your tank, instead of one hour? Anyway, it all depends on where/how people sail. In my vast cruising area, with variable winds and strong currents, only one technology makes sense.

 

[p.gazibara]

Gotta put fuel in that tank to go that hundred miles , solar fills our tank every day, while we lounge.

But it's true, it doesn't work for every situation/person. strong currents are not our friend. Our cruising style has allowed us to wait, and those strong currents flip to our favor, but I can think of some places where that might not be the case. We plan our passages based on the tides as they are guranteed, the wind as you pointed out can be all over the show. IMO a good sailing yacht is required in the end, electric on a pig of a yacht will not be very useful, aside from living aboard with all the power you may need.

We are from the PNW, we raced Swifsure in 2017 (took 3rd in our division, last over the line just behind a Cal 40 and the schooner Martha), and cruised up and down the Sound heaps all while electric. Almost hard to remember, it was 15k nm ago! Being electric was never an issue there. In fact we had more trouble with engine failure prior to repowering. Cinderella sails like a dream though, even with her 90's era sails.

Electric works just fine for cruising your area, just not as a weekend warrior on a timeline. You still need a diesel for that.

 

[Teranodon]

... on a windless day I started my HONDA BACKUP, 2000W and kept the 150AH LiFePo bank full while motoring 16 KM. I ran about 4 knots over ground into the current and swells...

I'm impressed. 2000W is just under 3HP.

 

[Christian Williams]

Basic diesel is trouble free, recharges the house batteries, makes hot water and allows refrigeration. It also allows arriving in port on schedule, a significant need for most cruisers. Try making the next port under sail with no wind or adverse wind in the morning, variable currents along the way.

As for range, with my 50-gallon tank I get 100 hours of engine, 500 miles at 5 knots. With 20 gallons more on deck it's 700 miles.

I have a Torqueedo, two Priuses and an electric bike. But diesel power is an absolute must for my sailing needs, which are pretty typical.

It is good to note that our electric-powered leadership is not proselytizing to the general public. Their circumstances and goals are specific.