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niel12 · 10-02-2012, 19:03

Just how workable, reliable and shockable would electric propulsion really be?

Docking at a marina and filling up with a elctrical cord sounds quite interesting

downunder · 10-02-2012, 19:05

Quote:

Originally Posted by niel12

Just how workable, reliable and shockable would electric propulsion really be?

Docking at a marina and filling up with a elctrical cord sounds quite interesting

The catamaran Tang built in SA (Electric propulsion) is for sale in the States now apparently.

**osirissail** · 10-02-2012, 19:47

Electric propulsion has been beat to death on this and other forums for years. And it all boils down to:
1. Electric propulsion works great - heck, all the major giant cruise ships use electric propulsion.
2. Batteries to store and power the electric motors on yachts/sailboats are not adequate to the job now. Maybe in the future they will be, but not quite there yet.

So you would have to - just like the giant cruise ships - run diesel engine generators to power the electric propulsion unless your needs are for less than an hour to two or so per day between charging. Little boats use the little electric trolling motors quite effectively.

Lots of companies and folks are working on the idea and sooner or later it will become practical, but not quite yet. The current systems are very expensive compared to old fashioned diesel engine propulsion. - The electric systems require some exotic batteries and control equipment which are not now very economical in comparison.

multihullsailor6 · 11-02-2012, 10:46

Quote:

Originally Posted by niel12

Just how workable, reliable and shockable would electric propulsion really be?

Docking at a marina and filling up with a elctrical cord sounds quite interesting

We have a homebuilt open bridgedeck 16m cat here in the marina which has one centrally mounted diesel outboard. The builder owner is planning to install two Torqueedo electric outboard engines purely for harbour manoevres. Says he has been looking into this and with the new generation Torqueedos it will be a very viable option.

Lowcountry · 11-02-2012, 10:52

Great for daysailing, miserable for cruising.

MacG · 11-02-2012, 10:58

Osirissail said it all. Diesel-electric works only in large ships with no weight limits.
In a sailing vessel below 25-30 meter it means double weight and double costs, so it is not worthwhile. The next step would be a gasturbine couple to a generator and then the weightproblem is more or less solved, but not those of total cost.
Workable, but not practical.

Sand crab · 11-02-2012, 11:20

Yes, beat to death.
Electric Main Drive(s)

Search hybrid and electric and you will find thousands of posts. Please, oh, please let this one die now.

**Tropic Cat** · 12-02-2012, 06:46

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sand crab

Yes, beat to death.....
Search hybrid and electric and you will find thousands of posts. Please, oh, please let this one die now.

LOL, that's no fun at all.

MacG · 12-02-2012, 07:21

If you have a Goldman-Sachs account, you may pursue this topic successfully .... .......

deckofficer · 12-02-2012, 09:55

Quote:

Originally Posted by MacG

If you have a Goldman-Sachs account, you may pursue this topic successfully .... .......

MacG, my dear friend, I beg to differ. I have finally settled on which boat will be my final and last boat, and that is the little PDQ 36. I'll sell those two 9.9's and replace them with two Torqeedo 4.0's. For power generation, should I need to motor more than the 50 miles the 48 volt battery bank can take me, instead of a heavy, 120/240 60 hertz diesel genset, I'll use a diesel gen set that can run any rpm because it's output will be only DC at the charging voltage for the propulsion/house bank of batteries. 48 volt inverters if you have heavy 120 volt, 60 cycle loads are the best way to go because when you turn on that 1200 watt appliance, instead of 100 amps on the DC side, it is only 25 amps. I'll admit, both the DC genset and electric outboards are more expensive (but a lot lighter) than conventional. I will enjoy quiet motoring with gobs of torque and a fully electric galley all the way down to my 1500 watt electric BBQ on the railing, and pulling all the propane tanks, lines, regulators, alarms, and appliances out of the boat.

Very doable and not that expensive.

tsmwebb · 12-02-2012, 09:57

For just getting on and off the dock it isn't for certain a bad idea. My brother has been using a Torqeedo for his 26' monohull for just in and out of the slip for a couple of years now and it has been a big improvement over the little gas outboard it replaced.

Tom.

**James S** · 12-02-2012, 10:14

Quote:

Originally Posted by osirissail

Electric propulsion has been beat to death on this and other forums for years. And it all boils down to:
1. Electric propulsion works great - heck, all the major giant cruise ships use electric propulsion.
2. Batteries to store and power the electric motors on yachts/sailboats are not adequate to the job now. Maybe in the future they will be, but not quite there yet.

So you would have to - just like the giant cruise ships - run diesel engine generators to power the electric propulsion unless your needs are for less than an hour to two or so per day between charging. Little boats use the little electric trolling motors quite effectively.

Lots of companies and folks are working on the idea and sooner or later it will become practical, but not quite yet. The current systems are very expensive compared to old fashioned diesel engine propulsion. - The electric systems require some exotic batteries and control equipment which are not now very economical in comparison.

Plus 2

deckofficer · 12-02-2012, 10:15

Quote:

Originally Posted by tsmwebb

For just getting on and off the dock it isn't for certain a bad idea. My brother has been using a Torqeedo for his 26' monohull for just in and out of the slip for a couple of years now and it has been a big improvement over the little gas outboard it replaced.

Tom.

You just can't match the low rpm torque of an electric motor. On a twin motor set-up, maneuvering in tight spots would be child's play, swinging large diameter, deep pitched props at a low speed that would stall a diesel.

Sand crab · 12-02-2012, 10:29

I was hoping this thread would die but no, It's like a zombie, it lives forever! Actually, I like zombies. They are like my first ex, dead in bed.

On the torquedos and other inboard motors do they run backwards so you don't have to have a tranny? Likewise do they spin really slow?

MacG · 12-02-2012, 10:47

@ Bob - I agree with the full extend of your reply. The Goldman Sachs remark was merely for the bigger off-sets.
Point is that we have al the bads of the worlds. An overcrowded country with same infrastructure. Bridges, locks, shallow waters, heavy circulation on all waterways - in short everything that is spoiling the life of the free cruiser is available in this little country. Pure electric power alone wouldn' t do very well.
That breeds sailors with nasty habits and over critical minds. Like me f.i.

The diesel electric propulsion could be ideal for: Catamarans and boats that have space (and displacement) sufficient to cater for the extra weight and space.
The combination is ideal: you can cruise at any speed, trolling as well, and you can play with the best place for the engine as long as you have the space.
All right, all right.