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Old 11-03-2016, 12:39   #1
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Electric motor for sail boat

Our 34 year old Yanmar diesel died a few years ago. She took us on an amazing adventure on the SF Bay. We looked at all the options and decided to repower with electric.

We installed it ourselves and are extremely happy. We have a range of about 10 miles at 4.5 knots. More if we go slower. Since we only use the motor to get in and out of the marina, it works out great.

We are mostly day sailors on our Newport 30. We could not have made a better decision. We plug in at night to recharge. Our engine is from Electric Yachts. We call it Tesla sailing.


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Old 11-03-2016, 15:31   #2
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Re: Electric motor for sail boat

Yep, good example of an appropriate "use case" for an electric motor.

They are certainly not for everyone, but for this case, they are probably the best solution.

(They are not for me - my use cases are totally different )
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Old 12-03-2016, 02:58   #3
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Re: Electric motor for sail boat

Good use of the technology. If you don't need significant range or speed and aren't worried about resale, it's a good solution.
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Old 12-03-2016, 03:14   #4
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Re: Electric motor for sail boat

Do you use the house bank to run the motor?
What size batteries, how many HP?

My previous boat was an 18' Duffy. 8 Golf Cart batteries, 5HP. It would go 5-6 hrs easily but we never went more than 2-3, just cocktail cruising. Quiet, no fumes, easy to talk and play music, etc.
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Old 12-03-2016, 07:15   #5
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Re: Electric motor for sail boat

Has anyone knowledge of Catamarans or other twin engine applications using one electric and one diesel ? Seems one could charge for the other during operation.
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Old 12-03-2016, 07:57   #6
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Re: Electric motor for sail boat

One day they may make cheap lithium-ion batteries for sailboats or even hydrogen fuel cells for them... but as always... it's all about enough electrical storage and regeneration.

I am tempted at times to dream about a nuclear-powered auxiliary like a submarine has when I need to bleed the diesel...
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Old 12-03-2016, 09:01   #7
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Re: Electric motor for sail boat

Quote:
Originally Posted by fungod View Post
Our 34 year old Yanmar diesel died a few years ago. She took us on an amazing adventure on the SF Bay. We looked at all the options and decided to repower with electric.

We installed it ourselves and are extremely happy. We have a range of about 10 miles at 4.5 knots. More if we go slower. Since we only use the motor to get in and out of the marina, it works out great.

We are mostly day sailors on our Newport 30. We could not have made a better decision. We plug in at night to recharge. Our engine is from Electric Yachts. We call it Tesla sailing.


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Tesla was the AC guy Edison was the DC guy.
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Old 12-03-2016, 09:13   #8
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Re: Electric motor for sail boat

Quote:
Originally Posted by fungod View Post
We installed it ourselves and are extremely happy. We have a range of about 10 miles at 4.5 knots. More if we go slower.
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I'd be interested to know the details of the motor, and your battery bank. Have you considered adding more batteries? Any chance you could post some pics of your engine bay? Yes, weird boat porn...but I'm not the only one who wants to see whats under there, I'm sure.

Plus, you forgot to say how wonderfully quiet it is...no diesel fuel stinking up the place. I would think removing the diesel tank would allow a few more batteries? Any idea of how much weight in total (yanmar plus fuel plus tank plus fuel filters, plus exhaust pipes, etc) was removed?

IMHO, electric motors are the future of sailboats. The question (problem) is getting the electricity. Fuel cells, linear engine generator, better batteries...who knows? Could you run longer if you had a little Honda 2000 generator running a few chargers (one per battery) ? Whats your top speed now?
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Old 12-03-2016, 09:34   #9
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Re: Electric motor for sail boat

Until we get affordable, higher-capacity batteries, the limiting factor is this:

One pound of diesel oil produces the energy equivalent of about 25 pounds of lead-acid batteries.
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Old 12-03-2016, 10:08   #10
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Re: Electric motor for sail boat

Quote:
Originally Posted by fungod View Post
Our 34 year old Yanmar diesel died a few years ago. She took us on an amazing adventure on the SF Bay. We looked at all the options and decided to repower with electric.

We installed it ourselves and are extremely happy. We have a range of about 10 miles at 4.5 knots. More if we go slower. Since we only use the motor to get in and out of the marina, it works out great.

We are mostly day sailors on our Newport 30. We could not have made a better decision. We plug in at night to recharge. Our engine is from Electric Yachts. We call it Tesla sailing.


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Can you tell us which motor you went with?
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Old 12-03-2016, 10:59   #11
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Re: Electric motor for sail boat

Once again, can you give more details....battery bank etc thanks
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Old 12-03-2016, 12:42   #12
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Exclamation Re: Electric motor for sail boat

Quote:
Originally Posted by suenodelmar View Post
Until we get affordable, higher-capacity batteries, the limiting factor is this:
One pound of diesel oil produces the energy equivalent of about 25 pounds of lead-acid batteries.
This is incorrect

The appropriate comparison is the energy density of diesel compared to a battery's stored energy.
http://<b>https://en.wikipedia.org/w...gy_density</b>

Diesel / Fuel oil has an Energy density of 48 MJ/kg
Lead Acid battery has an Energy Density of 0.17 MJ/kg

Thus the same mass of diesel produces 282 times more energy than a similar mass of lead acid battery.
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Old 12-03-2016, 13:14   #13
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Re: Electric motor for sail boat

Now... Matter-Antimatter fueled engines....
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Old 12-03-2016, 13:29   #14
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Re: Electric motor for sail boat

Great for a day sailer in calm condition with 100% reliable sail system. Sailing in the Med requires a lot of motoring and sometimes the weather can require motoring a long way. A Honda 2000 generates 2000 watts and will drive a 3 hp motor at the very outside. My boat has a 55 HP motor and I need every one of them for hour after hour.
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Old 12-03-2016, 13:35   #15
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Re: Electric motor for sail boat

Quote:
Originally Posted by Cadence View Post
Tesla was the AC guy Edison was the DC guy.

Funny you mention that. A DC motor powering an AC generator could be the answer. One battery bank being charged while powering the generator. Swap banks and repeat.


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