Seeking Design Ideas - Resource for Hybrid Sail Power

[psychfeld]

I'm in the early stages of shopping for a sailing vessel that would be suitable for blue water cruising in low and higher latitudes - Scandinavia to South Pacific.

One concept I'd like to explore is the potential to remove one of the twin diesels in a motorsailor and replace it with an e-motor and suitable batteries designed for propulsion.

I can see that solar and wind generators often provide ample power to supply house demands. As well I can see the birth of e-motors short range (docking, returning to harbor) as clean quiet alternatives to gas. I am wondering about the use of electric motor as cruising alternative through maximum mileage, say, across the doldrums.

I am quite new to this engineering issue and have a very modest current knowledge base of this topic albeit a high motivation to learn.

I short I am trying to find the best alternative to burning fossil fuels during low or no wind conditions.

If anyone has any ideas, existing boats, research forums for this topic I'd be most interested and appreciative.

Cheers

Rob