Is ti possible to have a 100% electric driven sail boat?

Question

How ? effecient solar power? Battery driven props?

Answer 1

Sure you can. I'm presently in Venezuela on my boat and have met a couple who re-powered their Westsail 32 in the US and sailed down here. They use the motor to maneuver into and out of marinas (where they recharge the batteries, the prop won't do it, and solar/wind will only provide enough for house use). More info @:

http://mysite.verizon.net/vzenw6dl/id5.h...

BTW without my diesel, I would still be in the Bahamas. I guess he is not only a better sailor than I am but also, no doubt, has way more patience than I have.

Also I believe there was a power Catamarain (no sails) that crossed the Atlantic last year with only solar power.

  Fair Winds,

    Ed

Answer 2

Yes... most certainly you can!

     But, I am a bit confused over your question and exactly what you want to accomplish...

     To me, a "100%" electric driven sail boat - would no longer be a "sail" boat... it would be an "electric" boat - possibly, with a sailboat's hull...  Is this what you want?

    Or, do you want a "sailboat" that has all the electric you need to run a household full of electrical appliances? ( ie: refrigerater, ac\heat, microwave, washer/dryer, TV, stereo, etc.... ? )

     Either way... with enough money, you can do just about anything you want...  

     I used Solomon Technologies (link below) to "electrify" my full time live aboard sternwheeler... It worked out so great - my (40 yr old) son and I are currently building an hybred electric catamaran which will also be a full-time live aboard vessel.

     Solomon's allowed me to convert my sternwheeler from diesel to electric, and though it cost me just over $5,000 to do it, my fuel usage has dropped from over $100 a day to about $10 a day.

     As a full-time cruising living aboard (of course) I have heat/ac, hw/heater, 2 refrigerators, microwave, cabin lights, Stereo, DVD, Laptop computers (I use a laptop computer with a built in (the wall) monitor for my TV, DVD, etc., and I have satallite as well as a host of other electric requirements. Converting to a hybred electric system allowed me to run all the above, and power my vessel and the only fuel I have used is the 9kw generator that runs about 3 1/2 hours a day to keep my 12 x 12v batteries charge. I also have a 10' x 10' rooftop solar panel.

    Solomon (so do plenty others - so don't think I am pushing them for any reason) also has watermills, wind generators, regenerating props, and a host of devices you can use to make your vessel either "totally" self sufficient...  I choose them because their motors are brushless, and utilize a direct drive - (in your case, that would be direct shaft to the props - in my case it meant direct connect to my sternwheel (no transmission needed),

    

http://www.solomontechnologies.com/m_rec...

another interesting site:

http://dsehybrid.com/html/dse_exterior_i...

Happy and Safe Boating!

my vessels site:

http://boatwrights.org/

PS.   Technically of course, jtexas is correct, an all electric sailboat would not be a sailboat.  On the otherhand Cal 45 was wrong about the "extended range" but right about one thing for sure... "weight" my batteries alone weigh over 2,100 lbs...  (that's a ton of battieries man!)  I have 12 x 12v to run all my propulsion system and 110v electrical requirements and 3 more for use with all my 12v navigation lights and equipment as well as  start the generator. But in my case, I was able to more then offset this weight by taking out 2 x 150 gallon fuel tanks ( that alone was 2,100 lbs or fuel (gone!) plus the weight of the tanks.)

    As far as extended range goes - I cruise 5 days a week (sometimes 6) about 8 to 10 hours a day - my generator would not come on at all - if I didn't have my ac running all day and night... As is (because of my solar panels) my generator comes on usually around 2:30pm and runs till about 5:30pm - when cruising, and running my ac. I can run the ac and utilize all my 110v appliances and the generator will not kick in all night long.  

    Take a cruise on the internet... You will find, they have "totally" electric recreational catamarans crossing the Atlantic and circumnavigating the world these days... It is no longer any big deal...  Like most everything else - you can do most anything with enough dollars...

Answer 3

I'm assuming you mean the boat's auxiliary power.  There are dayboats with electric auxiliaries already with us, and they can run for 8-12 hours between charges.  There are also solar recharging systems - I've seen a kayak (no sails) with an electric outboard, 12v battery and charging panel, and it was claimed that it could be used for 6-7 hours a day, and not need mains recharging in summer - the charging panel would do all that was needed.

So, for some purposes and in some environments, it can be done.

Answer 4

if it's 100% electric driven, then it wouldn't be a sail boat.  so, no it's not possible.

Answer 5

Mostly stupid answers.

It's already been done and Capt. John is bang on the money with Solomon Technologies.

There is a Lagoon Catamaran and a Tartan mono-hull with Solomon power. These motors can recharge as the prop freewheels under sail. Of coarse, there are solar and wind driven recharge systems on board as well.

Battery weight is only a minor concern and often overcome by reducing keel weight. At the very least, the batteries are placed low and central where they assist the righting moment of the hull. There is usually a separate bank for house(on board) power and motor and winches if so equipped.

So yeah...here in 2008, this is not new. Certainly it is fledgling or emerging technology...but not new.

Expensive?...you bet!

Answer 6

how big of a sail boat?? lake size??

Answer 7

An Electric Sailboat?  Pulled by horses of course!  What is it you want?  A Sailboat or an Electricity powered boat. Sailboats usually have a diesel motor, in case of wind stillness or sail troubles, as an emergency.

Peace.

Answer 8

With today's battery's they would weigh so much the sail boat would be out of balance& the extended power supply wouldn't last long>

Answer 9

No they dont make EXTENSION CHORDS LONG ENOUGH!!!!!

Answer 10

The September 2008 Practical Sailor magazine has an article about that subject.

Answer 11

If a boat was powered 100% by electricity, That would mean 0% by anything else. Thus, it couldnt be a sailboat...

Answer 12

if you only want the motor for intermittent use,such as docking and leaving the harbor ,yes. but for extended use,no. but, there are many people using hybrids with elec. motors and batt. with diesel motor for charging..google"diesel electric motors"  this is also how freight trains are powered.