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Electric Sailboat Motor: Range, Cost, Best Kits for Conversion

Today, owning a completely green sailboat has been made possible with electric sailboat motors.

Imagine cruising with the silence of an electric sailboat motor and the ease of use with a simple press on the start button. What’s better is there are no exhaust fumes at all with significantly less maintenance.

It’s so appealing that a lot of sailing liveaboards have made their electric sailboat motor conversion.

However, some sailors are still on the fence, worrying about the range and price of the electric sailboat motor.

If you are one of them, you are in the right place!

This post will guide you through every aspect you need to know about electric sailboat motors to help you make an informed decision.

Besides, you will get professional insights on how to make the electric sailboat motor conversion for your own boat and learn the best electric sailboat motors (with honest reviews).

Table of contents:

• Electric Sailboat Motors: Confusion Explained

Electric Sailboat Motor or Combustion Motor

• Electric Yacht Motor Conversion: Two Solutions
• How to Size an Electric Sailboat Motor

Best Electric Sailboat Motors (with Reviews)

Electric Sailboat Motor: Confusion Explained

Can you go cruising with an electric sailboat motor? Can you put an electric motor on a sailboat? Are there any limitations?

Whether electric sailboat motors are a good fit for your boat is not a YES or NO question. Here we will explain your top worries with statistics and facts. That way, you can make a wise decision according to your situation.

You may hear some complaints about the batteries and range of the electric propulsion.

However, their experience may not suit electric sailboat motors.

In fact, even small electric engines work pretty well in many sailboats. That’s because most of the time, the wind can power the boat, and the motor is just used for docking or in rare times when there is no wind.

Therefore, it makes more sense to learn electric sailboat motor performance in real-world applications.

Here is a test report of a 3 HP electric sailboat motor on an RS21 racing sailboat:

As you can see, the small electric sailboat motor can run at 5.5 mph top speed for one hour continuously.

And there is a big difference in terms of range vs speed for electric sailboat motors:

If you lower the speed, the range and runtime can be greatly extended. The slower you go, the further you’ll get. For example, if you cut your speed in half, the electric sailboat motor can last 7 hours and go 20 miles within one charge.

That’s pretty sufficient if you use the electric yacht motor mostly for docking or as an auxiliary engine.

Faster top speed (and more range) is available with higher power electric sailboat motors depending on your specific requirements. Contact a specialist to design your electric sailboat motor solutions.

Also, don’t forget to get the electric sailboat motor with regeneration (See recommendations below).

That’s to say, when there is a lot of wind and you’re moving rapidly via your sails, they regenerate and store electric power on the batteries to keep you moving at other times. Solar recharging is also a plus.

Essentially, the range depends on how many batteries you have, so it’s not a limitation of electric sailboat motors but energy and batteries.

If you are still worried, you can offset this by getting a diesel generator, which is more efficient than a diesel engine. And it is a range extender when you need it, but for 90% of your motoring that you don’t need the range, you can rely on the electric sailboat motor.

Some of you might be concerned about the extra weight of the batteries.

In fact, an electric sailboat motor with lithium batteries weighs less than a diesel engine, particularly if you include the fuel weight.

If you want a lightweight electric sailboat motor solution, make sure you get one with LiFePO4 batteries . Compared with other marine batteries, they are more compact in design with much less weight and higher energy density.

Some more advanced electric motors for small sailboats (such as Spirit 1.0 Evo) feature an integrated lightweight battery. So you don’t need to worry about the complex wiring to hook it up or extra space to store the battery.

This is a huge plus if you want to use the electric sailboat motor on a tender or dinghy.

Here is also a chart that collects the weight of some popular electric sailboat motors for your reference:

For many people, another big problem with electric sailboat motors is the cost.

It’s true that a gasoline outboard with similar power is a lot cheaper to buy. However, the electric sailboat motor eventually wins in long-term operating cost. That’s especially the case if you are going to do a lot of motoring.

Electric sailboat motors save on fuel and maintenance costs, which can build up to a large amount over time.

Here is a chart that compares the cost of a 3HP electric sailboat motor (coming with a built-in battery) with its combustion counterpart:

That’s to say, you will cover the price difference for electric yacht motors eventually as long as you use it long enough. Click to check the details of the calculation .

What makes the electric sailboat motor even more worthwhile is it saves you a lot of hassles, especially for sailors who only use the engine in and out of the harbor. Dealing with the maintenance of the gas outboard for a 10 minute motor out of and into the harbor is disproportionate and painful.

*The higher horsepower electric sailboat motor may be different in terms of the cost calculation. Check out the outboard motor pricelist by HP for more information.

As you may have already noticed, electric propulsion has already been widely used in the marine industry:

It’s quiet while motoring, clean to handle, environmentally friendly, with less maintenance and operation costs.

The electric sailboat motors are easier to use with dramatically fewer moving parts to break and no worries about being a diesel mechanic to deal with the hard pulling start. You can have it always on, so it is ready whenever you need it.

And it makes even more sense in sailing applications:

You don’t really need to motor much if your plan is to actually sail. If you are completely becalmed, you will probably just need to motor at 2 knots to keep making way, which is easy for electric sailboat motors.

If you mostly use the motor to get into and out of the harbor, the electric sailboat motor also works great for you.

You can always charge up at the dock, motor out of the marina (or even motor to your sailing area or race start), then hoist the sails and when you’re through, the batteries are charged again.

The electric sailboat motor is also useful as a backup (kicker) motor in case your system goes down. That’s why you can see people pushing a lot of big boats with small electric motors. (Click to learn more information about kicker motors .)

Personally, it’s really nice to have an electric auxiliary in the boat – no smelly, messy diesel and motor oil to deal with, a much simpler system with less maintenance, and much, much quieter operation.

However, powerboats tend to have much higher requirements in terms of both power output and runtime. In that case, an electric sailboat motor can be hard to satisfy your needs.

How Do You Size an Electric Motor for a Sailboat?

As a rule of thumb, you will need approximately 1 HP per 550 lb of the displacement of your boat.

Generally speaking, a 3 HP electric sailboat motor can push a sailboat up to 25 ft and a 9.9 HP motor is sufficient for a 30 ft sailboat to motor at a satisfying speed.

However, bear in mind the horsepower you need always depends on your needs and applications.

It’s better to check the data from real-world tests to decide whether the electric sailboat motor is suitable for your specific needs.

For example, the 9.9 HP electric sailboat motor Navy 6.0 allows you to go at 6.9 mph (11.1 kph) on a 30 ft sailboat, and the range can be extended to 46.4 miles if you decrease your speed to 2.9 mph (4.6 kph).

Click to see more test reports with other electric motor and sailboat combinations, and find the electric sailboat motor that suits you best.

If you are still not sure about the size of the electric sailboat motor for you, feel free to leave us a comment and we will get back to you ASAP with professional suggestions.

Electric Sailboat Motor Conversion

Basically, there are two ways for you to convert your sailboat to a clean and quiet electric drive system:

You can either convert your current vessel to electric or buy an engineless yacht and install an electric sailboat motor on your own.

#1. Repower Your Sailboat with Electric Motor

If you decide to replace the diesel engine with an electric motor, you will need to do a lot of preparations:

The DIY approach requires an electric sailboat motor kit (including motor and controller), batteries, a good level of mechanical ability and basic electrical knowledge, as well as some common tools such as a voltmeter.

You will need to take the old engine out for the new electric sailboat motor installation. It’s not an easy task that involves removing the engine mounts and the drive shaft (dealing with the numerous hoses and cables), taking out the engine, exhaust system, fuel tank, and its attendant tubes, etc.

Remember to balance the boat to avoid listing during the electric sailboat motor conversion.

Then in with the new electric sailboat motor. The installation process can be straightforward if you choose the electric sailboat motor kit wisely (See steps below). Furthermore, you can set up solar charging for your electric sailboat motor with solar panels and charger.

Many sailors have recorded their electric sailboat motor conversion process and experience. Be sure to check them out to get some inspiration. For example, Ed Phillips has documented everything which can serve as a guide for newbies to get started.

Mind you there can be a whole heap that can go wrong in designing and maintaining the electric sailboat motor systems. You really need to be totally on top of it if you want decent performance or reliability.

If you are not that technically inclined, it’s better to talk to a specialist first to discuss your plan for a smooth electric sailboat motor conversion.

#2. Install an Electric Motor in a Sailboat

If you own an enginless sailboat, the electric sailboat motor conversion is much easier for you.

All you need to do is to find a reliable electric sailboat motor and install it in simple steps. The whole process can be easily done, even for beginners. Here we take the popular 6 HP electric sailboat motor Navy 3.0 as an example to show you the installation process:

• Step 1 : Rotate the clamps or use the screws to fix the outboard onto the sailboat.
• Step 2: Mount the steering system in the proper position.
• Step 3: Install the tiller on the electric sailboat motor.
• Step 4: Connect the batteries to the electric sailboat motor system.

Click to check the video tutorial that guides you through each step of the installation.

If you are worried about aesthetic issues and want higher horsepower options, an electric inboard motor can be a better suit for your sailboat. If you prefer an inboard motor for your sailboat, contact our OEM team to get an electric propulsion solution tailored to your needs.

Note : You might find some electric trolling motors rated by #s of thrust on the market. Actually, those electric trolling motors for sailboats can only provide limited speed and range. If you are heading into the wind, the trolling motors for sailboats are definitely not an ideal solution.

Once you’ve evaluated if electric sailboat motors are right for you, there are a lot of options for electric systems.

Here are some popular electric sailboat motors with positive reviews from customers worldwide. Fast charger is available for all the models recommended to reduce your charging stress.

#1. 3 HP Spirit 1.0 Evo

If you are looking for an electric motor for a small sailboat, be sure to check out the ePropulsion Spirit 1.0 Evo. It’s suitable for large daysailers or small cruising sailboats under 25 ft.

With the Spirit 1.0 Evo electric sailboat motor, you can go 5.5 mph (8.8 kph) at top speed on the 21 ft RS21 sailing boat, or troll for 20 hours continuously at 2.2 mph (3.5 kph) according to our test .

This electric sailboat motor with regeneration allows you to recover energy from the prop while under sail. It will start to generate power automatically when the sailing speed reaches 2 knots.

As an electric auxiliary sailboat motor, it can also be easily installed on your tender boats or yacht dinghies since it’s portable and easy to transport (with a lightweight integrated battery).

Features You Will Love:

• Come with the industry-first hydrogeneration capability
• Direct-drive technology makes it maintenance-free
• Portable with a 1276Wh large integrated lithium battery for long range
• Safety wristband keeps you safe in case of MOB
• Digital operation keeps you informed of the battery status

Spirit 1.0 Evo Electric Sailboat Motor Reviews:

“Great weekend with my 17′ sailboat powered by the Spirit Evo. This is great. Quiet and reliable. Went at 3/4 throttle for about 1.5hrs when taking it back to boat ramp.” – Robert Taylor

“Very happy with our Spirit Plus. Pushing our Kolibri 560 a 750 Kg sailboat, with ease. Doing about 5.8 km/h at 500W.” – Frank van Asten

#2. 6HP/9.9 HP Navy Evo Series

If you want a little more juice on the electric sailboat motor, check out the ePropulsion Navy Series. It offers 6 HP and 9.9 HP models for your selection and it provides sufficient power for sailboats up to 30 ft.

According to our test , the 6 HP electric motor Navy 3.0 can push the Catalina 25 sailboat (25 ft) at 6 mph (9.6 kph) top speed, while the Olga 33 sailboat (33 ft) can go at 7.5 mph (12 kph) with the 9.9 HP Navy 6.0 motor.

The Navy series electric sailboat motor also comes with regeneration features which can be recharged with hydrogeneration, wind turbine, and solar panel.

• Four controls to fit your sailboat installation and your boating style
• Accompany LiFePO4 batteries (need separate purchase) are more energy efficient
• Digital display offers real-time monitoring of the power and battery
• Magnetic kill switch and safety wristband keep you safe on the boat
• Electric start saves you trouble pulling the cord to start

Navy Series Electric Sailboat Motor Reviews:

“I have a Navy 3.0 with E80 on a Catalina 25 sailboat. It is working well. Currently I am using about 4% battery to go in/out of the marina by boat.” – Aaron Young

“Just finished my 8 weeks sailing journey in the Baltic Sea. The two Navy 3 outboards provide enough power for my 33ft catamaran. The 400W solar panels provided enough energy for engines and all other energy consumed on board with 2-6 persons. The two Navy Batteries provide power for engines and all other on-board electric devices. I never had to use shore power, so totally self-sufficient electric system.” – Martin Hildebrand

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Exploring the Environmental Benefits of Electric Boat Motors

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The Promises and Pitfalls of an All-Electric Yacht

• By Tim Murphy
• Updated: November 8, 2021

This past October, I saw one of the most interesting exhibits in more than 500 new cruising sailboats I’ve reviewed over two decades. It was the Arcona 435Z, built in Sweden and introduced by Graham Balch of Green Yachts in San Francisco. Balch describes his business as “a new brokerage dedicated to the electric revolution on the water,” and it was the “Z” in the boat’s name, which stands for “zero emissions,” that made this boat so interesting. This was the first electric propulsion system—not hybrid but all-electric —I’d ever seen on a cruising sailboat.

Electric propulsion isn’t new. Since 1879, electric motors have propelled boats; a fleet of some four-dozen electric launches transported visitors around the 1893 Colombian Exposition in Chicago. But cruising sailboats are not launches, and the open sea is not a protected canal. When we’re using cruising boats as they’re meant to be used, they seldom end their day plugged into a shore-power outlet. Cruising boats comprise many devices —stove, refrigerator, freezer, windlass, winches, autopilot, radar, lights—whose power typically comes from a tank of fossil fuel. And today’s cruising sailors are accustomed to using diesel auxiliary power to motor through lulls or punch into headwinds and seas.

Starting about 15 years ago, we saw a wave of diesel-electric and hybrid propulsion systems on production and custom cruising boats ( see “Perpetuated Motion,” CW , March 2005 ). Both of those systems ultimately start with an onboard internal-combustion engine. A diesel-electric propulsion system relies on a running genset to directly power the electric motor that turns the propeller. A hybrid system relies on batteries to power the electric motor, plus an internal-combustion genset to recharge the batteries. One of the promises of a hybrid system is the ability to regenerate electrical power. Regeneration means using boatspeed under sail to turn the propeller, whose spinning shaft sends electrons from the electric motor back through an electronic controller to recharge the batteries. In such a system, the boat’s propeller is both an electrical load (when running under power) and a charging source (when sailing in regeneration mode).

The Arcona 435Z was different from both of these systems: It incorporates no onboard fossil-fuel engine at all. Instead, it has a bank of lithium batteries, several solar panels, and a proprietary propulsion leg that looks like a saildrive. “This boat,” Balch said, “has the very first production unit in the world of Oceanvolt’s newest electric propulsion system, called the ServoProp.”

For our sea trial, Balch was joined by Derek Rupe, CEO of Oceanvolt USA. “If you can sail the boat and you have some solar, you can go anywhere in the world, and you can make all your power underway while you go,” Rupe said. When we spoke in October 2020, he touted three high-profile sailors who were using the Oceanvolt electric propulsion system: Alex Thomson, for his Hugo Boss Open 60 Vendée Globe program; Jimmy Cornell, for his Elcano 500 expedition; and Riley Whitelum and Elayna Carausu, who had been teasing their new boat for months on their popular Sailing La Vagabonde YouTube channel.

The efficiency of Oceanvolt’s ServoProp and the regeneration from it is the promised game-changer in each of these boats. The ServoProp is a leg with a ­feathering propeller that can be set for optimal pitch in three modes: forward, reverse and regeneration.

“You don’t need fuel,” Rupe said. “You don’t need to dock; you can go anywhere you want to go and always have the power for living and propulsion.”

That’s the promise. But are there also pitfalls?

Innovation and Risk

Marine electric propulsion is an emerging technology. Compared with the mature and settled technology of diesel engines and lead-acid batteries, electric-propulsion systems—with their electronic controllers and lithium batteries—are in a stage of development best described as adolescent. Every sailor has his or her own tolerance for technical innovation. For the promise of fewer ­seconds per mile, grand-prix-racing sailors willingly trade a high risk of expensive damage to the sails, rig or the boat’s structure itself; cruising sailors, by contrast, tend to favor yearslong reliability in their equipment as they seek miles per day.

Folks who identify as early adopters take special joy in the first-wave discoveries of a new technology; if they’re clear-eyed about supporting an ongoing experiment, they see themselves as partners with the developers, accepting failures as opportunities for learning. Sailors motivated primarily by changing the trajectory of climate change might be especially willing to modify their behavior to limit their own output of greenhouse gases. Investing in any emerging technology asks you to start with a clear assessment of your own risk tolerance. We’ll return to this theme with one or two real-life examples.

The American Boat and Yacht Council, founded in 1954, sets recommended standards for systems installed on recreational boats. For decades, ABYC has published standards related to installations of diesel and gasoline engines, as well as electrical systems based around lead-acid batteries. By contrast, it was only three years ago that ABYC came out with its first electric-propulsion standard (revised July 2021). And only last year it published its first technical-information report on lithium batteries (a technical-information report is an early step toward a future standard). The takeaway is that if you need help servicing your diesel engine or electrical system built around lead-acid batteries, you can pull into any reasonable-size port and find competent technicians to help you. With electric propulsion and lithium batteries, that pool of skilled talent is significantly scarcer.

To say that a technology is mature simply means that we’ve learned to live with it, warts and all, but that it holds few remaining surprises. Certainly, diesel-propulsion and lead-acid-battery technologies each leave plenty of room for improvement. When a charge of fuel ignites in the combustion ­chamber of a diesel engine, some three-quarters of the energy is lost in heat and the mechanical inefficiencies of converting reciprocating motion to rotation. Lead-acid batteries become damaged if we routinely discharge more than half of their capacity. During charging, they’re slow to take the electrons we could deliver.

Lithium batteries are comparatively full of promise. Their power density is far greater than that of lead-acid batteries, meaning they’re much lighter for a given capacity. They’re capable of being deeply discharged, which means you can use far more of the bank’s capacity, not merely the first half. And they accept a charge much more quickly; compare that to several hours a day running an engine to keep the beers iced down.

But the pitfalls? Let’s start with ABYC TE-13, Lithium Ion Batteries. Some of its language is bracing. “Lithium ion batteries are unlike lead-acid batteries in two important respects,” the report says. “1) The electrolyte within most lithium ion batteries is flammable. 2) Under certain fault conditions, lithium ion batteries can enter a condition known as thermal runaway, which results in rapid internal heating. Once initiated, it is a self-perpetuating and exothermic reaction that can be difficult to halt.”

Thermal runaway? Difficult to halt? Self-perpetuating?

“Typically, the best approach is to remove heat as fast as possible, which is most effectively done by flooding the battery with water,” TE-13 continues, “although this may have serious consequences for the boat’s electrical systems, machinery, buoyancy, etc.”

If you were following the news in January 2013, you might remember the ­story of Japan Airlines Flight 008. Shortly after landing at Boston’s Logan Airport, a mechanic opened the aft ­electronic equipment bay of the Boeing 787-8 to find smoke and flames billowing from the auxiliary-power unit. The fire extinguisher he used didn’t put out the flames. Eventually Boston firefighters put out the fire with Halotron, but when removing the still-hissing batteries from the plane, one of the ­firefighters was burned through his ­professional protective gear.

Samsung Galaxy cellphones, MacBook Pro laptops, powered skateboards—in the past decade, these and other devices have been recalled after their lithium batteries burned up. In that period, several high-end custom boats were declared a total loss following failures from lithium batteries. In March 2021, a 78-foot Norwegian hybrid-powered tour boat, built in 2019 with a 790 kW capacity battery bank, experienced thermal runaway that kept firefighters on watch for several days after the crew safely abandoned the ship.

Yes, experts are learning a lot about how to mitigate the risks around lithium batteries. But we’re still on the learning curve.

ABYC’s TE-13 “System Design” section starts, “All lithium-ion battery ­systems should have a battery ­management system (BMS) installed to prevent damage to the battery and provide for battery shutoff if potentially dangerous conditions exist.” It defines a bank’s “safe operating envelope” according to such parameters as high- and low-voltage limits, charging and discharging temperature limits, and charging and ­discharging current limits.

Graham Balch takes these safety recommendations a step further: “To our knowledge, the BMS has to monitor at the cell level. With most batteries, the BMS monitors at the module level.” The difference? “Let’s say you have 24 cells inside the battery module, and three of them stop working. Well, the other 21 have to work harder to compensate for those three. And that’s where thermal events occur.”

Balch followed the story of the Norwegian tour boat this past spring. He believes that the battery installation in that case didn’t meet waterproofing standards: “The hypothesis is that due to water intrusion, there was reverse polarity in one or more of the cells, which is worse than cells simply not working. It means that they’re actively working against the other cells. But if the BMS is monitoring only at the module level, you wouldn’t know it.”

On the Green Yachts website, Graham lists five battery manufacturers whose BMS regimes monitor at the cell level. “If I were sailing on an electric boat, whether it be commercial or recreational, I would feel comfortable with having batteries from these five companies and no other,” he said.

The broader takeaway for today’s sailors is that lithium batteries bring their own sets of problems and solutions, which are different from those of conventional propulsion and power-supply technologies. A reasonably skilled sailor could be expected to change fuel filters or bleed a diesel engine if it shuts down in rough conditions. With lithium-ion batteries aboard, an operator needs to understand the causes and remedies of thermal runaway, and be ready to respond if the BMS shuts down the boat’s power.

Real-World Electric Cruising Boats

When we met Oceanvolt’s Derek Rupe a year ago, he and his wife had taken their all-electric boat to the Bahamas and back the previous season. Before that, he’d been installing electric-propulsion packages for six years on new Alerion 41s and other refit projects. “My real passion is on the technical side of things—installations, really getting that right. That’s half the picture. The technology is there, but it needs to be installed correctly.”

When talking to Rupe, I immediately encountered my first learning curve. I posed questions about the Oceanvolt system in amps and amp-hours; he responded in watts and kilowatt-hours. This was yet another example of the different mindset sailors of electric boats need to hold. Why? Because most cruising boats have just one or two electrical systems: DC and AC. The AC system might operate at 110 or 220 volts; the DC side might operate at 12 or 24 volts. On your own boat, that voltage is a given. From there we tend to think in terms of amps needed to power a load, and amp-hours of capacity in our battery banks. Going back to basics, the power formula tells us that power (watts) equals electrical potential (volts) times current (amps). If your boat’s electrical system is 12 volts and you know that your windlass is rated at 400 watts, it follows that the windlass is rated to draw 33 amps.

But an all-electric boat might comprise several systems at different voltages. A single battery bank might supply cabin lights at 12 volts DC; winches and windlasses at 24 volts DC; the propulsion motor at 48 volts DC; and an induction stove, microwave and television at 110 volts AC. A DC-to-DC power converter steps the voltage up or down, and an inverter changes DC to AC. Instead of translating through all those systems, the Oceanvolt monitor (and Derek Rupe) simply reports in watts coming in or going out of the bank.

“We keep all our thoughts in watts,” Rupe said. “Watts count in the AC induction. They count in the DC-to-DC converter. They count the solar in. They count the hydrogeneration in. And the ­power-management systems tracks it that way for shore-power in.

“On a boat like this, maybe I have 500 watts coming in the solar panels,” he continued. “So then I can think: ‘Well, my fridge is using 90 watts. My boat has an electric stove. When I cook a big meal, I can see that for every hour we cook, we lose about 10 to 12 minutes of our cruising range.’”

During his Bahamas cruising season, Rupe observed that on days that they were sailing, the combination of solar panels and hydroregeneration supplied all the power he and his wife needed. “When we weren’t sailing,” he said, “we found that we were losing 8 percent each day, in the difference from what the sun gave us to what we were using for the fridge, lights, charging our laptops, and all that stuff.”

Rupe’s solution? “Twice in Eleuthera and once outside Major’s, we went out and sailed laps for a couple of hours because the batteries were below 30 percent of capacity. It was good sailing, and the wind was coming over the shore, so we didn’t have any sea state. We did a couple of hot laps on nice beam reaches, and generated about 700 watts an hour.”

Of the three sailors Rupe touted in October 2020—Alex Thomson, Jimmy Cornell and the Sailing La Vagabonde couple—only Cornell can report back on his all-electric experiences with Oceanvolt. Alex Thomson ended his circumnavigation abruptly last November, just 20 days after the Vendée Globe start, when Hugo Boss collided with an object in the South Atlantic. And at press time in early fall 2021, Riley and Elayna had just recently announced the build of their new Rapido trimaran; keep an eye on their YouTube channel for more about their experiences with the Oceanvolt propulsion system.

As for Cornell—circumnavigator, World Cruising Routes author, creator of the transoceanic rally, and veteran of some 200,000 ocean miles—he suspended his planned Elcano 500 round-the-world expedition solely because of the Oceanvolt system in his new Outremer catamaran. His Aventura Zero Logs on the Cornell Sailing website, particularly the Electric Shock article posted on December 2, 2020, are essential reading for any sailor interested in sailing an electric boat. “Sailing around the world on an electric boat with zero emissions along the route of the first circumnavigation was such a tempting opportunity to do something meaningful and in tune with our concern for protecting the environment that my family agreed I should do it,” Cornell wrote. “What this passage has shown was that in spite of all our efforts to save energy, we were unable to regenerate sufficient electricity to cover consumption and top up the batteries.”

Cornell’s experience in that article is raw, and his tone in that moment bitterly disappointed. We recommend it as essential reading—not as a final rejection of the electric-boat concept or of Oceanvolt’s system, or even as an endorsement of Cornell’s own decision that the system didn’t work. I suspect that I may have arrived at the same conclusion. Yet given the same boat in the same conditions, one imagines that a new breed of sailor—a Graham Balch or a Derek Rupe—may have responded differently to the constraints imposed by an all-electric boat, as nearly every cruising sailor today habitually responds to the inconvenient constraints of diesel engines and lead-acid batteries.

“If you bring electric winches, electric heads and an induction stove, and then sail into a high-pressure system, you’ll set yourself up for failure,” Balch said. “You have to balance your power inputs and your power outputs.

“Sailing an electric boat is a return to the tradition of sailing that the crutch of a diesel engine has gotten us away from,” he added. “Magellan’s fleet got all the way around the world, and they didn’t have a diesel engine.”

Tim Murphy is a Cruising World editor-at-large and ­longtime Boat of the Year judge.

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Regenerative Electric Propulsion

Imagine a sailing vessel meeting energy needs through regenerative power..

By combining technologies from the 19th and 21st centuries—skipping over the petroleum era—Matthew Turner will become a unique teaching tool that can inspire appreciation for past boat building designs while utilizing innovative technology solutions to construct a truly green sailing ship.

The basic regenerative electric propulsion concept is simple. Instead of diesel engines, the ship is propelled by AC electric motors directly connected to the propeller shafts and drawing energy from large battery banks. When the ship is sailing, the energy of the passing water causes the propellers to rotate, which, in turn, causes the electric motors to become generators that re-charge the batteries onboard. Significant electrical energy is created as sailing speeds increase.

New advances in propellers, electric propulsion/regeneration motors, battery technologies and electronic controllers make this possible and are available today.

Matthew Turner can, in fact, operate on a carbon-neutral basis. Energy to run our ship will come from regenerative power under sail, which can be fueled with bio-fuel, and dockside charging from solar panels and wind generators. The dockside solar will be facilitated by the US Army Corps of Engineers at their Bay Model facility, which has recently been outfitted with a rooftop solar array that generates 540 kW/h.

Day-to-day operations are designed to minimize energy and water use with a waste management system that will repurpose, recycle and reduce waste. By using LED lighting, induction cooking and low energy navigation and appliances, the Matthew Turner will use less than 50kWh per day. The vessel can produce enough clean energy in a day of sailing to sustain the vessel’s needs.

HybriGen Benefits:

• Power is delivered on-demand to support propulsion or auxiliary power, or both simultaneously
• Variable speed genset and lithium-ion battery banks eliminate under-loading of the engine and wasted fuel
• Reduced operating time of diesel generators also allows for reduced maintenance
• Electric traction motors and batteries allow for completely silent and emission-free cruising
• Flexible, tablet-based diagnostics and control system allows for powerful, yet easy-to-use system operations and monitoring
• Isolated propulsion system in each demihull provides complete redundancy

Read more about BAE’s HybriGen Power and Propulsion here

OCEANVOLT sail drive motors

Oceanvolt offers a range of sail drive motors to provide propulsion and hydro generation for vessels ranging from 15 to 80 feet.

Sail Drive (SD)

• Synchronous permanent magnet electric motor.
• Sail Drive with 1.93:1 reduction.
• Lightweight: weighs as little as 42.5kg (motor & sail drive).
• The only complete electric inboard propulsion system with
• EMC certified closed circulation liquid cooling providing both cooling and lubrication.
• Functions as a hydro generator to generate power while under sail.

system installation layout (example)

• Nominal Power
• Reduction Ratio
• Motor weight

Oceanvolt servoprop

The patented Oceanvolt ServoProp variable pitch sail drive combines a high efficiency sail drive with the most powerful hydro generator on the market. The unique feature of the ServoProp is the possibility to turn the propeller blades more than 180 degrees. The software controlled variable pitch sail drive adjusts the pitch of the propeller blades automatically so that the power generation and power output are optimal. Combined with uniquely designed blades it delivers optimal efficiency in both forward, reverse and hydro generation. And with the blades set to the neutral sailing position, the propeller creates extremely low drag similar to the drag of a feathering propeller. The benefits of ServoProp include an estimated +30% increase in forward propulsion, +100% in reverse and +300% increase in hydro generation effect. 

A normal fixed propeller (that by nature does not have the blades ideally shaped for regeneration) generates less than half the power of ServoProp at a given boat speed. ServoProp is capable of generating more than 1 kW at 6-8 knots. The power generated can be used to power both the propulsion system as well as all the electronics on board without the need to have a separate generator. With this in mind we can definitely start talking about the possibility of a totally self-sufficient cruiser!

The ServoProp is suitable as a propulsion motor for monohulls up to 50 ft & multihulls up to 60 ft. It can also be used as a hydro generator in boats up to 100 ft.

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• Systems & Propulsion

Electric and Hybrid Propulsion for Sailboats

Practical sailor looks at the players in the developing field of electric auxiliary engines.

How soon will electric auxiliary propulsion be available to everyman? That depends on whom you ask. Opinions differ widely not just on what type of drive system might surge to the forefront, but even on whether the concept itself is viable. While a handful of companies forge ahead, notably Glacier Bay and Electric Marine Propulsion on this side of the Atlantic, some expected participants are waiting on the sidelines.

Photos courtesy of Manufacturers

One of the big issues that divides promoters and detractors alike is whether the appropriate way to go in a sailboat is with a pure diesel-electric drive train, with a hybrid electric drive with a diesel generator as back-up, or as a pure electric drive with regeneration capability. We’ll take a look at these and other options later in this article. For now, the short answer is that no single approach suits every sailor all the time.

Simply put, in the diesel-electric system, the electric motor runs only when the diesel-driven generator is running. Such arrangements have long been employed in railway locomotives, submarines, and commercial vessels of many types. In the hybrid system, a large bank of batteries provides the energy for the electric motor and the diesel generator recharges the batteries. On the face of it, the hybrid system offers a certain degree of redundancy in that, assuming the batteries are kept well charged, the boat has a measure of emergency power should the generator fail at an inopportune moment. The hybrid also is capable of recharging its batteries when sailing: Driven by the turning propeller, the motor becomes a generator.

Each of these approaches has its strengths and weaknesses, and while we’ll leave it to their developers to work out the technical issues, we would like to urge anyone contemplating installing an electric drive, or purchasing a boat that has one, to first look very closely at how they expect to use the boat. There’s more entrained in the choice than in picking a flavor at Baskin-Robbins. More on this later.

Among the electric drives currently available in one form or another, or as components, the big variable is operating voltage. Motors are available that run on 24, 36, 48, 72, and 144 volts, and, in the case of Glacier Bay’s diesel-electric system with Ossa Powerlite technology, 240-volt DC. Each supplier will discourse at length on the merits of their voltage choice, but an inconvenient fact haunts the entire field: High-voltage DC is deadly, potentially more so in some circumstances than AC.

While neither form of high-voltage is “safe,” we have a lot more experience with AC aboard recreational vessels than with high-voltage DC. An extensive body of knowledge exists on which to base AC installations so as to make them safe as well as reliable. High-voltage DC is used in a variety of marine and non-marine commercial applications, but these installations are well protected from access by untrained operators.

What voltage constitutes high voltage? That, again, depends on whom you talk to. The American Boat & Yacht Council (ABYC), which sets voluntary standards for the marine industry, defines it as 50 volts and above. Prompted by rapid adoption of high-voltage services in small commercial craft and bigger yachts, though not specifically in propulsion systems, the ABYC is in the process of drawing up guidelines for voltages higher than the 48 volts covered by existing standards.

An absence of standards might not deter individuals from installing an electric drive, but it might impede widespread adoption of the technology. If a surveyor can’t state in an insurance survey that a boat is built according to ABYC standards, that could affect its insurability.

Jim Nolan, who manages the underwriting department for BoatUS, said the company has no clear cut guidance regarding insuring boats with electric propulsion. Each boat is dealt with on a case-by-case basis. A new boat with a factory-installed system would be a good deal easier to underwrite than a one-off or do-it-yourself project, especially in the absence of a standard practice. Lagoon Catamarans’ 72-volt-DC hybrid system, for instance, has qualified for the European standard (CE) certification on the strength of following industrial standards that apply to such applications as fork-lift trucks. Anyone contemplating an electric drive would be well advised to discuss it ahead of time with an insurer and even get a surveyor involved from the outset.

Because of the safety issues surrounding the voltages involved in electric propulsion, Fischer Panda has decided to limit its DC product line to boats weighing 10 tons or less. A company representative we spoke to said that while Fischer Panda currently sells DC generators up to 48 volts in the USA for marine use, it “won’t touch” high-voltage DC because it’s lethal.

A proposed collaboration with Catalina Yachts to fit a diesel-electric system in a Catalina-Morgan 440 never came to fruition due to budget constraints, according to Fischer Panda. But in Europe, Fischer Panda teamed up with Whisperprop to equip a Bavaria 49. (Beyond the fact that one of its boats was used, Bavaria Yachts was not involved in the project.) According to Fischer Panda, after evaluating the Bavaria project, the company decided that the diesel-electric AC system is a niche product that wouldn’t interest their prime market: original equipment builders.

“Although the AC system has some advantages in the improved response of the electric motors … and the quietness of the system, the desired fuel efficiency and weight savings were not evident,” Fischer Panda reported.

Fischer Panda considers the DC system to be more suitable for its North American customers. Although it’s limited in output due to its limited battery voltage of 48 volts, it is still able to power multihulls up to 10 tons.

Currently, much of the movement toward electric drives is taking place in the catamaran world. This makes sense when you consider that a single diesel generator can, in theory, provide all the boat’s electrical needs and also take the place of two diesel-propulsion engines. Taking the lead in the field, Lagoon Catamarans introduced in 2006 the Lagoon 420. Originally offered only as a hybrid, it now is also available in two diesel versions. Corsair Marine is building the Corsair 50 catamaran around the Glacier Bay diesel-electric drive, but the boat’s launch date—formerly set for this summer—has been postponed.

Dick Vermeulen, president of Maine Cat, tried the Glacier Bay system in a prototype power cat, but it failed to meet performance expectations, so production models will have conventional diesels. A number of other cat builders have announced hybrid or diesel-electric projects, but feedback on how they perform is scan’t.

So much for the mainstream—but backwater sailors will go their own way, as they always have. As more vendors and components enter the market, the options for do-it-yourselfers or custom-boat customers become broader and more attractive. However, before going ahead with an installation, make sure it’s appropriate to how you plan to use your boat, and even then be prepared to adapt the way you sail to take best advantage of the system’s characteristics. Here’s a rundown of the various types.

Electric Drive Only

Duffy Electric Boats has for years been building electric launches and lake boats that have the simple capability of puttering around in sheltered waters for a period of time determined by battery capacity and speed maintained. A battery charger powered by shore power charges the batteries overnight. Transferring that approach to a sailboat up to about 25 feet used for daysailing and kept near an electrical outlet shouldn’t be too difficult. It won’t offer the assurance of diesel when trying to get home against current or wind, but a proven 36- or 48-volt system will keep you out of uncharted standards territory.

For a bigger boat, more power, a greater range, or a combination of these requirements, it will be necessary to install a large battery bank and almost certainly will entail going to a higher voltage to keep the amps and the cabling needed to carry them manageable. The boat’s range under power will be limited by the weight of batteries, and while lighter lithium-based technology is on the horizon, for now the standard is lead/acid. The fast charging, but expensive pure lead thin plate (PLTP) Odyssey batteries have attracted particular interest among propulsion enthusiasts.

Electric Drive with Regeneration

The next level up in complexity is a “reversible” system. When the boat is sailing, the propeller turns the motor, which then becomes a generator. The electricity it makes is used to recharge the batteries. The capability to regenerate extends the boat’s potential range, but the drag on the propeller slows the boat measurably. One hour of regen will not restore the power consumed by one hour of motoring, but if sailing time sufficiently exceeds motoring time, this arrangement offers considerable range.

A regenerating system does have the potential to overcharge the batteries once they become fully charged and the boat continues to sail fast. The solution is, ironically, to give the motor some “throttle,” which reduces the drag on the propeller and consequently the power output. This phenomenon gives rise to a new technique, that of “electro-sailing” in which sails and an electric motor complement each other. At present, the “throttle” must be adjusted by hand, but developers are working on automatic controls. Field trials of existing regen motors such as the Solomon systems suggest that a small regen motor’s ability to match the output of a much higher-rated diesel have been overstated.

Hybrid Electric Drive

A hybrid system adds to the mix an onboard generator, which is used primarily to maintain charge in the batteries, both those for the propulsion motor and for the house services. This arrangement extends the boat’s capability to lie for long periods at anchor, independent of shore power for electricity and without the need to go sailing for the sole purpose of charging the batteries. A hybrid can motor constantly, as long as there is fuel, but it cannot sustain full speed for long periods. This is because the generator is usually rated at a far lower horsepower than that required to drive the boat at full speed.

Diesel-Electric Drive

In a pure diesel-electric, the electric propulsion motor runs only when the generator is running. Storage batteries are not needed for propulsion purposes, and the generator is the source for all onboard electrical power needs. The rationale behind diesel electric lies in the relationship between a diesel engine’s rate of fuel consumption and the load it’s working under. It burns fuel more efficiently when heavily loaded than when lightly loaded. When the diesel engine is disconnected from the propeller, it can be controlled so that it is working in the upper range of its efficiency regardless of how fast the propeller is turning. Nigel Calder’s series of articles in Professional Boatbuilder magazine (www.boatbuilder.com) beginning with the June/July issue delves deeply into the efficiency discussion surrounding these engines. Systems on large vessels are built around multiple generators that switch on or off according to the power demands of the moment. Translating those efficiencies into a smaller boat scenario has proven to be challenging.

Hype vs. Experience

Maine Cat’s Vermeulen, on the company’s website, describes the sea trials he performed in the Maine Cat 45, a power catamaran. He began with a Glacier Bay diesel-electric system with two 25-kW generators, each weighing about 550 pounds.

“With both generators putting out their full power of 25 kW each … our top speed was a disappointing 8.4 knots, and the assumption that electric horsepower was somehow more powerful than conventionally produced horsepower was in serious doubt.”

He replaced the propellers with a pair with less pitch, which allowed the electric motors to reach their full rating of 1,100 rpm, but that only increased the speed to 9.1 knots.

“These are about the same speeds and fuel burns we get on our Maine Cat 41 sailing cat … powered by twin 29-horsepower 3YM30 Yanmar diesels with saildrives and two-bladed, folding propellers.” At the time he installed them, the 25-kW generators were the highest power available from Glacier Bay.

Vermeulen replaced the diesel-electric system with twin 160-horsepower Volvo diesels. At 9.1 knots, they together burned 2.2 gallons per hour, considerably less than the 3 gallons per hour that the Glacier Bay system burned at the same speed. With the twin Volvos maxed out at 3,900 rpm, the boat made 24.5 knots.

Also among the unconvinced is Chris White, well-known designer of ocean-going catamarans. “To date, I’ve not seen any system that makes sense for a cruising boat,” he says, but he might change his mind, “if someone can show me by building one that delivers an advantage in performance, weight, or cost.”

White sees the current bubble of interest in diesel-electric drives as a fad. In the end, he says, you’re getting the horsepower the diesel creates at the crankshaft, which is basically the same whether it’s delivered to the prop via a conventional reduction gearbox or via a generator and an electric motor. Besides, he says, diesel engines and diesel fuel are understood and available anywhere in the world you might take a sailboat. Complex, electronically controlled electric motors are not.

White’s reservations notwithstanding, it’s in the world of catamarans that we’re seeing most of the applications. At first sight, it does seem logical that replacing three diesel engines—two propulsion and one generator—on a fully equipped cruising cat would result in fuel savings. Still, if the generator is big enough to drive the boat at cruising speed (which in a cat is expected to be in the vicinity of 10 knots) and run the air conditioning at the same time, it will be overkill for the times it’s only needed to operate the boat’s services. For this reason, commercial and military diesel-electric systems employ multiple generators that can be switched on and off according to the power demand of the moment.

Corsair Marine hopes that by installing a diesel-electric system in its 50-foot catamaran, it will be able to descend the weight spiral. Where a conventional installation would involve two 75-horsepower saildrives plus a 6-kW genset, it’s fitting a pair of 28-horsepower electric motors, one 25-kW generator, and a 40-amp, 230-volt battery bank. It expects to save about 700 pounds in equipment weight, some of it through the use of high-voltage, low-current systems, which will in turn reduce the rig requirement, thus the structural weight, and so on toward an estimated overall weight savings in the thousands of pounds.

Corsair’s David Renouf estimates that the boat will cruise at 8 knots and be capable of short bursts at 10. He admits that, until the first boat is launched, his information is “based on extrapolation, not proven numbers.” He says that some clients will add a second 25-kW genset to assure longer periods at 10 knots. Currently, the project is running behind schedule, with a launch scheduled before the end of the year.

Cost and Other Benefits

At the present time, there appears to be no reason to install any proprietary electric drive of any description in the expectation of bettering the economics of a standard diesel drive. The motors and their electronic controllers are sophisticated and expensive. A battery bank sufficient to provide a useful motoring range is a big investment in weight, space, and money. When you add a generator and its peripherals, the cost and weight take another upward leap.

Only the simplest system will begin to pay itself off in terms of fuel not burnt, and then only if the boat sees a great deal of use. A diesel-electric system designed to closely dovetail with the way you use the boat may prove to be more efficient over time than a conventional diesel installation, but until enough systems have been installed and used and data from that use compiled and compared, we can’t know that.

So why even consider going electric? Cleanliness and silence of operation are two qualities that make electric propulsion an attractive proposition for a sailboat, but in order to enjoy them, we have to accept the limitations they impose.

A hybrid or a diesel-electric system enables us to have a single fossil-fuel power source for both propulsion and onboard appliances, but whatever fuel we might save as a consequence of motoring more efficiently for a couple of hours will be inconsequential if we run the generator all night to power the air conditioning.

Conclusions

As we go to press, pickings are slim for sailors looking for an electric solution to the diesel problem. Suppliers of components are few, prices are high, and the feedback on long-term reliability is nonexistent. On top of all this is the elephant in the room: the unexplored safety ramifications that accompany high-voltage DC.

However, none of this should deter the dedicated tinkerer who has funds to match his curiosity and who can live within the parameters imposed by electric propulsion.

Practical Sailor encourages our readers to explore the technology, because ultimately, it is the experimenters who bring us the equipment we eventually come to take for granted.

• Pricing Electric Power for a 30-foot Sailboat
• Special Report
• Electric Engines
• Success in the Real World is a Matter of Perspective

RELATED ARTICLES MORE FROM AUTHOR

I have gotten excited about repowering my Freedom 30 with an electric motor. A fellow Freedom 30 owner completed his refit about 8 months ago and is very happy with the result, although he wishes he had gone with larger Lipo batteries. He chose a motor from electricyacht.com which sells a 10KW package (quietTorque 10) including motor, performance display, throttle and shaft coupler for $6K. Batteries and charger are extra. The motor does does feature a regen capability. Figure a $10K investment. Big bucks for sure but equivalent to a yard installed diesel repower. I would do the install myself.

I am not a cruiser but have done some lengthy passages from San Francisco to Hawaii. Ideal conditions for regen. I expec between regen and a hundred watts of solar, I could have kept the bank topped up the whole way down despite AP loads, etc. The way back? Not so much. Realistically you would need a small generator and a good stock of gas if you wanted to do much motoring, Having said that, one of the boats that sailed down there with me came home with an outboard as his aux power. I think he had ten gallons of gas.

But I am not planning ocean passages in future, I will be sailing the SF Bay and coastal cruising. When I think about eliminating the engine noise, engine maintenance, fuel tank and tank maintenance, diesel hoses, diesel smell, diesel soot, diesel leaks, r=two boxes of hoses and spares. oil changes, coolant changes, transport and disposal of all the waste to the local recycling facility, lugging fuel jugs down to the boat, storing fuel, filling fuel, buying fuel, worrying about spilling fuel. I mean it just goes on and on.

Frankly, I can’t wait. In terms of range, well, I plan to get a hefty battery bank but I also intend to become a better sailor. I’ll slow down and do more sailing. Gee wiz, what a concept. I’ll be more mindful of time and tide, I’ll take advantage of favorable currents and I’ll be ready to anchor and chill when they are not favorable.

Meanwhile, Elon and his competitors are improving battery technology rapidly. Couple of years from now maybe I double range. But, by then, I won’t be worrying about it because I will be a real sailor.

I look forward to reading an update on the state of electric sailboat propulsion 13 years later…

Most of the time we leave the dock, motor for under half a nautical mile to get out of tiny Wilmette harbor and get the sails up, turn off our much abused Yanmar 3GMF, sail around, turn on the engine, lower the sails, and travel another half a nautical mile back to the dock. Almost all at a very low RPM. But, on occasion we motor or motor sail long distances for hours on end, so a battery only system would not work. But how nice it would be if we had electric propulsion for getting in and out of the harbor.

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Electric outboard motor: we test 13 options

• Theo Stocker
• July 25, 2023

An electric outboard motor is now a viable option for dinghy propulsion. Emrhys Barrell puts the latest outboards and trolling motors to the test

The electric outboard motor has been around for many years, but they have either been too low powered or their lead acid batteries have made them too heavy to lift in and out of a small tender, so petrol outboards have remained the engine of choice.

The development of lightweight lithium batteries has changed all this, making an electric outboard motor a practical alternative to petrol – and making all electric yachts a real possibility too.

With this in mind, we tested 12 models whose all-up weight, or the weight of their individual components, did not exceed the 14-17kg of a 2.5hp petrol outboard.

See how we tested the electric outboards at the end of this article.

Best electric outboard motor

Specifications Outboard weight:   12kg Overall weight with outboard and bracket: 14.5kg Battery capacity: 1085Wh Top speed: 5kts Thrust: 30kg / 66lbs

Designed along the lines of a dinghy rudder, this Remigo outboard is incredibly easy and intuitive to use. No external cables or anything to be snagged, it clips onto a bracket pre-mounted to your tender or dinghy, in a similar way that you’d attach a  dinghy rudder.

Flip down the handle, attach the magnetic kill cord and you’re good to go.

On test this outboard gave as much thrust as the ePropulsion below but out performed it in terms of maneuverability. The Remigo can be switched from forward to reverse thrust at the touch of a button.

We like the Remigo for it’s sleek simplicity. If you want a clean smart easy to carry outboard to take you from your mooring to shore or quietly meander from your anchorage to shore then this is definitely worth considering.

We especially liked the rudder effect of this outboard giving us steerage even we had turn the power completely off to coast in alongside our pontoon.

Read Fox Morgan’s review of this outboard – Remigo One Electric Outboard review

Reasons to buy

very easy to stow, innovative rudder design, lightweight, built in battery, easy to mount and dismount

Reasons to avoid

No multiple battery swap options like more conventional electric outboards

Find a dealer at Silent Yachting

Photo: Paul Wyeth

ePropolsion Spirit 1.0 EVO

Yachting Monthly’s best buy

Specifications Motor weight:   10.5kg Battery weight: 9kg Battery capacity: 1276Wh Top speed RIB: 4.5mph Top speed skiff: 6.0mph Thrust: 31kg/68lbs

The Chinese firm ePropulsion has been developing its electric outboard motor range and lithium batteries for some time. We tested the Spirit 1.0 Plus and Evo, both 1kW motors with integral batteries.

Clearly ePropulsion was influenced by Torqeedo, but there are some important differences. From the outset ePropulsion went for a direct drive motor, being quieter and avoiding gearbox problems.

The battery has a greater capacity than the original Torqeedo, and is still 30% higher than the latest version. It also floats – useful if you should drop it overboard.

Fitting the battery is a two-handed job, with the carrying handle being at the back, and latch lock at the front, which requires leaning over the transom to install it. You also cannot see the locating slots underneath, which isn’t quite so easy in a bobbing inflatable. The power cable socket is protected by a rubber cap.

You have a display, but it only shows power being consumed, voltage, and remaining runtime, which means it has larger figures, easier to read on a sunny day, but it lacks GPS speed or range.

It has the same trim settings as the Torqeedo, with a similar fiddly retaining split ring. It also has a magnetic kill cord. Three shaft lengths are available, catering for transom heights up to 61cm. The shaft is streamlined but rotates through 360º for maximum manoeuvrability and reverse.

High battery capacity Quiet 360º rotation

Limited display options

Buy it now from epropulsion

Yachting Monthly’s best in class

Specifications Motor weight:   10.5kg Battery weight: 9kg Battery capacity: 1276Wh Top speed RIB: 4.5mph Top speed skiff: 6.0mph Thrust: 68lbs Regeneration: 4 knots – 40W / 10 knots – 300W

The 1.0 EVO has the same dimensions and performance as the Spirit, but it has the options of a removable tiller, plus remote controls and steering, but the real innovation is that it offers regenerative charging while you are sailing, putting 40W at 4 knots, and 300W at 10 knots back into the battery.

You can even have a wristband remote for steering and throttle.

The ePropulsion Spirit 1.0 EVO is undeniably more expensive than it’s little sister without the regenerative charging and the cost difference is significant. If you are likely to be doing a lot of sailing and using your electric motor from ship-to-shore in relatively remote locations then the regeneration will probably be worth it. For most, though the price differential is probably a little too steep.

Regenerative charging Removable tille Remote controls

Relatively expensive

Torqeedo 1103 and Torqeedo 603

Torqeedo 603 specifications Motor weight:  11kg Battery weight:  4.2kg (floats) Battery capacity: 500Wh Top speed RIB: 4.0 mph Top speed skiff: Not tested Thrust: 44lbs

Torqeedo 1103 specifications Motor weight:  11kg Battery weight:  6kg Battery capacity: 915Wh Top speed RIB: 4.4mph Top speed skiff: 6.0mph Thrust: 68lbs

Torqeedo was the first company to commercially produce an outboard with an integral lithium battery in 2005. The earliest motors used a high-revving geared motor, which produced a characteristic whine. Following the launch of its new larger battery, Torqeedo changed to direct drive at about the same time that ePropulsion arrived on the scene.

The 1103 is 1.1kW and has a removable battery and tiller/throttle. The battery locates in slots in the powerhead and can be dropped in one-handed, with the slots clearly visible from above, which is helpful in a rocking dinghy. It then hinges back and locks in place with a separate plastic pin. The tiller locates in similar slots.

The two are then connected to the motor by a power cable and a data cable, but the latter has an 8mm plug, with five tiny pins that have to be carefully lined up, then secured with a threaded plastic collar. Neither of the sockets have caps to prevent debris or water getting into them when the cables are not connected.

The display on the tiller shows four lines of data at the same time, which makes them small to read (a phone app can be used for a large display). They include volts, battery capacity, range at a given speed, speed in kts, mph or km/h, and power consumption in watts. A magnetic kill-cord cuts the power circuits if you fall overboard.

The motor has four trim positions to allow for angled transoms, but the split ring securing the locking pin is very stiff and fiddly, especially when you have to adjust it hanging over the transom. A side-mounted lever allows the motor to be tilted horizontally. In normal use a catch prevents the motor kicking up in reverse, but this can be released with another side-mounted lever if you are in shallow water.

Long and short shaft versions are available, with the height of the transom to the top of the prop on the long shaft being 62cm. Clamps screws and fittings are stainless steel, making it suitable for salt water use, but an anode is an extra. It has forward and reverse but not 360º rotation.

Established brand with relatively long history Removable battery and tiller Lots of display options

Display hard to read

Buy the Torqeedo 603 now from Torqeedo Buy the Torqeedo 1103 now from Torqeedo

Best Trolling motors

Haswing Ultima 3

Specifications Motor weight: 11kg Battery weight: 5kg Battery capacity: 600Wh Top speed: RIB 4.0mph Top speed skiff: Not tested Thrust: 51lbs

Haswing is a new name to us, but this Chinese manufacturer now has an extensive range of motors, several of which we were able to bring along to our test.

The Ultima 3 has an integral Lithium battery and an output of 1,000W, with the ‘3’ in its name indicating the 3hp petrol outboard its makers claim it is equivalent to. The battery is 600Wh.

The battery was the easiest of all in our test to fit and remove, just sliding down a set of grooves, with contacts in the bottom removing the need for any linking cables or wires, and an easy one-handed operation.

The unit is well engineered, with stainless steel used throughout plus an anode as standard, making this suitable for use in salt water, and a spare anode and shear pin. The tiller/throttle hinges up and down for easy operation and storage. It has a streamlined aluminium leg, but rotates 360º.

A magnetic kill cord is a useful safety feature, and there are 5 LEDs showing battery capacity remaining, but this is the only instrumentation, so there is no way of gauging how much power you are using. It also meant that with no exposed power cables, we could not measure intermediate power settings.

Easy to fit battery Anode as standard for salt water usage High end materials

Limited instrumentation

Buy it now from Amazon

Motorguide Varimax 40

Specifications Motor weight:  9.1kg Battery (Sterling 60Ah) – 8kg Battery capacity: 780Wh Top speed RIB: 3.2mph Top speed skiff: 4.0mph Thrust: 28lbs

Another trolling motor, this has a claimed 40lb thrust and a variable speed electronic control. The throttle pulls forward for ahead, and pushes back for reverse then twists in the same direction for speed. A clever feature once you get used to it. Ten LEDs show the battery state.

The sliding shaft gives transom heights up to 65cm transom to prop, and 360º rotation. It also quickly tilts through 90º, with 5 positions, for shallow or weedy water.

Clamp screws and fittings are mild steel, meaning you should wash it off with freshwater after using it in the sea.

Clever throttle control Variable transom heights accomodated

Quite basic in functionality

Haswing Osapian 55

Yachting Monthly’s best budget buy

Specifications Motor weight:  9kg Battery weight:  (Sterling 60Ah) 8kg Battery capacity: 780Wh Top speed RIB: 3.3mph Top speed skiff: 4.4mph Thrust: 35lbs

This is another trolling motor with a claimed 55lb thrust, but with five forward speeds and three reverse on a twist-grip throttle. Again, it is a well-engineered motor, with all fittings and clamp screws made of stainless steel, an anode behind the prop and a spare in the box.

Five LEDs show the battery state. The sliding shaft gives transom heights up to 62cm, and 10 tilt positions.

As with all click-speed throttles you have double the power at Setting 5 compared to Setting 4, and very poor range figures at intermediate speeds compared to motors with electronic throttles.

However it is an excellent value-for- money option for sailors looking for ways to power their tender for short trip

Well engineered Value for money

Poor range at medium speeds

Motorguide SW82

Specifications Motor weight: 13kg Battery weight: 16kg Battery capacity: 1,560Wh Top speed RIB: 4.0mph Top speed skiff: 5.5mph

Motorguide is a well-established US company that is part of the Mercury/Mariner group. The most powerful of the transom mount range, the 82 has a claimed thrust of 82lbs, and is a 24V unit requiring two 12V batteries in series.

It is also designed for saltwater use, with stainless steel clamp screws and fittings, and a large anode on the shaft. It has an extra long shaft, giving up to 93cm transom height to the prop, 360º rotation, and seven tilt positions There are no battery LEDs. An on/off switch under the control head is the nearest it gets to a kill switch.

Well known company Powerful Anode for salt water

No battery LEDs

Haswing Protruar 1

Specifications Motor weight: 9kg Battery weight: 8kg Battery capacity: 780Wh Top speed RIB: 3.4mph Top speed skiff: 4.5mph Thrust: 40lbs

Another Haswing requiring a separate 12V battery, this has a variable speed electronic throttle, and similar features to the Protruar 5, except no kill cord. It claims to be equivalent to a 1hp petrol motor, but in practice delivered 600W.

The sliding shaft only allows transom heights up to 40cm, but a longer shaft version is available. It has 10 tilt positions and 360º rotation.

Another well engineered unit, with stainless steel used throughout plus an anode as standard, and a spare anode and shear pin. The tiller/throttle hinges up and down for easy operation and storage.

Anode for salt water use 360º rotation

No kill chord Limited transom height range

Haswing Protruar 5

Specifications Motor weight: 14kg Battery weight: 16kg Battery capacity: 1,560Wh Top speed RIB: Not tested Top speed skiff: 6.1mph Thrust: 108lbs

Another Haswing, the Protruar 5 is the most powerful model we tested. The unit is extremely well engineered, with stainless steel used throughout for the clamp screws and fittings, plus an anode as standard, making this suitable for use in salt water. A nice touch is the spare anode and shear pin in the kit. The tiller/throttle hinges up and down for easy operation and storage.

Its 5 designation indicates its makers think it is equivalent to a 5hp petrol motor, but in reality it delivers around 2.5kW at 24V so requires two separate batteries. It has a variable electronic throttle, three battery state LEDS and a magnetic kill cord.

The shaft slides up and down, giving a maximum transom height of 62cm and 360º rotation. Ten tilt positions are quickly engaged by a squeeze lever.

The thrust was the highest of the test, making it suitable for heavy boats, but the fine pitch prop significantly reduced its efficiency at speed.

Powerful model Anode for salt water use Battery LEDs and kill chord

Needs two batteries for full power

Motorguide R3 45

Specifications Motor weight:   9.5kg Battery weight: (Sterling 60Ah) 8kg Battery capacity: 780Wh Top speed RIB: not tested Top speed skiff: 4.1mph

This trolling motor has a claimed thrust of 45lbs and five forward speeds. The sliding shaft gives transom heights up to 65cm and 360º rotation, with seven tilt positions. Clamp screws and fittings are mild steel, so should be washed after saltwater use.

The click-speed throttle gives non-linear power gaps, with Speed Setting 5 being double the power of Setting 4. This throttle arrangement results in poor range figures at medium speeds compared to motors with electronic throttles, but it keeps the price down.

360º rotation Plenty of transom height range

Minn Kota Endura Max 55

Specifications Motor weight: 9.5kg Battery weight: (Sterling 60Ah) 8kg Battery capacity: 780Wh Top speed skiff: 4.6mph

Minn Kota is one of the oldest makers of trolling motors. The Max 55 has a claimed 55lb thrust, with a variable speed electronic twist-grip throttle.

Clamp screws and fittings are mild steel, making it best suited for freshwater, though you can use it in the sea if you wash it off afterwards.

It has a fine pitch prop like all trolling motors, which gives a good static thrust, but efficiency, and hence range, falls off at higher speeds, though the electronic Maximiser throttle helps to offset this.

Electronic maximiser throttle helps offset range issues

Big range drop off at high speeds Needs washing after salt water usage

Buy it now from MinnKota

How we tested the electric outboard motors

We took a selection of electric outboard motor units available on the market, and tested them in two situations, firstly on a Frib 275 folding RIB on the Lymington River to reproduce the situation of getting out to your boat in the tender. We then put them on a 4m skiff on the Thames, to see how they perform at higher speeds on a boat with a smoother underwater form and longer waterline on sheltered waters.

Speed: We measured speed using a handheld GPS, and electricity consumed using a clamp ammeter or the motor’s inbuilt power display. We converted these to the range you would achieve, either for a given power, or the full power of the motor’s battery.

Thrust: We measured static thrust using a spring balance. This is a somewhat crude test, as it measures the pulling power of a motor in a static boat, and therefore doesn’t allow the propeller pitch to work at its designed speed.

Function: We checked the stated weights of each of the motors and made a qualitative survey of their main features when used as a dinghy outboard.

We tested the trolling motors with a 60Ah lithium battery from Sterling Power, which cost £360, though you can use a heavier lead acid battery costing around £120 for a good quality AGM or gel. Don’t bother with leisure batteries, which will fail after 4 to 5 trips. You will need a good quality Lithium charger, which will add on £100 or more.

We haven’t included charging in this test, as this is dependent on the charger you are using, whether you are charging from 240V or 12V on board, and whether the power source is mains, a generator, alternator or solar. It’s worth noting that you will rarely be recharging from flat, and will rather be aiming to top up batteries after each use.

Trolling motor or electric outboard motor?

The options today are trolling motors with separate batteries – so called because they were mainly used as auxiliary slow-speed power for anglers, and integral-battery motors built for dinghy propulsion. These are the options a sailor will be looking at when thinking about changing to an electric outboard.

Trolling motors are still popular for low-speed applications, as they are simple and cheap, but they do need a separate 12V battery.

The integral battery motors are sophisticated units designed to give you more speed and greater range for a given power in a small boat, though for any 3-4m boat, the hull speed will limit how fast you can realistically go with any motor unless you start planing.

An electric outboard motor with an integral battery will often include displays showing speed, range at a given speed, and percentage of battery capacity remaining, but these features come with a higher price tag.

The trolling motors and integral battery models in our test were similar in weight and both come in at around the same total weight as a 2.5hp petrol engine.

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Electric boats

Electric boat, adventure boat company axopar selects evoy to power its new all-electric boat brand ax/e.

Finnish boat company Axopar has just launched a new all-electric sub-brand called AX/E and has enlisted performance inboard and outboard electric motor specialist Evoy to power them. AX/E has debuted two series production boat models that will feature advanced electric motor systems from Evoy.

Axopar is admittedly a new boat company on Electrek’s radar. Described on its website as an “adventure company,” the Finnish boat builder has ingrained itself in the marine industry since being founded in 2014 and has become an industry leader in innovation and manufacturing, garnering several design awards along the way.

Its model range currently consists of six boat models powered by traditional gas and diesel motors, but the company has recently started exploring more sustainable options as well. Earlier this month, Axopar announced a new sub-brand focused on 100% electric boats called AX/E, developed through an investment in and collaboration alongside Norwegian motor systems developer Evoy.

The initial lineup of Axopar’s AX/E electric boats consists of a 22-foot and 25-foot model, each featuring advanced and powerful electric motors from Evoy; check them out.

Axopar’s two new electric boats gain big power from Evoy

Pretty cool, right? You wouldn’t even be able to tell they’re electric looking at the images, but you most certainly can feel the difference on the water given how smooth and quiet these Axopar electric boats powered by Evoy are.

Following the debut of the new AX/E brand at the Cannes Yachting Festival 2024, Evoy has confirmed its partnership with Axopar to set a “new benchmark for sustainable, performance boating.” Evoy CEO, Leif Stavøstrand, elaborated:

Our collaboration with Axopar on the AX/E line brings our vision of ‘irresistible boating’ to life—delivering an electric experience so thrilling that heading back out on the water becomes a must. Axopar, the innovators of adventure boating, have set the standard in this segment. Together, we’re showing that electric boating can provide the performance, excitement, and sustainability adventure boaters demand.

The initial lineup of Axopar’s new electric boats consists of the AX/E 22 and AX/E 25, each powered by an Evoy Outboard Breeze 120+ hp motor system and Storm 300+ hp motor system, respectively.

The former features a 63 kWh battery pack that can power the boat to a top speed of 36 knots (41 mph) with a range of over 50 nautical miles (57.5 miles) on a single charge at slower speeds. Per Evoy, it’s ideal for day trips along the coast.

The 25-foot Axopar electric boat has a 126 kWh dual battery configuration that can reach speeds over 50 knots (57.5 mph) and offers an all-electric range of up to 60 nautical miles (69 miles) at slower speeds. 

Evoy states that the larger battery configuration provides faster recharging in addition to more time on the water. Jan-Erik Viitala, a founding partner at Axopar Boats, spoke to the new AX/E electric boat brand and its partnership with Evoy:

Throughout this journey, Evoy has proven to be an ideal partner for Axopar. Together with Evoy, our mission is to inspire and drive a broader movement towards electric boating, encouraging other manufacturers to embrace electric propulsion and scale it into full serial production. We believe that electrification will evolve progressively, and we are committed to staying at the forefront of this transformation.

According to the AX/E website, the suggested retail pricing is as follows:

• AX/E 22 Spyder: 129,000 euros ($142,500)
• AX/E 22T-Top: 133,500 euros ($147,500)
• AX/E 25 Cross Bow: 229,000 euros ($253,000)
• AX/E 25 Cross Top: 234,000 euros ($258,450)

The new AX/E electric boats from Axopar and Evoy are now on display in Cannes, marking the opening of initial orders. Deliveries are expected to begin in early 2025.

Electrek’s take

I personally love covering stories like this because the marine industry is going electric so much faster than other mobility segments, and that’s saying a lot, given how fast EV adoption is growing, for example.

Obviously, we need to eliminate reliance on fossil fuels and their nasty emissions as quickly as possible, and vehicles are the main contributor to that. Still, boats are an ugly source of pollution on our planet’s waters, and our marine ecosystem is vital to its health. So, going electric on the water wherever possible is welcomed news.

Kudos to a company like Axopar for developing new, high-performance electric boats. Leave it to the Scandinavians to promote stylish sustainability, right?

What’s cool about this beat is how well boat and powertrain developers are doing it so seamlessly and beautifully. These electric boats coming out are just as cool looking as traditional vessels, if not cooler, and if you’ve ever ridden on one, it’s impossible to deny the advantages in terms of the ride. There is virtually no noise pollution, rattling, and, of course, zero emissions.

Electric boats still have a way to go to reach performance parity with diesel motors in many ways, but they’re gaining on traditional technology quickly, and it’s exciting to watch. Companies like Evoy are presenting viable alternatives, and I personally applaud them.

I hope I can get aboard both of these Axopar electric boats soon and report back on my experience.

FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.

Scooter Doll is a writer, designer and tech enthusiast born in Chicago and based on the West Coast. When he’s not offering the latest tech how tos or insights, he’s probably watching Chicago sports. Please send any tips or suggestions, or dog photos to him at [email protected]

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Axopar Just Unveiled Two Electric Boats Capable of Reaching Thrilling Speeds

The ax/e 22 can hit 36 knots at full tilt, while the ax/e 25 can soar to over 50 knots., rachel cormack.

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After a decade of producing adventure boats, Axopar is entering electrifying new territory.

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“We wanted to create something that is truly electrifying, with boats that excite and inspire, but also protect the environments we explore,” Jarkko Jämsén, Axopar’s head designer, said in a statement . “AX/E reflects Axopar’s commitment to pushing the boundaries of what’s possible on the water.”

The two newcomers, which debuted at the Cannes Yachting Festival this week, both feature advanced electric propulsion systems by Norwegian e-motor manufacturer EVOY. The duo is also equipped with the robust deep-V hulls synonymous with Axopar.

The 22-foot AX/E 22 is powered by a 63 kW battery and an Evoy Outboard Breeze motor that can produce over 120 hp for a top speed of 36 knots and a range of more than 50 nautical miles at slow speeds. The larger, 25-foot AX/E 25 packs a 126 kWh battery and a more powerful Evoy Outboard Storm motor capable of churning out over 300 horses for a max speed of over 50 knots and a range of up to 60 nautical miles at slow speeds. Axopar adds that each boat also offers “unparalleled torque, whisper-quiet operation, and zero emissions.” Fast charging tech ensures minimal downtime between adventures, too.

The AX/E fleet isn’t bad to look at, either. The first two models showcase premium eco-friendly materials, powder-painted profiles, stylish upholstery, and neutral palettes, resulting in a refined, timeless aesthetic that is sure to appeal to discerning yachters. Each boat also has modular features that enable personalized configurations. Both can accommodate six passengers, but the 25 also has a front cabin that can sleep two guests. Want to check them out in person? The AX/E 22 and AX/E 25 will be displayed at Cannes from September 10 to 15. The 25 has a recommended retail price of €234,000 (about $259,000), while the 22 has a recommended retail price of €133,500 (roughly $147,000).

Rachel Cormack is a digital editor at Robb Report. She cut her teeth writing for HuffPost, Concrete Playground, and several other online publications in Australia, before moving to New York at the…

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New Electric Trolling Motors for Salt Water

• By Jim Hendricks
• September 12, 2024

Big news emerged from the 2024 ICAST fishing trade show in Orlando, Florida. Both Lowrance and Simrad debuted bow-­mounted, electric-­steered brushless trolling motors designed for salt water, representing the first trolling motors from either engineered to perform in the brine; indeed, the Simrad motor is the first ever from this long-established marine electronics brand.

These motors join a ­cadre of models from Garmin, Minn Kota, Power-Pole and Rhodan all featuring GPS guidance, rugged marine-grade construction, sophisticated technology and advanced system integration. Among experienced boating anglers, positioning is everything. And positioning is exactly what these motors are designed to achieve. Let’s look at some examples.

The new saltwater trolling motors from Lowrance and Simrad share the same ­model name—Recon—and possess the same design, including a brushless motor that operates on either 24 or 36 volts and produces 90 and 115 pounds of thrust, respectively. 

These manually deployed, electric-steered trolling motors boast a unique joystick remote called Freesteer. Incorporating a color LCD screen, the remote is lightweight and wearable, providing 360 degrees of manual steering, as well as activation of automatic functions. With the Lowrance version of the Recon, the remote can be combined with a wireless foot pedal with a programmable keypad and seamless display integration via a NMEA 2000 network. The Simrad version grants full integration with a Simrad multifunction display via NMEA 2000. 

Recon trolling motors also feature a GPS-guided virtual anchoring system that holds boats within a 3-foot radius. A unique jogging function allows anglers to execute diagonal moves in eight directions. There’s also the option to move virtual anchor positions in almost any direction. The carbon-fiber-infused shafts carry lifetime warranties, while the motor carries a three-year warranty. 

The Recon motors have integrated sonar technology and are available with a sonar nose-cone option. The Recon models are available in 54-, 60- and 72-inch shaft lengths, and start at $3,499. To learn more, visit lowrance.com or simrad-yachting.com .

The news coming out of ICAST 2024 is that Garmin expanded its Force Kraken brushless saltwater trolling- motor series (which was introduced last year) with a 48-inch shaft length to accommodate smaller boat sizes, including flats boats and microskiffs. 

Like the other models in the Kraken series, the 48-inch model is engineered with a pivot-style mount for easy installation on boats where bow space is limited. With manual deploy and stow, it offers anglers seamless, wireless integration with Garmin sonar systems, multifunction displays and smartwatches. 

Now completing its first season in the hands of saltwater anglers, the Kraken features a brushless motor and high-­efficiency propeller to produce 100 pounds of thrust as a 36-volt system or 80 pounds as a 24-volt system. Anglers can also easily install live sonar thanks to a cable management system that routes the transducer cable inside the trolling-motor shaft. With the Kraken LiveScope Mounting Bracket (additional purchase required), any Garmin LiveScope transducer can be installed and operated in all three modes: Forward, Down and Perspective. 

The included wireless remote gives anglers control of the trolling motor with precise virtual anchor lock, autopilot functionality, heading hold and point-and-go gesture steering. The new 48-inch Kraken is available in both black and white, with suggested retail prices of $3,599.99 and $3,799.99, ­respectively. Other Kraken models feature 63-, 75- and 90-inch shaft lengths in white, and 63- and 75-inch lengths in black. To learn more, visit garmin.com . 

Read Next: The Benefits of Brushless Saltwater Trolling Motors

Minn Kota has set a high bar among saltwater anglers with its top-of-the-line Riptide Instinct models featuring Quest brushless motor technology and push-button deploy and stow. Now completing its first full season on the bows of saltwater fishing boats, the Riptide Instinct operates on either 24 volts for 90 pounds of thrust or 36 volts for 115 pounds of thrust. Shaft-length choices include 60, 65, 87 and 100 inches.

It also has a beefy composite shaft and pivot points, and the motor incorporates real-time battery monitoring with a “time until empty” indicator, which prompts anglers to switch to Eco mode when reserves drop to 20 percent. Built-in i-Pilot and ­i-Pilot Link GPS guidance enable functionality such as Spot-Lock virtual anchoring and a Drift mode that works like a virtual drift sock. 

Control options include a GPS wireless remote to drive the motor from anywhere in the boat. Riptide Instinct offers compatibility with the One-Boat Network for networking with and controlling via a Humminbird multifunction display easily. They are available in black or white and start at $4,399.99 for a 60-inch-shaft model. For more information, visit minnkota​.johnsonoutdoors.com .

The Move PV series saltwater trolling motors from Power-Pole feature pivot mounts, brushless motors, GPS guidance, wireless controls and virtual anchoring. The brushless motors are engineered to deliver power at lower rpm. A super-strong titanium shaft carries a lifetime guarantee. Advanced electronic technology includes built-in GPS navigation with features such as Anchor mode and Active Vector Heading navigation. A variety of ­user-friendly wireless controls include a ReelFeel foot pedal that provides the sensation of cable steering and the ability to put it anywhere you like. 

There are also wireless foot buttons available to activate the Anchor and Active Vector Heading modes. Power-Pole’s ProNav app can enable a ­mobile device to become a controller. The PV series is available in 45-, 52-, 60- and 72-inch shaft lengths, and is available in black or white. It starts at $4,999.99. To find out more, visit power-pole.com .

The HD GPS Anchor+ saltwater trolling motors from Rhodan feature pivot mounts and digital pulse-width modulation circuitry to help maximize efficiency and heat dissipation, optimize power and extend battery life. A wireless and waterproof floating remote fob controls the motor from anywhere on the boat. 

Available in 12-, 24- and 36-volt models delivering 80 to 120 pounds of thrust, these trolling motors also have the unique ability to steer the boat while the main engine is at low power settings, allowing anglers to troll at higher speeds or to anchor in fast-moving currents. The Anchor mode automatically compensates for wind, waves and cross current. 

Rhodan integrates with Raymarine’s Axiom MFDs to adjust thrust and the motor’s direction, and activate Anchor mode. This enables anglers to use the touchscreen display to control the Rhodan trolling motor when it is active. The HD GPS Anchor+ is available in black or white in shaft lengths ranging from 36 to 108 inches, starting at $2,399. Visit rhodanmarine.com to learn more. 

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Plugboats Guide to Electric Boats Exhibitors: Cannes Yachting Festival 2024

The Cannes Yachting Festival, one of the premier boat shows in the world and Europe’s lagest in-water event, is on now in France and has almost 50  (48) electric boat exhibitors, more than ever in its 47 year history. 

In the past five years Cannes has been the place for many electric boat announcements and this year is no exception. The electric exhibitors include electric powerboats, electric sailboats, electric motor and drive manufacturers as well as battery and accessory suppliers.

New this year, the Festival has a new area entirely dedicated to new motorboats with 140 boats from 8 – 30 meters (feet) on water and 30 boats under 8m (ffet) on land. Among them are 10 all electric or hybrid models. There are 9 electric sailboats at Cannes and multiple motor, drive accessory manufacturers.

Below are some of the highlighted electric boats exhibitors. At the »» bottom of this page is a Directory of all of the electric boats exhibitors with links to their websites for more information.

Electric Powerboats

True to his word, Axopar has the 25e on the water at Cannes, a new 22 foot model on shore and have announced AX/E, a sub-brand dedicated to fully electric Axopars. “Ten years ago, when we launched Axopar, our vision was to revolutionise the market with something genuinely unique” said Viitala. “With AX/E, we’re advancing that mission by offering a new, sustainable way to experience the water, without compromise. AX/E goes beyond electric propulsion; it’s about creating lasting memories and setting the course for the future of electric boating. Thanks to our collaboration with Evoy, we’ve elevated this vision, seamlessly merging high-performance with sustainability to deliver the best of both worlds.”

Axopar AX/E

de Antonio Yachts

Read the Plugboats review of the de Antonio E23

The hull is a semi-foiling catamaran, in which a fixed foil wing is situated between the two pontoons to create lift and reduce friction / water resistance. This makes for a very stable ride at all speeds, and when the boat is foiling (it starts at about 14 kt ), the efficiency enables a range longer than an electric planing boat.

It takes the best designs and engineering of Frauscher and Porsche, both of whom have long and illustrious pasts. Porsche was founded in 1931 by Ferdinand Porsche and Frauscher Boats in 1927 by Engelbert Frauscher. In 1955 Frauscher Bootswerft built their first electric boats, and two years later Ferry Porsche made his dream of a sports car a reality with the 356 model.

Read about the launch of the Frauscher x Porsche 850 Fantom Air

Managing Director Stefan Frauscher on the cooperation with the sports car manufacturer: “Frauscher has held a special position in the nautical world for years: On the one hand, we have been specialists in electric boats since 1955 – on the other hand, Frauscher is renowned for high-performance motorboats, even in rough waters. As the only yard that understands both worlds, we were the ideal partner for Porsche to develop an electric boat with the power of a motorboat.”

At lat year’s Cannes they launched their 58 Fly model and are showing it again this year along with two others: The Greenline 45 Fly and Greenline 48 Coupe.

Greenline website   Greenline Yachts for Sale in Plugboats Marketplace

– have announced 5 new international dealers to help meet the growing demand for environmentally responsible large yachts.

CEO Fabrizio Ierarra said earlier this year “We’re expecting this boat to attract lots of serious attention at the Cannes show. By fully glazing in the sides of the upper deck, this space becomes a luxurious addition to the interior accommodation. The far-sighted client behind this first example is taking advantage of the floor-to-ceiling windows and panoramic views to create a peerless master stateroom on the upper deck.”

SILENT-YACHTS

Sunreef ECO

Sunreef Yachts ECO

TYDE was founded and is led by the co-founder of Torqeedo, Dr. Christoph Ballin, who joined forces with tech entrepreneur Tobias Hoffritz and by Designworks, a BMW Group subsidiary with studios in Los Angeles, Munich and Shanghai.

Read about the launch of the TYDE ICON

The Icon is 13.15 meters long and 4.5 meters wide. (43 feet x 15 feet), powered by twin 100 kW electric motors backed by BMW batteries with 240 kiloWatthours of energy storage. The hybrid shape of the hull is optimized both for the displacement and foiling modes, giving the vessel a top speed of 33 kn, service speed of 24 and range at service speed of more than 50 nautical miles

Electric Sailboats

In regen, the electric motor reverses the direction of the current while the boat is under sail power. The moving water spins the propeller, and the motor acts as a turbine to put electricity back into the battery. There is also a diesel generator on board for low wind times when the necesary sailing speeds can not be achieved. At Cannes, four out of the five boats being shown by Dufour already have the ODSea+ package available: the Dufour 41, Dufour 44, 470 and 530.

Elan   –

At Cannes, Elan is debuting the Elan GT6 Explorer, that builds on the platform of the multiple award-winning Elan GT6, a 49-foot grand turismo yacht designed by the trio of Elan, Studio F. A. Porsche, Humphreys Yacht Design. Originally designed as a shorthanded Mediterranean mid-range fast cruiser, it has proven to be an ideal foundation for the long-cruise or blue-water variant, now known as the Explorer. 

French sailing cat builder Fountaine-Pajot displayed their first electric equipped modle in 2019 and since that time have had over 70 engineers working to develop an in-house solution that is 100% adapted to the use of its catamarans. It is now the only shipyard to control all research and development processes internally, without any dependence on engine brands. Two yachts that feature the technology are at Cannes this year, the Astréa 42 and Elba 45.

The F-P solution has a few innovations tailored to make electric propulsion on a catamaran as simple and seamless as possible. The system guarantees a minimum speed of 4 knots if there are very low battery levels & strong winds. In addition, the LiFoPO batteries can be charged through regeneration, solar panels and wind turbines with the technological infrastructure designed to ensure that there is complementarity and redundancy between the systems.

Fountaine-Pajot

The propeller has pitch and performance characteristics that can be changed at the push of a button, allowing for a seamless transition between sailing and motoring modes. Under power, the system delivers high torque and thrust and is optimized for efficiency. In hydrogeneration mode, the Deep Blue algorithms continuously monitor and adjust performance several times per second, providing renewable, wind-powered energy production while minimizing impact on sailing speed. At 8 knots sailing speed, the Deep Blue system generates enough power to maintain self-sufficiency.

“The Swan 88 is the culmination of three years of collaboration between Nautor Swan and Torqeedo’s Customized Solutions team” said Matthias Vogel, senior vice president of the Customized Solutions business unit for Torqeedo GmbH. “It proves that Deep Blue can achieve similar range and performance as a combustion engine-powered yacht and even be fully independent under good sailing conditions.”

Nautor Swan

The Saffier Se 33 is available with a Torqeedo 10 kW POD Electric.

Saffier Yachts

The company’s motto is ‘Sail The Planet’, and one of their hallmarks is that all of their boats are made of circular materials and almost entirely recyclable. The Vaan R5 with twin 25 kW Oceanvolt HP Servoprops  captured the 2024 Sail Cruising category in the Multihull of the Year Awards and the company is showing the slightly smaller R4 at Cannes featuring its unique Vivid Alu finish.

Read: Vaan R5 with Oceanvolt wins at Multihull Awards

Launched in March of this year, the finish is achieved by carefully sanding the aluminium to a smooth matte finish to give it a raw and tough look. The is made with a 60% recycled aluminum hull and  75% recycled aluminum extrusions. It can be ordered with either twin Oceanvolt 15kW or twin Torqeedo 12 kW motors. 

This is achieved through several technical innovations, such as eco-friendly composites, interior wood certified by the Forestry Stewardship Council, boat weight, and of course, electric motors. The Windelo 50 at Cannes is a blue water cruising catamaran designed by architect duo Christophe Barreau and Fréderic Neuman that was nominated in the 2024 Multihull of the Year Awards.

They have worked with a variety of companies specializing in inboard electric drive systems for Imoca and Ultime racing yachts, and equip their catamarans with 2 electric shaftline engines of 20kW each, accompanied by 1120Ah 48V lithium battery bank (53,8kWh) by MG Energy. 

X-Yachts is one of Denmark’s best known sailing yacht manufacturers and launched their first electric propulsion model, the X4⁹E, in June of 2022.

Read about X-Yachts first electric propulsion model

Technical Manager John Morsing said he is not at all surprised about the popularity of the electric propulsion. “Electric propulsion opens a world of new opportunities for sailors, and I am sure our sales of electric models will accelerate rapidly in the coming years. We are working closely with Oceanvolt to offer a silent electric engine powered by a lithium battery bank that gives a range of 25 nm. Combined with an 11kw diesel generator, the range extends up to 600 nm.”

Electric Motors

Read about the Whale Design BlueNav propeller

Cannes week also marks a significant step in BlueNav’s growth. Founded in 2020, it has 40 employees working in its home facility and a distribution network that include England, Netherlands, Spain, and the United Arab Emirates. The network continues to grow with new partners in Italy (Incofin) and Turkey (Arti Marin).

ePropulsion

Directory of Electric Boat Exhibitors at Cannes Yachting Festival 2024

Click any tile for company information and links.

The World’s Safest Electric Hydrofoil.

Aircraft Inspired.

Advanced aerodynamics. Developed with more than 20 years experience in aircraft design.

amperetta HYBRID-DRIVE is the powerful, compact, and easy-to-use plugin-hybrid on the water. Strong electric motors are available for accurate maneuvering as well as for slow and medium cruising. amperetta HYBRID-DRIVE runs almost silently.

Potsdam, Germany

Marine engines that are 100% electric embody innovative electric propulsion systems that ensure speed, performance and reliability for a greener mobility respectful of the environment. They are available in a variety of models and powers and can be installed on a range of different vessels sailing on lakes, rivers or seas.

Monopoli (BA), Italy

Developed with key principles in mind; power, speed, and precision. Awake’s electric surfboards are built for superior acceleration, sharp corners and fast straights, giving the user an unparalleled riding experience.

Axopar has joined forces with Evoy motors to produce Evoy electric version of their Axopar 25. Jan-Erik Viitala, Founding Partner of Axopar, says “Our partnership with Evoy is a perfect example of two great companies, on a joint mission, to expand the boating community and offer new ways of mobility for the future.”

With one single idea in mind: innovating in terms of both boats and processes to enable as many people as possible to realize their dreams, making the avant-garde accessible.

At Cannes Yachting Festival of 2021 Beneteau announced its first entries into electric boating, with Jérôme de Metz, Groupe Beneteau Chairman and CEO, saying “ There are new expectations and user habits, new ways of travelling and latest technologies: a new world of pleasure boating and marine leisure is coming into view on the horizon, and all of us throughout Groupe Beneteau are positioning ourselves to be the leading players in this new world .”

ADDING ELECTRIC POWER TO ANY BOAT

Innovation for Nature. Our mission is to accelerate the energy transition of boats towards 100% zero emissions

BlueNav has developed a complete energy and transportation ecosystem and is committed to meet the challenge of a user-friendly and environmentally friendly mobility.

Our electric turbines make it possible to transform an internal combustion engine (ICE) boat into a hybrid boat without any structural modifications.

Arcachon, France

Hydrofoiling electric boats and ferries, made in Sweden.

Transforming transport on the water with technology; enabling electrification and vastly improving performance vs. combustion engines.

Our ultimate purpose is to speed up the transition to fossil fuel-free lakes and oceans by re-thinking efficiency in marine transportation to radically push the performance boundaries of electric boats and ships.

At Candela, we care about doing something good for the planet and all its species. Coming from 20 different nations, we share a conviction that kindness combined with deep knowledge in science, has revolutionary power.

Location: Lidingö, Sweden

Renowned Dutch semi-custom yacht builder Contest Yachts has announced the exciting introduction of long-range all-electric propulsion. This is initially for the two new models of 2022, the Contest 50CS and Contest 49CS, with the intention in time that the option will extend into further range models.

The E23 is the brand’s first 100% electric boat, the beginning of a new era. An innovative model, which concept is based on maximum efficiency. Its compact proportions with a catamaran architecture integrates a foil between its hulls, giving it unique emission-free sailing performance in its segment while offering a practical and comfortable space on deck, with a careful design all throughout details and finishes. A model that combines cutting-edge technology and design

Location: Barcelona, Spain

Mindful cruising We build boats that are specifically designed for the lakes and rivers of the world. We love slow and quiet cruises where we can fully connect with our friends, family, and nature.

We are mindful cruisers.

Our home is on the lakes and river. Our boats are specially designed for all the sailors who enjoy fresh water cruising, all over the world.

We believe the best cruises are clean and quiet. That’s why Delphia is committed to create boats that are fully electric, by 2024.

We love to escape from it all. For us, boats are meant to be a second home, where comfort, space and light create a soothing and relaxing atmosphere, for all your weekend getaway and holidays.

»» Contact Delphia

The Dufour range of sailing boats comprises 9 iconic models designed to suit every sailing programme. Three are available with electric propulsion – Dufour 41, 470, 530., with four available . For over 60 years, Dufour yachts has a boat manufacturer have demonstrated their adaptability and versatility through beautiful innovations.

FULL-RANGE HYBRID SYSTEMS FOR YACHTS e-Motion is the only supplier of standardized hybrid propulsion systems that fit into the existing engine room of all serial production yachts from 40-250 feet.

e-soleboat.fr contact @ e-soleboat.fr.

By constantly challenging accepted standards, we enhance time on the water, thereby enabling a more enriching experience.

Elan embodies a true passion for sailing, technological innovations and distinctive design. Every yacht coming from Elan’s 16.000 sq meter boatyard in Slovenia is the result of our 70-year long passion for innovation-oriented quality boatbuilding.

Electric outboards for fishing boatsIdeal for both freshwater and saltwater, ePropulsion electric outboard motors are perfect for jon boats, aluminum fishing boats, bass boats and fishing pontoons.

Electric outboards for work boats The electric outboard motor has a simple motor structure with much fewer components than gas engines. The quiet and exhaust-free experience also makes passengers comfortable onboard.

Electric outboards for dinghy and tenders Our electric outboard motors make your boat trips comfortable, quiet and exhaust-free. Our maintenance-free designs save you time, money, and headaches.

Excess introduces at the Cannes Yachting Festival the first hybrid Excess 15 equipped with Torqeedo’s flagship Deep Blue Hybrid system. With such an innovative project managed through the “Excess Lab”, Excess is taking a distinctive first step within the catamaran market towards more sustainability.

The Fliteboard™ eFoil gives the sensation of flying over water. Fliteboard carves like a snowboard in fresh powder, but with the freedom to ride anywhere, anytime, without wind or waves. It’s fast, quiet, and emission free.

foil.one mathias @ foil.one

Fountaine Pajot is working on the deployment of electric motors for its sailing catamarans. This project should see the light of day in 2022 with the installation of electric motors on the Aura 51, the new 51-foot catamaran designed by Fountaine Pajot.

The Four Winns H2e is the first, all-electric, series production bowrider on the market. This industry-leading move clearly positions Four Winns as an innovative pioneer with a clear focus on the refined customer experience.

“Just imagine jumping aboard your H2e, fully-charged and ready to go, from your trailer or private dock. No noise, no exhaust, no refueling, no hassle… just a rewarding day on the water,” – Nick Harvey, Four Winns Brand Director.

The virtuosic design, impressive performance and excellent quality are a joy to all adventurous spirits.

Our award-winning boats are sold in over 14 different countries across all continents of the world. Motor, electric and sailing yachts for both head and heart.

Location: Oberosterreich, Austria

generationhybride.fr info @ generationhybride.fr

With the introduction of the first hybrid boat in 2008, Greenline revolutionized the boating industry and ever since then the brand has been a synonym for constant innovation in boat building and design.

Our vision is to continuously shape the future of responsible boating by being the most innovative and responsible boat brand in the world.

Location: Begunje, Slovenia Dealers located Worldwide

Performance. Luxury. Carbon Construction. You only live once. Never compromise.

Award Winning HH Catamarans has been repeatedly recognized by industry peers and international judges for innovative design and superior construction quality.

Performance & Luxury Designed to withstand the rigors of sailing around the world multiple times in speed, comfort and style.

Design Excellence Designed in partnership with renowned Naval Architect and Engineers Morrelli & Melvin, and built using exacting construction methodology.

Carbon Construction Experts in carbon fiber construction, we offer a five year hull warranty and we expect our boats to be sailing the world’s oceans for 50+ years.

Huracan S.r.l. was founded at the beginning of 2012 in Venice. Since then its goal has been that of building entirely electric marine motors, non polluting, highly performative and more reliable than those already on the market. The motors had to live up to their name which is that of a Mayan deity, the lord of storms and lightning: Huracan. Born to protect and value fragile and unique environments such as the Venetian lagoon, all

Huracan motors can be used in places where combustion motors are prohibited. Huracan is the realization of a dream that its founders have shared: permanently eliminating polluting propulsions from Venice and its lagoon. This is no easy task: Venice welcomes hundreds of thousands of people and its transport necessities are those of a very big city.

SAIL INTO A DIFFERENT WIND

Elegance, Comfort, Sportiness. Three different souls for an innovative hull, conveyed by elegant and dynamic lines.

A work of high naval engineering, born from the vision to combine Italian elegance and attention to detail with the best and most advanced international technology. 14.99 is the first project created by ITACATAMARANS: a multihull of excellence, technologically sophisticated, safe and comfortable, redefining the world of catamarans.

Location: Italy

LIONTRON ® LiFePO4 batteries are a fully-fledged replacement for lead-acid batteries with all the advantages of lithium-iron phosphate technology.

The highest level of safety and a long service life, even with regular deep discharge, are given here. The technology enables an extremely high cycle life, which makes these batteries the ideal traction battery.

The battery is suitable for one-to-one replacement of lead-acid batteries such as AGM or gel, without changing the charging or discharging structure. Due to the absolutely usable capacity, it replaces lead-acid batteries with twice the capacity in practice, despite the extremely light construction.

Our electric boats are crafted to enhance your experiences on the water, delivering superior performance and cutting-edge design. At Lumen, we are dedicated to pushing the boundaries of marine technology, ensuring each journey is smooth, efficient, and memorable. Join us as we set new standards in boating, focusing on smart solutions and impeccable style.

Nautor Swan is an iconic name in the sailing world, whose current glory is rooted in its history. Founded in 1966, Nautor Swan is recognised all over the world for its performance sailing yachts. The key elements of the brand are elegance, quality, performance, innovation and reliability. With a state-of-the-art facility based in Pietarsaari, a Global Service with four hubs in the Med and 18 service points, the divisions ClubSwan Racing, Brokerage and Charter, Nautor is a brand with a global presence across all sailing seas.

Electric boating since 2009

Our corporate policy is to take great pains over building boats that enhance the relationship between boats, people and the environment. We have a vision; the increased freedom of people to move at will across the sea shall not be achieved at the expense of the environment.

We started our electric ambition already in 2009 and have had an electric powertrain as an option for three of our boat models since 2015.

Our E-power Concept, also known as “Environmental Power”, represents Nimbus environmental thinking for the future, in which we include the entire boat-building process from production engineering to climate-smart materials.

Location: Nordhavn, Denmark

A Saffier Yachts daysailer combines striking looks with great performance, solo sailing and premium building quality.

Location: Magdalensburg, Austria

The Sunreef Yachts Eco are pioneering crafts leading the way in responsible boating by offering unique technology.

With a 360° approach to eco cruising, they offer cutting-edge electric propulsion, naturally-sourced sustainable materials, smart energy management and new technologies including a patent-pending solar skin produced in-house.

Electric drives for motorboats Enjoy a clean and quiet life on the water. Outboards from our Travel and Cruise series offer up to 20 horsepower of lightweight and emission-free fun. Need more power? Deep Blue, the first industrially produced, high-performance electric drive system for motorboats is available as outboard and inboard systems up to 100 kW.

Electric motors for kayaks The ideal kayak fishing motor is quiet, lightweight, efficient and durable. Your Ultralight will take you to remote fishing grounds and allows easy, hands-free manoeuvring. On touring kayaks and canoes, the Ultralight serves as a compact range extender for extended tours and expeditions.

Electric boat drives for professionals Reliability, efficiency and safety are critical when choosing propulsion for a commercial vessel – as are low and predictable fuel and maintenance costs. Torqeedo offers fully integrated, standards-compliant, high-tech drive systems at a competitive total cost of ownership.

An icon is born Unprecedented in design and sustainable luxury. A pinnacle of comfort, style and forward-thinking. Experience riding a Tyde.

Location: Germany

We believe that luxury living and preserving the planet can and should go hand in hand. This is why we make exciting luxury sailing yachts that do not harm the planet. #SAILTHEPLANET

Virtue Yachts are created by people with a deep passion for yachting. Our engineering team has many years of expertise in yacht production. But above all, we are active boaters ourselves. We specialize in creating yachts with features lacking in the current market.

Above all, we believe the future belongs to electric-powered boats. From the first moment of designing the V10, we planned and optimized the outside and inside hull design for modern Li-ion batteries and EVOY electric engines. As battery technology is advancing fast, we believe the capabilities will exponentially increase and eventually replace conventional engines in pleasure boating. Let the future begin now.

Solar electric motor yachts.

Breaking the codes with innovative solutions.

NO POLLUTION no toxic emission

​NO SMELL from exhaust, no fuel odours

​NO NOISE due to absence of vibration

​NO HEAT nor use of inflammable combustibles

Due to its innovative catamarans, combining recycled and bio-sourced materials, electrics engines and green energies sources Windelo received the special mentioning “sustainability” from the European Yacht Of The Year 2022!

Location: Sweden

A new range of electric powered sailboats is a natural step for X-Yachts in order to support a greener future. Based on our path of 42 years of innovative yachts and heritage, combined with Danish green and sustainable energy.

Every X-Yacht is designed with performance in mind – and the X4⁹E is no exception. The X4⁹E is the first X-Yacht built as a hybrid-powered yacht. It is fitted with 2 x 10 kW electric saildrives, a 28,8 kWh Lithium battery bank and an onboard DC generator with a capacity of 11 kW.

The hybrid concept is chosen to make long-distance crossings possible without worrying about distance limitations. A pure electric solution is also available if limited distance under engine can be accepted.

Yamaha Motor to Begin Pre-orders of Next-Generation Boat Maneuvering System HARMO in Europe　― More comfortable, smart package boat with electric motor quietness

We share your pleasure and passion for navigation and exploration. With a Zodiac boat you have a steadfast companion by your side while navigating seas all around the world. We will be there to escort you safely, whether you are an expert captain or if it’s your first time on the water.

Present in more than 50 countries around the world, Zodiac Nautic and its 1,600 dealers will put their expertise at your service. Join the Zodiac Nautic community, a brand that has already impressed more than a million customers.

• E-lixr launches ‘pre-lectric’ Miami water taxi shuttle service

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