I have been following this topic for a while as I would love to ditch diesel someday if practical. A number of companies besides Thunderstruck make electric conversion kits for boats. Nigel Calder has been researching and writing about this topic for some time in Sail Magazine. There is a series of articles there and here is a useful example discussing battery needs: https://www.sailmagazine.com/diy/the-price-of-power
I suspect the merits of this possibility may change as lithium batteries get better and hopefully cheaper. I was turned off to the idea electric on a sailboat after listening in on a VHF emergency call to the Coast Guard last summer of someone with a fire in their lithium battery compartment that they could not put out. But now it seems they have come up with new lithium batteries not susceptible to fire when in contact with water. So I think this is an evolving topic with rapid innovation especially driven by electric cars. A friend of mine recently installed a Tesla solar battery system for his house and loves it. We lost power for 5 days after the hurricane and he barely noticed. I just ordered a new electric motor for my dinghy, which I will report back on when it arrives and I have had a chance to use it some. Dave S/V Aries 1990 C&C 34+ New London, CT > On Aug 11, 2020, at 9:20 AM, Rob Ball via CnC-List <cnc-list@cnc-list.com> > wrote: > > Chandler, > Sounds like more like their diesel than hate it . . . . > Last year our 34 had, it turned out, no compression in one cylinder and the > repair required the engine come out (not enough space under the cockpit), > which meant the boat had to come out . . so several thousand dollars just > to diagnose, let alone repair. I hate the vibration of a diesel, and the > engine was 40 years old and very smelly, so I was not excited about just > rebuilding it, but irregardless – 10 thousand dollars would not have > surprised me. > So I went over to try electric. > Thunderstruck makes a complete sailboat package, and for about 4 thousand > dollars we had all the parts needed. Then, of course the old engine had to > come out and labor to fit the new one and close up the thru-hulls, etc. We > used the existing prop and shaft. > I used four of your typical deep cycle marine batteries (rather than a > serious battery bank), so for 500 dollars we had 48 volts. Then a battery > charger and the Key to the program – a Slip – for Plug-In . . . . . > I’m relying on a full charge when we go out but our plan is only limited > trips in and around Buzzards Bay. If we broaden our horizon in a couple of > years, then more battery capacity will likely be needed. > So, our C&C 34 has more torque now and No Diesel Smell and nice smelling > cushions and virtually no vibration and minimal noise, etc. > The down side of course is range, but I’m a sailor at heart, and will wait it > out when we get becalmed. Buzzards Bay very seldom is windless. > Our plan now is to find a small generator (Christmas List) and put it in the > ‘engine room’ as ‘insurance’ when and if needed. > So far – Happiness reigns . . . . > A friend here at Edson with a Luders 33 installed the same Thunderstruck 10KW > himself and is very happy with it. He has a wind vane on a pole, and charges > with his prop when sailing, so he keeps batteries up while on a mooring. > Rob Ball > C&C 34 > Escapade > _______________________________________________ > > Thanks everyone for supporting this list with your contributions. Each and > every one is greatly appreciated. If you want to support the list - use > PayPal to send contribution -- https://www.paypal.me/stumurray > <https://www.paypal.me/stumurray>
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