How to - Electric Boat Conversion - Part 3 - 36ft sailboat - Electric motor real world testing

[@denisebrooks4513]

Great graphs! I really like how you explain the issues you've run into as well. The way you have of keeping things simple really encouraged me that I could do this too. Thanks!

[@slightadrift]

you absolutely can do anything i've done. you just need perseverance more than anything else!

[@Sunshine.sailing.project]

Your happy face when trying the boat is good for all the work you went through. I have the same project and I’m about to install the new electric motor!

[@slightadrift]

You can do it! I love my electric motor. good luck with yours!! 🤜

[@xavierleyland8402]

Watched all 3 parts, fantastic guide and information. Exactly what I've been researching to do and your review has been an outstanding resource. Thank you and good luck, I'll be following along.

[@slightadrift]

Glad you got something from this👍👍

[@sailingluckybear1045]

Just found your channel, great stuff look forward to checking out your other vids

[@slightadrift]

Cheers ay!!

[@jonathanfager6974]

Okey! So your channel has been in my headphones all week. Planning/Dreaming on building out a boat to sail Sweden-mediterranean Sea together with the wife when we go on parental leave in the future. It's just so much fun seeing you super happy, like when you turned the motor on for the first time in Part 2. Subscribed and waiting for new videos!

[@slightadrift]

That’s awesome kind words Jonathan. I’m excited for you guys! Send me a pic (on instagram) of the boat when you get it! 🍺👍

[@SailHub]

Awesome stuff lad! Living the house mind 👍. We’re just thinking about our motor just now, not a clue what we’re gonna do yet, too many ideas - will enjoy keeping an eye on ya, good to be in touch. Cheers, Chris

[@slightadrift]

Cheers mate 🍻 Awesome! Interested in seeing what you come up with 🙏

[@Pearlsjust]

Outstanding, extremely detailed explanation of your installation. I've been looking for a something like this for some time now. I'm presently putting a ME1616 motor in my Westsail32. I'm programing the sevcon myself (challenging) and haven't bricked it yet. have you had a chance to motor in rough seas yet, and if so how does she perform?

[@IU-Uber]

awesome info. thank you When I get a boat I will be back to rewatch and see what to get.

[@slightadrift]

Awesome! Let me know what you get!

[@MYNautiGirl]

Thanks for all the detailed graphs and information. I'm looking at putting two of these ME1616 motors and controllers into my 41' power yacht to replace the massive old gasoline engines. Glad to see my estimate of being able to achieve about 5 knots with each motor pulling about 6kW is probably accurate. Obviously we have very different hull types, but roughly about the same size and weight yachts, plus I'll be pushing two motors which should definitely help get my old girl moving.

[@slightadrift]

Super interesting! How big ya battery bank?

[@MYNautiGirl]

@@slightadrift Initially 108kWh, but leaving expansion room to go to 140kWh. The perks of having a big engine room with a ton of space is I can comfortably fit a lot of 300Ah EVE cells in there, even with a nice case for them.

[@slightadrift]

@@MYNautiGirl that’s fricken awesome! I haven’t really heard of anyone going electric on their power boat. Hope it all goes smoothly 👍

[@MYNautiGirl]

Cheers man, there is one local guy here who did it with a 30' Tollycraft, originally powered by 318 Chrysler V8 engines. He actually used lead acid batteries and DC Lynch motors. I've never seen it done to a boat as large as mine, but it should be an experiment.

[@Wayne-b7b]

Watch watched all 3 videos,,learned a lot 🙏🏻 I’m thinking of getting a boat and doing something along these lines,,probably gonna have more solar and cells,,fair play on answering most post 🙏🏻

[@slightadrift]

Awesome!! Electric is the go!

[@SailingElectra]

Great to see your numbers. I converted my 30 foot catamaran and at the lower levels of power we're quite similar, and the top end were similar again, but in the mid-range I'm more efficient needing just 2200W for 5 knots, in smooth water no wind of course.

[@slightadrift]

Thats awesome figures! cheers for the comment 👍

[@luckybeanzphoto]

Thanks for sharing. I went electric 4 years ago, have a 550ah bank, but i went induction motor with a curtis controller, which is my only regret. The sevcon seems to be much easier to program with better tools and service, plus a PM motor would have been smaller and more efficient. I've also not been able to get regen to work. Regardless, I actually use the motor more now than I did the old diesel, for all the reasons you say. I have 1.2kw solar, so get unlimited range at about 2 /2.5knts. Trying to find space for more solar to increase that. It's the motor sailing that it really comes into its own though. People just don't realize how great it is, in light winds with a sail up going at 2/3knts and being able to add another 2knts for free!

[@slightadrift]

That’s frickin awesome! Team electric 🙏

[@normanrubenis7283]

Really informative video. I have only just found your channel as I have converted my Contessa 32 to full electric so it's been good to compare notes. Thanks for sharing.

[@slightadrift]

Glad it was helpful! 🍻🤜

[@tlofwl]

This has been very informative. Thank you for the effort. I'm sorry if I missed it, but have you published an itemized list of components and costs for the ME1616 conversion? I'm not on Instagram in case that was where it landed. Is the ME1616 still working out for you? I have a 9.8 Tahatsu OB that I am going to drop into my stern well and combine that (possibly) with an inboard electric drive. Don't know if that combo will work, but I can't see why it wouldn't. Thanks again and good luck.

[@slightadrift]

Hey there! Not sure if i've posted it somewhere but i've updated the description in that video with a summarised breakdown. ME1616 going strong. hope all goes well with your install! 👍👍

[@davehayes8812]

Timon, love your work mate! Especially this series. It would be cool to have a vid showing the wake behind the boat at different speeds, kW and what hours of motoring that gives. Just to give a visual of where the energy is going :)

[@slightadrift]

Awesome Dave! Thanks so much for the suggestion! There are two more in this series so in might squeeze that in somewhere Cheers👍🍺

[@davehayes8812]

@@slightadrift thanks, and fair winds.

[@ethansmith688]

Looks like I’ll be following your lead! Pulling out my Perkins 4108 diesel and looking to do a swap for electric in my 41 Morgan OI. Similar plans to circumnavigate and surf 😎

[@slightadrift]

Awesome! You should get some good regen out of that boat too 🙏

[@talderson1]

I'm looking at an alberg 30 that is electric. It has about 1/4 of your battery capacity but seeing that you can get 20 hours that's plenty for where I'm located right now. Really enjoyed your videos and am very inline with your attitude of being self sufficient. Thanks for the info. Oh, do you power all the systems with the 48v bank? Would love to know more about that. And how u wired the solar ? Thanks again. Greetings from Canada.

[@tommoraga8318]

Very interesting, you have obviously put a lot of thought into your conversion. Looking forward to seeing your dingy motor conversion! Keep up the good work👍

[@slightadrift]

Thanks Tom. Thanks for watching 🍺

[@alyxiastarling7990]

hi, nice running into your channel. thanks for providing the information about what you used for your boat. I am going to snag a cheapo 30 ish next month to gut and rebuild. Maybe we will cross paths in the big blue some day.

[@slightadrift]

Awesome! Are you going electric? What are you looking to buy?

[@alyxiastarling7990]

Thinking about pulling the trigger on a salvage yard Hunter 33 to tie me over until the house is sold. Ultimately we are going to be looking for a 6 cabin cat. Im definatly going electric with whatever comes along. Weve been talking to Sunreef for a while so it might end up being new. @@slightadrift

[@TaylanYalniz]

these numbers are very helpful, thanks.. I am planning on converting a 36 feet Beneteau with roughly 6,000 kg (or 13,500 pounds) displacement to electric and was hoping to understand the ideal KW/WH motor needed? any thoughts? Thanks

[@slightadrift]

You could get away with a Sevcon gen4 size 2 (I have size 4) I think… but obviously I don’t know for certain. My boat pulls 160amps at 6knots and 292amps at 6.6knots to give you an idea of how relatively useless the upper und of the power is. 48v for simplicity 👍👍

[@TaylanYalniz]

@@slightadrift thank you so much, you have been very helpful

[@garryundy1777]

really appreciate this info i might of missed it but do you have regeneration?

[@slightadrift]

Hey mate, I do have regen. It isn’t much most of the time but I plan on doing a vid on it some time in the hopefully not too distant future 👍🍺

[@mazzipaolo]

I love it!! Swan boat

[@OnesieTV]

Maybe a silly question, but do you still need anodes on an electric inboard? Cheers

[@slightadrift]

Absolutely. The annode (usually a lump of zink) needs to be touching metal below the waterline that you wish to preserve. It provides a sacrificial piece of metal that rust/erodes away first. Any metal below the waterline should have anodes, regardless of what they are attached to 😊🙏

[@matthewshiels6648]

Hey mate, thanks for the videos... I caught up with Tully at the boat show the other day.. great guy and super smart! I've got an unrelated question.. where are you keeping your boat, is that hope island.. do you know if there is any availability for my 30ft mono and who would I contact... appreciate any info, I've got my boat out of the water at Ballin Slipway atm.. but looking to bring it up your way. ta Matt

[@slightadrift]

hey mate, can you flick us a DM on insta? Cheers

[@steveyoung8376]

can you hydro generate from the motor? when sailing

[@slightadrift]

Yes but a lot more data is needed before i know what I can get and and what speeds 👍

[@colinmiddleton2941]

Love your video. How much did you spend on the entire conversion?

[@slightadrift]

Hey mate. Cheers $$ on conversion to come in a later video 🍻

[@muddyboots8279]

You're sounding more and more like a Sparky nowadays! :D

[@jackdbur]

Can you regen from anchoring in tidal flow, what is the minimum water speed for regen?

[@slightadrift]

Am working on a regen video, stay tuned. Definitely not with tidal flow 👍

[@ForzAvantiVelez]

Solbian do some very good flexible panels

[@antonygilbert9695]

REALLY NICE your data., what is your prop and RPM ?? thanks :)

[@slightadrift]

Not sure sorry…

[@demeterjanosandras-hu1fp]

Hi …i like your vid…my 40 years old diesel will be replaced on my sailboat soon..are you still happy with your setup? I might folow your motor setup cheers thanx

[@slightadrift]

Yes, absolutely! Obviously I don’t have the option to motor for two days straight if the wind or weather isn’t cooperating but you just sail to boat you have. Then, there’s Little to no noise, no maintenance (so far), no oils, no fuel, no smell, no exhaust. I love it. Good luck with your build 🍻

[@artsmith103]

What was the diesel horsepower? What salvage price did you get for it?

[@slightadrift]

Old diesel was 24hp. I ended up basically giving it away. Can’t remember exactly but it was like 1 or 2 k

[@artsmith103]

@@slightadrift Interesting. There's a guideline of 2hp per 1,000 lbs so you were set for 12,000 lbs. I lost my 3hp for 1,300 lb daysailor one season. Switched to available 27 lb-ft elec (~120W) to get in/out of marina. Worked fine in average weather.

[@artsmith103]

@@slightadrift Slight tangent. Full size panels at top of lifelines doesn't seem like good fit. I think your 800W is a great start. For lifeline addition, consider 2x200W @ 37V panels wired in series. Rich Solar is 59"×27", $197ea. I would connect with dedicated IP66 quality charge controller. I think your total W is enough and the 27" is great fit to lifeline height. You might get more use out of narrow panels. I think you have one of the most accomplished approaches to electric auxiliary. Plus I didn't hear mention of your turbine. I used one from Hawaii to PNW and it was half of daily Ah production, ~75 ampHrs/day. Your auxiliary at 4 knots does quite well.

[@slightadrift]

@@artsmith103my boat is 10T 🙄

[@artsmith103]

@@slightadrift Yes, you mentioned that and I must have remembered 10,000 lbs. Well, hope you never have to push 10T uphill. And maybe your turbine is 12V?

[@jespermalmberg5945]

Impressive numbers for such a heavy boat! I get very similar data on my 30 footer (clean bottom and prop, no wind or tide) 5A, 2kts, 15A 3kts, 30A 4kts and around 50A 5kts, but it's less than half your weight 😂

[@deerfootnz]

Lavranos is very good at low drag low resistance boats. His boats generally have a long waterline for their overall length. The drag of any boat goes up something like linearly with displacement, but also decreases with waterline length. If a boat is doubled in length, then generally it will go 1.4 times the speed with the same power, 1.4 being the square root of 2. Also because your 30 footer has a much shorter waterline length then it is operating at a much higher speed length ratio for the same speed as the 36 footer so the resistance is much higher. At the end of the day, waterline length is everything. Later Lavranos designs really have long waterlines, as do designs by Joe Adams, Graham Radford, the later Chuck Paine boats, Carl Schumacher designs....and there are others. Herreschoff was also great at maximizing waterline, one of the reasons why his boats are still fast today.

[@slightadrift]

Woe! I did not expect that! Good info 👍

[@slightadrift]

Hey Nigel, awesome info. How do you know so much about Lavranos? I couldn’t find that much info by downloading the whole web 😂

[@deerfootnz]

@@slightadrift I am interested in his boats. Also he lives in Auckland, as do I. I have a Sundeer 60 and Lavranos designed a previous iteration of the Dashew cruising boat called Intermezzo II. I was interested in the concept way back in the 80's when I was a young idiot delivering yachts. Lavranos also worked for Angus Primrose and Sparkman & Stevens. I may still have his phone no. somewhere.

[@deerfootnz]

I think there is a book about him: Bright Horizons by John Macfarlane. I have not read it.

[@svdirectorspecial]

How much re re gen do you get under sail at say 5knots , , I’m thinking about going electric in my Columbia 34mkii

[@slightadrift]

I haven’t really worked out all the regen numbers yet but at 5knots it’s basically nothing. The power curve is exponential. So 6 knots is better, and 8 knots plus of boat speed thru the water is where it really starts to put in a measurable amount. Unless you can consistently get high boat speeds, or have the fancy prop/motor from ocean volt I wouldn’t count on regen 🙏

[@Clayne151]

The website of dugite motors seems to be down, so that calculator cant be reached anymore :(

[@slightadrift]

i've updated the description. dugite motors has been sold to a legend rebranding it as Powerflow Marine. there is no calculator anymore but he should be able to help you out with any questions you have. good luck 👍

[@Littleriverupthehill]

thanks

[@slightadrift]

You’re welcome 😊

[@JohnBraman413]

is there another motor calculator link? this one isn't working.

[@slightadrift]

No sorry, seems to be down. You doing a conversion? What size boat and what weight?

[@derrickjohnston-iq3en]

Why not byfocal panel

[@BrokePhilanthropist]

Listing left maybe the batteries

[@6800891]

With this information, it seems possible to buy a similar boat, remove the mast, keel, rigging. Then add 5kilowatts of solar which should allow cruising at 3-5 knots indefinitely and power ever thing on the boat. Wow!!

[@stanleybest8833]

I settled for a small air cooled Chinese diesel motor. 44 LBS and $209 to my door plus hardware. I wanted nothing to do with salt water cooling. Fuel consumption is about a coffee cup of diesel per hour, unless it's also charging the house battery. The 168F is the smallest diesel I could find, and 3 horsepower moves much emphasis from speed to charging. I fuel with highway diesel, and don't want to get stuck refueling with less fresh petroleum. Larger models are made. Watch out for high oil consumption during break in and mount yours on a thick aluminum plate. It likes a seven inch pulley to turn the alternator. Electric/lithium was just way too expensive and heavy.

[@mazzipaolo]

You should be very comfortable with ten ton crafts 😅

[@slightadrift]

Haha. Hey have you weighed mowgs? I was too scared to 🙄

[@mazzipaolo]

@@slightadrift heck yes, 4 in front 6 in the back, fully loaded

[@mazzipaolo]

Swan lake dancer v1

[@laurapitre5797]

SeaTow needs to add an electric motor deductible. 😅😅

[@marviwilson1853]

Surely there is an obvious niche market, (business), here for the fair weathered "sailors" island hopping in the Mediterranean say. Who wants to be changing the sails all the time in the summer Ionian, running the diesel engine when you are regularly becalmed. Even more so when your old. Forget those multi million pound solar catamarans from Silent Yachts - take a cheaper 35 foot mono hull and ditch the masts, sails and rigging and build a nice looking full length (ish) solar roof. 400W panels are about 1.8m x 1m so you could fit 20 of them to have an 8Kw array. That might give you up to 40 KwHrs per day. Fit a cheapish 2nd use EV battery of around 60 KwHrs and a small electric motor as fitted here. Now were talking! An easy 4kt, 100 mile a day cruiser but with loads of power on passage or at anchor for all those mod cons like water makers, air con, cooking, fridge and freezer, lights and off course recharging. I'd love one.

[@slightadrift]

That would make some great content if you did it. Although, if you didn’t have sails, I’d want a cat or a trimaran. A mono hull without sails in the ocean is absolutely fricken horrible.

[@sunlightconversions828]

Replace that coupling with an actual marine one, before something bad happens. Trust me!

[@slightadrift]

What happened? Mine seams pretty good 🤷‍♂️

[@TerryNieuwendorp]

LOL YOU HAVE A BRIDGE TO SELL TO