Electric Caraboat

[Wlid blue yonder]

Hello fellow boaters.
A few days ago I joined the group asking "which electric motor should I go for". I've decided and order placed.
Now I thought I'd share my journey converting this 1970's classic to run with no fossil fuels. I'm starting with a few photos of how 'BeeHave' presently looks, updating as progress is made and hopefully through to the launch.
It's going to be a long journey and I'm sure full of mistakes as Im no pro.
Therefore I welcome any suggestions and tips but please be kind.

 

[Grith]

Lots of solar panels for a start. I looked at caraboats and other trailerable house boats alternatives before deciding to stay with trailerable yachts but many of the things I have done to my trailerable semi liveaboard yacht would be very applicable to electrifying a Caraboat.
I use two EcoFlow delta max portable lithium Powerpacks to provide the equivilent to shorepower whilst remote cruising. They have allowed us to cook with an induction cooktop, run a 240v hotwater service, power both our fridge and separate freezer using their 12v outputs and power a variety of other 240v occasional use appliances.
We have just under a 1000w of solar panels on our trailerable yacht mostly feeding the Ecoflows and a caraboat should have a lot more realestate available for solar panels.
If planning to travel any distance by electric outboard you will likely need an even bigger battery bank but we manage to use a torqeedo 1103 portable outboard with two around 900w batteries fairly successfully and get around 3knots for an hour and a half per battery on a conservative 50 percent throttle.
As can be seen in the photo we haven’t gone entirely electric for propulsion however with still mostly sailing and a backup fast escape card via a big outboard.
It was the economy ( and challenge ) of sailing with the ocean going capabilities that had me stay with a 28 foot trailerable yacht over choosing a trailerable houseboat which are slightly more spacious but in my view somewhat less flexible.
Best wishes for your process and hoping you have many great adventures.
I suggest you get out there for a few trips before doing all the upgrades however as onwater time helps inform future modifications.

Torqeedo 1103 pushing 3.5 ton of water ballasted yacht.

720w of solar on the Bimini and targa bar.
A further 160w over the cabin roof and 32w on the dodger. Soon to be joined by another 200w fold out flexible on the upturned dingy on the foredeck.

 

[Wlid blue yonder]

Lots of solar panels for a start. I looked at caraboats and other trailerable house boats alternatives before deciding to stay with trailerable yachts but many of the things I have done to my trailerable semi liveaboard yacht would be very applicable to electrifying a Caraboat.
I use two EcoFlow delta max portable lithium Powerpacks to provide the equivilent to shorepower whilst remote cruising. They have allowed us to cook with an induction cooktop, run a 240v hotwater service, power both our fridge and separate freezer using their 12v outputs and power a variety of other 240v occasional use appliances.
We have just under a 1000w of solar panels on our trailerable yacht mostly feeding the Ecoflows and a caraboat should have a lot more realestate available for solar panels.
If planning to travel any distance by electric outboard you will likely need an even bigger battery bank but we manage to use a torqeedo 1103 portable outboard with two around 900w batteries fairly successfully and get around 3knots for an hour and a half per battery on a conservative 50 percent throttle.
As can be seen in the photo we haven’t gone entirely electric for propulsion however with still mostly sailing and a backup fast escape card via a big outboard.
It was the economy ( and challenge ) of sailing with the ocean going capabilities that had me stay with a 28 foot trailerable yacht over choosing a trailerable houseboat which are slightly more spacious but in my view somewhat less flexible.
Best wishes for your process and hoping you have many great adventures.
I suggest you get out there for a few trips before doing all the upgrades however as onwater time helps inform future modifications.
View attachment 170670
Torqeedo 1103 pushing 3.5 ton of water ballasted yacht.
View attachment 170671
720w of solar on the Bimini and targa bar.
A further 160w over the cabin roof and 32w on the dodger. Soon to be joined by another 200w fold out flexible on the upturned dingy on the foredeck.
View attachment 170672

Thank you for telling us about your setup. We also have a narrowboat and a vintage caravan so lots of toys to play with. We too have powerstations, a ecoflow Delta 2 and River 2 max with 320w of portable solar panels so I'm hoping they will be enough to power a single induction plate, low wattage kettle and fridge.
Roof mounted solar is proving a challenge as its not flat. Originally I was looking at semi flex panels but now looking at rigid panels. We have a total of 320ah lithium batteries to run the outboard so far.

 

[Grith]

Nice to see someone else has embraced the use of the currently expensive but very versatile new Lithium Powerpacks.
It’s also funny how a number of vintage things enthusiasts are embracing electrifying everything.
I have a couple of seventies tiny sports cars in storage waiting for an affordable electric performance engine retrofit solution to arrive to convert one for electric powered racing.
The strange thing as they are non electric or hydraulic assisted in anyway and therefore they are potentially I deal for performance electric engine conversion when the prices come down a bit more.
My tow tug for my yacht is a small AWD truck with slide on camper which also utilises the portable EcoFlow delta max power units as it’s off grid 240v power sources with an electrician installed fuse box change over switch from external power as has my yacht for the change over from shore power.
The roof of the slide on camper has 4 solar panels and the truck 24v alternator feeds both the EcoFlow units when driving as well. The new foldout portable solar panels for the yacht do double duty for the camper as well.
The distances involved here in Australia mean electric powered road vehicles are unlikely to replace diesel powered ICE for long distance heavy towing duties however.
Out of interest I tow my yacht thousands of kilometres with the solar panel covered Bimini in place so have you considered elevating the panels above the caraboat roof if finding space is challenging?

 

[KevinV]

Three lhd rust free x1/9's - that's a bit mean to the rest of us isn't it??

 

[Grith]

Three lhd rust free x1/9's - that's a bit mean to the rest of us isn't it??

Actually right hand drive here in Australia and as usual with X1/9’s only mostly rust free!
The one in the back successfully competed in a large number of major classic car events in the past but changed licensing rules when I moved from WA to NSW saw its sad retirement from road use years ago. The NSW police just laughed that it was still road licensed in Western Australia with an 11,000rpm redline and a roar louder than a v8 supercar!
Eligible for concessional limited road use club licensing now so it might make it out of the shed again after a now needed rebuilt. One of the others is destined for electrification.

 

[KevinV]

Actually right hand drive here in Australia

Sorry, I did mean rhd of course!