Hybrid diesel electric propulsion

[Tranona]

Late the party I know, but came across this on google. We're in the process of designing a 22m sail training yacht, which will almost certainly be diesel/electric.
For us, we would be running a genset almost all the time anyway, to provide 240V power to all the systems (fridges/freezers/cooker/microwave/lights/pump/nav kit, etc etc). It seems to work out more economical to simply increase the size of the genset slightly, and then take the power to the electric motor when required.
We can then have two generators sited dead amidships in the deep bit of the bilge, with no shaft run issues, and with 100% redundancy.
We don't need great heaps of batteries as we'd be running the generator throughout, and 240V means we can have an electric galley and remove the need for any gas aboard. Probably doesn't count as a hybrid, though the generator would be quieter and more eco than a propulsion engine.

What you are describing is exactly what I suggested in post#57 above. A vessel where 240v power requirement exceeds propulsion power requirement - just like a cruise liner. So diesel electric (not hybrid as you describe it) is worth considering. Very similar to the Lagoon catamarans built a few years ago for the Caribbean charter market. All electric boats with a 17kva generator. I understand not a success and no longer built.

Anyway a million miles away from a small private sailboat requirements.

 

[Kwik Decision]

Late the party I know, but came across this on google. We're in the process of designing a 22m sail training yacht, which will almost certainly be diesel/electric.
......
We don't need great heaps of batteries as we'd be running the generator throughout......

An interesting idea, but it means you'll lose the best part of sailing - the moment you turn the engine off, and realise it's the sails that are doing all the work.

Which Sail Training organisation are you doing this for?

 

[kaj]

A not so small yacht with a range of 1300 NM with it's diesel genset alone and the 40 kW electric motor. Besides the diesel generator and shore power, hydropower is used to replenish the substantial battery bank.

The article on the Finnish BC giving some more detail is in Swedish, so you need to translate using Chrome/Google or the like.