"In 2-3 years time, we won't fit another Diesel engine"

[flaming]

I knew spirit were building boats with electric drive, but in this interview with their CEO, he says that 2/3 of the boats they currently have orders for are electric. And that in 2-3 years time he expects that they will only be making electric boats.
Another fascinating snippet was that in 2 years the technology has improved to double the range.

As someone once said, "the times, they are a changing"....

 

[Ink]

They'll be marina boats. Need propulsion only to get out and back in.

Can't see Spirit boats any time in the future with solar panels hanging off every spare bit of deck.

Ink

 

[flaming]

They'll be marina boats. Need propulsion only to get out and back in.

Can't see Spirit boats any time in the future with solar panels hanging off every spare bit of deck.

Ink

I guess you didn't watch the interview then....

 

[Capt Popeye]

Well my guess is that if these Electric Engines can be solar charged , we might have moorings around our coat where boats can moor up awaiting their batteries to be charged up , as opposed to mooring where boats can moor up waiting for the suitable wind to arrive ; Err sorry I did not make it to the office yesterday , my batteries were flat

 

[mjcoon]

Another fascinating snippet was that in 2 years the technology has improved to double the range.

Is that double per kilogram, or per pound sterling, or kWh, or what? Double your batteries and get double the range...

 

[dunedin]

I knew spirit were building boats with electric drive, but in this interview with their CEO, he says that 2/3 of the boats they currently have orders for are electric. And that in 2-3 years time he expects that they will only be making electric boats.
Another fascinating snippet was that in 2 years the technology has improved to double the range.

As someone once said, "the times, they are a changing"....

The Spirit boats and their market segment make them much more suitable for electric propulsion than a standard cruising yacht
- these are cost no object boats - and the current big issue with electric is the cost premium, which is much less noticeable on a Spirit
- they tend to have less accommodation than similar sized cruising yachts, as many of them are used as dayboats / weekenders based out of marinas rather than liveaboard cruisers
Did you hear their “doubled range” was 55nm. So struggle to get to Poole and back from the Solent on a calm weekend. And done just SIX electric propulsion boats in total. That is less than many other yacht builders do in a day or week.

But undoubtedly the technology availability has advanced hugely in terms of production availability in the last 2 years. In terms of sailing boats there have been recent production sailing yacht launches with electric propulsion from Arcona, Salona, X Yachts etc (all of these Oceanvolt, some twin drives). Becoming common also on upmarket cats, where cost economics better as comparing to twin diesel installations.
Serial hybrid options (electric drive, battery pack and diesel generator) are perhaps the most attractive option currently if specing a new boat from one of the up market boat builders.
Will be interesting to see market accelerate if some charter operator orders a fleet of 50-100 boats for flotillas etc.

Been in depth articles on this in last two issues of Cruising Association magazine.

 

[Ink]

I guess you didn't watch the interview then....

Nope. Boats like that not even remotely on my horizon.

Same as buying an electric Porsche. What's the point?

Ink.

 

[dunedin]

Nope. Boats like that not even remotely on my horizon.

Same as buying an electric Porsche. What's the point?

Ink.

The point of an electric Porsche is often a huge tax saving over a traditional Porsche as a company car.
(Though the Taycan is also a very capable car - and perhaps will finally bury the 911 legacy of weight in the wrong place)

 

[flaming]

The Spirit boats and their market segment make them much more suitable for electric propulsion than a standard cruising yacht
- these are cost no object boats - and the current big issue with electric is the cost premium, which is much less noticeable on a Spirit

This is absolutely true, but changing all the time.

- they tend to have less accommodation than similar sized cruising yachts, as many of them are used as dayboats / weekenders based out of marinas rather than liveaboard cruisers

The owner of the 1st 44 with all electric cruises for long periods in Western Canada, totally off grid and with no hydrocarbon fuel on board at all. Again, watch the interview...

Did you hear their “doubled range” was 55nm. So struggle to get to Poole and back from the Solent on a calm weekend.

Well, it's 55 miles with no regen or solar, or plug in. So if going to Poole for the weekend, and there is no wind, then firstly there probably is sun... But also there are plenty of marinas if you needed to plug in overnight....

This mentality I find weird though. Why do people motor all the way to Poole and back on a weekend with no wind? If there's no wind, just don't go as far...

And done just SIX electric propulsion boats in total. That is less than many other yacht builders do in a day or week.

Yes, Spirit are a niche builder, but where niche builders lead the mainstream tend to follow...

But undoubtedly the technology availability has advanced hugely in terms of production availability in the last 2 years. In terms of sailing boats there have been recent production sailing yacht launches with electric propulsion from Arcona, Salona, X Yachts etc (all of these Oceanvolt, some twin drives). Becoming common also on upmarket cats, where cost economics better as comparing to twin diesel installations.
Serial hybrid options (electric drive, battery pack and diesel generator) are perhaps the most attractive option currently if specing a new boat from one of the up market boat builders.
Will be interesting to see market accelerate if some charter operator orders a fleet of 50-100 boats for flotillas etc.

Been in depth articles on this in last two issues of Cruising Association magazine.

Yes, where the technology goes will be very interesting for sure...

 

[flaming]

Is that double per kilogram, or per pound sterling, or kWh, or what? Double your batteries and get double the range...

I took it to mean that for the available battery space they could now fit batteries that would take you twice as far as the ones that they could fit 2 years ago.

 

[DownWest]

- and perhaps will finally bury the 911 legacy of weight in the wrong place)

And not before time..

I can see the hybrid system working (except for the cost) as at least you can get the range and it allows for an electric galley as well as freedom to mount the genset aft and free up useful space. Pure electric, less so, at the moment.

 

[Resolution]

For red-blooded owners, electric motors do of course provide stunning acceleration (for a time). Not so relevant in yachts, but can someone tell me how noisy (or not) is electric propulsion in a yacht? Does it ease one to that lovely moment in a conventional yacht when you switch off the motor and silent wind power takes over?

 

[Chiara’s slave]

55 miles on engine in a sailing yacht? That’s about what we have, if I’ve got enough cans on board. Fortunately, ours, like the Spirit, is indeed a sailing yacht. If there's any wind, you can sail. Is this not what all of us raggers want? If you want to motor everywhere, buy a motor boat, I daresay they’re better at it. We’ll go electric as soon as it’s practical weight wise. Currently the batteries would be too heavy to be possible.

 

[mjcoon]

55 miles on engine in a sailing yacht? That’s about what we have, if I’ve got enough cans on board. Fortunately, ours, like the Spirit, is indeed a sailing yacht. If there's any wind, you can sail. Is this not what all of us raggers want? If you want to motor everywhere, buy a motor boat, I daresay they’re better at it. We’ll go electric as soon as it’s practical weight wise. Currently the batteries would be too heavy to be possible.

Or can be fitted instead of the otherwise useless weight of a lead keel?

 

[DownWest]

Or can be fitted instead of the otherwise useless weight of a lead keel?

Bit like diesel electric subs. BUT, problematical if you get some water in the bilge. Lotta chlorine gas, cof, cof.

 

[Chiara’s slave]

Or can be fitted instead of the otherwise useless weight of a lead keel?

But then we’d be as slow as all the halfmarans.? We probably need about 30 miles at 6kn, then it’s worth it. Not sure how many kw it would take motor wise, probably about 6? So 30kwh of real world capacity. Our current motor and fuel probably weigh 70kg.

 

[johnalison]

55 miles on engine in a sailing yacht? That’s about what we have, if I’ve got enough cans on board. Fortunately, ours, like the Spirit, is indeed a sailing yacht. If there's any wind, you can sail. Is this not what all of us raggers want? If you want to motor everywhere, buy a motor boat, I daresay they’re better at it. We’ll go electric as soon as it’s practical weight wise. Currently the batteries would be too heavy to be possible.

I don't accept the idea that there is a proper way to go cruising, when everyone is supposed to go everywhere under sail alone. This is clearly the case for ocean sailors and those who only do day sails or racing. However, there are many of us who go sailing with family crews and the modern cruising yacht which will average 6+ knots under sail or motor enables us to expand our sailing horizons all around Europe to take one example. 55 miles range will scarcely allow you to negotiate the Kiel Canal for example, and although I once met three men who had taken three days to sail from Rye to Dieppe, not many of us have the nerve or time to spend that much time wallowing around in the shipping-lanes.

 

[Whaup367]

And not before time...

Yeah. What a disaster of a design: only lasted for sixty years, forty after a serious attempt by the manufacturer to kill it off.

If only they'd listened.

 

[dunedin]

I took it to mean that for the available battery space they could now fit batteries that would take you twice as far as the ones that they could fit 2 years ago.

Actually the Spirit 44e for an owner in Canada being referred to was built more than 2 years ago - was a few boat tests in the 2020 sailing magazines. And has/had a 30kWh battery pack powering a 15kW Oceanvolt saildrive.
(Hence the 55 mile range referred to is in flat water and under 4 knots, I suspect. The battery would drive for 2 hours at full power - which at 20hp could easily be needed punching into a head wind and tide, so range nearer 10-12 miles in these conditions.)

I am not sure the prices or battery sizes have come down hugely in the 2 years. And there was no reason except high costs why the battery pack couldn’t have been bigger (eg Tesla sized) 2 years ago in the Spirit. But there is a lot more experience and many more boats being built with such drives, so hopefully costs will come down in the future if/when the mass builders and charter companies start to take an interest. ePropulsion and Torqedo, for example, are starting to make bigger drives.
The current inflation, chip shortages and competition for materials needed for batteries may dent the downward cost curve though.

Definitely worth exploring electric for a new build, if up front cost not a huge isssue.

 

[dunedin]

For red-blooded owners, electric motors do of course provide stunning acceleration (for a time). Not so relevant in yachts, but can someone tell me how noisy (or not) is electric propulsion in a yacht? Does it ease one to that lovely moment in a conventional yacht when you switch off the motor and silent wind power takes over?

Watch Sailing Uma, who now have an Oceanvolt saildrive (suspect supplied for free or minimal cost) - definitely a huge benefit of electric drive on yacht is the silent journey out of marina - particularly as zero noise till start moving, so no noise and emissions when preparing ropes etc as with diesel boats