Electric, Hybrids, Pseudo hybrids. Your story?

Engines, Drive trains, Propellers, Steering, Ground Tackle and other mechanical system
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VeloFellow
Posts: 129
Joined: Tue Dec 24, 2013 9:41 pm

Electric, Hybrids, Pseudo hybrids. Your story?

Post by VeloFellow »

Doing a search of the site and looking at various electric sites I find some Freedom owners have converted to electrics. I have also seen testimonials of a freedom owner on an electric auxillary site.
Hoyt's Freedom Forty #1 didn't have a motor.
Owning what was started as simple freedom to sail cruiser and apparently attracting those not stuck on mainstream traditions I am a little surprised that Freedom's have not been among the leaders in new tech application for motors. Of course I understand the original boats were long range cruisers, but even for this applications batteries, panels wind generation, regen and solar and leds have reached a point of providing energy for occaisional motoring, lighting and basic communication and entertainment. But not sustained motoring. (Tag 60 exception) Are Freedom owners just smarter not going down dead end paths? Or ..

If you are among those who converted, I am curious as to longer term assessments. Tell us your story. Give us an update of success, changes.

Here is one ad from a Freedom 32 ElectricYachts conversion:
http://www.electricyacht.com/2008/11/el ... sing-star/

Electric, hybrid or pseudo hybrid( electric with a carryon honda 2000i)???

Me, thirty plus year old diesels and the desire to sail when I am ready has made me look at electrics and push poles and yulohs.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=diMB6Ix9jTQ Folkboat Lorraine

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UjyE7dyR2X4 Chinese Yuloh

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P3pbYMOK8Us Stenson pocket cruiser

This is my first boat with a head and motor. New experiences all not pretty.
Last edited by VeloFellow on Fri Nov 14, 2014 9:37 am, edited 1 time in total.
Mike
s/v Clave'
1981Freedom 28 #112
Currently sailing Tampa Bay
Buit by Fairways Marine Hamble England
cat ketch, centerboard , wishbone booms, tides track slides
yanmar 2ym15 2blade prop

Goose13
Posts: 77
Joined: Tue Aug 19, 2014 7:18 pm

Re: Electric, Hybrids, Pseudo hybrids. Your story?

Post by Goose13 »

I'm heading down the Electric road in the next few months, It all depends on finances at the moment. I currently have a F33 CK with the original 1979 Yanmar 2QM20 with a fresh water cooling mod located in Oxnard CA, I guess its a testimony for Yanmar engines and how long they last. The reason I'm going electric is I don't like the smell, noise and maintenance that comes with the ICE. I'm predicting in the next 5-10 years battery technology will make huge advances. I'm looking at two different companies for electric motors and will update which one I go with in the next few months. I'm thinking the entire modification from start to finish will take 6-12 months due to work schedule and money. I'm looking at a battery bank which will give me 3-4 hours of motor time at 4 knots. As I crunch the numbers and select the motor I'll post it to the site.

www.elcomotoryachts.com

www.electricyachtssocal.com
Doug and Marie
Millennnium Falcon F33 CK cb #4
1980 wish bone booms Electric Drive

unfetteredalexandria
Posts: 128
Joined: Sun Feb 22, 2009 1:57 pm

Re: Electric, Hybrids, Pseudo hybrids. Your story?

Post by unfetteredalexandria »

Just finished 2nd season with Torqeedo outboard in Freedom 25. Really happy with it. 24V system just reaches hull speed 6kts at full in calm weather or low 4's in wind & waves; reaches high 4's at 50% in calm or 3-1/2 in rough. Battery fits under sink, putting weight over keel. Have remote throttle mounted to inside of transom, since tiller option won't reach over. Mostly daysailing so just run motor to get in and out of marina; hardly ever use more than 10% of capacity. Unexpected bennie is trolling silently along when wind is <5 with just enough juice flowing to keep wind flowing over sails in lulls. Not a drop-in or cost-effective replacement for gas, but so much nicer!
1984 round-mast Freedom 25
Western Shore of the Chesapeake

Goose13
Posts: 77
Joined: Tue Aug 19, 2014 7:18 pm

Re: Electric, Hybrids, Pseudo hybrids. Your story?

Post by Goose13 »

The Electric Road.

So after sailing the Millennium Falcon (F33CK centerboard wishbone) over 400 miles up the coast of California (I did get towed about 50 miles total on 3 different occasions because my Yanmar was not being nice and motored for about 20 hours). I finally pulled the Yanmar out after finding a buyer ($800). The hardest part was finding a buyer for a 36 year old engine with a burned out starter. Luckily when the buyers showed up we were able to start the engine to prove that the Beast still ran (2QM15). I pull the engine over the course of 3 daze but only totaling about 9 hours of total work. The hardest part there was getting it off the engine mounts and disconnecting the transmission from the prop shaft (rusty bolts). With 3 people we lifted it out of the well placed it on the engine panel in order to not score the floor boards, slid it to the companion way (mine is on the port side not center). I rigged a piece of rope around the front of the engine and bowline it some ring on the back of the engine then used a clove hitch on a snap-link to the mizzen halyard. Then using the mizzen Halyard on the main winch cranked it out of the companion way just clearing the hatch. After the engine was out we swung it across the deck and lowered onto a dolly. Then we drank some beer and clean up, I'll post the next chapter which will be the engine compartment clean up in a couple of months when I get back to the boat. If your in the Bay Area and interested in talking with me or seeing the boat I'll be leaving from Berkeley for Vallejo tomorrow to park it there for a couple of months until I get done with work.
Doug and Marie
Millennnium Falcon F33 CK cb #4
1980 wish bone booms Electric Drive

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VeloFellow
Posts: 129
Joined: Tue Dec 24, 2013 9:41 pm

Re: Electric, Hybrids, Pseudo hybrids. Your story?

Post by VeloFellow »

Look forward to the continuation.

Yuloh yet? Of course you did get 20 h of yanmar motoring....
Mike
s/v Clave'
1981Freedom 28 #112
Currently sailing Tampa Bay
Buit by Fairways Marine Hamble England
cat ketch, centerboard , wishbone booms, tides track slides
yanmar 2ym15 2blade prop

Goose13
Posts: 77
Joined: Tue Aug 19, 2014 7:18 pm

Re: Electric, Hybrids, Pseudo hybrids. Your story?

Post by Goose13 »

So I've travel down the electric road now, it has been quite energizing and I would like to share my experience!! I replace my original 1979 Yanmar 2QM with a 10KW Electric Yacht motor. This journey started about a year ago when I sailed the Millennium Falcon from Oxnard CA to Berkeley CA Feb 2015. During my first Ocean passage to the Bay I experienced a burned out starter, clogged water coolant intake, broken water pump, and fuel starvation because we ran out of fuel on a dark and crazy night near Montery, and basically a very unreliable high maintenance engine. Yes it was over 30 years old and neglected, but after suffering through 20 hours of noise and fums I made the decision to go electric because when you run out of juice whether it is electric or diesel it doesn't matter on a sailboat because it was still bad luck or poor planning or both.

The Journey started in Berkeley when I started looking for a buyer for my old engine. After 4 weeks my neighbor had a friend who needed a new (old) engine and after agreeing on $800 cash and help getting the engine out, I committed to the electrifying propulsion. It took about 8 hours over the course of 3 days to get the engine out of the boat. With three people and the use of the main halyard we were able to get the engine out of the boat and on its way to its new home.

I decided to go with Electric Yacht and purchased the 10KW motor, I highly recommend Electric Yacht for the customer service. Mike Gunning the rep has helped me out on every problem I've encountered. As far as the gas tank goes I purchased a 48v 100aph Lithium Smart Battery, the battery fits perfectly where the old fuel tank sat under the sole right behind the main mast. Don't Ever buy a Smart Battery, they have no customer service never return phone calls or emails, which is very unfortunate because it seems like they have a very nice product just zero support.

I did the entire install on my own, I'm not an electrician or boat right. It was that easy to for the basic install. Black is Neg, Red is Pos. My biggest challenge was getting the original engine coupler attached to the prop shaft off. A job that should have taken 15 min took me 3 weeks. I finally had to cut the coupler off with a metal saw after trying heat, multiple gear pullers, hammer and crowbar. So now I have a maintenance free engine with no fuel coast (electric is included with the slip fee or regen while sailing). I can go 10+ NM before I have to recharge and soon I will be hooking up some solar panels to it. If anyone wants more info just pm. I'm going sailing tomorrow so if I don't respond right off the bat its because I've left the real world but I'll plug back in when I get back and answer any questions.
Doug and Marie
Millennnium Falcon F33 CK cb #4
1980 wish bone booms Electric Drive

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VeloFellow
Posts: 129
Joined: Tue Dec 24, 2013 9:41 pm

Re: Electric, Hybrids, Pseudo hybrids. Your story?

Post by VeloFellow »

Congratulations, goose13, and thanks for telling your story.
I know of a freedom 32 that was electified here in Florida. Yours must be the first F33 to do so.

Torque usually good with electric,great for slips and stops. However speed, range and range at hull speed not so good.

What are you experiencing? Is the 10knot range at max speed or max range power?


Looking at the elco and oceanvolt info there is a big difference in range if you slow down.
Unfortunately wind and current dont give you options.
Mike
s/v Clave'
1981Freedom 28 #112
Currently sailing Tampa Bay
Buit by Fairways Marine Hamble England
cat ketch, centerboard , wishbone booms, tides track slides
yanmar 2ym15 2blade prop

Goose13
Posts: 77
Joined: Tue Aug 19, 2014 7:18 pm

Re: Electric, Hybrids, Pseudo hybrids. Your story?

Post by Goose13 »

So I have a 100amph lithium battery which I can discharge to 95% which gives me 95 total amph. Today sailing from Oakland to Berkeley in very light winds I used the engine several times. I used it for 5 minutes getting out of the marina never going faster than 5 knts and I also used it for about 20min getting past the wind shadows from the shipping yards and huge freighters. I was about a mile from Alcatraz Island when the wind petered out and I decided to head for Berkeley on a 1-2 knots run with the engine running at 1000 rpm drawing about 18 amps and getting 3-3.8knts of speed. So I traveled about 7 miles on the engine today and still had 40 amph left over after the day was done.

Yes, at full throttle I will reach haul speed and I can maintain it for about 20 minute before the battery dies, but who drives a sailboat at haul speed??? So my range is nothing compared to a diesel, but I have zero maintenance until I change out the battery in 10 years (I'll never do another oil change or replace an impeller!!!). I have instant power when ever I need it and I bought the sailboat to sail not to motor!!!!!! Otherwise I would have bought a power boat.
Doug and Marie
Millennnium Falcon F33 CK cb #4
1980 wish bone booms Electric Drive

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GeoffSchultz
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Joined: Thu Dec 04, 2008 8:39 am
Location: BlueJacket: Guatemala
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Re: Electric, Hybrids, Pseudo hybrids. Your story?

Post by GeoffSchultz »

Goose13: I would say that the biggest problem that you will have is when you go to sell the boat and finding someone who shares your desire to only motor for short periods of time.

-- Geoff
BlueJacket
1997 Freedom 40/40
http://www.GeoffSchultz.org

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bobr
Posts: 116
Joined: Wed Jul 22, 2009 5:05 pm

Re: Electric, Hybrids, Pseudo hybrids. Your story?

Post by bobr »

I agree that resale might be an issue, especially where winds can be light like Long Island Sound. Goose is on SF Bay so maybe things are looked at a little differently in his windy neck of the woods.

I found this article very interesting. If for the cost of a new diesel I could put in an electric motor and a small diesel generator I would find it tempting...but for the resale issue.


http://www.windcheckmagazine.com/watts_up
Bob R.
1995 Freedom 35 (Pedrick)
"Liberty"
Old Saybrook, CT

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