Advantages
Fuel-Free Motoring
Some of our customers don't buy a generator. And even
those who do, don't want to use it unless they have to. So
everyone who considers our system asks the same question,
"How far can it go on the batteries?" And we answer,
"It doesn't go on batteries. It goes on electricity."
That may sound pedantic, but it is critical to understanding
our system. An STI-powered boat does not just motor until
the batteries die and then drift helplessly. If there's no
wind, but you have a generator, you can motor as long as your
tank has fuel in it, possibly for several hundred miles. If
you don't have a generator, or you just don't want to use
it, you still can motor around the world on electricity from
the battery bank if you're able to sail to regenerate it.
(See Regenerative Motor Sailing.)
Our first Electric Wheel customer, a retired
Los Angeles physician, set sail for the South Pacific with
a battery-only STI system. He had no backup generator at all,
just a solar panel to top off the house batteries at anchor.
The last time we heard from him, he was in Tahiti, relaxed
and enjoying the cruising lifestyle.
When there is no wind and no generator, and
you really have to motor, here's how long some of our customers
have traveled on battery electricity without a recharge based
on their log data.
Motoring Duration on Battery Electricity
Without Recharge
| Boat |
LOA |
Disp
Tons |
STI
motor(s) |
Sys
V |
No.
batt |
Batt grp |
Batt
A-h |
Tot
kwh |
Av
kts |
Amp
draw |
Tot
hrs |
| K
Hughes cat |
42 |
8.0 |
2
ST37 - 6 hp |
144 |
12 |
31 |
105 |
30.2 |
*6.0 |
20 |
5.0 |
| D
Stevens schooner |
34 |
6.0 |
ST37
- 6 hp |
144 |
12 |
31 |
105 |
15.1 |
6.0 |
20 |
5.0 |
| Cal |
29 |
4.0 |
ST37
- 6 hp |
144 |
12 |
31 |
105 |
15.1 |
5.5 |
20 |
5.0 |
| Islander |
30 |
5.5 |
ST37
- 6 hp |
120 |
10 |
27 |
100 |
12.0 |
*6.0 |
10 |
8.0 |
| Tektron
cat |
35 |
6.0 |
2
ST37 - 6 hp |
120 |
10 |
31 |
105 |
12.6 |
*4.4 |
20 |
3.0 |
| JJ
Fioleau cat |
46 |
14.0 |
ST37
- 6 hp |
144 |
12 |
4D |
210 |
30.2 |
*6.3 |
50 |
4.0 |
| Piver
tri |
36 |
? |
ST37
- 6 hp |
144 |
12 |
31 |
105 |
15.1 |
4.2 |
16 |
12.2 |
| Cal |
36 |
8.0 |
- 10 hp |
144 |
12 |
31 |
105 |
15.1 |
*5.0 |
20 |
5.0 |
| Hunter |
33 |
5.5 |
- 10 hp |
120 |
10 |
31 |
105 |
12.6 |
5.0 |
12 |
3.0 |
| Cherubini |
44 |
16.0 |
ST74
- 12 hp |
120 |
10 |
8D |
255 |
30.6 |
*5.0 |
34 |
2.5 |
| Conser
cat |
47 |
9.5 |
2
ST74 - 12 hp |
120 |
10 |
4D |
210 |
25.2 |
3.2 |
14 |
12.5 |
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info
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