Refit to electric boat
Why refitting your boat to electric power?
You have already experienced the pleasure of driving an electric car. You are fed up with fuel leaks in the boat's holds, with the repeated breakdowns of combustion engines. You want the best: the pleasure of silent and odorless navigation with the protection of the environment. You may have heard that electric is expensive, that you will never have autonomy because of the batteries, or that the manufacturing of the batteries pollutes more than anything else.
For all these reasons and because this is what awaits you in 2030, get advice to replace the internal combustion engine of your boat by an electric engine. This is also known as retrofit.
What is the autonomy of an electric boat?
This is the most frequently asked question. Before answering this question, it is important to realise that you will probably not sail like you used to. You will discover a new pleasure of navigation... so much more Zen. Going electric is also a change of use to be taken into account in your project.
Typically, the autonomy of an electric boat depends on the motor, the batteries and the sailing programme. There is a wide range of solutions: outboard motor, inboard with shaft, sail drive. Here is an indication of the most common renovations.
| Your ship | |||
| Tonnage | 3 T | 6 T | 10 T |
| Thermal engine* | 6 CV | 9,9 CV | 25 CV |
| Refit Solution | |||
| Electric motor* | 3 kW | 6 kW | 12 kW |
| Electric circuit | 24 V | 48 V | 48 V |
* Thermal / electrical power difficult to compare because of different uses and measurement standards
In the case of the Côte d'Azur, the electric boat lends itself quite well to frequent outings for an anchorage with sea bathing or an aperitif sheltered by the numerous creeks near the port. An autonomy of 1 hour at full power or 2 hours at cruising speed is then sufficient.
How do you go about switching to electric?
We are convinced that such a change of use must start with a trial of electric navigation with your family and friends to see how much fun it is to change your sailing style. SeaZen has developed an accompanying solution that includes a sea trial: the private tour. This test will allow you to ask all your questions, to understand how to choose your motor and battery according to the desired autonomy, to manage the maintenance of your motor and battery, to find the right partners to carry out your work and to draw up a technical specification so that they can make you a proposal more easily.
We are happy to share our passion for electric navigation and we sincerely want to contribute to the transformation of boating towards a zero CO2 navigation.
