Electric and Hybrid Diesel-Electric For Cruising Boats

Lessons we can learn from Jimmy Cornell’s Elcano Challenge when considering electric drive for a cruising sailboat.

Electric and diesel-electric (hybrid) drives have become all the rage in recent years. But are they really a more efficient option for offshore cruising sailboats? In this chapter we take a solid and arithmetically rigorous approach, based on advice from two professional engineers with substantial experience of electric drive use on land, to cut through the hype and answer that question.

An easy to use spreadsheet that makes deciding if a diesel-electric, or all electric, drive is a good option for your boat.