I have talked before about why everyone should have a sailboat. Nothing beats a day (or weekend) on the water. Sailboats are a classy way to travel the waters, and a way that humans have been using for thousands of years. Modern sailboats have all the amenities you need for an enjoyable weekend, or a longer adventure.
Another benefit of having a sailboat is the limited use of fuel. Sure, you need a motor for pulling into and out of harbor, but for most of the rest of the time, you can do without. This makes sailboats an excellent back up plan for a natural, or manmade disaster. You can get away from the chaos where you are, and get to almost anyplace on earth.
Of course, fuel is still an issue. You may need to use fuel to propel your sailboat across the world, but you do need it to recharge the batteries that you use to power your cabin. Of course, many people deck their sailboats out with solar panels. This helps a lot, but for heavy use, it may not be enough. And electricity won’t drive your motor… or will it?
Recently, I became aware of a company called Oceanvolt. Oceanvolt Ltd is a Finnish company focused on producing electric motor and energy management systems for catamarans and sailboats.
Electric motors work very simply. There is a central shaft with magnets on it, surrounded by an electromagnet. You send power to the electromagnet, and it causes the magnet in the central shaft to spin (basically). What most people don’t know is that the process works in reverse also. That is right, if you spin the central shaft when there is no power going to it (by moving through the water under sail power), then it generates electricity. So by simply sailing your sailboat, you recharge the batteries that you need to power both your cabin electronics, and the motor. No fuel needed. This truly makes your sailboating adventure self sustained. Bring along some fishing rods, and lures and you are set!
Besides the obvious benefits of recharging your battery banks, and propelling your sailboat, the Ocenvolt system is also silent. This lets you enjoy your time out on the water without the annoying sound of a motor running. The system is zero emission, so you don’t need to worry about filling your cabin with carbon monoxide from the engine running to generate electricity. The electric motor is also much simpler then a conventional engine. With far less moving parts, it is far less likely to break down, and much easier to maintain.
The system is easy to install in new, or old sailboats. So if you are a sailing enthusiast, or if you are looking to get a sailboat, Then adding an Ocenvolt motor should be top on your list of improvements to make to your sailboat.
