Electric sailing Barcelona
The Electric Sailing Barcelona project started in 2016 with a 5 step Electrical BLDC sailboat motor program and now almost two years later we are proud to tell you that we will start operating this year with electric sailing out of port Olimpic in Barcelona. We designed and made a prototype for the whole electric propulsion system from the ground up. This took much more time and and costs than we had anticipated. Details, details and details, back to the drawings board. But now we have a working model, a game changer in coming year.
Barcelonasail believes that our electric propulsion system is game changing. Because our system is the most flexible and most affordable electric propulsion system for sailboats boats from 6 to 12 meters. Our electric motor system can be used for retrofitting existing sailboats and be installed in the next generation sail boats.
Barcelonasail is making this effort in line with its corporate responsibility to minimize the effect on the environment and to protect sea life.
Electric propulsion options
Currently there are four propulsion solutions for sailboats: Sail-drive, Pod-drive, Outboard-drive and Shaft-drive. Retrofitting with these solutions is expensive and time consuming. These are bespoke solutions involving hull penetrations therefore the conversion has a high risk of unexpected complications.
Our product is “IKEA-ready”, standardized with no risk of unexpected complications and therefor easy to install and affordable. Removing the risks and high investment for boat owners brings electric propulsion much closer to retrofit market.
Barcelonasail electric drive solution
Our Electric Sailing Barcelona project is the best electric drive system for sailboats with the following characteristics:
- Power range from 2 to 25 kW.
- Estimated space requirements inboard 50cm x 30cm x 30cm (battery pack excluded).
- Installation of the inboard electric motor does not require any major part of the sailboat to be altered and can be installed with standard DIY skills and there is no need to dry dock the boat.
- The inboard electric motor can regenerate under sail.
- Most efficient direct drive system with minimal mechanical losses in the transfer of power to the propeller.
What is innovative about the Electric Sailing Barcelona project?
- No additional openings required in the hull.
- The rotating system connecting propeller with the boat. Currently looking to get an IP on this solution as it a revolutionary design.
- In board motor with the ability to eliminate hydrodynamic drag that the electric sail-drive, pod-drive and shaft-drive propulsion systems cannot.
- No motor shaft issues.
- Minimal mechanical efficiency losses with direct gearing.
- Fast, easy and cheap maintenance.
- Easy, fast low-cost installation.
- Flexible design fits most boats between 6 to 12 meters.
