Recreational boating is undergoing a silent transformation, but a very real one. For a long time, electric navigation remained confined to small lakes or harbour boats. Today, it is making its way to the most remote anchorages and onto the pontoons of charter companies. Electric motors, hybrid systems, solar boats : the promise of smoother sailing is attracting more and more owners and charterers…
Is the green revolution really underway in recreational boating ?
Projects led by the largest shipyards
While the automotive industry has already completed its transformation and made the essential investments for the switch to electric, the world of recreational boating is still in the early stages of its "green revolution".
The reason for this relative reluctance is twofold : the market is too small to make the colossal investments required for these new technologies profitable, and the very nature of a boat creates numerous technical problems. Water is an element 800 times denser than air. Pushing a 10-tonne vessel at 7 knots requires colossal and constant energy, whereas a car uses its inertia to travel on flat ground. To complicate matters further, a boat operates in an environment with constant and very high – salty – humidity ! This is precisely the challenge of the energy transition in boating: storing energy in a particularly "hostile" environment and producing it on the water to offer genuine autonomy.
But the evolution of techniques, particularly those from the automotive industry, now enables the largest shipyards to offer solutions to meet the growing demands of owners and charterers seeking peaceful sailing and a reduction in their ecological footprint.
Definite advantages…
Beyond the desire of some users to sail in line with their ecological convictions, electric propulsion profoundly changes the onboard living experience. This propulsion offers instant torque, very smooth manoeuvrability and a silence that transforms every manoeuvre into a moment of serenity. The absence of odour, smoke and vibrations creates incomparable comfort, particularly in busy anchorages or sensitive areas. This is certainly the other advantage of electric power : allowing access to certain areas that are today, and will increasingly be tomorrow, closed to the most polluting diesel engines. Finally, the last "plus" of electric : no more diesel fill-ups that empty bank accounts faster than they fill tanks !
This is indeed the promise of some vessels : total autonomy ! Millikan Boats presented at the last Cannes boat show a 10 m electric-solar cruising catamaran that offers virtually unlimited range at 8 knots in full sunshine. How is this possible ? The M10, as it is called, is equipped with a 41 kWh battery bank and is recharged by a 6.4 kWp solar installation.
Last but not least : electric boat owners benefit from priority on marina waiting lists…
…and still some annoying drawbacks !
Despite all these undeniable advances and advantages, electric propulsion remains hampered by several major obstacles. Range remains the main limitation for fast motor boats, as carrying a sufficient quantity of batteries involves significant costs and weight.
The installation price constitutes another blocking point: a well-integrated electric (or hybrid) system remains more expensive to purchase than a traditional combustion engine. And the difference in operating costs does not necessarily allow the investment to pay off !
Infrastructure represents a final major challenge. Very few marinas are yet equipped with suitable charging stations, particularly in Mediterranean cruising areas or in archipelagos. Sailing electric today requires precise planning, which can put off some boaters. Added to this are technical and regulatory constraints, particularly for repowering, which require certified electrical installations, secure circuits and rigorous inspections.
These difficulties explain why the transition remains gradual today, driven more by pioneers and innovative shipyards than by mass adoption. Nevertheless, the trend is underway, and each year sees the arrival of solutions that are slightly more efficient, lighter and more accessible.
Electric on board works !
For small vessels, electric is already a very operational reality. Motors ranging from 3 to 40 kW cover the majority of needs, and range becomes sufficient for day sailing or for shuttling between ports and anchorages. Reduced maintenance and operating costs, reliability and silence particularly appeal to boaters sailing in calm coastal areas.
On sailing boats, the equation is even more favourable. The main propulsion remains the wind, which means the electric motor only plays an auxiliary role. With a properly sized battery bank, solar panels and the possibility of hydro-generation – the propeller turns while sailing to create energy – sailing boats, naturally hybrid, are perfectly suited to "clean" sailing… An example ? On the Aura 51 Smart Electric catamaran, hydro-generation allows, from 6 or 7 knots of sailing speed, to produce enough energy to offset all onboard consumption. And if you're not sailing, the solar panel output guarantees you total autonomy !
For large motor boats and the most imposing sailing yachts, the solution is to equip oneself with hybrid propulsion : one or more large diesel engines are replaced by one or more powerful electric motors, powered by a substantial battery bank. But – and this is the key – a thermal generator is kept on board to recharge them on demand. One then remains dependent on fossil fuel for this generator, but instead of running large diesel engines at low revs (where they pollute the most and become clogged) to enter port or charge the batteries, electric is used for all manoeuvres and short passages. And it works !
High-end charter yachts and catamarans today represent the showcase of the transition. Diesel-electric hybrid units, equipped with a sufficient number of solar panels and high-capacity batteries, attract clientele seeking discreet and responsible luxury. These boats offer full-electric operation at anchor, a significant reduction in consumption and unmatched acoustic comfort. The luxury segment thus acts as a technological accelerator: what is offered today on these high-end units will inevitably be found tomorrow on more accessible vessels.
