Recharge your batteries for FREE.
Electric drives, engines, propulsion. Whatever you want to call them, are the future. Why pay tax and give money to the oil companies, they don’t care about anything but profit!!!
Made in the UK. A Lynch Marlin, 7kw, 48v. Click HERE for more details. I’ve sailed 6,000 trouble- and cost-free miles using the drive. It’s been 100% reliable.
The battery bank is Lucas, 400 amps of 48v VRLA batteries. The battery bank also gives you so much more power for leisure use, something lots of potential users forget.
Lithium batteries would be better based on their cycle and power output, but they weren’t an option for me.
The drive starts making its own charge (recharging) when the water speed reaches very close to 5 kts, before that nothing. It draws power from the batteries if left switched on.
The drives ignition must be on to charge the batteries whilst sailing.
When close to 5 kts I keep my eye on speed through the water and the battery monitor, as it becomes a balancing act between charge and draw.
The charge rate increases rapidly after 5 kts. My Atlantic crossing was awesome, the drive was making so much power. We had movie afternoons, microwaves, electric toasters and kettles so that we could use all the power. I do also have 400w solar and a Rutland 1200 48v Wind Generator.
If possible, have the drive on / off switch very handy. A good battery monitor and speed instrument “in sight” when you are sailing, this will help maximise charge.
Ocean Strider uses roughly 30-35 amps at 4 knots water speed with no wind, no current and a clean bottom.
