basskisser wrote:


If they can make a car go 70mph with an electric motor, why not an
electric motor asist for large yachts,(50-60 ft) run off batteries
that are charged off a solar array situated on the canopy.

Seems like any assist would be worth while considering large yachts go
thru 1000's of gallons of fuel.

The problem is the speed/drag curve. At speeds most people want to travel, adding low power "assist"
propulsion is basically adding more drag.

There has been a 40 foot motor yacht that traveled at trawler speeds, totally solar powered. It was not
a market success. That was about ten years, I suspect that technology could do a little better now. But
it still won't produce a big heavy express cruiser that will plane.



If you want a yacht assist that runs off of solar power, the cheapest,
best tried and true method is called sails.


I thought sails used wind.

Where do you think wind (or all weather, for that matter) comes from? Elves?

DSK