On Sun, 11 Nov 2007 22:37:31 GMT, Short Wave Sportfishing
wrote:

It will work but there is little or nothing to gain unless the boat
runs at a variety of different speeds and/or the engines exceed the
ability of reasonably sized mechanical transmissions. Diesel-Electric
is considerably more expensive than a mechanical transmission and is
not cost effective in boats with less than locomotive sized engines.

Ok - so if Navistar can make this work for utility lift trucks with
that kind of efficiency, would they work in boats?

I don't think so. Utlity lift trucks are constantly changing speeds,
most boats do not.