Electric final drive

I agree with Marmot, on a vessel this size (44'), going electric makes no sense. I also see sailboats motoring 80% of the time, even with favorable wind, I always see them motoring and no sails up, which I don't understand. I'm guessing they're doing it to charge batteries as well.

But why don't they just put a generator on most 44' sailboats? It would make a lot more sense to run a battery charger to charge the batteries, and have the refrigerator and hot water heater and etc on AC power while the generator is running, then everything running DC and then using the mains alternator to charge and try to get the battery bank up. You could be sailing along with just the generator going, or if you want propulsion assistance, sails and main running and no gen.

There is a sailboat around 50' running around Fort Lauderdale with just electric power, it has no sails and a TON of solar panels. Supposedly it cost less than $10,000 to do and has done 2,000 NM's . I've seen it underway twice, once I passed it in Palm Beach and another time in Fort Lauderdale. But it only pushes the boat 4 knots, he also has a diesel that he can run to push it 6 knots, so it's NOT entirely solar powered per say.

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/fl-amendment-1-solar-boat-20161101-story.html

Well in all fairness you are from Ft Liquordale, you can't sail there unless you go outside and if it s windy the ocean is rough... spilled drinks aren't good

Come down to Miami and you ll see biscayne bay full of sails every weekend

We usually get on and off our mooring at Coconut grove Sailing club under sail only with the electric onboard on standby just in case as it s a bit tight.

Generators and air con are something you usually don't find on sailboats under 40 at least until recently it's a sailor thing. Just like you don't see water cans on the deck of a power boat

Yes, ideally you d want either a genset capable of reachrging an electric motor bank plus supply power to avoid camping aboard, or a Diesel engine with a good inverter system, or AC alternator, to double as a generator.

But most sailboat owners are happy with dim lights, tiny bitty fans and cans of water on deck

I m sailor, not a camper