Retractable Electric Motor Simplifies Hybrid-Boat Conversion
The BlueNav Bluespin system is a solution for a hybrid-boat conversion. It’s a self-contained retractable electric motor that can be added to many boats. Once installed, it lets the pilot switch from fossil fuel to electric propulsion at the touch of a button.
Many boat owners would like to reduce their reliance on fossil fuels, but find it difficult to switch to all electric propulsion. Some want to travel for long distances at high speeds, while others may occasionally need a significant power boost for towing or other reasons.
They also want or need an electric motor sometimes — maybe to cruise at a leisurely pace without the noise and odor of gas or diesel or save fuel costs by operating on electricity in harbors and slow zones.
Batteries are simply not at the stage of development necessary to meet all the demands for these owners, but many hybrid options require an overhaul of a vessel’s entire propulsion system, which can be expensive and time consuming.
Award-Winning Hybrid Boat Conversion System
Enter Herve Frouin and his team at BlueNav. They came up with a hybrid conversion that is so simple in concept, it might make someone say, “Why didn’t I think of that?”
They have engineered a self-contained retractable rim electric motor that can be added to a boat without requiring altering a boat’s structural elements or changing the location or operation of existing combustion engines.
Since its introduction, BlueSpin has won the France edition of the Global Green Business Ideas Competition, was nominated in the Dame Design Awards of METSTRADE and took top honors for Best Product 2021 at the Innovation Awards of the Salon Nautique Paris in December.
Rock Emperor is an open picnic style boat from the Dubourdieu shipyard in France. She measures 39’ (12 m) long and is powered by two 250-hp outboards and two 15kW BlueSpin Retractable electric motors under the transom extension.
The outboards are used to quickly take the passengers out to open water or to a remote location. When the Rock Emperor captain wants to switch to electric power, controls at the helm raise the outboards and the electric rim thrusters are extended from the BlueSpin system.
The only intrusive interior modification with the system is the addition of the batteries, wiring and cabling for electricity flow and steering/throttle control.
Suitable for a Variety of Boats
BlueNav has also developed a human machine interface (HMI) that analyzes data about current, position and speed to help the captain switch from one propulsion system to the other. The HMI integrates all major electronic navigation systems and will be augmented with options like self-parking and dynamic position holding.
The BlueSpin system is also an option for hybrid conversion on boats with inboard ICE motors or for sailboats. A non-retractable BlueSpin can be attached to a boat’s hull with the same minor battery and cabling components as the retractable version. On sailboats, the box containing the electric motor is designed to install in the hull opening occupied by most diesel sail drives.
In all cases the motors are rim motors, meaning the impeller blades are not attached to a central hub but are mounted on an outside ring that is part of the motor itself. They are efficient for low-speed applications.
BlueSpin motors come in power ratings of 15, 20, 30 and 50 kWs (≈ 20, 30, 45 and 70 hp).
Night Ocean has two 370-hp inboard engines and twin 15kW BlueSpin retractable motors mounted below her swim platform. The 8-ton (7,257.5 kg) pilot boat Strad has a single 65-hp combustion engine and two retractable 10kW BlueSpins and the Suzon, a 46’ (14 m) traditional pinasse, has two 15kW BlueSpin Stationary motors. The boats have electric autonomy range of 4 to 5 hours at 6 or 7 knots.
In addition to the BlueSpin hybrid boat conversion system, BlueNav can provide complete electric-propulsion systems. The BlueDrive S20 Liquid is a 15 kW (20 hp) inboard available with air or liquid cooling. The BlueSail S15 Liquid is a 10 kW (15 hp) standard electric sail drive — non retractable, with a conventional propeller.
One of the things that separates electric boats from electric cars is that cars generally operate on roads whereas boats operate in all different kinds of waters with all different kinds of uses. For many of those uses, a battery powered system works, but for others a combination of fossil fuel and electric is best. The BlueSpin is a hybrid conversion option that can be used as a transitional phase in a move to all-electric or as a long term hybrid solution.
Article courtesy of Plugboats.com