My recent electric sailboat conversion, using a space-saving "dense chassis" approach

Описание: What's up fans, friends, and sailors! I'm excited to share the story of how I turned a setback into innovation when my gasoline engine failed on my Cal 33 sailboat. I've since gone fully electric! This whole project came about after my complete ignorance around gas engines led to the catastrophic failure of the engine, on a sailing day, in the Oakland Shipping Channel, right around my birthday. 🤦 ⛵️ 💨

Hot tip: DON'T do what I did... Instead, check your oil regularly and don't IGNORE that weird knocking sound. 😂

(Chapter markers that you can skip directly to, are below)

📕 /// SYNOPSIS /// 📕
► After showing the carnage and reflecting on the importance of basic maintenance I document parts of my decision-making process around going electric and build a drop-in carbon fiber chassis, customized to my sailboat's engine bay, instead of the typical approach of bolted together metal angle holding the motor at the correct angle. (If you're curious what I mean, that "usual" approach is found at 31:02)
► The custom chassis approach was inspired by the fun process of hoisting the ~300 pound 1970s Universal Motors "Atomic 4" engine out of the boat, with the help of 3 friends & a 6:1 block & tackle. This gave me the idea to build a carbon fiber chassis, custom fit to the engine bay, that would make it easy to do MOST of the work at my custom shop in Oakland. My finished electric chassic weighs in under 150 pounds, or half the weight of the Atomic 4 block. With the help of my buddy Caleb, we bike the finished chassis down to the marina & drop it in for the first test!
► Hoping for a home run is my normal approach, then I have to deal with reality. On the first test the motor gave off more sound than expected, indicating more work is needed on alignment. (Want to hear about the tweaks I've been making to quiet the engine while running? Questions/feedbcak appreciated in the comments!)
► I included shop footage of assembling the components of the electric motor onto that chassis. I hope this is helpful to someone out there :)


✍️ I always appreciate your kind & educational comments to keep building community around low carbon fun and local adventure, learning and making, and co-inspiration to get out there and do something you love. ❤️

Custom Work, Apprenticeship Opportunities, STEM Workshop/Presentation Requests
► Use the "Contact Paul" link at http://linktr.ee/fossilfool



📚 CHAPTERS 📚
0:00 // Intro: Ken from Moyer Marine gives me a talkin' to. Tells me it's one of the worst he's seen 😂
2:45 // Confessions of an environmentalist
3:51 // THE HOIST! Hoisting the engine out with friends
7:20 // THE DECISION! Decision-making around going electric
9:36 // The decision to create a Liftable Chassis
10:52 // Biking the ~120 pound custom chassis to the marina with Caleb
13:17 // Arriving at the marina for First Test!
15:03 // First Test of the electric motor is successful (but noisy)
16:25 // THE BUILD: Electric Motor Components Walk-Through
20:06 // THE BUILD: Preppin' the Bench
20:28 // THE BUILD: Shop Time!
30:50 // "Inventor's Corner" Going deeper in the decision-making around Chassis VS the Standard approach
33:55 // Invitation for feedback: What do YOU want to see?*

I also filmed the making of the custom chassis, and some of the solar arch, AND the reassembly of the motor after painting the chassis blue, complete with water cooling system. Would you like to see MORE of that workshop footage? Which aspects are you most curious about? Let me know in the comments, if so!

🔗 /// CREDITS /// 🔗
► Electric Motor Sport // http://electricmotorsport.com
► Moyer Marine // http://moyermarine.com
► Contact Paul directly // http://fossilfool.com

👍 /// CREDITS /// ♥️
► Huge thanks again to my neighbors Sean & Brian, my employee Lim, and all the friends who have been out sailing with me over the winter!
► Music used with permission (Licensed by Motion Array & Epidemic Sound)
► Cal 33 Image: https://sailboatdata.com/sailboat/cal...
► Atomic 4 Image: https://everythingaboutboats.org/atom...
► Video edited by Madeline Tasquin & Paul Freedman

#electricengine #sailboatrefit #fromgastoelectric