Electric Yachts

This blog will present the Electric Yachts of Southern California.  Please let me know if you have a boat whose auxiliary propulsion system has been upgraded to an electric system.  In addition to documenting these boats, I would like to  gather information about the conversion and how the boat is being used.

During the last year I have meet so many interesting sailors and had an opportunity to visit their boats.  I will begin the documentation of the boat that have been converted with my own Newport 30 and continue through as many boats as I will be able to find.  My activity began when I presented a paper on electric propulsion for my Professional Mariner Program at Orange Coast College.

Background
I retired from several corporate careers in computer and banking with such firms as Merrill Lynch and IBM.  I have a very strong background in business, finance, leadership and outdoor activities.  In 2008 I left FirstCorp as Vice President of Sales.  I spent the winter as assistant ski patrol at a local ski resort.  That was the most fun I had experienced in many years and I determined to match the winter fun job with a summer job just as rewarding.  That was when I committed myself to getting back to sailing, something I had been away from for a number of years.


First I bought Finesse, a Catalina 27 and followed with Chiquita an Erickson 27.  At the same time I began the OCC Professional Mariner Program and completed it in 2010.  From that program I determined that I was going to create a business from an in depth paper I presented in my class.  With encouragement from Captain Armond, I began Electric Yacht of Southern California in 2010.  Electric Yachts of Southern California sells and installs electric propulsion systems form Electric Yacht and other vendors.


Electra - Newport 30MKll

Electra at the dock mid upgrade

My first conversion was "Electra", my own 1979 Newport 30MKll.  Electra was located in San Diego with a dead Atomic 4.  We removed the old motor in San Diego and sailed it up to Dana Point with the help of a Nissan 8HP outboard on the transom.  This was the first conversion and began my education of how to convert to electric.  Each conversion has added to my knowledge and the knowledge of my team.  The removal of the old system took most of a day and was followed with several days of cleaning and decommissioning of through hulls and other systems not necessary.  

Scott McMillan has been a remarkable asset in working with a prospect and expanding my  understand of electric propulsion.  Scott has remarkable knowledge of boat propulsion and electric motors.  As a resource for my little company for both products and training, Scott has shared his understand of systems and boat  with me and my team.


Our first major passage with Electra was "The Border Run" in 2010 from Newport to San Diego.  Electra sailed well and the motor served her well on the way back against currents and unfavorable winds.  Three trips to Catalina Island and one trip to Los Angeles completed the overnight passages.  Last year Electra was sailed often as many as five time in one week.


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