Above the Waterline

805 455 8444

Electric Drive Installation

Begin with laying out the installation.   The Electric Drive will be lagged down to a plywood board when complete.    We find the level and slope of the board that the drive will be mounted onto by extruding the plane of the driveshaft.   Measuring the electric drive determines the offset.   The level of the board subtracted from the height of the extrusion.

The new board will be epoxied into place.   At this stage we screw boards into place that the base will sit upon while the glew is drying.

The base board is made from 3 pieces of 3/4 plywood laminated together.   Place epoxy with fillers and a fiberglass matt between the layers.   This ensures a strong glue bond.   The base board has to be thick enough for the lag screws to hold.   Shape the board for the area and then fit before glueing.

Place the hyrid drive on the board for a trial fit.   Make sure you pay attention to the alignment.  

Put lots of epoxy with fillers on the board before putting the board in place.

Glass the board in place with finishing cloth.

Measure the length of the jack shaft if you are planning to use your existing propellor shaft.  

Build your battery compartment and then place your batteries.   Batteries are best set at the base of the mast if possible.

Foam your batteries in place with 2 part - 2 lb. foam in plastic bags.   The plastic bags allow for the batteries to be removed at a later date.

Your final height can be achieved by placing another finishing board on top of the original base board.   The second board allows for perfecting the alignment process.    There is enough play in a packing gland to allow for 1/8 inch of height misalignment, so the process is very easy to accomplish.   The electric drive replaces a diesel, which while idling can move back and forth and up and down over a quarter of an inch.  Here is a photo of the prepared engine bed.

Lag the gearbox to the baseboard.

Install the jackshaft

Attach the cables to the engine.   Cover with split loom and insulate all bare metal connections.    Mount the electric engine to the gearbox.

The drive installed.

Mount the controller to a large aluminum heatsink.  

Mount the contactor and attach the cables.

The Electric drive installed

And the best part of electric sailing is using your new, quiet, pollution free electric sailboat!

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Email James at       or telephone 805 455 8444

Above the Waterline, Ltd.,    6 Harbor Way # 226, Santa Barbara, CA, 93109, USA