Electric Maneuvering and Drive Systems for Advanced Craft

by Donald Blount & Ronald Gellatly

Presented at the Fast ’93 International Conference

Our Thoughts on this Paper

At DLBA, we’ve been thinking about the application of electric drive systems for many years.  Donald’s first publication on the topic dates back to 1993.  At this time, we were supporting a couple of yacht projects which utilized gas turbine engines.  While gas turbines provided power output and density that is unmatched by other power plants, allowing vessels to achieve extraordinary sprint speeds, they are not very fuel efficient at cruising speeds.  For these projects we had our eyes wide open looking for alternative solutions for the maneuvering and cruising operations of these craft.  About this time, permanent magnet motor technology was maturing and was identified as a viable option.  This paper looks at the developing technology (in 1993) and investigates different applications on yachts including auxiliary drive systems and maneuvering thrusters.  The technology has matured appreciably since then and we see these motors in both electric and hybrid craft today.  If you’d like to talk about electrification of propulsion systems, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us at DLBA.

If you would like to engage in a technical discussion, please reach out to a member of the DLBA team! Contact Us