<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\nWayward Sun boat, built by Devlin Boat in Olympia (WA) is powered by a Torqeedo Cruise 4.0 electric pod<\/strong> with six Torqeedo Power 24-3500 lithium batteries<\/strong>. There’s a separate 12-volt system for lights, electronics, and other direct current (DC) powered systems, and a DC\/AC converter for occasional “emergencies,” like making waffles. The batteries are charged by a series of 1700 Watt solar panels positioned on the roof of the boat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\u201cEven on a completely overcast day, like in this time of year, we can travel at 2-3 knots during daylight hours without draining our batteries,\u201d<\/em> Borton said. \u201cIn direct sunlight, we sail at 5 knots or more all day without using the batteries. For most of the trip we were accompanied by rain and overcast skies. Some days we were forced to sail slowly. Other days we traveled at a slow pace and charged our batteries while sailing”. \u201cMost electric boats on the market today are limited by battery capacity, which means they are forced to moor somewhere when they need to recharge,\u201d<\/em> Borton explained. \u201cUntil recently, solar panels and batteries depended on shore power, so they were only functional for partial charging. But today, thanks to advances in solar panels and Torqeedo’s efficient electric motors<\/strong> and high-capacity batteries, it is possible to have a solar-powered boat with satisfactory speed and housing size, capable of cruising without ever charging ashore. If we had more time, we’d go another 1000 miles!”.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\nFather and son sailed from Bellingham to Ketchikan via the Inside Passage natural canal, anchoring at night for the lack of permits needed to go ashore in British Columbia due to Covid restrictions. “It wasn’t a problem for us,” <\/em>Borton said. “We had plenty of food and a cozy sleeping space below deck. And of course, our solar-powered boat didn’t need refueling.”<\/em>
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