ELECTRIC and SOLAR BOAT HISTORY

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Electric boats have been plying waterways in Europe since around 1890.  In 1905 the 'Victory' was launched on the river Thames, at that time the largest electric boat in the world.  She was 93 feet long and wood built.  The Victory could carry 350 passengers.  

Before the internal combustion engine became popular electric boating rivaled steam and horse drawn barges.  Battery powered pleasure-boats were charged-up by steam powered generators and overhead cables.  In England canals provided a comprehensive network for working narrow-boats carrying cargo. 

After 1905 the internal combustion engine became popular, ironically, due the the invention of the electric starter motor.  Solar boats are electric boats, with independent, quiet and clean engines, whose batteries store free energy from the sun.

• 1838 Professor Moritz Jacobi in Russia experiments with a 24' long, electrically propelled boat.

• 1880 Gustav Trouve, a Paris chemist, invents a removable electrical Aussenborder.

• 1882 At the yacht club de France the first e-boat-record was set with a speed of 24 kn over a distance of 26 kilometers.

• 1883 During the Viennese world exhibition the "Beni" electrically carries 45 passengers on the Danube.

• 1886 The 32' "Volta", an electrical boat, crosses the English channel from Dover to Calais and back in 8 hours.

• 1887 Isaak Peral develops in Spain a submarine with 480 batteries and two 30 HP engines. Since the Spanish navy does not show interest, the development continues in France.

• 1888 The "Viscountess Bury" is the largest e-boat for 84 passengers. In the same year the Chinese Empire orders 15 m long boats, capable of 18 Km/h.

• 1889 The first 6 electrical charter boats run in England on the Thames.

• 1892 The world exhibition in Chicago carries more than one million visitors on 55 e-boats over 200.000 miles without a breakdown, bringing $300,000 in profit.

• 1893 Kerbey Bowen patents an e-auxiliary engine for sail yachts with the batteries in the keel.

• 1901 Three shipowners operate approx. 110 e-boats in the charter and tax enterprise aon the Thames.

• 1902 35 electrical submarines are in the service of the French Navy.

• 1903 250 e-boats from 5,5 to 12 m. are delivered in New Jersey. Customers include English royalty, Tzar Nicolaus II, Grand Duke Alexander of Russia, Mr Westinghouse, Baron Rothschild and JJ Astor.

• 1939 15 passenger liners operate electrically on the Bavarian king lake; today 21 passenger ships, carry 93 passengers at 11 Km/h.

• 1948 Captain Hirst builds a boat for 20 passengers, which carries over 26.000 travellers on the English rivers until 1981. A similar boat for 49 passengers is used in Sweden.

• 1968 The "Duffi 20" is developed in California; Today there are over 1000 units.

• 1981 The restoration of a boat of 1896 gave birth to the idea of transfering the timeless beautiful lines to modern materials, and today "Classic boats" are on the market.

• 1982 Interest in e-boats increases, now motivated by the move toward environmental protection. The Electric Boat Association EBA is created. Carriers include power supply works, the British offices for water way, environmental protection authorities and National parks. Electrical boats receive 25% discount on the quite substantial channel and air-lock fees in England.

• 1989 Lady Fiona, Countess of Arran, at the age from 71 years holds the world record for e-boats: 81.83 Km/h in a 15' hydroskimmer.

• 1990 Vaporetto Electrico sets up a service in Venice for 230 passengers.

• 1993 The first German solar boat championship occurs.

• 1994 20 different "Classic" models appear in Germany.

• 1995 The first solar boat European championship is organised. It takes place in La Rochelle, on the Atlantic, in Switzerland on three lakes, as well as in Berlin and Hamburg. Canoe "Carl" wins with a 1.5 KW electric motor.

• 1995 A solar boat gas station opens in the context of the world climate conference. 20 solar boats with 2-8 seats are in the rental business enterprise.

• FIRST PACIFIC CROSSING

• FIRST-SOLENT CROSSING

   

FIRST TRANSATLANTIC CROSSING ATTEMPT

While history shows that electric boats are nothing new, solar generators are still in their infancy.  Drive systems are improving with better motors and electronic controls. The ocean going electric boat is still to be proven.  Although, Solar Navigator may put this one to bed in the next decade.  Nevertheless, there are many design problems to be overcome, if electric boats are to one day rule the waves.

Perhaps, one way electric boats may take to the high seas sooner, is to look at solar assisted hybrids.  Solar energy can be harnessed as free energy with auxiliary generators running on bio diesel.

The Indian Ocean has already been crossed, but now the Sun 21 is attempting to cross the Atlantic.  See the table below to follow its progress.  What next? Who will be the first to attempt a world circumnavigation?

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