Bluewater Marine Systems Story

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Like many sailors, we grew weary of diesel headaches — constant engine repairs, lingering reliability issues, and the anxiety of a motor that might fail to start at crucial moments, such as maneuvering off a lee shore in rough weather. This frustration motivated us to transition to a dependable electric propulsion system, complemented by a diesel auxiliary, avoiding the risks of relying on a single point of failure.

Bluewater Marine Systems began with one vessel: a 1967 Alberg 37 sailboat that originally operated on a Volvo diesel engine. In 2021, we removed that diesel and embarked on a comprehensive electric propulsion conversion. This involved sizing the motor and battery bank, designing a custom motor mount and closed-loop cooling system, and completely rewiring the boat from the ground up.

What we achieved is a hybrid diesel-electric setup that offers the best of both worlds: roughly 90% of our time on the water utilizes electric propulsion alone — quiet and totally reliable — while the diesel auxiliary provides extra range, enabling nearly limitless distances, especially when combined with regeneration while sailing and solar charging. That embodies true bluewater capability: redundant backup systems ensuring you can navigate anywhere in the world without the stress of being stranded.

The process was not without its challenges. We navigated shipping damage, warranty disputes, and mismatched parts before sourcing the correct components and the necessary support to establish a reliably functioning system. Special thanks to the team at Electric Yacht, whose patience and expertise in troubleshooting our motor, controller, and wiring proved invaluable. Over the years, we have continuously refined our setup, upgrading displays, solving wiring issues, and resizing the charging system, gaining firsthand knowledge of what truly works in electric boating and what simply sounds appealing on paper.

This hands-on experience, acquired through five years of working on our own boat, is the foundation of Bluewater Marine Systems. We launched this company to assist other boat owners in bypassing the trial and error phase: ensuring a properly sized system from the start, selecting the right components, and planning an effective conversion, as we've experienced the challenges ourselves.