Electric Boat

Electric Boat History

Moritz Jacobi

1838 Professor Moritz Jacobi developed a 24’ electric boat for the Czar of Russia and carried 14 passengers down the Neva river at a speed of 3 mph. Born in Potsdam, Prussia, the German physicist and University lecturer was instrumental in the development of electroplating and electrotyping.

Anthony Reckenzaun

1882 First electric boat record set in 1886 the “Volta” crosses the English Channel from Dover to Calais, France in 3 hr and 55 min, a steel ship 37’ long-6’10” wide. Designed by Anthony Reckenzaun. (1850-1893) Later it made round-trip in 8 hours. He also designed the first American electric boat “the Magnet.”

Anthony Reckenzaun
Anthony Reckenzaun

Peral Submarine

1887 Isaac Peral (1851-1895) In 1888 he developed a submarine for the Spanish Navy, but it was rejected. The Peral submarine was the first practical submarine ever invented. Powered by diesel generators it had 480 batteries.

1889 Commercial Electric boats were being used on the Thames River in England. By 1893 maps were published showing “charging stations” along the river.

1892 Chicago’s World Columbian Exposition was the first large public use of Alternating energy. Developed by Westinghouse, the AC current systems were chosen over competing direct-current systems designed by Thomas Edison. Batteries were used to power electric boats and carried over a million passengers around the Fair.

USS Holland

1900 the United States commission’s the first modern electric submarine, the USS Holland from John Phillip Holland and his Holland Torpedo Boat company, founded in 1899. It later became General Dynamics Corp. (1952) The race for submarines was joined by nations around the world.

Gymnote-French submarine

1902 French launch the Gymnote. A steel-hulled submarine with 204 batteries and the first working periscope. the periscope did not work well though and was discarded. It was also armed with torpedoes.

1903 Even Thomas Edison, the great inventor had a hand in the development of Electric boats. Steven Bowden wrote an interesting article about it in Cruising Outpost Magazine. Edison’s boat was called the Reliance and a replica of it can be seen at the Edison Museum in Ft. Myers, Florida.

1939 Electric Ferries are in use on lakes and rivers around the world. They are especially useful on pristine lakes or where water or noise pollution is critical.

1995 European championship is started. Events are staged at La Rochelle, on the Atlantic, in Switzerland and in Berlin and Hamburg. Canoe “Carl” wins with a 1,5 KW electric motor.

Today, Electric boats have become the norm with almost all large ships now powered by electric motors. These motors are usually powered by diesel generators or batteries, but new developments in solar power generation have led to new designs in ships evidenced by the construction of the “PlanetSolar

Solar power systems can be installed almost anywhere you have the sun. Houseboats can get an enormous amount of power from solar cells because they usually have a lot of space on the roof for solar cells and room for storage batteries. A 4’by 8′ area on top of a houseboat can generate up to 2500 watt-hours of power. That would power a small TV for hours and with new low power LED lighting, a boats electric requirements can easily be met.

PlanetSolar

2010 PlanetSolar traveled around the world using solar power alone, finally completed the ground-breaking trip on May 4, 2012. With two 60 KW electric motors and the latest in lithium-ion batteries it cruised at 7.5 knots with a maximum speed of 14 knots.

In Australia, solar-powered electric boats cruise up the Mundoo River. Designed by Michael Storer the Mundoo II design can move along at up to 6 knots on solar power only.They can be rented for vacation trips. (www.duckflatwoodenboats.com)

courtesy of Duckflatwoodenboats.com

Our Blogposts

October 16, 2020
Storage and Space Saving Ideas for Boats

Congratulations! You finally got the houseboat you've been dreaming of. Building a houseboat is indeed challenging, but by now you should know that the challenge doesn't end there. We all know that storage space on a boat is limited, and keeping your boat spacious is a task one should regularly do. Living on a houseboat […]

Read More
October 16, 2020
Checklists, Removal Costs, and Getting Ready: A Quick Guide on Moving Into A Houseboat

Thousands of people are living in houseboats all across the UK. This is because living in one poses many advantages, especially for those who plan on cruising the waters continuously. From the freedom it affords you to its financial implications, there are just many reasons as to why one would want to move into a […]

Read More
July 23, 2020
Build a Floating House

Welcome. You're probably here wondering how to build a floating house? Well you have come to the right place. Come find out how to build a tiny floating house as well as many other fascinating things.

Read More
July 1, 2020
Do you want to build a boat?

If the answer is yes then this blog is for you. And why not? People have been fascinated with boat building, especially building their own boats, since the dawn of time. Probably one of the first fights Adam and Eve had was because he wanted to build a boat. It’s a primal instinct really. I think […]

Read More
July 1, 2020
Building a Houseboat

There are opportunities in everyday life to learn about and study houseboats. House boats appear in many worlds, walks of life and cultures. Man's want to live on the sea apparently has no bounds. And can also be a bountiful way of living. In this post i am bringing together average people with the common […]

Read More
July 1, 2020
Dreaming of a Houseboat

ContentsRecently, I caught the bug to live on a houseboat.The urge to live on the water can be overwhelmingCan you decide which houseboat to live on?Would you like a Shantyboat?What’s a Narrowboat?Sailboat Conversion to Houseboat? Recently, I caught the bug to live on a houseboat. Actually, I’ve been having houseboat dreams since I was 18. […]

Read More
All rights reserved Build a Houseboat 2020.
linkedin facebook pinterest youtube rss twitter instagram facebook-blank rss-blank linkedin-blank pinterest youtube twitter instagram