A hydrogen generator uses the boat's speed to transform it into electricity. By rotating a propeller at the back of her boat, she turns a generator that produces electricity. The concept is not innovative. Except that it was necessary to succeed in making it more reliable and above all to find a solution that did not create a brake on the boat's smooth running.
Designed and made reliable for offshore racing yachts
For racing boats with high accelerations (with peaks above 20 knots), the team has designed a product with variable blades: the pitch changes according to the speed. Thus the rotation of the propeller remains almost constant and frees itself from the boat's speed. These hydrogen generators adopted by almost all offshore racers (IMOCA, Class40...) are now proven and efficient. They have a high production of electricity without the brake ever being quantified because it is so small.
A version adapted for cruising
Soon these products were also developed for yachting. The Watt&Sea Crusing is much simpler than the Racing model. Indeed, it is equipped with a propeller with fixed blades. If it uses the same brushless generator system (brushless, which limits maintenance and avoids friction), you must choose the pitch of your propeller according to the average performance of your boat.
The fixing mode remains the same: a helmet like a dinghy rudder that is fixed on the transom or skirt of the boat. When it is not in operation, it is possible to raise the hydrogen generator out of the water.
This system works well, but can be detrimental on a cruising sailboat when the skirt is used to board or disembark in the tender, or even to swim. Not to mention that it's not necessarily aesthetic at the back of his boat...
A pod that is forgotten under the shell
To solve this problem and make the system more reliable by eliminating the various hoisting and lowering hoists, this equipment manufacturer imagined fixing it under the hull permanently. Thus was born the Pod. It is the same hydrogen generator as the Cruising model, but fixed on a base such as a sail drive or outboard. We come to bolt it under the hull just behind the keel. Thus the hydrogen generator is protected from algae or floating objects, but is not disturbed to produce electricity. This Pod model offers all the advantages of the hydrogen generator, but remains invisible under the hull.
With these three products: Racing, Cruising and Pod, Watt&Sea can now meet all the demands of sailing customers regardless of the type of navigation used.
- Watt&Sea Pod 600 : 4,485 euros including VAT
- Watt&Sea Cruising 600 : 4,990 euros including VAT (available in 2 foot lengths)
