While the electrification of sailboats is now attracting growing interest from shipyards and sailors committed to the energy transition, it's not a new phenomenon. As far back as the 19th century, several inventors explored this avenue. However, the first truly habitable sailboat equipped with electric propulsion dates back to 1930. Its name: Briseis . Here's its story, preceded by two seminal attempts.
Moritz von Jacobi: a first test on the Neva in 1838
One of the very first electric boat prototypes is attributed to Moritz von Jacobi, a German-Russian engineer. In 1838, in St. Petersburg, he succeeded in sailing a boat powered by an electromagnetic motor.
The boat can carry a dozen passengers and reaches a speed of 3 km/h on the Neva. While the attempt remains experimental, it represents a world first in the history of electric propulsion on water.
Gustave Trouvé: a river application as early as 1881
Another pioneer, Gustave Trouvé, a French engineer and inventor, adapted a small electric motor to a 5-meter canoe in 1881. Named The telephone this Siemens-powered boat reaches 3.6 km/h upstream on the Seine and up to 9 km/h downstream.
Trouvé imagined a fun, urban use for the electric canoe, but the very limited autonomy of lead-acid batteries hampered commercial development. This prototype remains an isolated but striking demonstration.
1930: Briseis, the first electrically-powered cruising yacht
In 1930, the sailing ship Briseis is born, designed by Camper & Nicholsons for French industrialist Louis Renault. The latter, passionate about technical innovation, wanted to experiment with the electrification of a liveaboard yacht. He therefore developed a specific electric propulsion system, which was installed on board this 15-meter wooden unit.
The motor is powered by a battery bank, recharged on the quayside. At a time when internal combustion dominates and electromobility remains marginal, this initiative represents a major technological leap forward. Briseis thus becomes the first cruising yacht to sail with operational electric propulsion.
A premature but seminal innovation
The choice of electric power for a sailboat in the 1930s was a bold one. Autonomy remains very limited, and recharging requires a rare port infrastructure. However, the Briseis prefigures contemporary concerns for smooth propulsion and silent navigation.
This historic yacht, now preserved, remains a unique testimony to technical experimentation in the nautical field. It took several decades, with the arrival of brushless motors, lithium-ion batteries and advanced on-board electronics, for the concept to become viable on a large scale.
The attempts of Jacobi, Trouvé and Renault show that electric propulsion at sea is not a recent idea, but the fruit of long-standing and often little-known experiments. Today, at a time when electric propulsion is becoming a credible option for cruising and racing yachts, it's essential to remember that innovation rests on these pioneers, whose ideas were ahead of their time.
