Our Latest Sailing News
We have converted our 30’ Catalina Obsession to electric propulsion and what an awesome experience this has been. So quite, just like sailing. No sound, no smoke, no oil to check, no fuel to buy, no fuel filter to clean, no sea strainer to clean, no alternator belt to adjust or replace, just the quiet hum of the brushless electric motor pushing the boat at the same speed. This is the future of sailing! It is so efficient and environmentally safe.
This gives our students a first hand look at what’s coming and prepares them for this new alternative to fossil fuels.The diesel engine I replaced was a 25 hp universal still running good after 32 yrs in this Catalina. That says a lot for that motor. It did it’s job many times over and will continue to in its new home.
So now, I have a little joy stick for a throttle and when you push down and then forward the boat starts to move forward and it’s totally silent. There is a read out next to the joy stick that tells you how many KWs your using and what the total amount of power is remaining. I chose to go with AGM batteries due to the very high cost of Lithium at this time and the are working great so far.
Docking the boat is so much easier for some reason I’m not sure of but it seems much easier to control at lower speeds. It has reverse as well and the prop walk and prop wash are the same but more sensitive to control. I can’t wait to show you my new all Electric Sail Boat while you’re here learning to sail. This will make you a better sailor for sure due to the fact that you only have so much run time and you must use it wisely. My system is from Electric Yacht. They have a web sight. Their product is very good and there service is the best. I bugged them a lot during my install and they were there every step of the way.
Thanks Mike and Scott!
Once you experience this system you’re going to get one. No muss, no fuss, just silent power.
Let me know if you have a question.
Thanks for reading this Happy Sailing!
Captain Brad
Southern most sailing school in key west
Southernmostsailingschool.com
Captain Brad Lockwood305-407-4141
Alisha & the whole crew
Alisha and the whole crew. Great Job !!!
Thank you to all of our students
Sherri and I would like to thank all of our students for a great kick off to this record setting season of sailing.
Hey Honey Go Sailing With Me Ok!
I wish it was that easy, and sometimes it is, but ya know, Women are from Venus and Men are from Mars when it comes to getting her on-board. If you were to take her out on a sailing dingy for the first time in 20 knots of wind chances are that will be the only time...
Spinnaker Sailing
Light winds in the right direction offered us a chance to put out the Spinnaker sail on our overnight cruise to Boca Grande Key. Andrea put a nice lunch on the cockpit table as we sailed for 3 hrs at 4kts. Ahhh! So nice! Great conditions were on tap for this 103...
The Walsh Family
Another perfect 2 days of wind and sun were on tap for this really fun basic keel boat class with Madison, Dina and Kevin scoring high, keeping the average test score 93%. Thanks and I hope to see you again for coastal cruising. ...
6 Student Class, 2 Boats
The Neposelo family of 5 and Ben, making a 6 student class, came down from Chicago to take the 101 keel boat class. We used a 2nd 26' hunter, dividing them up 3 and 3 for the on the water part of the class. All 6 stayed together in 1 boat for the classroom...
Our Newest Keel Boat Skippers
Gitano and Sergio. All the way from Italy to sail with Captain Brad and check out Key West. We sailed for 3 days and they stayed in the boat. Giatano is an international banker and Sergio is a civil engineer working on the reconstruction of Haiti. The sailing was...
New Students
Mark, Lynn and their daughter Megan all took 101 over the last 2 days and had a great time with perfect conditions. They also had high scores. They are from Austin, Texas and have a boat on an inland lake there. CONGRATULATIONS to them! ...
Recent Students
Chuck and Joe had a great time and received high scores on their 101 keel boat exam today. CONGRATULATIONS to them both! They will be back for the 103 coastal cruising class.
The Sailors Among Us
I have to say that this process of selection is pretty amazing we continually get the same type of people attending our school the more laid back, a naturalist, an adventurer, intelligent and easy going a romantic, kind of the same as Sherri and I. I guess sailors are...
What a Great fall season of sailing
My last post was in November and since then we have had many students who have had Great conditions for sailing here in Key West This week is the international sailboat races/.Racers from all over the world gather here for our great windy conditions and light chop...
Mike H Knocks it out of the Park with the highest score to date on 103 Coastal Cruising
Mike is into it !!! really serious about sailing and his efforts are paying off with a score of 98. Congradulations to him as he goes to the top spot with that score. he is returning in March to take the 104 Bare Boat course.