From: osirissailThe electric technology for energy storage and generation is not there yet for what you want 500 nm and a gale or two. Diesel is still the cost effective proven workhorse. Gasoline outboards have the problem of how to store that much gasoline without blowing yourself up at worst and not being able to get insurance at best. Unfortunately the diesel outboard development collapsed so that leaves diesel directly to props or diesel to generator to motors. The latter is just too costly in both dollars and pounds of weight (batteries). As a sailing catamaran you should be able to sail that distance safely - both boat and crew experience - or don't go out in those situations until the boat and crew are able. Any motor is for entry and exit to harbors or to claw off a lee shore. And in such an emergency I would prefer an old proven diesel to electric. There are just too many unproven and "new" things about small electric propulsion from propellers, pod mounting, electric bus wiring, batteries, etc. to be comfortable and confident in a do or die situation. Wait a decade or two . . .
[Bill Gow] I'm thinking it'll be sooner than that. The electric car industry will push it. I'm even leaning towards going diesel-electric with just a little battery storage so when something comes along, I'm already half way there. I just need to find a generator that doesn't weigh 500 Lbs that can drive two electric Asmo 6000 motors. Even this gets very heavy compared to a couple outboards.
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