Peter,
I am a vendor and have run a parallel hybrid for about two years. We have done about 10 of these systems. The boat sails out of Southern California and the need to generate power on board to allow longer passage making and smaller battery bank was the design criteria. Now to your direct question and also some of the answers from others:
Although the H-Drive hybrid is compact, on your Catalina 30 there is not enough space unless you move the diesel forward in the engine box. That being said, your 11hp diesel is not an ideal candidate as the hybrid in generator mode puts additional load on the diesel and is limited by the extra capacity of the diesel to take additional power loads, Your 11hp diesel is very limited in this regard.
The motor is programed as a generator to match the needs of the battery bank. I functions as a very intelligent charger and will drive power into the battery bank matching the charging curve of the battery. It will reduce and stop charge to the battery as the battery comes back to full. I normally do not use the system as a charger into the "absorption phase" of the charge, normally go back to electric drive at that point.
The system is mounted aft of the motor and accesses the propeller shaft replacing the coupler with a gear toothed pulley with the motor mounted above the shaft/transmission. The machining and tooling of the system is not simple and the programing of the controller to the diesel is even more complex.
The spinning of the shaft will not negatively impact certain transmissions. If your transmission is set up to spin when the boat is under sail, than this is viable motor option.
Alignment of the system is critical. You must have the diesel aligned prior to the mounting of the hybrid as the hybrid system does not allow an access to align the system with traditional methods.
The motor will spin when the shaft is spinning and puts a minimal amount of drag on the system. You can spin the motor at very low rpm (just like an electric only installation) with almost no power and it will eliminate prop drag. When using the system in blended sailing/power assist, I run the system from 250 to 450 rpm and get 1 to 1.5kts additional speed and/or improved point of sail.
In the area where I sail, the vast majority of sailboats will drive their boats for a 40mile run to Catalina Island, current and prevailing winds dictated when there is a time limit. For this same run, I run my electric for about 30% of the time electric only, 30% of the time diesel (pushing the boat and generating power), and about 40% of the time blending electric and sail with an improved point of sail. Day sailing and harbor speeds are always electric.
My evaluation of this system is that it is not a build it yourself system. It is a great solution for coastal cruising where passage making of greater than 20nm is common and needs to push against prevailing currents and wind. I give the boater the benefits of electric propulsion for most of the time the boat leaves the dock or mooring. I also allow the boat to generate power and when away from shore power is ideal. Sharing the capacity of the propulsion battery bank with the house bank give the boat an extensive battery capacity. The battery size of the propulsion bank can be minimal as you have the ability to recharge though the generator capacity of the diesel (1.5kW to 5.0kW). Finally, it fits so many boats that do not have a good place to install a marine generator (although not the Catalina 30).
Mike
Electric Yacht of Southern California
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