Quiet Power: Electric and Hybrid Propulsion at Annapolis

Diesel inboards and gas outboards still dominate the auxiliary power market, but the 2025 Annapolis Sailboat Show presented more than a few electrified daysailers and hybrid-powered cruising yachts.   

By
Doug Henschen
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A J/Boats J/9 powered by the optional Torqeedo Cruise 6.0 pod drive, which is mounted in place of a saildrive. The throttle and battery monitor panel are visible on the starboard bench seat. The optional solar panel helps top up the battery when away from dockside power. (Photo/ Doug Henschen)
A J/Boats J/9 powered by the optional Torqeedo Cruise 6.0 pod drive, which is mounted in place of a saildrive. The throttle and battery monitor panel are visible on the starboard bench seat. The optional solar panel helps top up the battery when away from dockside power. (Photo/ Doug Henschen)

A tour of the 2025 Annapolis Sailboat Show showed signs of progress on the electrification of auxiliary power. Particularly notable was the emergence of hybrid propulsion options, with at least four large (44- to 60-ft.) hybrid-powered boats on display at the show. As in the automotive world, hybrid-powered boats promise the combination of diesel engine range and reliability with the torque, efficiency and, most importantly, option of clean and quiet operation using electric motors.

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Doug Henschen
Doug Henschen has been sailing in and around the waters of the lower Hudson River, New York Harbor, and the Long Island Sound since the 1980s. A career editor and journalist, Doug served as associate editor and managing editor of The Waterway Guide from 1984 until 1987 and as executive editor of Boating Industry magazine from 1990 to 1996. Doug is American Boat and Yacht Council (ABYC) certified on Marine Systems, Marine Electrical, Corrosion Mitigation, Disaster Avoidance and Outboard Repowering Considerations.

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3 COMMENTS

  1. I see the small pods 1 to 3 kw being an excellent option for day sailors. Years ago we started to convert to a system being marketed by MinKota, but they dropped the product. This was pre LifePo, so power storage was limited and they could not find a market.

  2. I’m surprised the article didn’t mention OceanVolt. I have a 2016 J/88 with an OceanVolt electric motor. Lack of range is a big problem with all electric motors. It would be helpful to retrofit the boat with a suitably sized, permanently mounted internal generator to use the system as a hybrid, but I have not found a suitably sized (that is, relatively small) generator.

    • Matthew, OceanVolt is, indeed, one of the larger suppliers of electric marine propulsion, but the company was not a direct exhibitor in Annapolis and I’m not aware of any OceanVolt-equipped boats having been at the show.

      On the subject of generators, Powerflow Marine, one of the e-propulsion vendors exhibiting in Annapolis, had a small generator (for a hybrid system) on display that is powered by a compact, two-cylinder Yanmar engine.

      Thanks for your interest. —Doug Henschen