When most of us think of leisure-style fishing trawlers, chances are that we don't envision something clean-running and quiet. That's what the folks at Amsterdam's Trondheim Trawlers are developing, however, in the form of the Trondheim 40 electric trawler.
The 40-ft (12-m) vessel will feature two Torqeedo brand Deep Blue i 1,400-rpm electric motors, which will be powered by two battery packs. One charge of those batteries should reportedly be good for six hours of cruising.
Needless to say, though, fishing expeditions can last longer than six hours. For that reason, there will also be two Torqeedo diesel-powered generators on board. These will produce electricity both to run the motors, and to recharge the batteries.
As compared to non-electric boats of the same size and fuel capacity (3,500 l/925 US gal), such a combination of running under battery power and generator power should allow the trawler to have a 30 percent longer range – it can go up to 2,500 nautical miles (4,630 km). Additionally, due to their acoustic shielding, the generators are claimed to be 40 percent less noisy than a full-on diesel engine. They'll also take up less space, allowing more room for storage.
The Trondheim 40 itself will sleep six people, and is designed to withstand high waves and winds. Its metal hull should allow it to safely enter shallow and/or icy areas, such as Alaskan or Norwegian fjords.
According to the rep we spoke to, arrangements have already been made to build the first hull at a shipyard in the Netherlands. That said, the company is still looking for investors, and can be contacted via the link below.
Source: Trondheim Trawlers
