Design Goals - The hybrid commercial fishing boat we want to produce must be safe, functional, easy to work, and be super fuel efficient. The boat will achieve its fuel efficiency by combining wind and solar power with a diesel-electric power plant. So far, the only working design that meets all of the requirements is the 38' Catfisher, drawn by Tom Wylie. Other design proposals are most welcome.

Wylie Catfisher

Hull - Hand laid unidirectional E-glass, with vacuum bagged 3/4" balsa core, with Vinylester outer laminates.
Keel - Lead bulb with 4% antimony, bolted on with 13 - 316 SS bolts.
Deck - Hand laid unidirectional E-glass, with vacuum bagged core and carbon fiber structural members. The cockpit is self draining and has a removable "drop board"transom.
Sail and Mast - Conventional sailing rigs, such as sloops and ketches, are not well suited for fishing boats. The masts are midships and/or aft, with solid booms swinging across the cockpits, usually at about head height. Sloop rigs (one mast midships) require a minimum of six stainless steel shrouds to hold the mast up, two large (primary) winches to sheet in the headsails, and a fair bit of skill to sail it, especially in a stiff breeze. By contrast, the Catfisher design uses a free-standing carbon fiber mast with a "wishbone" boom located near the bow of the boat. This eliminates the danger posed by solid booms swinging across the cockpit as well as the clutter and weight of standing rigging. The best thing about the cat rig however is that it is so easy to sail. It's really like the difference between driving a stick shift and an automatic transmission. The single sail is self-tacking, so when going to weather you just point the boat in the direction you want to go when it's time to tack. A more complete explanation of the Wyliecat rig is here.

Diesel-Electric Drive - Diesel-electric drives have been used in everything from locomotives, to submarines and large ships for many years, but very few have been used in smaller craft. Although I'm not aware of any diesel-electric drives currently being used in smaller commercial fishing vessels, combining diesel-electric with solar and wind power will produce the best fuel efficiency.

Links to nine companies currently producing marine electric drives is here.

Solar - Solar cells will provide some of the electrical generation for the hybrid boats, and there are some very exciting developments in the production of solar cells that could drastically increase the percentage of energy produced by the boat's solar cells. One very interesting company, Nanosolar, is developing inexpensive solar cells that come in a roll, and are made by something similar to the printing process. If those cells can be successfully woven or laminated into sailcloth, the boat could potentially have over 1,300 sq/ft of solar cells, since the sail area is 675 sq/ft, and both sides of the sail could have solar cells. That is still pie in the sky, but incorporating clear plastic pockets into the sail to accommodate thin, flexible solar panels can be done today.

Hedley Prince January 2006

Wylie Catfisher
Concept Proposal