Our latest launch with a timely application to this modern world is the Solar Sal 27.   She was designed for Alex and David Borton who created Sustainable Energy Systems.  She is a true solar/electric boat capable of running in a variety of sea and atmospheric conditions.  With her 10 Solbian Flexible Solar panels on her roof she can run all daylight hours at a speed of 5.5 knots thru the water.  If you want to run at night, she would shunt over to her two Lithium batteries and has a 10.4-hour range at the same 5.5 knots.  If you want to go faster, she needs to draw from the built-in batteries and at full speed of 7 knots has just over 2 hours of running time.  But remember, as long as any sun light is available, this augments the batteries and allows her running time to be extended.  In full bright sunlight, all these figures increase. We are immensely pleased with her running capability in even our cloudy northwest.

The hull we put under her is very slippery, by that I mean she really slides thru the water smoothly and without making wake at cruise speed, yet she is still stable and seaworthy.  Her house provides a break from the apparent wind and gives a cabin that is warm and spacious feeling.  On warmer days side opening windows and large foredeck hatch provide enough cool breeze to make her comfortable.  Up forward in the lockable Focsle is an innovative waterless head system.  It handles waste without overboard discharge and without odor.  With two forward berths, an overnight cruise is a very definite option.

Built with our Stitch and Glue building method and Awlgrip finishes on the exterior, she is easy to maintain and a great looking boat on the water.

We intend the Solar Sal 27 to be just the first of a new line of Solar/Electric boats with a cruiser model on the design board in 37 and 43ft. lengths.  I look forward to hearing from you to discuss silent, smooth, and no-fossil fuels boating and how that might fit your own unique lifestyle. — Sam Devlin