Tag: Daysailer

Electric Propulsion: Why it makes sense.

Posted on by Peter Johnstone

This year we are offering electric propulsion on the Alerion Express 28’s as a “no charge” option In lieu of the 14hp diesel engine.  This technology has come a long way in the past few years; not to mention the price has come down, too.

As most of you know, a typical day sail with a diesel motor consists of checking oil, opening sea cocks and starting  the old “iron”.  These trusty motors sputter and come to “life” with a gurgle and spray of raw water from the exhaust thruhull.  We shove off from the marina or mooring, hoist the sails and enjoy a fulfilling day of Alerion sailing.  The Alerion Experience is different with electric propulsion.  With this technology, a turn of the battery switch and a nudge of the throttle trigger instant, silent thrust.  The boat moves eerily along while onlookers pause and wonder how an Alerion can move so silently without sails.   The transition from power to sail is graceful and smooth.  With sails filled, the DC current changes direction;  the spinning propeller steadily regenerates current and slowly charges the batteries.
The benefits of electric propulsion are numerous: completely sealed systems, low maintenance, silent operation, increased maneuverability and simplicity.  The benefits easily outweigh the costs for most sailors’  lifestyles.  However, with great breakthroughs there are always other considerations.  Currently, the system designed for the Alerion Express 28 is optimized for boats that are stored in marinas.  Although there are solar and prop regenerating options, a good old shore power cable ensures a fully charged system every time you step aboard.   The basic system specified for the Alerion Express 28 has a range of approximately 5-7 NM depending on speed and weather conditons.  For most this is sufficient for a typical day sail.  There is room and capacity for more batteries/range on the Alerion Express 28 but there are obviously cost and weight compromises to consider.
One of our existing electric propulsion owners loves the system for many reasons.  The biggest reason is that he finds himself sailing more and not defaulting to auxiliary power as much.  During the testing phase our design team was startled by the simplicity and silent transition from power to sail and back to power.

Maybe sailors will use this technology on those glorious sunset evenings when there’s no wind  in the same spirit of a classic Elco launch. No wind, no noise,  just the sound of a pretty boat moving through the water.  Pure and Simple.

Alerion 38 Racers Share Their Secrets

Posted on by Peter Johnstone

Since its inception in 2005, the Alerion Express 38 has been quietly placing or winning multiple East Coast regattas. Dubbed as a “wolf in sheep’s clothing” the AE38 has had its fair share of winnings in 2011 alone. With first or second standings in Charleston Race Week, The Back Asswords Regatta, PHRF New Englands, The Vineyard Cup, and most recently the Classic Boat regatta in Marblehead, there is no shortage of performance and of course capability from their owners. A few of these owners were kind enough to share their secrets on sailing fast on their 38’s.

Bernie Cignavitch (hull#1) had this to say about navigating a starting line:

“…I am always aggressive at the start. For example, if the start favors the committee boat, I will position the boat on that heading. If a leeward boat tries to take me up, I head up to luff- depower the boat. As soon as the other boat passes my bow I power up and head leeward of him and take him up into the committee boat. Now you are in a perfect position for the start, your powered up, no one else can take up and  you can protest the boat next to you because he’s not going to head up into the committee boat. The only reason you can do this is because you practiced the maneuver  and the Alerion 38 will slow down, turn on a dime and power back up quicker than most boats!”

Craig Speck (hull#2) had this to say about sail trim:

“Because of the very large roach mainsail and the relatively small jib, upwind trim of the sails is critical. The main requires more sheet tension than many would expect as the top third of the main will wash out easily without higher sheet tension. Our basic trim is the traveler above centerline with high tension on the sheet. We ease the traveler rather than the mainsheet as wind velocity changes to keep the boat at correct heel angles and speed.

The jib is so small that many think it is along for the ride and don’t trim it as frequently as they should. Upwind we set the jib boom just inside the attachment point of the pole sheet to the top of the cabin. We continually trim the jib with the outhaul rather than moving the pole. In tacks and during starting sequences we ease the outhaul to put more power in the jib to rebuild speed and trim in as speed builds.  The jib boom is adjusted generally only with significant course changes.

Final comment, the Alerion Express 38 is wickedly fast upwind when heeled and sails are trimmed correctly.”

20th Anniversary for Alerion Express

Posted on by Peter Johnstone
 Pearson Marine Group, whose Alerion Express 28 is widely credited with creating the popular category of “gentlemen’s daysailer” when introduced twenty years ago, is marking this epoch with a special edition. The Alerion Express 20th Anniversary model will be distinctive with several special features, a few of which are unique, and reasonably priced but strictly limited in availability to just five boats.28 Anniv. with logo

 Each of the special edition Alerion Express 28’s will be fitted with electric propulsion, using the most advanced sailboat e-drive afloat. Developed in collaboration with Mastervolt BV, who incidentally is celebrating that Company’s 20th Anniversary this year as well, this sealed electric pod-drive is soundless, environmentally pure, and extraordinarily e-ffective.  Its high-torque performance, regenerative capabilities and no-maintenance characteristics make this a perfect propulsion system for the Alerion Express 28.

The anniversary model will be distinctive and easily identifiable afloat with a custom tan deck color and choice of Awlgrip topsides .  North Sails’  full-batten mainsail will carry a special Alerion Sailing anniversary logo; Halls Spars has created its own special edition spar. Recessed into the teak cockpit sole, a bronze plaque commemorates the date and identifies that each is an Anniversary edition. Furthermore, a matching half model is included and a special edition varnished tiller that includes a leather grip and an inlaid Alerion logo.
 

The Alerion Express 28 was the first to confirm in a modern design the allure of a true “gentleman’s daysailer.”  This unleashed a raft of imitations and elaborations from competitors, none of which have proven to offer the enduring value of the original Alerion Express 28 whose popularity continues to expand.  The design has incorporated and demonstrated the value of new technologies that have been adopted by others; among these is the Hoyt Jib boom which makes performance and jib-handling more effective yet simpler. The addition of the optional electric propulsion is sure to attract even more admirers.  Be sure to contact us if you’re interested in this unique edition. 

Click here to see learn more about the electric AE33 we built last year.

 
 
 

Sailing Tips from an AE28 Veteran

Posted on by Peter Johnstone

The most critical thing to remember when sailing an Alerion upwind is that you are trimming four foils. What you do with the sails affects the angle of attack of the keel by either increasing or decreasing leeway. Sail trim also affects the amount of helm on the rudder when sailing upwind. You always want to sail the boat upwind with minimal helm. Use your tiller extension, even if you are sitting in the cockpit. If you can’t easily steer the boat using two fingers on the extension, you have too much helm. The cramp in your fingers will be your first clue that you are not trimmed correctly. Here are a few basic tips:

1)     Probably the two most important strings on the boat are the backstay and the jib outhaul. The backstay allows you to control the power in the main. More backstay tension will yield a flatter and therefore less powerful main. If you have helm Pull in on the backstay! The jib outhaul allows you to control the twist of the jib and therefore the slot between the main and the jib.

2)     Never sail the boat upwind with the traveler centered. It should always be between 1/2 and 2/3 of the way down.  In lighter air it should be 2/3 down and the mainsheet relatively tighter in order to get the force vectors facing as far forward as possible.

3)     The aft end of the jib boom should never be inside the edge of the cabin top. If it is, you are guaranteed to sail slow. The slot needs to stay open to promote good air flow between the main and the jib. If you are carrying a big bubble in the main it could be because the main is too full, but more likely it is because you have the jib boom too far inboard and/or are carrying too much tension on the jib outhaul, thereby preventing the jib leach from twisting.

Ralf Morgan, Hull # 272

Electric Alerion Express 33 keeps on sailing – Report from the owner!

Posted on by Peter Johnstone
  • A total of 756 nm sailed and motored (probably 75% sail; 25% motor) since the spring
  • A total of 2900 Ah consumed from the batteries
  • Average discharge was 54.3 Ah
  • Only 17 full charge cycles used (at this rate, I could put 89000 nm on the odometer before the batteries are used up (2000 cycles)!!)

For anyone with a sport boat, club racer, or who primarily does daysail/weekending, this is the way to go for sure. It is such a pleasant way to keep sailing more pure, both aesthetically and environmentally.  In BC, the environmental argument is that much stronger, since 70% of our electrical power is already renewably generated, and a full charge of the 8.6 kWh MasterVolt batteries costs about 65 CENTS Canadian!

 Sailing is a highly aesthetic pursuit, and one of the oldest most elegant technical disciplines we humans have. It always seemed horrible to me to have to ignite a smelly and noisy engine at the beginning or end of a great day of sailing, or when the wind was insufficient. Electric propulsion has SO many advantages over internal combustion engines– high efficiency, no flammable fuel on board, no risky refueling, no smell, no pollution, high instantaneous torque, compact size and more flexible placement options, regeneration potential under sail, and more. The ONLY disadvantage, in my mind, is limited range. But even that is now becoming less significant with lithium [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/user/AlerionYachts?feature=mhum#p/a/u/0/Rr-_ZQ7yL6Q]battery technology. So for a boat primarily used for daysailing and racing, there is NO reason not to go electric!”

Attached is also a little movie I made today on my iPhone. The sound track is the actual barely audible sound of the motor (and a little wind noise on the mic), hardly disturbing a silent and golden late afternoon on the water.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rr-_ZQ7yL6Q]

Success at the Vineyard Cup!

Posted on by Peter Johnstone

"Fancy Boy" heading towards the finish line
Alerion Express 28 on the race course

We had a great time at the Vineyard Cup this weekend!  With several 38’s and a 28 in attendance it was hard to not see an Alerion sailing. AE38 hulls 17 and 18 and AE38 yawl  # 8 had great results in division two.  #8 took first place in the PHRF non spinnaker group with 17 and 18 coming in fifth and sixth place.  Not bad for 17 and 18 considering this was their first time out on the race course!  Most importantly, we all had a great time and couldn’t have asked for bettter conditions.  Vineyard Haven is a spectacular setting for a regatta; besides the favorable conditions and beautiful scenery there are many classic boats of all sizes to see.  The classic division of the Vineyard Cup brings a whole host of beautiful wooden boats that are hard to ignore.  Just another reason why this event is so much fun!

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