DOCSLIB.ORG

Personal Watercraft

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Personal Watercraft THE HISTORY, EVOLUTION, AND PROFILE OF PERSONAL WATERCRAFT A Report by the Personal Watercraft Industry Association January 2006 TABLE OF CONTENTS I. Evolution of the Personal Watercraft..................p.2 Today’s PWC can accommodate three people, and feature state- of-the-art, environmentally-friendly engine technology. II. New Technology............................................p.4 Personal watercraft today are 75 percent quieter and up to 90 percent cleaner than pre-1998 models. III. Environmental Impacts....................................p.6 In every environmental assessment conducted by the National Park Service since 2002 the conclusion is the same—personal water- craft present no significant environmental impact. IV. Safety ........................................................p.12 Personal watercraft manufacturers support mandatory boating safety education for all PWC operators. V. Conclusion ..................................................p.16 This publication has been created to describe the history and technological evolution of personal watercraft, or PWC, which are small boats more commonly known by the manufacturers’ brand names: JET SKI®, WaveRunner®, Sea-Doo®, or AquaTrax®. This document explains how, in an effort to meet consumer demands in the past decade, personal watercraft have evolved from the single-person stand-up vessels of years gone by to inno- vative, multi-passenger family boats offering state-of-the-art fea- tures and functions. Additionally, and contrary to false rhetoric, this publication describes in detail the enhancements made to PWC engine and design technology since the 1998 model year that have catapulted today’s PWC into one of the most envi- ronmentally-friendly motorized recreational vessels on the water. In 2000, a handful of national parks were unfortunately forced to prohibit the use of PWC because of alleged harmful envi- ronmental impact, despite evidence to the contrary. Today, 15 of these parks have completed environmental assessment stud- ies and every one has concluded PWC present no significant unique environmental impact compared to other boats. The pre- ferred rule is consistent in all 15 parks – PWC should no longer be banned. More information can be found at www.pwia.org or by calling PWIA at 202-737-9768. THEN NOW 1 I. EVOLUTION OF THE PWC popularity grew very rapidly in the early 1990s and what was once a small PERSONAL WATERCRAFT portion of the recreational boating mar- (PWC) ket became the fastest growing sport in this category. Simultaneously, the PWC industry was for a time the fastest grow- The personal watercraft (PWC) concept ing segment of the marine business. originated in the 1960s, combining the elements of self-power, small size and a maneuverable, active vessel. Bombardier Recreational Products, known for its Ski-Doo® snowmobiles, introduced a personal watercraft slightly resembling what we know today as a PWC in the late 1960s, with limited suc- cess. This craft is credited for being the Personal Watercraft Sales first sit-down style PWC. In the early 1970s, Kawasaki Motors Corp. U.S.A. U.S. sales of PWC peaked in 1995 with introduced the JET SKI® watercraft, the approximately 200,000 units sold. Sales first commercially successful standup of personal watercraft declined from PWC. 1996 through 2001, but began to level off in 2002 with sales of 79,300 units. There are currently four major companies The industry saw sales in 2004 of more currently active in the personal watercraft than 79,500 units. market. In the mid-1980s, Kawasaki's JET SKI® watercraft was joined by Yamaha According to the National Marine Motor Corp. U.S.A. Their product line of Manufacturers Association, there were the WaveRunner® model created a mar- approximately 1.48 million PWC owned ket shift from the stand-up to the sit-down in 2004. The average retail price of a style PWC with one- and two-person PWC in 2004 was $9,226. Since the capacity. Shortly thereafter, Bombardier mid-1990s, sit-down style, multi-passen- Recreational Products re-joined the mar- ger watercraft have made up around 99 ket with their Sea-Doo® line. Most recent- percent of all PWC sales, with three- ly, in 2002, American Honda began sell- person family models being the fastest ing its version of a PWC, the AquaTrax®. growing segment. According to the 2000 National Survey on Recreation and the Along the way, two-person sit-down craft Environment (NSRE), approximately 20 quickly took over from the single person million Americans ride personal water- stand-up model. Today, three-person fam- craft each year. ily models are the most popular. Multi- person family craft currently make up approximately 99 percent of personal watercraft sales. 2 efficient engines and no exposed pro- 2004 U.S. PWC Sales pellers. Manufacturers have responded to customers' desire for environmentally- PWC Sold: 79,500 friendly recreation, and have created cleaner, quieter and more versatile per- Total Retail Value: $733,454,700 sonal watercraft. Average Unit Cost: $9,226 Additionally, PWC manufacturers have PWC Owned: 1,480,000 focused their new model designs on today's consumer base — families — Source: NMMA Recreational Boating thus, continuing to perfect and produce Statistical Abstract, 2004 more of the three-person models. These models now account for more than 75 percent of today’s PWC market. Recent PWC owners spend millions on the sport data shows the average purchaser of a annually. In addition to purchasing the new PWC in the last five years is 41 vessel, they spend money on boating years old. About 85 percent are male, registration fees, launch fees, trailers, 71 percent are married, 69 percent fuel, insurance, clothing, accessories, have owned a powerboat prior to their food, travel, and watercraft-oriented most recent PWC purchase, and 66 per- vacations. cent have taken or completed college- level course work. Forty-two percent of those PWC owners have owned water- Employment in the PWC front property, and over 60 percent Industry have access to a home on the water, whether it is their primary home or the Nearly 6,000 people are employed in home of a close friend or relative. the United States by PWC manufacturers Today's consumer is likely more diverse in at least 11 states. Other financial with the broader selection of models cur- impacts of the sport include employment rently available, which appeal to many in more than 2,000 retail businesses different people. servicing and selling PWC, aftermarket and related small businesses manufac- turing components and accessories, cor- Who is the Average PWC Customer? porate tax revenues from PWC-related • 41 years of age businesses, local and state sales taxes, • 71% married and gas tax revenues. • 69% previous boat owners • 66% college educated The Personal Watercraft Consumer Source: Survey by Bowe Marketing Research Consultants Today's personal watercraft are afford- able family boats with clean, quiet, fuel- 3 In 2001, Leisure Trends Group, a national Cleaner and Quieter consumer research firm, surveyed con- sumer attitudes towards personal water- PWC manufacturers are meeting and craft. Ninety-three percent of the respon- exceeding Environmental Protection dents had positive attitudes towards the Agency (EPA) standards for emissions safety of personal watercraft, particularly if requirements. Furthermore, all PWC the vessels were operated properly. product lines have always complied with all applicable federal and state sound Surveys have also found that the most and emissions requirements. common ways PWC are used (over 80 percent) involve rides with family and In California, manufacturers are required friends, short cruises, towing skiers, to go above and beyond EPA standards exploring, and entertaining friends. and also comply with the emissions stan- dards of the California Air Resources Board (CARB). Technological enhance- II. NEW TECHNOLOGY ments made to PWC engines have result- ed in one of the most environmentally- Personal watercraft manufacturers are friendly motorized vessels on the water. constantly investing in research and development, leading to new technology Most of today's personal watercraft uti- that improves their product lines. Since lize four-stroke, direct-injection and cata- 1998, PWC have evolved substantially to lyst two-stroke technology allowing up to meet consumer demands. Today’s PWC 90 percent fewer emissions than models are larger, seat up to three people, offer manufactured in 1998. Traditional, obso- storage space, and are capable of tow- lete technology two-stroke engines in ing a water skier. They are also PWC have evolved into high technology equipped with new, environmentally- catalyzed, direct-injection and four-stoke friendly engine technology. engines. The older carbureted two-strokes are less efficient because it flushes out or Since personal watercraft were invented, scavenges its cylinders and refills with a these vessels have been equipped with mixture of air and fuel after each com- the same two-stroke engine technology bustion. This process leads to higher that powers marine outboard motors. It emissions and less fuel efficiency. was only in the past decade that marine Because of these inefficiencies, new engine designs changed dramatically. direct-injection two-stroke designs were Today, many PWC are fuel-injected and developed that scavenge the cylinders the vast majority of units sold feature with pure air containing no fuel at all. state-of-the-art four-stroke engines. The fuel is then directly injected into the cylinder after the exhaust port is closed. Beginning with the 2003 model year, all PWC manufacturers produced models with four-stroke engines, universally rec- 4 ognized as the cleanest and most fuel-effi- Steering Enhancement cient engines on the water. Today, these four-stroke engines account for the major- All boats, including PWC, require ity of sales and are ever gaining in pop- power to steer. Each PWC manufactur- ularity. er tells users to apply throttle to steer. In addition, all new sit-down PWC are equipped with technology that assists the operator in turning the vessel by con- tinuing to supply thrust or activating small fins while the watercraft is decel- erating.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • 500 Years of Maritime History
    500 Years of Maritime History By the mid-sixteenth century King Philip of Spain felt an acute need to establish a coastal stronghold in the territory he claimed as “La Florida," a vast expanse including not only present-day Florida but most of the continent. The Atlantic coast of present-day Florida was strategically important for its proximity to Spanish shipping routes which followed the Gulf Stream and annually funneled the treasures of Philip's New Above: Traditional Spanish New World shipping routes. World empire back to Spain. The two biggest threats to this transfer of wealth were pirate attacks and shipwrecks. A military outpost on the Florida coast could suppress piracy while at the same time serve as a base for staging rescue and salvage operations for the increasing number of ships cast away on Florida's dangerous shoals. With these maritime goals in mind, the King charged Don Pedro Menéndez de Avilés with the task of establishing a foothold on Florida's Atlantic coast. Before leaving Spain, word reached the Spanish court that a group of French protestants had set up a fledgling colony in the region, and Menéndez' mission was altered to include the utter destruction of the French enterprise, which represented not only heresy but a direct threat to Spain's North American hegemony. The French Huguenots, led by René de Laudonnière, had by 1563 established Fort Caroline at the bank of the River of May (present-day St. Johns River at Jacksonville, north of St. Augustine). Early in 1565, France's King Charles sent Jean Ribault to re-supply and assume command of the Fort.
    [Show full text]
  • TEST for VESSEL STATUS Lozman V. City Of
    CASE COMMENT IF IT LOOKS LIKE A VESSEL: THE SUPREME COURT’S “REASONABLE OBSERVER” TEST FOR VESSEL STATUS Lozman v. City of Riviera Beach, 133 S. Ct. 735 (2013) David R. Maass∗ What is a vessel? In maritime law, important rights and duties turn on whether something is a vessel. For example, the owner of a vessel can limit his liability for damages caused by the vessel under the Limitation of Shipowners’ Liability Act,1 and an injured seaman who is a member of the crew of a vessel can claim remedies under the Jones Act.2 Under the general maritime law, a vendor who repairs or supplies a vessel may acquire a maritime lien over the vessel.3 In these and other areas, vessel status plays a crucial role in setting the limits of admiralty jurisdiction. Clear boundaries are important because with admiralty jurisdiction comes the application of substantive maritime law—the specialized body of statutory and judge-made law that governs maritime commerce and navigation.4 The Dictionary Act5 defines “vessel” for purposes of federal law. Per the statute, “[t]he word ‘vessel’ includes every description of watercraft or other artificial contrivance used, or capable of being used, as a means of transportation on water.”6 The statute’s language sweeps broadly, and courts have, at times, interpreted the statute to apply even to unusual structures that were never meant for maritime transport. “No doubt the three men in a tub would also fit within our definition,” one court acknowledged, “and one probably could make a convincing case for Jonah inside the whale.”7 At other times, however, courts have focused on the structure’s purpose, excluding structures that were not designed for maritime transport.8 In Stewart v.
    [Show full text]
  • Personal Watercraft Lesson Plans
    Personal Watercraft Safety Course for Boy Scouts Lesson Plans This syllabus is designed to be a guideline for local councils intending to implement a Personal Watercraft Program. This is a compilation of three years of experience and best practices. Changes are made regularly to improve the delivery of skills to the participants. Each section is designed to take place in a 90- to 120-minute period. The time spent on each section depends greatly on the skill retention of the participants. All participants should have completed the boater education certification for their state. Participants in this program should have the Boater Education Certification card with them when they check in at the beginning of the program or the course for certification should be a part of the program instruction. Resource Required for all Participants to Use—“The Handbook of Personal Watercraft Basics” (Item #0486): The resource for participation in this course is purchased ONLY through the National Council, Boy Scouts of America, Outdoor Programs Team. 1 | P a g e Personal Watercraft Safety Course for Boy Scouts Lesson Plans Section 1 Roster Check -Make sure all participants in the PWC course are present. -Ensure that Scouts have a current health and medical assessment. -All participants must be BSA swimmers. -Collect Parental Permission and Hold Harmless agreements. -Review individual Scouts’ Boater’s Education Certification. -Administer Boater’s Education if necessary. First Aid Overview -Show that you know first aid for injuries or illnesses that could occur while participating in water sports, including hypothermia, heat exhaustion, heatstroke, dehydration, sunburn, broken arm/leg, head injuries, and abdominal injuries.
    [Show full text]
  • Federal Register / Vol. 61, No. 194 / Friday, October 4, 1996 / Rules and Regulations
    52088 Federal Register / Vol. 61, No. 194 / Friday, October 4, 1996 / Rules and Regulations ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION Sources, Engine Programs and Planning and Standards. The service is AGENCY Compliance Division, Engine free of charge, except for the cost of the Compliance Programs Group, 501 3rd phone call. Users are able to access and 40 CFR Parts 89, 90, and 91 Street, Washington, DC 20005. The download TTN files on their first call public workshop will be held at 501 3rd using a personal computer and modem [FRL±5548±8] Street, Washington, DC 20005. per the following information. RIN 2060±AE54 Materials relevant to this rulemaking TTN BBS: 919±541±5742 (1200±14400 are contained in a docket at the bps, no parity, 8 data bits, 1 stop bit) Control of Air Pollution; Final Rule for following address: EPA Air Docket (LE± Voice Helpline: 919±541±5384 New Gasoline Spark-Ignition Marine 131), Attention: Docket Number A±92± Also accessible via Internet: TELNET Engines; Exemptions for New Nonroad 28, room M±1500, 401 M Street, SW., ttnbbs.rtpnc.epa.gov Off-line: Compression-Ignition Engines at or Washington, DC 20460. Materials Mondays from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 Above 37 Kilowatts and New Nonroad contained in this docket may be Noon ET Spark-Ignition Engines at or Below 19 reviewed at this location from 8:00 a.m. A user who has not called TTN Kilowatts until noon and from 1:30 p.m. until 3:30 previously will first be required to p.m. Monday through Friday. As AGENCY: Environmental Protection answer some basic informational provided in 40 CFR part 2, a reasonable Agency (EPA).
    [Show full text]
  • 9913 the Emissions Performance of the Rotapower® Engine
    9913 The Emissions Performance of the Rotapower® Engine Paul S. Moller, Ph.D. Freedom Motors Freedom Motors 1855 N 1st St., Suite B Dixon, CA 95620 www.freedom-motors.com All rights reserved. © 2018. No part of this publication may be repro duced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, and recording or otherwise without the prior written permission of the authors. 9913 The Emissions Performance of the Rotapower® Engine Paul S. Moller, Ph.D. Freedom Motors ABSTRACT production is different. Maximizing the combustion efficiency minimizes HC production by eliminating This paper discusses the emissions performance regions in the combustion chamber where the fuel of the Rotapower engine. This performance is air mix might get trapped and remain unburned. It compared to other types of engines. The attributes is desirable therefore to minimize low temperature of this engine that make it a clean powerplant are regions in the combustion chamber, which might described. quench the burning process, resulting in unburned fuel. Unburned hydrocarbon production increases ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNS ABOUT THE rapidly with insufficient oxygen present as does EMISSIONS OF INTERNAL COMBUSTION CO. This can result when operating below the air ENGINES DRIVE THE NEED FOR CLEANER to fuel ratio required to generate a stochiometric POWERPLANTS mixture (the mixture which results in the theoretical amount of available fuel and air necessary for Internal combustion (IC) engines are everywhere, complete combustion (A/F = 14.7)). It is important from the family SUV in America to the two-stroke to get enough turbulence in the combustion motor scooters in Hong Kong to the port able power chamber to ensure an even mixture and eliminate units in developing countries.
    [Show full text]
  • Uniform Minimum Protocols and Standards for Watercraft Inspection and Decontamination Programs for Dreissenid Mussels in the Western United States UMPS III
    Uniform Minimum Protocols and Standards for Watercraft Inspection and Decontamination Programs for Dreissenid Mussels in the Western United States UMPS III Editors Leah Elwell and Stephen Phillips UMPS III | 2016 This document has been prepared by the Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission to further the efforts of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s 100th Meridian Initiative, the mission of the Western Regional Panel on Aquatic Nuisance Species, and fulfill priorities within the Quagga Zebra Action Plan. Support for this project was provided, in part, by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Regions 1 and 6. Suggested citation: Elwell LC and S Phillips, editors. 2016. Uniform Minimum Protocols and Standards for Watercraft Inspection and Decontamination Programs for Dreissenid Mussels in the Western United States (UMPS III). Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission, Portland, OR. Pp 53. Original publication date of UMPS I: 2009 Revision and publication date of UMPS II: 2012 DISCLAIMER: The following protocols and standards are provided here to protect natural resources from the damage caused by aquatic invasive species. COVER PHOTOS: Arizona Game and Fish Department and David Wong Other photo credits: American Casting & Manufacturing Corp. Arizona Game and Fish Department California Department of Fish and Wildlife Idaho Department of Agriculture Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission, Bill Zook Quagga D LLC United States Bureau of Reclamation, Leonard Willet USDA Forest Service David Wong Wyoming Game and Fish Department 2 UMPS
    [Show full text]
  • 2019 Annual Information Form
    BRP INC. ANNUAL INFORMATION FORM MARCH 21, 2019 FISCAL YEAR ENDED JANUARY 31, 2019 TABLE OF CONTENTS EXPLANATORY NOTES .............................................................................................................................. 1 CORPORATE STRUCTURE ........................................................................................................................ 3 GENERAL DEVELOPMENT OF THE BUSINESS ...................................................................................... 4 BUSINESS OF THE COMPANY AND ITS INDUSTRY ............................................................................... 6 RISK FACTORS ......................................................................................................................................... 25 DIVIDENDS ................................................................................................................................................. 43 DESCRIPTION OF THE CAPITAL STRUCTURE ..................................................................................... 44 MARKET FOR SECURITIES AND TRADING PRICE AND VOLUME ...................................................... 51 DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS ................................................................................................................... 51 LEGAL PROCEEDINGS AND REGULATORY ACTIONS ........................................................................ 61 INTEREST OF MANAGEMENT AND OTHERS IN MATERIAL TRANSACTIONS .................................. 61 INDEPENDENT AUDITOR,
    [Show full text]
  • National Transportation Safety Board Washington, D.C
    F PB98-917002 NTSB/SS-98/01 NATIONAL TRANSPORTATION SAFETY BOARD WASHINGTON, D.C. 20594 SAFETY STUDY PERSONAL WATERCRAFT SAFETY 7002 National Transportation Safety Board. 1998. Personal watercraft safety. Safety Study NTSB/SS-98/01. Washington, DC. 98 p. Personal watercraft (PWC) are a type of recreational boat that has become increasingly popular in recent years. Manufacturers estimate that about 200,000 PWC are sold each year and that more than 1 million are in current operation. Although the overall number of re- creational boating fatalities has been declining in recent years, the number of personal watercraft-related fatalities has been increasing. PWC are the only type of recreational vessel for which the leading cause of fatalities is not drowning; in PWC fatalities, more persons die from blunt force trauma than from drowning. The National Transportation Safety Board initiated this study to more closely examine fatalities and injury in addition to accident characteristics associated with PWC accidents. The study was not designed to estimate how often PWC accidents occur, nor are the results of the study necessarily representative of all PWC accidents. The Safety Board analyzed 814 (one-third) of the 1997 reported accidents and examined all of the data for the 1996 reported accidents, which the Board believes provided a substantial number of accidents to identify the most important safety issues associated with PWC accidents. The safety issues discussed in the report include (a) protecting PWC riders from injury; (b) PWC operator experience and training; and (c) boating safety standards. The study also addressed the need for recreational boating exposure data.
    [Show full text]
  • North Carolina Small Craft Historical Context an Underwater
    North Carolina Small Craft Historical Context An Underwater Archaeology Unit Management Plan By Mark Wilde-Ramsing, Staff Archaeologist North Carolina Underwater Archaeology Unit And Michael B. Alford, Curator North Carolina Maritime Museum January 1990 Table of Contents Abstract.............................................................................................................................. 3 Introduction....................................................................................................................... 4 Historical Overview .......................................................................................................... 5 Current Research.............................................................................................................. 9 Resource Types................................................................................................................ 12 Typology of North Carolina Indigenous....................................................................... 17 Boat Type for the Period 1700 – 1920 ........................................................................... 17 I. HOLLOWED LOG SHELL ................................................................................. 17 II. PLANK-ON-FRAME........................................................................................... 18 III. SKIFF CONSTRUCTED.................................................................................. 21 IV. FLATS, FLATBOATS AND SCOWS............................................................
    [Show full text]
  • Watercraft Information Definitions
    Watercraft Information Definitions ENGINE DRIVE TYPE Inboard - in the context of an engine, means an engine mounted inside the confines of a vessel which powers a drive shaft that turns a water jet impeller or that runs through the bottom of the hull and is attached to a propeller at the other end. Outboard - in the context of an engine, means an engine with propeller or water jet integrally attached, which is usually mounted at the stern of a vessel. Pod Drive - means an engine mounted in front of the transom of a vessel and attached through the bottom of the hull to a steerable propulsion unit. Stern Drive - means an engine, powering a propeller using shifts and gears, mounted in front of the transom of a vessel and attached through the transom to a drive unit that is similar to the lower unit of an outboard, which may also be known as an inboard-outdrive or an inboard-outboard. PROPULSION TYPE Air Thrust – means a vessel propelled in a forward direction by an aircraft-type propeller and powered by either an aircraft or automotive engine. Manual – means a vessel which operates without an engine or motor and moves in a forward direction using paddles, sails, or foot pedals. Propellor – means a vessel using a type of fan that transmits power by converting rotational motion into thrust. A pressure difference is produced between the forward and rear surfaces of the airfoil-shaped blade, and a fluid (such as air or water) is accelerated behind the blade. Examples are electric, outboard, and stern drive motors.
    [Show full text]
  • Proposal for SUBMARINE Emoji
    Proposal for SUBMARINE Emoji Submitters: Fred Benenson; Nazir Agah (Illustrator) Date: March 31st 2019 ​ Identification CLDR Short Name: submarine ​ CLDR Keywords: submarine, sub, submersible ​ Images 72x72 18x18 License The submarine emoji and this document are released under a CC0 public domain dedication. Category The proposer suggests the submarine emoji be inserted in the travel category next to the other watercraft. Emoji Before The submarine emoji would appear next to the anchor emoji. Reference Emoji Transport: Ambulance / ​ Selection Factors: Inclusion Compatibility This is a new emoji for inclusion in Unicode and then other systems. It will contribute to the various phrases and usages defined below. Expected Usage Level Evidence of Frequency It’s the proposer’s expectation that the submarine emoji will have high and widespread global use. The results for “submarine” compared to “ambulance” across are as follows: ​ ​ ● Google (122 million vs. 192 million for ambulance) ● Bing (27.7 million vs. 29.4 million) ● YouTube (5.6 million vs. 9.61 million) ● Google Trends (60 vs. 58 “interest”) ● Google Trends Image Search (62 vs. 37) Google Web Search Bing YouTube Google Trends (Web Search) Compared to the reference emoji of “ambulance” submarine does about the same: Google Trends (Image Search) Submarine have greater interest in Google image searches than ambulance: Comparatively speaking, submarine is ahead of most other bot related search terms such as sailboat, motorboat, with the exception of cruise ship – all of which have their
    [Show full text]
  • Small Vessel with Inboard Engine Retrofitting Concepts; Real Boat
    energies Article Small Vessel with Inboard Engine Retrofitting Concepts; Real Boat Tests, Laboratory Hybrid Drive Tests and Theoretical Studies Wojciech Le´sniewski,Daniel Pi ˛atek , Konrad Marszałkowski and Wojciech Litwin * Faculty of Ocean Engineering and Ship Technology, Gdansk University of Technology, ul. Narutowicza 11/12, 80-233 Gdansk, Poland; [email protected] (W.L.); [email protected] (D.P.); [email protected] (K.M.) * Correspondence: [email protected] Received: 22 April 2020; Accepted: 14 May 2020; Published: 20 May 2020 Abstract: The development of modern technologies and their increasing availability, as well as the falling costs of highly efficient propulsion systems and power sources, have resulted in electric or hybrid propulsions systems’ growing popularity for use on watercraft. Presented in the paper are design and lab tests of a prototype parallel hybrid propulsion system. It describes a concept of retrofitting a conventionally powered nine meter-long vessel with the system, and includes results of power and efficiency measurements, as well as calculations of the vessel’s operating range under the propulsion of its electric motor. The concept of adding of a solar panels array was studied. Keywords: ship retrofitting; ship hybrid propulsion; energy efficiency; green shipping 1. Introduction Environmental protection is currently one of the absolute top criteria in numerous countries around the world. Legal limitations, as well as rising public awareness, result in a growing interest on the part of watercraft owners in electric propulsion systems characterised by increasingly stringent “zero-emission” levels. Intensive research and development activity has also been initiated by scientists from all over the globe, who concentrate on the subjects of hybrid propulsion [1,2], energy management [3–6], energy efficiency [7–9] and effective sources of power [10–16].
    [Show full text]