Steber Australia`s new 40ft Hybrid

[BruceK]

Steber is a small high quality builder of recreational and commercial vessels up to 72ft. In business nearly 80 years they produce high quality vessels well regarded by Police, rescue organizations, fisherfolk, and recreational users. They also refit the vessels they sold years ago, to a high standard.
A recent article in my insurer`s quarterly magazine alerted me to this new vessel, and I found a section on Steber`s website dealing with it. The vessel they fitted out is a 40ft workboat style vessel, but their popular 40ft FB cruiser uses the same hull and the electrics could easily replace the big diesels currently fitted. Steber don`t build trawlers though their planing cruisers would serve well and are a handsome boat. Steber say, proudly, their planing boats are designed so trim tabs are quite unnecessary.
I hope the article is of interest to the hybrid and electric aficionados on TF.

Steber electric hybrid features at Sanctuary Cove Boat Show - Steber International

Steber International’s head-turning electric hybrid boat will be a feature at next month’s Sanctuary Cove Boat Show on the Queensland Gold Coast. “It’s a great opportunity to showcase Australia’s first such vessel in front of up to 50,000 expected visitors”, says General Manager, Alan Steber...

www.steber.com.au

 

[Peter B]

Thanks for putting that up Bruce. Sounds very interesting. Clearly out on the water, well away from power outlets, range anxiety is a limiting factor with electric power, but from what I can gather, this vessel is rather like the way a diesel-electric train works. The diesel engine just provides the charge, the electric motors provide all the drive. Nissan has a hybrid car that uses the same principle also. Works for me...

 

[BruceK]

Thanks Peter. I think the power train consists of 2 300Kw electric motors and one 300Kw Cummins diesel to provide recharging away from the dock. The interesting feature I noted was the electric motors and the LI battery bank are all cooled. Of course the diesel would be cooled in the usual way.
I`ve long admired the 40ft Steber cruiser but cost wise (and age wise) I`m unlikely to ever act on my admiration. No lower helm either, though I`d guess Steber could fix that.
Seems we can`t make toothpaste in Australia any more, but surprisingly we can build some nice boats, courtesy of Steber, Riviera, and Maritimo. Steber`s R & D for a small builder is impressive. From the Club Marine article, they also build "specialist" unmanned vessels,and some other things they can`t tell us about. But I`m guessing our visiting overseas "observers" already know about that.

 

[Insequent]

The range, 3hours, on electric at 8 knots is pretty good I think. I could see their powertrain in a lightweight trawler such as Tad Roberts' 56 ft Passagemaker Lite.
Passagemaker Lite 56 - Tad Roberts' fast, seaworthy, fuel-efficient long-range passagemaker

When I leave my marina and go down the river and out into Moreton Bay I typically have a 26nm trip to an anchorage. In theory that could be an all-electric trip, saving 55 litres of diesel. That's a non-trivial saving when fuel here is $2.10/litre! It would be a real saving as power at my marina is not metered at present......