September 5th, 2011
Elco Motor Yachts and Hunter Marine Introduce the First Totally Integrated, Eco-Friendly Electric Propulsion System for Sailboats Up to 55 Feet
CANNES, FRANCE September 5, 2011- The new Hunter e36 HYBRID features the all-new Elco E Power hybrid system, featuring the new Elco EP4000 AC electric motor. The E Power system includes an integrated network of high performance recharging options with a range of over 800 nautical miles at five knots cruising speed at a cost of eight cents per nautical mile when under battery power only. Read More
February 24th, 2011
Elco Motor Yachts Headed “Down East”
Athens, NY Nothing says “pleasure boating” like the island-studded Maine coast. And along the Maine coast, nothing says “boat show” like the highly regarded Maine Boat Builders Show, set for Friday, March 18 through Sunday, March 20 at the Portland Company Complex in the tourist mecca of historic downtown Portland.
Representatives of Elco Motor Yachts have been on hand at all the major boat shows from coast to coast this winter and will continue the tradition in Portland, where factory staff will discuss the technology involved in the companies’ unique “green” electric propulsion systems and explain to the boating public how enthusiasts can benefit from using their product.
Elco has been a mainstay in the battery-powered boat industry for well over a century but their current products are the most efficient ever and are totally green, as the onboard batteries can be efficiently recharged using on-board solar cells and wind generators along with the traditional shore power connections.
While an example will not be on display, the Hunter 27E sailboat with Elco auxiliary power was nominated for Boat of the Year, 30 feet and under, by Cruising World and was named a Green Award winner by Sail magazine. The boat produces zero emissions and moves noiselessly without the heat, vibration and fumes that accompany traditional gas or diesel powered systems.
The system uses a 3-phase motor with but one moving part that offers the same thrust as a 14 hp diesel engine. State of the art batteries provide 6-8 hours of power before needing a recharge and the system is seen by many enthusiasts as the pleasure boating propulsion system of the future. The Elco Motor has a power range of 6,12, 20, 40 and 70 hp.
As Elco Vice-President Kevin Kearns is fond of saying when summarizing the Hunter 27E’s attributes, “You can go out from the dock to the ocean, turn off the motor and sail without ever hearing any noise!”
Organizers describe the Maine Boat Builders Show as “a gathering of the finest fiberglass and wooden custom boat builders on the East Coast but the show will also feature exhibits of boating equipment, sailboats, powerboats, canoes kayaks and row boats along with manufacturers such as Elco Motor Yachts. It’s the perfect opportunity to learn about the latest products as well as the application of technology by Elco, a company that has updated an old concept using modern technology, resulting in a product that is reliable, efficient and environmentally superior.
February 24th, 2011
Meeting the Public is a Pleasure, Whether it’s in the US or France
Athens, NY The employees of the Elco Motor Yachts company, from management to the manufacturing unit to the sales and marketing staff, are rightfully proud of their unique, “Green” product. This pride is evident when company representatives hit the road, or in the case of the Paris Boat Show, the air, to get out and share the companies’ message with the boating public.
When Elco representatives visited the Paris Boat Show in December of 2010, they found that both boaters and the media, representing the European public in general, were extremely interested in Elco’s line of electric auxiliary powerplants, as “green” is a way of life on the continent.
This interaction is best illustrated by a Promotional video from Elco, available at www.youtube.com/elcomotoryachts, which follows Elco Motor Yachts Vice-President Kevin Kearn’s explanation to a French media representative, through an interpreter, of the benefits of their products. Besides being compact and vibration free, the electric units, which replace gas and diesel powerplants, are also noiseless.
“You can go out from the dock to the ocean, turn off the motor and sail without ever hearing any noise,” explained Kearns through the interpreter. And that’s a great selling point on either side of the Atlantic.
Another characteristic that proved very popular with the thousands of enthusiasts who visited the Elco Motor Yachts display at the Paris show was that the batteries that power the electric motor can be recharged using either shore power or onboard solar panels and/or wind generators, either of which helps reduce our dependence on fossil fuels.
December 23rd, 2010
Awards Season Honors Continue For Revolutionary Hunter 27E – Powered by Elco
ATHENS, NY – The good news continues to roll into the Athens headquarters of Elco Motor Yachts, as the recently introduced Hunter 27E motorized sailboat has been named the Green Award Winner by Sail magazine.
Built by the Hunter Marine Corporation of Alachua, FL, the 27E is powered by a “totally green” system provided by Elco Motor Yachts, the nation’s oldest supplier of electric propulsion systems for marine use. The prestigious Green Award marks the second major honor bestowed on the craft, as it was recently named one of three finalists in the Cruising World “Boat of the Year” competition in the “30 Feet and Under” class.
