The very first prototype TRYBRID will be 34m or 111ft in length. It will weigh under 50 tonnes, and will be able to operate efficiently across a range of speeds from 7 to 20 knots. It will be powered by twin 200kw diesel generators, or by a 25kw solar array, or by a 150kw Ballard fuel cell, or by wind, or by a combination of all of these hybrid sources. All sources of the boat’s energy will be translated into electricity to turn a large and purposely oversized 800HP electronic motor, that will be able to generate a lot of slow turning torque for added propellor efficiency.
A series of small scaled models will first be built to undergo tests, and these models will likely form ‘a class’ of solar hybrid models for the Solar Boat Challenge, going beyond the range of regular tank testing, at the Tasmanian Australian Marine College .
The 34m Trybrid will have a draft of only 1.2m, meaning the boat will have great capacity to work carefully over coral, and in rivers and estuarine situations. Whilst long, the central hull is only very narrow at less than 2.55m wide. The beam dimension across the decks is very wide, nonetheless, at some 13.76m wide. Final weights are being determined, but the boat will likely weigh in under 35 tonnes when dry. 4 tonnes of this weight is in battery storage. Internally the boat will have roughly the same size as a suburban house at 120m2, with substantial deck areas, and added ‘in hull’ space in the narrow main hull.. There are around 120m of solar arrays on the vessel, like the Solar Sailor’s, Sydney Harbour ferry.
The performance goals aim to minimize fuel use, through a range of speeds. At calm speeds in the 5-7knot range, the vessel will cruise under solar input alone. Short sprints can be boosted by the 2.4 tonnes or 200kWh of lithium batteries, but to ramp the speeds over 6 knots, the first diesel ( or coconut oil) generator will kick in, allowing the internal combustion engine to remain in their optimal fuel efficiency rev range. To wind the boat up to 20 knots, both gensets will be deployed. For sprints speeds, teh baot cans add inAt 110feet long, speeds over 30knots are entirely possible, but practical ocean conditions and the fuel discipline being applied to future conditions work together to suggest a practical top speed of 20 knots for the first prototype is prudent and practical.