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Quad Marine, Inc.

Quad Marine, Inc. is and an American catamaran manufacturer, based in Los Angeles, California. Founded in 2005, the company specializes in electric-powered recreational watercraft. CEO Steve Salani has stated that the company’s strategy is to apply the business model of Tesla to the marine industry. The company’s first announced product is the Quad 44, a 44-foot watercraft with a catamaran hull configuration and solar panels for recharging.

Solar power combined with battery storage allows for propulsion of the catamaran without burning fossil fuels. An electric motor is used in place of internal combustion engines that run on diesel fuel, most common in the marine industry.

History

Quad Marine was founded by Steve Salani, who is currently the company’s CEO. Starting with an engineering degree from UC Santa Barbara (BSEE 1980), Steve’s skill set has expanded to include hardware design, software development, database design, 2D graphic design, and 3D computer modeling. Steve is the author of four US technology patents (3 granted, 1 pending). His sailing experience includes 10 years membership with Fairwind Yacht Club in Marina Del Rey (2000-2010), bareboat charter in the BVI, and multiple cruises to Catalina island. Steve has invested over 10 years in the design and development of Quad Marine's flagship product, the Quad 44. Previous work experience includes a position as CEO/founder of Xetabase, a provider of database development and support services, and CEO/founder of Orchestra.Net, a provider of remote audio production services.

Strategy

There are over 80 boat manufacturers in the US, but only a few offer models with electric motors, and even fewer are solar powered. The top three boat makers in the US (by unit volume) do not currently offer electric motors or solar panels on their stock models. Conversions or additions are done as an after market enhancement.

Recent trends in the automotive industry indicate that a transition to electric vehicles in underway, and a similar transition is underway in the marine industry.  Volvo announced that it will introduce five new electric vehicles between 2019 and 2021 , and that all subsequent models will be either electric hybrids or 100% electric.   The Volkswagen Group (VW, Audi, Porsche, Lamborghini, SEAT, Skoda) has also committed to electrifying its entire car lineup by 2030.  VW Group chairman Matthias Müller stated that “The transformation in our industry is unstoppable.” Research reports concerning the marine industry forecast a dramatic expansion of the electric boat market, and project that it will be a $20 billion market within 10 years.

The largest market in terms of unit volume is recreational boats, followed by underwater leisure vessels and autonomous underwater vehicles. IDTechX analysts state that, in terms of gross sales, on-water commercial marine vehicles are the largest opportunity for electric vehicles and hybrids. The report details many of the advantages of electric boats, including:

–Easier autonomous navigation

–Quiet operation allowing for unobtrusive wildlife tours

–Better acceleration

–Energy independence by harvesting sun and wind

–Potentially lower up-front cost for small vessels and lowest cost of ownership most vessels

–Environmental benefits: reducing deaths & sickness of humans and wildlife from local air and water pollution

As this trend continues to expand throughout the world, demand for electric watercraft will increase dramatically.

Catamarans

History

A catamaran is a watercraft with two immersed hulls. The hull configuration is derived from the outrigger canoes developed by the Polynesian people over 3000 years ago. The narrow outrigger hulls are very efficient for human-powered transportation, and they allowed the Polynesians to travel over large regions of the Pacific.

In modern times, catamarans were popularized in the sixties by beach-cat pioneer Hobie Alter, becoming the boat of choice for thousands of recreational sailors. The larger cruising catamaran (typically with three or four passenger cabins) is now the industry-standard marine recreation platform in vacation destinations like the Mediterranean and the Caribbean, and is featured by many large charter operators such as SunSail , Horizon Charters and The Moorings .

Advantages of Catamarans

Level sailing- When under way, a cat or tri will rarely heel more than 5-10 degrees.

Safety, unsinkable - The lack of ballast, and additional positive flotation, means that nearly every catamaran and trimaran produced in the last few decades will remain on the surface of the water even in the event of a collision or hull breach. Nearly all cruising cats and tris have a substantial amount of reserve buoyancy in the form of closed-cell foam installed in various compartments within the hull. Even in the rare event of a capsize the reserve buoyancy will keep the boat afloat.

Energy efficiency- Cruising catamarans will typically be 25-30% faster than a cruising monohull of the same length.

Greater living space - Typically a cat will have the space below equivalent to a monohull 10+ feet larger. When combined with added cockpit space and possibly a flybridge, the deck space could be double that of a monohull.

Draft - Because a multihull's stability comes from the wide beam and extra hulls (form stability), there is no need for ballast or a substantial keel. This reduces overall weight and, importantly, draft as well. It is common for a 40+ foot cruising cat to have a draft less than 4 feet, allowing sailors to explore shallow areas inaccessible to monohull boats.

Electric Propulsion

According to the US Energy Information Administration :

Low Initial Cost - The initial cost of an electric motor is considerably lower than a fossil-fuel engine with the same Output Horsepower Rating (in nearly every case).

Long Life - Because electric motors contain relatively few moving parts, they have extensive operational life spans. For instance, an appropriately selected and maintained electric motor offers up to 30,000 hours of operating life without major repairs. (This is the approximate equivalent of 3½ years of nonstop usage.)

Low Maintenance Requirements - Electric motors are durable and have extensive operating life and minimal service requirements.

High Efficiency - Electric motors are highly-efficient with ratings that range from 50% to 95% (depending on the motor's size and operating conditions).

Automated Control - Automated controls are easily installed to operate electric motors, providing the versatility of automatic and remote Start/Stop functions.

No Fossil Fuels - They require no fuel, engine oil maintenance, battery service, and do not freeze in sub-zero temperatures.

Labor Cost Savings - Electric motors reduce requirements for labor due to lower maintenance and easier control which ultimately makes production more profitable by reducing costs.

Occupational Safety - Motors contribute to the safety of the work environment, emitting little noise, no exhaust, and without flammable fuels.

Solar Panels

1. Solar panels are highly reliable and easy to maintain. Solar panels have no moving parts, so visual checks are enough to keep systems up and running. Solar panels are built to withstand hail impact, high wind, and freeze-thaw cycles. Solar panel systems can produce power in all types of weather. On partly cloudy days, they produce as much as 80% of their potential energy. Even on extremely cloudy days, they can still produce about 25% of their maximum output.

2. Virtually no environmental impact. Solar panel systems burn no fuel and have no moving parts. They are clean and silent, producing no atmospheric emissions or greenhouse gases that are harmful to the earth.

3. Modular and flexible in terms of size and applications. Solar panel systems can be built to any size in response to the energy needs at hand. They can be enlarged or moved easily.

Models

Quad 44

The company’s flagship product is the culmination of a 10-year R&D effort to create a cruising catamaran without the flaws and compromises of traditional designs, and without the reliability and maintenance problems of diesel engines. The raised-cabin configuration of the Quad 44 is designed to exceed the performance and specifications of competing boats in six key areas:

• Larger accommodation space with quieter cabins

• Improved performance (more efficient / higher speed)

• Boarding and disembarking is easier and safer

• Smoother, more comfortable passage in rough weather

• Better visibility from enclosed forward helm station

• Storage for two dinghies with safe and easy boarding

The dramatically increased accommodation space is a compelling feature of the Quad 44 and Quad Marine is anticipating that it will be one of its strongest selling points. Compared to the industry-standard Lagoon 450 catamaran (overall length 45+ feet) the Quad 44 (overall length 44 feet) provides 40% larger interior accommodation space.

Sailing Rig Option

A sailing rig will be offered as an option to supplement the Quad 44's electric drive.  Quad Marine has developed the Aerolite rig (patent pending) which is designed to offer greater reliability and easier sail trimming.

When equipped with the Aerolite rig the Quad 44 will offer essentially unlimited range without the cost, maintenance, and environmental impact of internal combustion engines.  An electronic autopilot system is planned that will provide automated control of both the sails and the helm.

Quad Marine Patents

Multihull Watercraft Abstract:

The patent discloses a multihull watercraft with a unique hull configuration providing numerous benefits. By relocating the passenger cabins from the float hulls to the upper hull, the accommodation space and the float hulls may be independently optimized. The new configuration also provides reduced windage, and creates additional deck space for easier boarding, recreational use, and safer access to shore craft.

See Also

· Quadrimaran

· Multihull

· Solar panel

· Electric Motor

· California Environmental Protection Agency

· Sierra Club