Electric Philosophy

Electric Philosophy is a cruising power catamaran completely powered by the sun. More than 12,000 nm of travel including 3 roundtrips to Alaska have been completed since launch in 2021, all without using any shorepower. It has proven to be a comfortable, quiet, stable and capable boat for extended self-sufficient coastal cruising by a couple and one or two guests.
Electric Philosophy is a custom design and build by Devlin Designing Boatbuilders, in collaboration with the owner, Ed Pauley, who designed and built the solar electric propulsion system. The construction is traditional Devlin stitch and glue wood/epoxy while the catamaran boat form was driven by the requirements for the very large roof solar array and large battery banks. The bow placement of the radar pylon keeps the panels unobscured. The twin hulls are dedicated to the four independent Lithium Iron Phosphate battery banks (two 24V for house needs, two 48V to power the electric motors) and twin electric 20kW motors. The hulls also provide ample room for large fresh water and holding tanks below the battery banks, and storage with minimal hull penetrations.
All living accommodations are on deck level, with a queen master berth, convertible queen dinette, electric galley, and separate head and shower. A diesel boiler hydronic system for cabin heat and hot water is the only non-electric component. The solar roof provides cover to side deck walkways and cockpit area. The outboard for the catamaran inflatable dinghy is also electric, recharged from the main battery banks.
The concept for Electric Philosophy grew out of the owners’ use of solar electric power on their Airstream travel trailer, and visits to the Wooden Boat Festival where the idea of independent solar powered propulsion on a boat was presented as a possibility.
Typical travel speed in calm conditions is 5.5-6.5 kts, max is 8.5 kts. It is designed for continuous use without shore power with all power needs, including electric galley, supplied by solar charging to the large battery banks. The battery banks are sized with a large enough reserve that it can run 2-3 days with no solar input due to weather or darkness. A typical cruising season is to leave its home port of Olympia in April and not return until October.