RS Electric Boats Pulse 63 | Digest 57 Partridge, and the differences stem from ergonomic, mechanical and software design features. A conventional boat throttle lever is mechanically linked to both forward or reverse gear or pitch change mechanisms with a neutral position in the middle of its fore-and-aft travel. Partridge explains that the Pulse 63’s smart throttle moves in the same sense, but includes a spring-loaded neutral detent that engages as the lever reaches the centre position. “As it is an all-electric system it feels super smooth and light,” Partridge remarks. “There are no gears in the system, so going from forwards into reverse and back is much better for it than with a conventional outboard, with which you would be crunching through gears; with this you are not, so it feels almost effortless.” Significant development effort went into programming how the motor responds to the throttle to improve the boat’s controllability. The instant torque of the electric motor was a problem at first because it effectively generated too much response to initial movement of the lever. “It has been programmed to be much more gradual at first and to build up the power progressively when you throttle it up”, Partridge adds. The trim controls are also on the throttle, enabling the skipper to raise the propeller to clear the bottom in the shallows and to lift it completely clear of the water. This is an advantage if the boat is to be left in the water overnight as it minimises marine growth on the propeller, for example, which is an important way to reduce the need for cleaning and related maintenance. Most RHIBs and other small powerboats feature a ‘kill cord’ attached to the skipper and the ignition that will stop the engine if the skipper falls overboard. The version used on the Pulse 63 is a RADTag that attaches magnetically to the tag point and cuts the power to the propulsion motor when it is pulled off the magnet. Partridge says that the RADTag also serves as the boat’s key and is programmable for individual users. “Say you are at a sailing club and there are certain coaches who go out in the boat and you want to limit them to 10 knots, for example. You can program the tag so that it will tell the smart throttle to let the boat do no more than 10 knots.” The system can also be used for geofencing, making sure that the boat cannot enter prohibited areas and that selected users cannot take it beyond set boundaries, for example. Safety signal lights The throttle is also linked to a set of safety signal lights on the back of the drive unit positioned to be visible to anyone in the water behind the boat, warning them of the status of the propulsion system to minimise the risk of contact with a spinning propeller. If the lights are white, that means the tag is off and it is safe, meaning that if someone knocks the throttle, nothing will happen, Partridge explains. If the tag is attached, the lights flash purple to indicate that while the propeller is not spinning, if someone knocks the throttle the propeller will start to spin. Constant pink lights indicate that it is not safe to approach the boat because the propeller is spinning. All aspects of the drive and battery system are connected to RADBus, RAD’s CAN based control and data network that also enables monitoring of all components to help ensure user safety. Like all the nodes on a CAN bus network, the throttle has a ‘heartbeat’, which is a periodic message that serves as an indicator of the system’s health and status. It is through the RADBus network, for example, that the throttle communicates with the safety lights, as well as core propulsion system components such as the inverter that drives the motor. Pulse 63 also has a real-time range calculation system built with technology from RAD Propulsion and Metron-EV. “On the screen it will tell you how much time and distance you have left at your current throttle setting and speed,” Partridge says. RAD has also announced that it will use the RADBus network as the infrastructure into which it will integrate more advanced features. Cheetah Marine also offers a version of the Pulse 63 (R630) hull for customers who are not quite ready to commit fully to electric propulsion, Jon Partridge reports. “We have made this a very much cheaper version with a standard combustion outboard motor on the back, but the fuel tanks, etc in the place that the batteries would be on an electric version.The idea is to sell the hull and then, a few years down the line, convert it, or else the customer can trade it in for a fully electric RHIB.” Partridge argues that even with an IC-engine outboard, the efficiency of the hull still reduces carbon emissions so that is a step in the right direction. The next big project, he says, involves the conversion of 7.9 m and 8.9 m Cheetah catamarans to electric power for commercial operators, with 20 such conversions (seven Cheetah catamarans and 13 Pulse 63 RIBs) funded by an Innovate UK grant. The purpose of the grant is to create a network of electric boat services across the UK for use by, for example, harbour masters, boat clubs, survey operators and the Environment Agency. E-Mobility Engineering | January/February 2024 Pulse 63 key specifications Top speed: 23 kt Max range: 100 nm Average speed v range: 5 kt – 100 nm, 10 kt – 60 nm, 15 kt – 45 nm, 20 kt – 30 nm Length: 6.3 m Beam: 2.3 m Weight: 815 kg Capacity: up to 6 adults Some key suppliers and partners: Outboard electric drive: RAD Propulsion Development partner: Cheetah Marine
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