April 17th, 2018: The range of work involved in the superyacht sector is as broad as the many types of designs. Recent projects for Piet Brouwer Electrotechnology include an upgrade for SY Missy, refit-related activities on MY Sherakhan and MY Dancing Hare, plus a health check and survey for MY Secret.
Piet Brouwer Electrotechnology has upgraded the battery systems onboard the 34-metre high-performance sailing yacht Missy. The yacht had originally been delivered in 2016 with a 60 kWh lithium-ion pack, and the upgrade involved new technology and batteries by Victron Energy that allowed capacity to be increased by 40 kWh while reducing weight. The main point of the refit was to extend the night mode period, preventing the batteries from running empty in the early morning and removing the need to start the generator. At the same time, the increase in capacity also allowed the heating management to be improved. In addition to enabling a period with no emissions or noise of more than ten hours, another major benefit of the system is its smarter energy distribution during the day. While the generator is on, the batteries are fully recharged whenever this is permitted by the yacht’s energy requirements. When demand for power is higher than the generator capacity, energy is again extracted from the batteries. Smart energy management by Piet Brouwer Electrotechnology, combined with the equipment by Victron Energy, allowed for a highly efficient smart grid system which enables Missy to function for a whole day with a generator of only 28 kW, while also ensuring emissions-free periods of more than ten hours at night. Piet Brouwer’s sister company Marble Automation further optimised the visualisation and operation of the system, giving the yacht’s engineer full control over the system and the possibility to adapt it to the circumstances and wishes of the owner. For instance, if desired, the charging process can be accelerated or a night mode period terminated earlier so as to reserve power for a quiet period during the day when guests wish to go swimming or relax on deck. Unique for a yacht of this size, the combination of low generator capacity and battery pack represents a true engineering triumph. Piet Brouwer Electrotechnology is therefore proud of this development and the contribution it makes to a cleaner and quieter environment.
Piet Brouwer Electrotechnology is also conducting various activities on the 57.7-metre classic Amels motoryacht Dancing Hare, currently being refitted at Balk Shipyard. This includes the detachment and reconnection of various electricity components and a complete refit of the galley.
This winter, the motoryacht Sherakhan was given a comprehensive refit at ICON Shipyards in Harlingen. The vessel, which measures nearly 70 metres, was completely restyled inside and out, and all her equipment given a complete overhaul. A team from Piet Brouwer Electrotechnology carried out all the electrical engineering work in close cooperation with the owner and crew, working tirelessly to ensure that Sherakhan would be ready to start the coming charter season in tip-top shape.
Piet Brouwer Electrotechnology has successfully completed a health check and five year survey on the 82-metre motoryacht Secret, built by Abeking & Rasmussen. Delivered in 2013, Secret was due for her five year survey this year in line with class requirements. In cooperation with ICON Refits, Piet Brouwer handled the electrotechnical aspect of the survey, which included megger-testing the system, checking and recertifying the generator breakers, and performing an earth fault check. The Piet Brouwer Electrotechnology engineers have a wealth of experience in providing these services and were especially trained by IL&T to perform these types of megger tests. They also checked the generator breakers and repaired them wherever deviations or failures were found. In addition, they performed a full thermos-scan at the request of the crew to check the system for weak connections and potential hazards. Although the system on Secret is both complex and comprehensive, the engineers completed the health check and survey within two weeks to the full satisfaction of ICON Refits and the yacht crew. They also reported their findings to the relevant class societies and crew members.