Catalina 30 electric repower: motor, battery and cable sizing

The Catalina 30 is a 9.1 m monohull with a 7.62 m waterline and 4,627 kg displacement. From those figures, the configurator's sizing model puts an electric conversion at 10 kW and 32 kWh on a 48 V system.

Boat data: sailboatdata.com — Catalina 30, checked 23 October 2026

Motor power

10 kW

9.5 kW needed at 5 kn

Battery pack

32 kWh

2 h at full rating, with reserve

DC design current

347 A @ 48 V

cabling burden: heavy

Range on that pack

10 nm

at 5 kn

Open the Catalina 30 in the configurator Compare motors for 10 kW

The boat

Length: 9.12 m
Waterline length: 7.62 m
Beam: 3.3 m
Displacement: 4,627 kg
Hull: Fin keel with spade rudder
Designer: Frank Butler
Builder: Catalina Yachts (USA)
Built: 1976–2008
Number built: 6,430
Original engine: Varied over the production run

Power needed by speed

Speed	Shaft power
3 kn	3.2 kW
4 kn	5 kW
5 kncruise target	9.5 kW
6 kn	20.1 kW
6.7 knhull speed	34.5 kW

The configurator's power-per-tonne heuristic, not a tank test — real boats vary by about ±25% with hull form, fouling, sea state and propeller. Near hull speed the power climbs steeply.

48 V or 96 V

48 V systemconfigurator's choice

347 A

design DC current · cabling burden heavy · 150 mm² for a short run

96 V system

193 A

design DC current · cabling burden moderate · 70 mm² for a short run

Motor lines that cover 10 kW at 48 V

Oceanvolt

SD saildrives (SD6 – SD15)

Saildrive · 6–12 kW continuous · 48 V

Oceanvolt

AXC shaft drives (AXC12 – AXC36)

Shaft drive · 12–36 kW continuous · 48 V modules

Torqeedo

Cruise 12.0 FP (fixed pod)

Pod drive · 12 kW · 48 V

From our motor comparison, matched by power and system voltage only — check drive type and fit with the maker.

What these numbers assume

The published displacement. Your boat loaded for cruising is heavier — use your own figure in the configurator.
Cruise target of 5 kn, which is 75% of the 6.7 kn hull speed.
A shaft drive (assumed — the source doesn't say; a saildrive adds about 4%).
A pack sized for 2 hours at the motor's full rating, 15% reserve and 80% usable depth of discharge.
The Catalina 30 was built from 1976 to 2008; versions changed over that time, so check your own boat's figures.

Catalina 30

Common questions

How many kW does a Catalina 30 need for electric propulsion?+

About 9.5 kW to hold 5 knots — 75% of its 6.7-knot hull speed — so the configurator suggests a 10 kW motor. Power rises steeply above that: about 34.5 kW at hull speed. These are estimates from the boat's published waterline length and displacement; real boats vary by roughly ±25%.

What size battery does a Catalina 30 need?+

The configurator sizes about 32 kWh of LiFePO4 for 2 hours at the motor's full 10 kW rating, with a 15% reserve and 80% usable depth of discharge — about 10 nautical miles at 5 knots. Cruising below full power stretches that.

Should a Catalina 30 use 48 V or 96 V?+

At 10 kW the design DC current is about 347 A at 48 V (cabling burden: heavy) and about 193 A at 96 V (moderate). The configurator picks 48 V for this boat: it stays on 48 V unless the 48 V current reaches its "very heavy" level.