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Since 2024, Robust-MT Marine Technology BV the official dealer of the innovative aluminium Zuidwestersloep. To demonstrate the unique sailing characteristics and wide range of applications of these aluminium sloops in practice, we purchased our own ZWS 500 in that same year as a demonstration model. This demo boat serves as our mobile and sailing electrotechnical testbed. Over the past few years, the boat has undergone an interesting technical evolution in terms of motorization and battery capacity, during which the vessel has been used intensively at major events and extensive practical tests.
During the initial construction and subsequent upgrades of our own ZWS 500 demo boat, we set ourselves clear technical goals. The vessel had to be capable of being deployed to make various customer needs and configurations tangible:
Demonstrating efficiency
Proving that a serious, robust aluminium sloop performs excellently in small inland waters with a light engine.
Flexible charging options
In the first phase, demonstrate that electric boating is possible without a fixed shore power supply, by using portable batteries that can be easily charged at the office.
Practical testing under harsh conditions
Testing the limits of the system during prolonged boat trips and intensive events such as the Varend Corso.
Upgrade to maximum range
At a later stage, the boat was equipped with a heavier installation with a very high battery capacity for longer holidays and towing on open water.
The ZWS 500 has been built up and modified step-by-step over time by our engineering team in Monster. The project consists of three distinct technical phases:
Phase 1: The 1 kW basic configuration (2024)
In the first phase, the sloop was deliberately equipped with a lightweight ePropulsion Spirit 1.0 Evo motor (1 kW). For the power supply, we temporarily used the e80 batteries that we had borrowed from our sailing catamaran. With this setup, we demonstrated that the boat achieved a cruising speed of 6 to 8 km/h with only 500W of power and could complete a substantial test trip of 50 kilometers through the Westland and Delft for just €1.04 in electricity costs.
Phase 2: Upgrade to 6 kW power
During the anniversary edition of the Varend Corso in 2024, our ZWS 500 served as the mothership for the solar boats of the Young Solar Challenge. On the final day, the sloop with the 1 kW motor had to tow a stranded boat all the way from Delft to the Westland. Although this was successful, it was the direct reason to upgrade the boat to a heavier ePropulsion Navy 6.0 Evo (6 kW). With this powerful configuration, the sloop was subsequently deployed for an extensive field test and holiday in the Frisian National Park Alde Feanen.
Phase 3: Integration of the e163 fixed battery bank
To provide the Navy 6.0 motor with maximum standby time, the boat has now been equipped with a fixed ePropulsion E163 lithium battery. Although mobile charging has become a lower priority as a result, this substantial capacity offers the possibility of extremely long cruising times. For occasional charging at the office, the battery can still be lifted out of the boat together if desired.
You don't need to know yet which motor, battery, or configuration you need. Tell us what kind of boat you have and how you want to sail it. Then we will help you figure it out.
