Sneak peek: An environmental statement you will enjoy making

Apr 23, 2020

By Andy Adams

Quite a number of my friends, particularly those on the feminine side, not only care about the environment, but they want to make a statement. They want to live a great life while respecting the world we live in, and I think the Greenline 33 Hybrid is a very appealing way to make that statement.

This is a handsome and accommodating trawler that is especially well suited to the Canadian cruising lifestyle on the coasts, or inland through areas like the Trent Severn Waterway, or Georgian Bay.

Performance

Jill drives the silent Greenline

We cast off and almost silently, manoeuvred out of the slip with the thrusters then running on electric power only, we ghosted down the fairway and out into Georgian Bay. If it had been before sunrise, we would not have wakened anyone. Full throttle on electric gives one hour and nine minutes of runtime and uses 198 amps traveling at 5.7 knots to 6.0 knots depending on current and how clean the hull is. The hull is a semi-displacement design with a partial keel, a pair of stabilizer fins and a fairly flat bottom that gives impressive stability and comfort along with efficiency.

Four knots is delightful, but not always what you want. The test boat had the Hybrid engine package with the optional Volvo D3 diesel making 220 horsepower, plus the electric motor. This changes things a lot. What’s interesting is that under diesel power, at 4.2 knots you’re generating 30 amps of power and at 7.4 knots, you’re generating 100 amps, which means that in 20 minutes you can return the batteries to approximately 80% of full charge.

The Greenline 33 has a lithium polymer 48-volt main power supply plus an inverter to step up to 110 volts for the household size refrigerator, air conditioning system, microwave and any other household appliances. Covering most of the sleek coach roof, solar panels charge the main batteries during daylight and without effort. 

To be able to cruise in near-silence, with no exhaust, no pollution and (almost) no fuel expense is pretty impressive. The Greenline 33 Hybrid might just be the statement you want to make and it’s sure to start lots of conversations as you pull into the marina!

Read Andy Adams’ complete review and technical details in the May issue of Canadian Yachting magazine.