MERMAID is a 46’ yawl designed by Sparkman & Stephens and built by Paul E. Luke in 1957. She recently received an electrical-system upgrade that included a bank of lithium-ion batteries. The new system adds enormous battery capacity and greatly reduces recharging time. In this discussion with Don Eley, who engineered the system, we learn of the multiple details that must be considered when updating batteries from lead-acid to lithium-ion.
Read Don Eley’s article about MERMAID’s lithium-ion battery upgrade in WB No. 312.