I've been eyeballing these:
https://www.thunderstruck-ev.com/sevcon-brushless-sailboat-kit-5kw.html
https://www.thunderstruck-ev.com/sevcon-brushless-sailboat-kit-10.5kw.html
Not sure how they compare with the QuietTorque but price is way lower and they're also 48 VDC brushless motors.
The reason for me to throw out my perfectly working diesel engine is that it barely fits in the engine room and maintenance is a nightmare due to the cockpit footwell taking up most of the remaining space. To access the back of the engine (or the filters, external cooling, gearbox/propshaft, batteries...) one has to be an advanced yoga master when going in through the lazarette and then somehow bend oneself in ways not possible for me, in order to reach most parts of the "engine room". I replaced a 120 Ah battery and that's something I would definitely not want to do again and I will have to next spring...
Options for me (pros/cons off the top of my head):
1. Inboard electric
Pros:
- Virtually maintenance-free
- Silent
- Responsive (starts immediately, instant full torque)
- Doesn't require dinosaur juice
- Weight of batteries can be effectively distributed
Cons:
- Expensive (batteries + charging) if long range is required
2. Remove the cockpit footwell (flush with the seats) and keep the diesel
Pros:
- Space to work on the engine
- Safety in rough weather (getting pooped)
Cons:
- Lowers resale value (but JR conversion will do that in any case, not a real consideration)
3. Replace with outboard engine
Pros:
- Inexpensive
- Easy maintenance
- Easy to replace anywhere anytime
- Combined with 2 (removing the footwell) would gain lots of space inside
- Get rid of prop+shaft (no leaking & improve sailing performance)
Cons:
- Horrible in a seaway with prop coming out of the water
- Aesthetically non-pleasing
At this point I'm torn between 1 and 2. Due to the hull shape (double-ender) an outboard well isn't really an option, otherwise 3 would be almost a no-brainer.