Oceanvolt and ATA Gears support the shift to quieter, more efficient electric boating

A major shift is underway in boating. As the industry moves steadily from diesel propulsion toward electric systems, expectations are changing with it. Today’s boat owners are not only looking for lower emissions, but also for silence, comfort, reliability, and greater energy independence on board. Oceanvolt has positioned itself at the forefront of that transition.

The ServoProp

Known for its electric propulsion systems for sailboats, Oceanvolt has built its reputation on technology that combines propulsion efficiency with hydrogeneration and practical onboard usability. At the center of that offering is the ServoProp, the only controllable-pitch saildrive on the market. Designed to deliver efficient electric propulsion while also generating power under sail, it has become a defining product for the company, and a solution trusted by many leading sailboat designers and manufacturers in both monohull and multihull applications.

System-level thinking

Sailors are increasingly seeking a quieter, more comfortable onboard experience, especially in the premium segment where expectations for convenience and system integration are high. Electric propulsion supports that shift by removing the noise, vibration, smell, and maintenance burden associated with conventional diesel systems.

For Oceanvolt, the case for electric propulsion is about more than replacing one power source with another. It is also about preserving the experience that draws people to sailing in the first place. “All boaters love to be on the waves,” says Oceanvolt CEO Mikael Heikfolk, “but those who like to go sailing want to hear the waves and wind, and see the pull in the sails. Our solution is chosen because the owners of medium and large premium sailboats also appreciate easy maintenance and durability. And they like their boats to be well equipped – with electric stoves, ovens and grills, air conditioning in all cabins as well as a water purification system to convert lake or sea water into fresh water. There’s a whole lot of things installed, and that’s what we need to understand, the whole electrical system on the boat.”

That system-level thinking is central to the company’s offering. Oceanvolt is not simply supplying a motor. It is helping enable a complete onboard energy ecosystem in which propulsion, battery charging, and hotel loads all need to work together reliably.

As Oceanvolt CTO Gustavo Vieira puts it: “Oceanvolt offers the most eco-friendly and reliable power for propulsion and for recharging the batteries that give boaters the freedom to use their kitchen and other appliances.”

Relying on the best gears

Marine conditions, of course, leave very little room for compromise. Saltwater, long service lives, vibration, and corrosion place enormous demands on every component in the drivetrain. In sailing applications, where efficiency margins are tight and owners expect durability over decades, the quality of mechanical components is critical.

“For mechanical components of steel, such as gear wheels, that is a long time in a boat,” Heikfolk says, referring to the long lifespan of sailing vessels. “They are subjected to water containing salt… It’s a very demanding environment.”

That demanding environment is one reason Oceanvolt relies so heavily on ATA Gears. Almost all Oceanvolt propulsion solutions use ATA’s bevel gears in their power transmission systems. In Saildrives and ServoProp installations, bevel gears are essential because they allow power to be transferred efficiently while changing direction within the drivetrain. Oceanvolt also uses ATA’s gears in the mechanism that controls the propeller blades, making them fundamental not only to propulsion but also to the performance characteristics that distinguish the ServoProp concept.

“We use ATA’s gears for the main propeller and also for the system which controls the propeller blades,” says Vieira.

The demands placed on those gears are high. Electric propulsion delivers torque immediately, and that torque must be transmitted smoothly, reliably, and quietly.

“It’s instant power, in other words instantaneous torque, which is needed,” Heikfolk says. “And the bevel gears need to provide that silently. For that we need the best gears available.”

Application-specific collaboration

That need for quiet, efficient performance is especially important in sailing, where product acceptance depends not only on propulsion capability but also on preserving the vessel’s sailing characteristics. Any unnecessary drag or resistance is immediately felt. For that reason, the collaboration between Oceanvolt and ATA is not simply transactional. It is technical and application-specific.

“The design cooperation taking place after we have communicated our specifications for gear size, torque requirement, and noise level is really important for us,” says Vieira. “We can count on ATA to handle the gear side and with the help of their Gear Doctors, we can collaborate in designing a propulsion and energy generation solution with minimal water resistance. A solution which does not take away knots. Without speed optimization nobody would buy our products.”

Precision below the surface

This emphasis on optimizing both drivetrain performance and hydrodynamic efficiency reflects a broader truth about marine electrification: advanced electrical systems alone are not enough. The underlying mechanical engineering must be equally refined.

Together, Oceanvolt and ATA illustrate what it takes to make electric propulsion work in the real world of marine use. The shift away from diesel may be driven by changing customer expectations and new technology, but successful systems still depend on the quality of the components hidden inside them. In Oceanvolt’s case, ATA’s bevel gears are part of what allows the company to deliver quiet, efficient, and reliable propulsion in one of the harshest operating environments there is.

Electric boating may be the visible story. Precision engineering below the surface is what makes it possible.