The race, featuring 85 sailboats up to a length of 6.5 m, crossed the Atlantic Ocean over a distance of 4200 nm (7800 km) in two legs: from Charente Maritime, France to Madeira, Portugal, and then on from Madeira to Salvador de Bahia in Brazil. Runner-up Charlie Dalin on Pogo 2 was first across the finish line in Brazil, although his cumulative time led to second place overall.

Throughout the race the EFOY 2200 direct methanol fuel cell system provided reliable, maintenance-free power to the electrical and electronic devices onboard Pogo 2. Some 30 further race participants used other fuel cells manufactured by SFC Smart Fuel Cell. The EFOY 2200 fuel cell is the most powerful SFC model.

‘The EFOY 2200 fuel cell worked perfectly and always under load from the day of installation,’ says Dalin. ‘While other participants of the race lost valuable time due to power failure and their electronics not working, I always had trouble-free power for my GPS and other devices.’

‘The demanding circumstances in which our EFOY 2200 has performed impeccably prove that there finally is a reliable power solution for sailboats,’ says Dr Peter Podesser, CEO of SFC Smart Fuel Cell.

Podesser says that the SFC EFOY system is a silent, lightweight, emission-free alternative in sailboats to wind and water generators, which often are not reliable and efficient enough. Solar panels are often in the way, and may generate too little power, even in sunlight, when the sail’s shadow is on them. And generators are too large, loud and heavy for smaller yachts.

EFOY fuel cell units are produced by German-based SFC Smart Fuel Cell AG, a leading supplier of fuel cell products for mobile and off-grid power applications. The EFOY fuel cell series consists of five models, with a charging capacity from 600 to 2200 Wh per day.