My little piece of peace

[masalai]

I may have found some suitable batteries http://www.forklift-batteries.com.au/classic-range/ or ".../liberator/" range more information in the following weeks I hope, does anyone have some data other than the website on these batteries?

[Richard Atkin]

Hi Mas. Awesome thread, awesome boat. I haven't been visiting this website for ages. Congratulations. You must be having fun.

[Alan M.]

Any reason for not using the same batteries as Bryan? By far the best value for AGM's I've found. Got 10 of them myself.

[masalai]

These are not AGM - and not committed yet - still researching...

[masalai]

OK lotsa shots as today is Friday...

[masalai]

And another four images... - - in the previous set image 2249 is where the batteries will go, and looking aft in image 2251 is the "entrance to the berth, under which the batteries will be placed in boxes and belayed firmly into position.... Possibly wet cells and in a flow-coated, glassed, balsa cored duflex panel containment area ventilated by "computer fans" in plastic pipes to push any hydrogen etc out...

[masalai]

The engines I intend to use are the torqeedo cruise 4.0R, unless something absolutely brilliant is offered instead?...

[Manie B]

Looking good Mas


Mas i have one of those wierd questions for you and your team

how efficient is it to tow one of those spinning water generators behind a sailboat?

or put another way
if i had a long light shaft with a propeller trailing behind whilst sailing, and that is connected to a 50 amp alternator with built in regulator (belt drive to get the speeds RPM right)
what would be involved

point is
windvanes are very expensive per amp output
solar panels are rediculously expensive for 6 hours a day output
my home work at this very early stage, shows that i can run a small 4hp fourstroke engine with beltdrives onto 2x 50 amp alternators for say 2 hours a day and use the same amount of money in 7 years as what folks are spending on solar panels


which basically means - the more i learn about your setup
the more i like it
and i am starting to think that what you are doing could be done on a small scale as well - even by amateurs

[Manie B]

nice video of torqueedo

http://www.torqeedo.com/us/sn/image-...ise-video.html

[masalai]

It was quite popular in the 70's and used about 100m of non twisting rope/wire with a sort of spiral screw (as opposed to a propellor shape) and drove a modified generator that charged at relatively low rpm of some of the coastal small cargo boats 40 to 80 ft as they had little by way of other electronics.... a little 3hp honda engine with a "car alternator" would be a better option is solar-panels are not viable... - work out what you need in watt-hours & voltage on the electronics forum - or ask Fanie?

To do my system one must make certain decisions on cooking, refrigeration, motive power and a lot of other things to justify an all "electric boat"... partial system is too expensive to validate. I have one 21hp diesel engine generating 48VDC to charge batteries for galley etc (house bank) which also supplies the engines and nav and everything else and with 2000 to 3000 watts of solar panels - I figured it had to be an ALL ELECTRIC option else I could not justify the expense.... There is no gas for the stove as the hotplates are 240v as is microwave oven....

[masalai]

Torqeedo works well and is electrically efficient and thrust is similar to a 9.9hp outboard on the 4.0R cruise model but reverse is not much because the propeller is optimised for forward thrust (to get reverse thrust I would like to see an option where the leg could be turned around to effectively redirect the thrust backwards...) about A$6200 each I think and replacement warranty for 2 years - there is one running at full thrust, 24/7 since the Sanctuary Cove Boat Show on the Gold Coast starting around 22 May 2009 until self (if possible) destruction....? I might even put a smaller Torqeedo on the tender...

Manie, I am definitely not an expert, I am a farmer who also does community development in undeveloped, developing regions - basically I have taught myself to see and think "outside the box" and use what is available... Often I get some of the detail wrong, but will eventually make the best of a situation... knowledge tends to accumulate over time in an enquiring mind...

[masalai]

Manie, - and all others watch/listen to this, it is beginning to get really scary - this USA economic meltdown thing http://inflation.us/videos.html

[Scrumble]

That Oram Boy is a wonder, very good progress Mas

[masalai]

Thanks Tom, I am well pleased with the progress on the boat too....

[NEWENGLAND]

Nice looking Boat.

It would be a great passenger tour boat if you build one with an open deck and a pair of Cummins 700HP High output Diesels in it. You could run it on BioWhilly! and it would Boot-Scoot-Boogy!


How much would one of those boats cost? I am looking for a new Charter boat.

Capt Walt

Newenglandcharters@maine.rr.com