Hidden Anchors

[Willallison]

I would worry more about a software glitch that takes over and rams my boat into another in the marina than losing a drive pod.

You mean like this?

[Willallison]

BRAND NEW Vessel was performing sea trials. At full speed with the autopilot on. Pulled back one of the fully electronic controls. Nothing. Pulled back the other. Nothing. Tried to turn off the autopilot. Your guessed it.....
1 1/2 minutes later, 2 million bucks hit the breakwater.....

[Willallison]

Oh - and I agree Tom, that in the case of high speed collision, pods are probably less likely to result in total vessel loss - at least in the case of shafts. But what about when you're poking about at displacement speeds in an unknown anchorage - at least with a sterndrive (or of course an outboard) you can trim it up so the dangers are minimised....
Yes ships and tugs have been using them succesfully for years - but they don't run aground quite as often as me!

[mydauphin]

What about the poor Manatees. They see one of these things coming at them and they are going to die of fright. I would be sh.... in my pants too.

[Frosty]

Wow --ouch--jeees You should post these pics on the "steering options" thread for the fly by wire lovers.

Thats exactly my point 2 million dollars down the shoot because of a wire.

Im surprised insurance companies put up with this. This does not happen with cables,--ok sticking sometimes--cant select too good but not its not catastrophic.

[Pericles]

It's the ease with which docking can be achieved that appeals to me. The article about Vripack in the latest issue of PBO finishes with a ride in the first IPS boat built in Holland, an Osprey 37. The software controls the radius of turns, slower speed permits a tighter turn. Dan Spurling was impressed.

However, for me, the Yellowfin solution is the one I favour, because it's a surface drive system that works very well with smaller engines, because of its efficiency over fully immersed props or waterjets.

http://www.yellowfin.com/VSDTechnology.asp

Needing fewer horsepower will save pots of money for the owner and eliminating the need for a bowthruster and rudders will also help costings. It works for me as drive by wire is the way to go, pictures of grounded boats notwithstanding.

Pericles

[tom28571]

The Yellowfin looks very interesting for smaller boats but I was disappointed that they did not show any photos of it or describe it at all. Did I not hit the right button on the website? Also, throwing water in the air is not necessarily an indicator of a good propulsion system although it might be.

We should start a new thread on propulsion systems.

[mydauphin]

I have a feeling that Yellowfin is like the Moller Skycar. Millions will be invested, there wont be any products for decades. But the concept of large surface drives for large ships is not a bad idea. I am working on one, and have seem many others. All issues are addressable and they do provide high efficency on the right boat. Not for big fat overweight boats they work on light skinny long boats with proper setup.

[Pericles]

Tom,

Press Room Media Coverage.

http://www.yellowfin.com/pr_shipnboat.pdf

http://www.yellowfin.com/pr_engineeringtalk_1.html

http://www.yellowfin.com/pr_sportsboat_1.html

Pericles

[Vega]

Take a look at Hanse boats:

http://www.hanseyachts.com/US/Yachts...model/470.aspx

Sorry Will, the only thing you will see on the pictures is a clean deck.

I could find no pictures, but they have the best system I ever saw:

A balanced piece with anchor and all that you can swing into position without effort and without mecanic help. I have tried the system on a 47 ft boat, big anchor and no effort to swing it on position. Have a look.

[marshmat]

The big ships must think that there is some real economic advantage or they would not be using them.

For a cruise ship, there is a real economic advantage. These ships don't go far, but they put into port daily, and the ability to manoeuvre at the pier without tugboats is an enormous cost-saver. Ferries use them for the same reason- amazing agility with no significant sacrifice in efficiency. Big ocean-crossers of most sorts still go with a single, gigantic prop on a conventional horizontal shaft, which remains the champion for overall propulsive efficiency. But a supertanker can't dock without a flotilla of tugs to push it into place.

Will- gotta love that one about the runaway autopilots. There is such a thing as too many electronics.
Something to be said for a "master kill" switch like solarcars, shop equipment, etc. has, that with one push shuts down every system on board in ten milliseconds....

[mydauphin]

Originally Posted by marshmat

Something to be said for a "master kill" switch like solarcars, shop equipment, etc. has, that with one push shuts down every system on board in ten milliseconds....

Only recently are people building boats without some kind of immediate kill switch and I am not talking fuel cut off. Either ignition or Air shutoff to engine. This is a big safety issue. In my boat I have Detroit Diesels with a cable that pull a latch the shuts flapper with a spring like a choke in a carb. Standard equipment in old diesels.

[Willallison]

My 1st thought was "why didn't they turn off the master switches". Ok, with an older styke mechanical mosnter it wouldn't have done anything. But with electronically controlled diesels this would surely have stopped everything in its tracks...?

[Frosty]

Originally Posted by Willallison

My 1st thought was "why didn't they turn off the master switches". Ok, with an older styke mechanical monster it wouldn't have done anything. But with electronically controlled diesels this would surely have stopped everything in its tracks...?

Your assuming that the throttles will return themselves on a spring. This may not neccesarily be the case. It may need power to the actuator to close the throttles.

The first actuators I ever saw was on a RR silver cloud heater controls.
The actuators needed power to open and to close.

[Willallison]

No - I'm assuming that with no power to run the electronics the engines will stop. Failing that, surely it would have killed the the autopilot, allowing them to run 'round in circles 'till they came up with a better idea.
This of course assumes that they new where to find the master switches, not just the champagne fridge....