A queston for Rick Willoughby

One thing that keeps coming back to mind, is a Hybrid type
people powered boat, as in:

Pedals turn a flywheel, flywheel turns a small high efficiency
alternator connected to small battery, as, lawn mower type.

Long slender hull, out riggers, you seem to have the best
in hull design as it is. Electric motor in streamline nacelle
as, a long slender skeg.

Simple drive, weight?, Pedal a while, rest, pedal a while rest.

When you get tired, just drive it back to shore! Drink beer!

I saw something where they used a small tire filled with
antifreeze as a self balancing flywheel.

 

All those things just add weight, complexity and inefficiency; not to mention cost.

If I get tired I just slow down or stop. Below 8kph the required effort is less than that required to walk.

The only appendage drag I have on the current boat is a 1/4" diameter shaft that is mostly aligned with the flow and a 14mm diameter bearing housing hanging off a 1.6mm thick strut. Anything bigger is added drag.

http://boatdesign.net/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=24110&d=1218255936

A flywheel improves the feel of the pedals but the gain in pedalling efficiency does not offset the added weight and losses involved in mechanical energy transfer.

Batteries are the most effective means of energy storage but losses involved in generating and motoring offset any gain other than for a burst of speed.

Rick W

 

Factor in a boat for distance rather that max speed?

 

Photo linked in earlier post is optimised for long range cruising. The hull design was originally developed for a 404km race that I did a couple of times.

The design condition is 12kph at 150W. Once you encumber the boat with the weight and complexity of a flywheel system the speed will drop off considerably.

A copy of this boat is being prepared for a 24 hour world distance record attempt in North America right now:
http://www.adventuresofgreg.com/HPB/HPBmain.html
So it is a long distance cruiser for relatively sheltered water.

A boat for max speed would have foils and I would make it as light as possible.

Rick W

 

Thanks for your time and expertise!

Still thinking, always looking for something for nothing!

I am not able to pedal any distance, sail seems my best
bet, the wind is free!

 

One great feature of a pedal boat is that you can stop pedalling at any time and you do not fall over. Unless you have strong winds the required effort is almost constant with speed. No hills to contend with.

I have not found anyone who has not been impressed with the ease and speed possible on water in a nice pedal boat.

Rick W

 

Rick;

I had polio as a child and have some limitations as to use
of my legs. I can walk limited distances. As I get older, it
seems to be less. I tried a bike, but walking is easier.

I have been sailing since 1949 and the last couple of years
is the only time in my life I have not had a boat to play with.

We sold our Catalina 25 due to extreme rises in mooring cost!
From under $100 a month to near $500 in less than 10 years!

We also have an airplane to deal with!

The wife and I have retired and looking for a little boat, I
guess we need to build a little sail boat and be done with
it!

Found some free plans we like and have a lot of clear cedar
1"X12"X12' and all the wood working tools you can dream of!

Again, thanks for your time and good luck in your quest!

 

BHOFM

I for one would love to see what kind of boat a clockmaker would come up

with. But I wouldn't give him/her any start-up moneny for it, that's for

sure. But tell me, do you speak from experience?

Where were you living when you got polio?

And, if I may ask, what age are you? Let me guess,

57? Tom.

 

One that's finished on time....

 

I have built, 25+ boats, mostly small, one 25' sailboat!
Many were weekend built, in the water the next weekend!
Jonboats, Dingys,

Van Buren Arkansas

I am 62 years old!

My boat:

http://www.boatdesign.net/forums/showthread.php?t=24009

 

I'm starting to get the idea.

Nicely done.

Tic - tic...