Favorite Type of Power for a Powerboat

[JonathanCole]

I like solar with bio diesel backup. Solar electric drives are quiet, low maintenance, and once the investment in equipment is made they are extremely cheap to operate. By the way, wind is actually solar as well since all atmospheric currents are driven by thermal differentials generated when sunlight hits the earth. So I add a wind generator to mitigate the largest problem with renewable energy which is an unpredictable variation in output over time. This is partly solved with efficient storage. Flooded lead acid batteries are 90% efficient when operated between 50% and 90% of charge.

It is best to have different energy conversion strategies (solar-electric, wind-electric, generating regeneratively with the prop/motor when the currents are favorable). A motor sailor recently crossed the Atlantic with a Solomon Technologies Electric Wheel drive and generated nearly all of the 51 footers electrical needs by using it in generator mode. They didn't have to use their backup generator for most of the journey.
http://www.solomontechnologies.com/Solomon%20new/Article_Waypoint_arrival.html

In the end, everything will be hybrid to take advantage of the best features of each technology. Because energy is just about to get very expensive. So if you haven't been keeping up with inflation.........

 

[mackid068]

It certainly is. But still, you have to have some sort of backup for a hyper-efficient system in the case that it fails. A small diesel motor (running on biodiesel) or just on regular diesel would serve well.

 

[cyclops]

Small gas inboards always come with a table in the middle. Very handy for a break, stopped or running. Servicing is the easiest of any other type. Thats why the engines last the longest. And the engines and bilge are the cleanest.

 

[AggieBoater]

I have a Volvo diesel inboard in my Morgan sailboat, and am still figuring out how to afford to get diesels into my Trojan 30 that I'm re-powering. Com'on lotto!!!! Can't beat the safty, dependability, and range.

 

[mackid068]

That's for sure! A non-flammable power source? Can't be beaten!

 

[marshmat]

Wonder why MHD isn't up there?.....

 

[mackid068]

MHD? What's that?

 

[marshmat]

MHD = magnetohydrodynamic propulsion. A magnetic field is applied laterally across a tube (tube is much like that of a jet pump), and an electric potential applied vertically across the same section of the tube. Any ion encountering the crossed magnetic and electric fields is accelerated orthogonally to both.

Or, in layman's terms: Big (superconducting) electromagnet crossing a big electric field pushes saltwater out the back.

The Japanese ship Yamato I is the best known example of the system. Big advantage is that there are no moving parts in the drive, but it's for saltwater only and very expensive at present. Ideally suited to fuel cells or other pure electric power sources.

 

[mackid068]

Sounds highly expensve, but is probably great! Sounds like a railgun almost...but not really.

 

[PowerTech]

like in the hunt for Red October.

 

[yipster]

yeah, we were promised atomic sigarette lighters, windshield whipers etc right?
something else is a prop without a shaft i saw somewhere recently.
magnetic through hull, no loss, no holes, fantastic someone said! really!?

 

[mackid068]

That was a GREAT movie and a cool design. Makes sense, sort of, even to the "scientifically challenged," I would think.

 

[marshmat]

the drive in that movie was not an MHD as we know them... the 'caterpillar', i think they called it. fictional technology although built on somewhat sound principals. still a cool gadget though, slick and quiet.... wouldn't mind one for the damn jet-ski that was buzzing the docks today....

 

[mackid068]

Yup, that's exactly what they called it, but the US Navy ship designer character called it an MHD and gave a good description.

 

[SolomonGrundy]

None of the above

HUMAN power baby!