How many outboards do you need in your tender?

[Spirit (of Glenans)]

Some dodgy ensign being flown there. Has he got a saltire up on the radar mast too? Bloody cheek!

I fear that is the flag of some dodgy offshore tax-haven.

 

[Neeves]

Anybody with that many engines would be under close scrutiny of the customers and excise and the guardia civil here in Spain were such arrangement is associated with serious drug running either around Gibraltar or the rias

In the '90s Mercedes were the cars of choice in China and they would be transferred to order, one car at a time, on suitably long tinnies with 4 x 250hp O/B from HK to the PRC. Now - no-one who is anyone in China would be seen dead in a 'second hand' Merc.

How times change

 

[westernman]

In the '90s Mercedes were the cars of choice in China and they would be transferred to order, one car at a time, on suitably long tinnies with 4 x 250hp O/B from HK to the PRC. Now - no-one who is anyone in China would be seen dead in a 'second hand' Merc.

How times change

I have never seen an old car in China. Any ideas where they go?

Of course things like Mercedes, Audi, BMW, etc are all made in China these days.

 

[geem]

Unless the plug oiled up. In which case, you’ll get more exercise than a rower, on the start rope. Meanwhile, the electric outboard will silently potter away to the moorings, admiring the bird life on the way. Electrics ain’t quick, but they always start. My wife loves ours.

Unless the battery is flat

 

[Chiara’s slave]

Unless the battery is flat

At least you know that before you try. A long time before you try if your IQ is over 50.

 

[westernman]

A fit rower will outrun a Torqeedo.

Or a paddler. And have far longer range.
For instance one of the stages in the Hawaiki nui va'a canoe race is 58km non-stop in open sea.
The women and juniors have a "short" course of 45km.

 

[Chiara’s slave]

Most people here are in fantasy land if they think they are fit rowers. In actual fact, a Torquedo or e propulsion motor is 1kw, and will run for 45 mins or so at that power. You find me a human that can do that. Mr Redgrave is quite old for that game. Top cyclists do about 750 watts in that time frame btw. Obviously Cavendish and his competitors can do a few thousand, but for 30 odd seconds.

 

[geem]

Most people here are in fantasy land if they think they are fit rowers. In actual fact, a Torquedo or e propulsion motor is 1kw, and will run for 45 mins or so at that power. You find me a human that can do that. Mr Redgrave is quite old for that game. Top cyclists do about 750 watts in that time frame btw. Obviously Cavendish and his competitors can do a few thousand, but for 30 odd seconds.

I have no issue with electric outboards. If I was in the UK and wanted a motor to get me to a mooring I can think of no better solution. No smelly petrol in the car or leaky outboard. However, it would be totally miserable for us here in the Caribbean. We do lots of miles in a 3.8m hard dinghy. We carry lots of gear and up to 4 people on the plane. 1kw would get us nowhere. We use 15hp and it spot on for our needs. We deal with choppy seas and aren't not concerned to run a mile up wind into a hefty chop in 20 to 25kts of wind. Horses for courses. We do have a pair of 7ft oars that can propel us along nicely but they are a back an emergency up system not primary drive

 

[Chiara’s slave]

I thought that would be the case for you. I don’t think electric power is right for everyone, yet! But it is a damned sight quicker than rowing or paddling, even if it can’t do 5 miles planing in the open sea.

 

[john_morris_uk]

Most people here are in fantasy land if they think they are fit rowers. In actual fact, a Torquedo or e propulsion motor is 1kw, and will run for 45 mins or so at that power. You find me a human that can do that. Mr Redgrave is quite old for that game. Top cyclists do about 750 watts in that time frame btw. Obviously Cavendish and his competitors can do a few thousand, but for 30 odd seconds.

Perhaps we should compare and contrast system losses. And how much of that 1Kw actually ends up as propulsion?

 

[Chiara’s slave]

Perhaps we should compare and contrast system losses. And how much of that 1Kw actually ends up as propulsion?

Is that different with different fuels? How efficient are oars. How efficient is the prop on your Mercury 3.3? Watt for watt, it’s little different. Am I missing your point here?

 

[SaltyC]

In days gone by, (where's my Zimmer) before everyone had outboards we had Avon Redcrests with oars! I remember before a teenager leaving RCYC jetty for the boat on a mooring in Flushing (Child labour!), creep up tide before crossing then back up tide for a dash to the mooring. You learnt a lot about working the tides and adreneline fueled you with a desire to get to the boat that a lack of volts in a battery or petrol in an outboard doesn't.

 

[Bouba]

Or a paddler. And have far longer range.
For instance one of the stages in the Hawaiki nui va'a canoe race is 58km non-stop in open sea.
The women and juniors have a "short" course of 45km.

Yes but don’t they rotate paddlers...a boat drops a swimmer in the water and one of the paddlers drops overboard

 

[westernman]

Is that different with different fuels? How efficient are oars. How efficient is the prop on your Mercury 3.3? Watt for watt, it’s little different. Am I missing your point here?

Lots of heavy freight used to be moved along our canal systems in barges. Up to 30 tons or so of cargo could be moved using one horse.
One horse is less than one watt.

 

[westernman]

Yes but don’t they rotate paddlers...a boat drops a swimmer in the water and one of the paddlers drops overboard

Not allowed in some races.

 

[geem]

The problem we all have is that the stored energy in a battery is pitiful compared to the stored energy in a litre of petrol. Petrol has 8.76kWH in a litre.
An epropulsion battery has 1.3kWh of stored energy. The batteries are £900. More than the cost of a small outboard

 

[Chiara’s slave]

Lots of heavy freight used to be moved along our canal systems in barges. Up to 30 tons or so of cargo could be moved using one horse.
One horse is less than one watt.

I beg your pardon? One horse, one horsepower all day, well, with s break or 3! 750 watts approximately. Obviously again, a great deal more if its short term, like this afternoon at Aintree.

 

[Chiara’s slave]

The problem we all have is that the stored energy in a battery is pitiful compared to the stored energy in a litre of petrol. Petrol has 8.76kWH in a litre.
An epropulsion battery has 1.3kWh of stored energy. The batteries are £900. More than the cost of a small outboard

Thats the energy content. The average outboard is 20% efficient at very best. The 2 strokes only 10%. But you can carry many litres.

 

[Buck Turgidson]

I beg your pardon? One horse, one horsepower all day, well, with s break or 3! 750 watts approximately. Obviously again, a great deal more if its short term, like this afternoon at Aintree.

1 horse is up to 15 horsepower

 

[Chiara’s slave]

1 horse is up to 15 horsepower

Thats what I said. One horsepower all day, massively more for a burst