"Practical " Boat Owner?..

[ylop]

Waste of money buying a folding prop to get another half a knot then

Not sure I understand your point? If you care about 1/2 knot whilst sailing then yes you want a feathering prop and it will limit your sail “regen” options but lots of people don’t have feathering props anyway which suggest that that <10% performance improvement might not be the most important factor. As someone posted further up the top of the range “regen” options have the ability to feather the prop for max speed / regen for electric / run motor for drive. Of course that comes at a significant cost.

 

[dunedin]

Yes! But what a change. Would I have been able to motor 90 miles (through 2-2.5 metre waves for 60 of those) at 6kts. with a silly little electric motor. Now I have a broken femour I can use my boat as a motor boat & motor long distances of up to 150 miles within my 24 hour SH insurance limit if I felt so inclined. I don't - but Dover to Dieppe is certainly on the cards next year.

Many might think that not being tempted to motor upwind for 60 miles into 2-2.5m waves would be a positive attraction!
But it is a different mindset. Wait until a better weather window, or hoist the flappy things and zig zag - like we did yesterday when everybody else had their diesels on. Often it is more comfortable sailing upwind at 45 degrees and 25 degrees of heel, rather than bashing upwind and upright under motor. And with an efficient boat can be almost as fast, as few modern boats can motor upwind and upright at 6 knots into 2m waves without severe slamming.

 

[finestgreen]

I generally find a "that's interesting", a "that's useful" and a "that's irrelevant" group in each issue. I do all the sailing mags as part of a "Readily" subscription - which is for the whole family and only £7.99, so I'm happy at the moment.

Readily includes the canal boat mags and music mags which I'm also interested in - my wife (who is anything but idle) likes "The Idler".

You can read an American gun or knife mag for a laugh.

Readly not readily? Do you know how you got a £7.99 rate? (It seems to be £12.99 now)

 

[Laser310]

well, i skimmed this thread...

where is this 4kts bsp for hydrogeneration coming from?

I have done atlantic crossings with the watt and sea hydrogenerators - both the cruising and racing versions.

i think they are great.

they can be noisy though

but they are not even worth putting in the water at 4kts bsp.

they are also pretty expensive. the boats i was on had two fitted, and it adds up.

 

[Daydream believer]

Many might think that not being tempted to motor upwind for 60 miles into 2-2.5m waves would be a positive attraction!
But it is a different mindset. Wait until a better weather window, or hoist the flappy things and zig zag - like we did yesterday when everybody else had their diesels on. Often it is more comfortable sailing upwind at 45 degrees and 25 degrees of heel, rather than bashing upwind and upright under motor. And with an efficient boat can be almost as fast, as few modern boats can motor upwind

We had a set timetable to meet. Sailing was not on the plan. Plus, I was violently sea sick (as usual)- so the last thing on my mind was hoisting/dropping sails. I just wanted to get there. As for speed. 13.5 hours for 88 miles equals 6.67kts SOG. Obviosly we were making best use of tides but not bad for a 31 ft yacht cruising at 2100-2300RPM
But the point of this is that I doubt that I could have matched that with any electric power for the cost. £10200 supplied & fitted (by me) inc all yard lift out & re launching etc of vessel , Craneage of engine inc. New saildrive, but re use extg autoprop.

 

[dunedin]

We had a set timetable to meet. Sailing was not on the plan. Plus, I was violently sea sick (as usual)- so the last thing on my mind was hoisting/dropping sails. I just wanted to get there. As for speed. 13.5 hours for 88 miles equals 6.67kts SOG. Obviosly we were making best use of tides but not bad for a 31 ft yacht cruising at 2100-2300RPM
But the point of this is that I doubt that I could have matched that with any electric power for the cost. £10200 supplied & fitted (by me) inc all yard lift out & re launching etc of vessel , Craneage of engine inc. New saildrive, but re use extg autoprop.

If your claim of going into 2+ metre seas for 60 miles averaging over 6 knots in a 31 footer are in fact true, then no wonder you get seasick !!! But the Scots saying - ah hae me doots

 

[geem]

Looks like we will need to agree to disagree?
As to allegations of being insufficiently open minded....

I have an eprop outboard, which does reasonable duty ON MY TENDER and can be recharged from my (small) yachts 40A alt, or solar systems. This change was necessary due to the poor quality fuels (and the directly associated safety issues) that have been inflicted on v small boat users. They seem he'll bent 9n following the same "Eco" path with some of the new types of diesel fuels.

I also have used a LiFePO4 house battery in place of my original LA AGM battery for several seasons now.
Shock horror..I fitted this myself...despite dire warnings that me and my boat would soon be incinerated by inextinguishable battery fires.
I have not yet been able to convince a "suitably qualified professional" to attend, so as to sign off my work....regardless of the doubtless considerable costs that this will involve.

Recently I met a localish guy seeking to operate a brand new E-Power foot passenger ferry, who was having similar certification/insurance difficulties with "the authorities".

Hereabouts, folk get fed up waiting for access to the very limited pontoon space available, just to bunker fresh water.
The same pontoon provides the sole sewage pump out (very rarely used), and is also about to be fitted with ONE E charging point. Doubtless this will be primarily occupied by the harbour masters swanky new electric "patrol boat".

Much here is effectively "Unsustainable ", but for not the usual reasons they trot out...

When I first installed lithium, I spoke to a marine electrician to see if he would sign off my battery installation. He said he didn't carry insurance to work on lithium systems so he couldn't do it. I self certified my system with Pantaenius on the basis that I am a mechanical and electrical engineer.

well, i skimmed this thread...

where is this 4kts bsp for hydrogeneration coming from?

I have done atlantic crossings with the watt and sea hydrogenerators - both the cruising and racing versions.

i think they are great.

they can be noisy though

but they are not even worth putting in the water at 4kts bsp.

they are also pretty expensive. the boats i was on had two fitted, and it adds up.

My findings are similar. With a Duogen at 4kts boat speed the output is not great but even at 7kts boat speed we didn't get more than 240Ah per day at 12v. They are crazy expensive as well and not super reliable. The duogen like to catch discarded fishing gear. The Watt and Sea like to leak water into
the unit. The Duogen goes through bearings as well.

 

[Bristolfashion]

Readly not readily? Do you know how you got a £7.99 rate? (It seems to be £12.99 now)

Or is it Redlie!

Yep, it's what you said. Spell check strikes again!

Readly was £7.99 when I took it out some years ago and, on checking my latest payment on 14/10, it still is for me. I'm afraid I've no idea if that price or any other reduction is available to new subscribers.

 

[Bristolfashion]

How sad. Are you still fretting about it?

Are you "picking" on me!