Towed Generators

[Budgieboy]

Hi

Soon to set off on my first big run with Windsong from Lisbon to Madeira all of 500 miles probably a 4 day run and it's time to try out my Ampair towed generator, decent offshore run with no pots to foul it on , anybody got any tips for retrieving these things? Not much about on the subject just that retrieving seems to be the big taboo ... Thanks Ken.

 

[Roberto]

A bug inverted funnel, or somewhat conical plastic can, on the rope.

 

[Goldie]

I have a big plastic funnel split down one side and with a couple of ties, one at each end. Pop the funnel over the line and let it slide down over the prop. When rotation stops, recover line and prop. You can either recover all the line aboard or trail the bight until the prop is aboard - useful if you wish to disconnect the inboard end to let it stream the twists out. A good strong pair of leather gloves is useful too!

 

[Ric]

I just grab the rope firmly and pull it in. I connect the impeller to the rope with a screw-lock carabina, so once I have the whole tangled writhing coil on deck I can rapidly disconnect the impeller and stream the rope out behind to make it nice and straight again. Reconnect impeller, coil rope and ready for next deployment.

 

[Neeves]

Ours is an LVM Aqua4aero gen. Leather gloves, I use welding gloves, and simply pull it in. I sit on the transom steps and haul. Disconnect from the generator and then stream the twisted mess to straighten - which means you need to allow time, distance to effect the unravelling. Slowing the yacht obviously helps - but the exercise is good.

I have wondered about replacing the cordage with an anti torque rope - but have never had the courage to even ask for a price.

We have 2 impellers, a big one in case we are moving slowly and a small one when we get a bit faster.

Best think since sliced bread - well worth deploying

 

[Normalfornorfolk]

Why not just heave to and haul it in with no load or twisting?

 

[Oldhairy]

I have sister clips on the alternator to line connection. To retrieve I unclip, feed the end over the transom whilst pulling in the impeller and allowing the line to rotate through my hands. A la Walker log. Works fine up to two knots boat speed.

 

[capnsensible]

Why not just heave to and haul it in with no load or twisting?

Some years ago. I delivered a yacht from Lanzarote to the Solent (Bucklers Hard) with a towed generator. Once the wind got up and boatspeed got above 6 knots, it was a bstard to pull back in.

Hove to once to retrieve, it got well tangled round the rudder. That was with three people with a good ammount of seamanship experience and it still went to custard.

Absolutely no help to the OP but Watt and Sea is a billion times better!

Enjoy your trip!

 

[TQA]

I used an Aquair on passage for years. you have two options slow right down circa 1 knot and pull in advantage of this method is the rope will not be twisted.

Don leather gloves and pull in while doing 3 knots plus. The major disadvantage is that the rope will twist into a ball like a dozen mating pythons. 20 minutes or so to straighten the ball out.

Both work and take about the same time in the end.

 

[Sundowner 39]

I have used one for some miles now and they are an invaluable bit of kit....I concur with just drag them in at reasonably slow speeds....untangeling is a chore but on passage you have time...I have always thought about the cone idea and now may try it this year...for distance sailing they slow you slightly but in my view still worth it....and £4000 cheaper than Watt and sea and less fragile.

 

[geem]

Not that it helps the OP but we have a Duogen. Lots more power, less drag and very easy to deploy and retrieve. Also more pricey but after 13 years of use I cant complain.

 

[TQA]

Wow a 13 year old WORKING Duogen. Do you have any idea how unusual that is?

Most die in their first year.

 

[Neeves]

One reason for not heaving to to retrieve is that discomfort levels increase factorially with any sort of sea. You commonly need to get the towed generator in before you get too close the shelter for lots of obvious reasons.

I hanker after a WattnSea - but their costs are mind numbing.

 

[geem]

Wow a 13 year old WORKING Duogen. Do you have any idea how unusual that is?

Most die in their first year.

Hard to make them die unless you are a numpty! There is very little to them. A spinning rotor, diodes, two bearings a couple of seals. I had a seal fail that let water in to the top bearing. Sounded like a concrete mixer! New bearings are cheap so stripped it and replaced the bearings and seals. Easy. Its done three Atlantic crossings and still going strong. They are a bit agricultural like an old LandRover but like a LandRover they are easily repaired.

 

[KellysEye]

It doesn't happen often but towed generators have been known to be bitten off by a shark that thinks it's a fish.

 

[Normalfornorfolk]

Why has no one (afaik) developed a generator based on a small longshaft outboard that can be lowered into the oggin via a bracket on the transom? Shouldn't be too hard to lash one up with a suitable impellor on the shaft and a little Honda 50 alternator in place of the engine?

On that theme, does anyone know owt about the science of impellors? Would a suitable prop work? I imagine the pitch and diamater would need to be correct and quite different from what you would use as a propellor.

 

[duncan99210]

I recover the Aquair by hauling in hand over hand, wearing gloves. Rope becomes a tangled heap, but no worries. Untie impeller and stow, then feed the end of the rope back into the water. Needs help at first but once you've got a few feet in the water it'll pull through easily. It'll then unwind the tangles and you can easily pull it back in, coil and ready for next time.
Never bothered to try and recover it when the boat speed is above three knots as the twisting imparted to the rope makes it just too difficult to manage and you risk damaging hands even with decent gloves.

 

[Daydream believer]

Why has no one (afaik) developed a generator based on a small longshaft outboard that can be lowered into the oggin via a bracket on the transom? Shouldn't be too hard to lash one up with a suitable impellor on the shaft and a little Honda 50 alternator in place of the engine?

Basically that is what a Watt & Sea is

 

[jdc]

Why not just heave to and haul it in with no load or twisting?

+1. That's what I do

 

[Budgieboy]

I recover the Aquair by hauling in hand over hand, wearing gloves. Rope becomes a tangled heap, but no worries. Untie impeller and stow, then feed the end of the rope back into the water. Needs help at first but once you've got a few feet in the water it'll pull through easily. It'll then unwind the tangles and you can easily pull it back in, coil and ready for next time.
Never bothered to try and recover it when the boat speed is above three knots as the twisting imparted to the rope makes it just too difficult to manage and you risk damaging hands even with decent gloves.

That sounds like a plan ... Thanks .