Windfarms

[SteveA]

Here in the Northwest of England there are proposals to site 2 windfarms, one at Shell Flats off Fleetwood and the other off Walney Island.

There is also a real possibility that further sites in the Irish Sea between NW England and the IOM will be developed with talk of hundreds, if not thousands, of these windmills being fitted

There is much debate locally as to the effect these can have on such things as radar, GPS radios etc.

Obviously the developors are telling us that there are no adverse effects but I am wondering if anyone has experience of these farms - I believe they are quite common in Norway for example.

I am not particulary against them but would like more information.

SteveA

 

[Sybarite]

Imagine sailing through that lot on a foggy/stormy night..!

 

[vyv_cox]

There are hundreds or thousands of them in Holland, largely in the areas most used by yachts. I sail past a group of twelve turbines several times every weekend, sometimes no more than 100 metres from them. Not the slightest effect from them. I have never heard of anyone who had any problem, even where the concentration is at its highest, for example the Ijsselmeer.

 

[gunnarsilins]

We have some...

...here along the Swedish E coast and lots of them in Denmark.
I have not experienced any problems.

But we have a loud 'anti-windmill' lobby group here. Among these people you´ll find landowners afraid of having their property loosing value - and some yachtsmen either complaining of having their cruising grounds spoilt by these 'unsightly' mills, or telling horror stories of getting their rigging entangled in the prop, mainly because of the magnetic fields affecting GPS and radar....Bulls**t!
Im surprised that nobody haven´t launched a horror story of iron keels on sailing cruisers beeing attracted by the magnetic fields and and the whole yacht is pulled smack against the generator!

 

[claymore]

WYSIWYG

No pollution - no radioactive shite with a half life of squillions of years - no norwegian forests being killed, no health of Irish (or Cumbrian) children being threatened by factors which successive governments remain in denial about. I think they are wonderful and its a pity we didn't do it years ago instead of developing Windscale or building Heysham.
And anyway - who is bothered about GPS? - Stick a big flourescent number on each and we'll all have perfect fixes all the time!

regards
Claymore

 

[mldpt]

Re: WYSIWYG

Claymore.
Any Idea how many wind generators you would need to produce as much power as Heysham. ?
Mike

 

[AndrewB]

Thames Estuary windfarm.

There is an advanced proposal for 30 on Red Sands in the Thames Estuary, in the way of the Horse Channel route between North Foreland and the Medway/Thames.

Some local apprehension about the impact of such large works, but I guess yachtsmen in the Thames Estuary are pretty well used to dodging around obstacles, both man-made and natural. Let's hope it doesn't involve too large an exclusion zone.

 

[Peppermint]

Location

Why do we locate them in areas that are so attractive? I've seen them in Holland located in more industrial areas. Perhaps we can learn that pollution takes many forms.

 

[claymore]

Re: WYSIWYG

Oh I know it would be loads and loads of them - I have a friend works there who hits me with this each time we debate it, along with the issue of a barrage - I still believe that we should be harnessing power that does not have deadly consequences and we should be educating about conservation of power/energy. Think how it is when you go on a boat - I pour cups of water into the kettle so that I'm not wasting it, we are all mindful of conserving battery power because if we don't we create a problem of the engine not starting. Energy is too easily consumed at home and in businesses - We need the Heyshams because we waste so much.

regards
Claymore

 

[nicho]

Near Bedford, London Brick Company had a large factory, with some 30 massive chimneys. Look at them from any angle, and the following would seem impossible, but a small crop spraying aircraft got totally lost in thick fog and crash landed (quite lighly) into a field. The next day, the pilot returned in sunlight to realise that he had actually flown right through the middle of the maze of chimneys, but had touched not one!! the Gods were smiling on him that day!!

(nothing to do with boating, but I can see a similar scenario with the windfarms...)

 

[claymore]

Hmm
light aircraft do go a bit quicker than the average boat and even in the most reduced visibility lights and sound signals ought to make collision avoidance possible.
I think we are off on a tangent here - Windfarms are a product of/response to the quest for alternative energy - we are out there for fun. Its our job to live with them.

regards
Claymore

 

[c4pt]

Don't we all sail because the wind is FREE! I don't mind sharing it. Long live wind, tide and solar generation

 

[pugwash]

who pays for \'em?

Am I right in thinking that the only reason windfarms make economic sense are the hidden subsidies? Yes, I know other power sources are also subsidised, but not nearly as much. The most economic and safest power source, surely, is not nuclear but gas. If Colin would turn on the taps a bit more we wouldn't need these damn eggbeaters.

 

[Miker]

Re: WYSIWYG

Agreed. Keep the gas rigs on your left (sorry port) out of Fleetwood and you can't miss the IOM. But will the proposed windfarms be lit up like Christmas trees at night like the rigs?

 

[claymore]

Leave Colin Alone

He's back at work and in a decline and his new luxury car has a couple of wet seats and water in the fuel tank

regards
Claymore

 

[webcraft]

Hidden subsidies for windfarms

Tell us about them then - I don't think you're right. Statements like this need to be backed up . . . unless you're a politician, of course?

<font color=blue>Nick</font color=blue>
<A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.bluemoment.com>

</A>

 

[kgi]

Can't see the problem, a lot of us have one stuck on the boat somewhere......!!!....keith

 

[wishbone]

With all these new wind farms will they affect the earths rotation?? Will have to consult my Practical Einstein Compendium!

Wishbone

 

[snooks]

It was prolly the rotation of the earth that got two ships hitting each other and another one running onto the first

If they can't avoid each other would it be safe to let these big ships past the windmills??

Afterall there's only one Nab Tower and they keep hitting that!!!

 

[Twister_Ken]

Dirty air/ calms

It might be a very 'interesting' experience to try and sail through the lee of a windfarm. I imagine there'd be all sorts of vortices interacting with one another.

OTOH, on windless days, maybe 'they' could be persuaded to run them in reverse and create a nice sailing breeze.