Electric harbors are coming.
- Thread starter TomY
- Start date
Good question. Can't say as I can easly answer that. I'd imagine that it would be primariy a CNG vehicle with gas as a "backup". I was recently at a CNG station near Greenville SC scoping out where to fill the CNG tank for my boat (Ureeka!! found one) A pickup truck pulled up to refill with CNG and I struck up a conversation with him. Not sure where the CNG tanks and gas tank were - didn't get into that. For me the limited availability of CNG filling stations and the range using CNG are the drawbacks. Just pointing out that you can switch fuels easily. You're right though, what you give up in gas for the CNG tanks limits the range on gas and what you give up in gas for the CNG limits CNG range.
I fail to see the benefit of CNG as a vehicle fuel, especially when you have gas as a "backup." Seems a bit silly.
Please accept my apologies for the 'hate" comment. It wasn't intended as a personal attack.
I've never been to the Bronx, think I'll steer clear.
Sure EVs have there draw backs, but they work great in the right situation.
I was just trying to offer some first hand experience.
I do know a little about power, mostly generation and storage. It's my job.
I've never been to the Bronx, think I'll steer clear.
Sure EVs have there draw backs, but they work great in the right situation.
I was just trying to offer some first hand experience.
I do know a little about power, mostly generation and storage. It's my job.
CNG, and other high octane fuels, can be injected into the intake air of a diesel engine to increase either the power output or decrease the amount of diesel required. Think of it as fuel replacement, or hybrid fueling. The injected diesel is still needed to start the combustion process. The supplemental fuel must have an octane value such that it will not auto ignite, think cng, propane, alcohol.
You don't have to have a gas backup. I was only pointing out that it doesn't take much to change over to run on either, notwithstanding the valid where do you store it question. I don't have all the data to do a proper analysis (energy density, etc) nor do I feel like looking it up. I am under the impression (although it is not founded on specific data) that Natural Gas is plentiful domestically, cheap, and cleaner burning (addressing some of the green issues and "going to war for oil" etc) That may not be correct so I'll leave it to the someone else to run the numbers. It does require "compressing" to store it conveniently so that figures into the equation and why the infrastructure issues come into play. I think the gas "backup" is just to alleviate the "what if I can't get to a cng fueling station before I run out" which isn't really silly but addressing one of the current shortfalls of the infrastructure for now. Just a guess. The owner of the pickup truck was quite pleased with the setup, inclding the cost per mile of driving but then again I wouldn't expect him to say "this was a bad idea" - its not human nature to do so in a casual conversation with a stranger.
Geez, think I need to recharge the tablet after reading this thread from beginning to end! I purchased a Suzuki 2.5 hp two years ago. Inexpensive, light weight, and unlimited cheap fuel source. EV propulsion will likely be common in years to come; however, it’s a long ways off primarily due to economics.
Big, check out the number of views this thread has. I think it's impressive. Totally agree what your saying. Currently EV appeal to the enviro-nerds (no offence intended), the wealthy, tech-geeks and the oddballs like myself.
I can't speak about electric outboards but I can tell you my cordless tool like my chainsaw & weed-eater start easily, don't leak fuel or need the carb cleaned out. My car, although not totally electric, was great but I got board with it. My electric RC planes and helicopters preformed very very well.
EV probably won't work in every application & I think it will be a long time before we see electric harbors.
I can't speak about electric outboards but I can tell you my cordless tool like my chainsaw & weed-eater start easily, don't leak fuel or need the carb cleaned out. My car, although not totally electric, was great but I got board with it. My electric RC planes and helicopters preformed very very well.
EV probably won't work in every application & I think it will be a long time before we see electric harbors.
Just circling back to this. A lot has happened since this thread began.
On my two week cruise this year, around Buzzards Bay, Vineyard Sound, and Rhode Island Sound, I saw exactly two electric outboards. One was pushing an inflatable along happily at about 2 kt., In Edgartown. The other was on a dinghy being towed by a gas-powered dinghy in Newport Harbor; it had apparently unexpectedly run out of charge.
I did not see any place on or near a dinghy dock to charge an electric outboard.
On my two week cruise this year, around Buzzards Bay, Vineyard Sound, and Rhode Island Sound, I saw exactly two electric outboards. One was pushing an inflatable along happily at about 2 kt., In Edgartown. The other was on a dinghy being towed by a gas-powered dinghy in Newport Harbor; it had apparently unexpectedly run out of charge.
I did not see any place on or near a dinghy dock to charge an electric outboard.
Shouldn't even have to flip a switch. If it's set up for regen, as soon as the prop spins the motor, it's charging.
I've been using a Torqeedo 1103 on my dinghy since last summer, and we like it. However, we're considering naming our dinghy "Patience" 
If we go slow (2-2.5k) we can get up to about ~15 nm range on a full charge. If we go faster (3k+) or are bucking a strong wind/current it can be as low as ~5 nm. That's based on the readout from the internal computer/gps.
Our boat is kept on a mooring or anchored, and we never plug into shore power. We have enough solar on the boat to recharge the dinghy battery at night from the house bank, and recharge the house bank during the day. So far it works out well. If the Torqeedo is at 90% or greater we don't usually bother charging at night.
If we go slow (2-2.5k) we can get up to about ~15 nm range on a full charge. If we go faster (3k+) or are bucking a strong wind/current it can be as low as ~5 nm. That's based on the readout from the internal computer/gps.
Our boat is kept on a mooring or anchored, and we never plug into shore power. We have enough solar on the boat to recharge the dinghy battery at night from the house bank, and recharge the house bank during the day. So far it works out well. If the Torqeedo is at 90% or greater we don't usually bother charging at night.
That's cool that it works for you. Logistically it wouldn't work for us. The dinghy's on a dinghy dock all week with our boat on the mooring. There's nowhere there to plug it in. I guess we could bring the battery home to charge it, but then no one else in the family who doesn't live with us could scoot down to the marina and use the dinghy. Also, there's quite a current in the river where we are moored: today the ebbs are at 2.5 and 2.1 kt., the flood at 2.1 kt. We are often bucking a current getting to and from the boat. Plus, we use the dinghy a lot on its own, to go the the "boat beach." Part of that trip can be planing, to speed things up. And, we spent a couple of hours motoring around Newport Harbor, sightseeing the past few days.
Depends on your use patterns, I guess.
Depends on your use patterns, I guess.
I've been to Westport several times, and I agree that a Torqueedo would be a poor choice there.
Sounds like you would really benefit from reclamation generation at the dock.
-Will (Dragonfly)
I admit I needed to look up "reclamation generation". For an instant I thought it might be related to preaching, but quickly decided not.Sounds like you would really benefit from reclamation generation at the dock.
-Will (Dragonfly)
Diesel-electric hybrid, just like 1930's US submarine technology.
"The generator runs a half-hour or an hour a day, and I can schedule it.”
Like everything else, EV use is all relative. EV users likely don't find themselves with flat cell phones or laptops, or stuck with no way to 'get back' with their electric propulsion.I've been using a Torqeedo 1103 on my dinghy since last summer, and we like it. However, we're considering naming our dinghy "Patience"
If we go slow (2-2.5k) we can get up to about ~15 nm range on a full charge. If we go faster (3k+) or are bucking a strong wind/current it can be as low as ~5 nm. That's based on the readout from the internal computer/gps.
Our boat is kept on a mooring or anchored, and we never plug into shore power. We have enough solar on the boat to recharge the dinghy battery at night from the house bank, and recharge the house bank during the day. So far it works out well. If the Torqeedo is at 90% or greater we don't usually bother charging at night.
Electric propulsion is growing on the eclectic coast of Maine, including visitors.
Rowing dinghies are still popular here and they extend EV range over inflatables in their efficiency, which could account for more popularity. An easily driven hull coupled to electric propulsion is similar to electric-assisted bicycles. Do you see those growing?
Torqueedos are old hat today, the big news is in larger electric propulsion in sailboats.