When you stop and think about it, that gen set should really be easy to work on.. Sure it would be on mounts, but that's it. There would be to tranny/prop shaft to deal with. So again, IF I were KING... That unit would be located directly under the overhead hatch. If necessary, the vang could be used to lift it up for full access service....I've seen plenty of under the floor gensets, mainly on Hunters, and I can't imagine the headache that maintenance is. I intentionally bought a boat with an honest walk in engine room with 360 degree access to both the main engine and the gen set, never mind the A/C units, refrigeration, watermaker, etc., because I knew that if maintenance on my mechanical systems was a pain, it wouldn't get done as frequently as it should. Tearing apart the boat or reaching down into the bilge with one's fingertips to change the oil and filters is not conducive to regular maintenance.
If you are operating in salt water, anything in the bilge has a very limited life span, including a 10k+ genset. Should you ever have a serious amount of water in the bilge, say from a broken hose, you can kiss that genset goodbye. I hope you plan on carrying very good insurance.
Where's the mirror?
That looks like a R2AK rig.
That might work if I have enough beer on board to fuel the crew.
Just to point out you neglected to mention the added weight of the safety gear for the “paddlers”. Scuba tanks and related gear for following sea, 4 point safety harness and crash helmets, full body chain mail suits for shark attackI assume if there is enough beer then the crew will not mind sitting backwards and peddling.
But I conjecture that the system would produce diminishing returns. While being fueled the crew would become increasingly inebriated. Their pace would slow. On a positive note the boat would become lighter as the beer was consumed and then discharged overboard. Should this process occur while the peddlers are in their power position it could weaken the machinery as spent beer can be corrosive. It might become difficult to get inebriated crew back on the boat and fresh replacements might balk at climbing into the vacated power position.
I better stop there and not discuss the complicated decision do we turn the boat and try to recover spent inebriated power crew or toss them like consumed batteries.
I’m not yet convinced that this is a workable and reliable beer power system. Cheers. Maybe some testing will help. After all it could just be the beer talking.
That is really interesting, especially the "generator" capability. Capturing the energy of the wind-sails while underway to recharge the battery. Yes there is likely some reduction in speed from drag but it makes a sense. The power generated this way might reduce the volume of solar panels and their associated windage so maybe it's a wash as far as drag is concerned???Phil, I want to change my vote. I never could dock worth a damn, this will solve that:
That's what caught my eye. You need quite a bit of solar panel acreage to get a lot out of freedom with EP. Some boats (like mine) aren't good candidates.That is really interesting, especially the "generator" capability. Capturing the energy of the wind-sails while underway to recharge the battery. Yes there is likely some reduction in speed from drag but it makes a sense. The power generated this way might reduce the volume of solar panels and their associated windage so maybe it's a wash as far as drag is concerned???
Yes, sticking a bunch of solar panels on a classic boat like yours would be the equivalent of sticking dragster foils, rims and fat tires on a classic Bentley. Just because you can do something doesn’t mean you should!!Some boats (like mine) aren't good candidates.
Unless you have a permanent bimini or similar, the needed space for panels is usually hanging off the stern, above davits or other applications. A yawl wasn't designed with solar panels in mind. Mizzen standing rigging extends forward of the mizzen mast cutting panel area around the cockpit.Yes, sticking a bunch of solar panels on a classic boat like yours would be the equivalent of sticking dragster foils, rims and fat tires on a classic Bentley. Just because you can do something doesn’t mean you should!!