Onboard generators are they worth it?
- Thread starter Bob S
- Start date
Most are reliable if installed correctly and maintained. Which brings up the first point; are you willing to do the extra maintenance?
Can you live with the noise? A personal peeve of mine is folks that run their genset all night in an otherwise quiet anchorage. The small hondas are pretty quiet though.
Can you live with the reduced storage space, on a 30' I'm thinking not but its your boat and lifestyle.
Do you even need it? the only thing you really need a genset for is running air conditioning and charging batteries. There are less energy intensive options that run off the batteries. aside from air conditioning the biggest energy consumers are the reefer/freezer. Insulate the reefer and don't open it much, use 12 volt fans and sunscreens to keep the boat cool and take more dips in the pool off the stern.
What is your cruising style? long trips for weeks at a time will generate different requirements than weekend sailing.
An energy budget that soots your cruising style is your first step in determining what you really need.
Reduce the loads by cruising style changes, balance electrical production and storage to meet the style and loads.
Can you live with the noise? A personal peeve of mine is folks that run their genset all night in an otherwise quiet anchorage. The small hondas are pretty quiet though.
Can you live with the reduced storage space, on a 30' I'm thinking not but its your boat and lifestyle.
Do you even need it? the only thing you really need a genset for is running air conditioning and charging batteries. There are less energy intensive options that run off the batteries. aside from air conditioning the biggest energy consumers are the reefer/freezer. Insulate the reefer and don't open it much, use 12 volt fans and sunscreens to keep the boat cool and take more dips in the pool off the stern.
What is your cruising style? long trips for weeks at a time will generate different requirements than weekend sailing.
An energy budget that soots your cruising style is your first step in determining what you really need.
Reduce the loads by cruising style changes, balance electrical production and storage to meet the style and loads.
Although our weather on Lake Erie often exceeds 90 degrees, we do not need an A/C. So the noise, (for us, and our neighbors) bother, maintenance, and space for a generator is not needed.
Why no A/C? Our water temps range in the low and mid 70's through the summer. When we are anchored or moored, air off that water is amplified by a chute over our forward hatch, before it comes down into our v-berth bed, and then through the boat. So we have never felt the need for cooler air on the hook. If we are in a marina, shore power is available, and we use fans to bring in outside air.
Enjoying nature and the open air is key to the joy of cruising, and a generator will drive us into the cool, and (relative) quiet inside our cabin.
I love understand the need for an A/C and generator during summers in Florida, but I think the waters in Massachusetts Bay are even cooler than ours.
Other high electrical loads - entertainment, a hair dryer, or a microwave, for instance, can also lead to a generator at the costs and loss of enjoyment listed above.
Why no A/C? Our water temps range in the low and mid 70's through the summer. When we are anchored or moored, air off that water is amplified by a chute over our forward hatch, before it comes down into our v-berth bed, and then through the boat. So we have never felt the need for cooler air on the hook. If we are in a marina, shore power is available, and we use fans to bring in outside air.
Enjoying nature and the open air is key to the joy of cruising, and a generator will drive us into the cool, and (relative) quiet inside our cabin.
I love understand the need for an A/C and generator during summers in Florida, but I think the waters in Massachusetts Bay are even cooler than ours.
Other high electrical loads - entertainment, a hair dryer, or a microwave, for instance, can also lead to a generator at the costs and loss of enjoyment listed above.
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Thanks Bill,
Actually we're looking to move up to the 34 to 38' range. Our boat is for sale. I've come across a few boats that have generators but have no experience with them. I agree, any generator running all night is distracting and that includes the Honda.
Getting there Fisher Pander? Care to share?
Actually we're looking to move up to the 34 to 38' range. Our boat is for sale. I've come across a few boats that have generators but have no experience with them. I agree, any generator running all night is distracting and that includes the Honda.
Getting there Fisher Pander? Care to share?
I use my generator 24/7 when not at the dock. Have a 5KW Northern Lights on our Hunter 356. We use Heating and Cooling all the time since we have a water to air heat pump. It adds many useful days to our boating season. We started this season last weekend, our 15 th season on this boat and average 65 days per season, and will end it in early December. Most people don't use their boata as much as we do and we attribute a lot of our use to comfort in all kinds of conditions. I have 3117 hours on mine sine 2003 with minimal maintenance. Oil changes, impellers, belts and one set of injectors. We average about 65 decibels from it in the cockpit and the salon.m a noticeable hum, but after a few minutes it becomes background noise.
There are many types. Northern Lights has 3 cylinders, runs at 1800 rpm and has an underwater muffler. 10 to 15 feet from the boat no noise to upset others. We burn about 6 gallons of diesel in 24 hours. Fisher Panda has one cylinder in a comparable size and runs at 3600 rpm. That's the biggest difference. It is noisier and some have had problems with sensors, etc. others love the FP, but on charters, I've had some problems with them. May be my lack of understanding the difference.
Some use generators only to charge batteries not as we do to enjoy the comforts of home. If I were evaluating I would make sure the generator was rated,to run continuously, didn't make too much noise, had 3 cyclinders and run at 1800 rpm, and have an underwater muffler. If you have this kind of setup you have options. If you prefer the open hatch, absolute calm of an anchorage, just don't start it up. If it 100, little wind, bugs are near and you want to watch tv and sleep in a cool environment, then fire it up. This that don't have one can't!
There are many types. Northern Lights has 3 cylinders, runs at 1800 rpm and has an underwater muffler. 10 to 15 feet from the boat no noise to upset others. We burn about 6 gallons of diesel in 24 hours. Fisher Panda has one cylinder in a comparable size and runs at 3600 rpm. That's the biggest difference. It is noisier and some have had problems with sensors, etc. others love the FP, but on charters, I've had some problems with them. May be my lack of understanding the difference.
Some use generators only to charge batteries not as we do to enjoy the comforts of home. If I were evaluating I would make sure the generator was rated,to run continuously, didn't make too much noise, had 3 cyclinders and run at 1800 rpm, and have an underwater muffler. If you have this kind of setup you have options. If you prefer the open hatch, absolute calm of an anchorage, just don't start it up. If it 100, little wind, bugs are near and you want to watch tv and sleep in a cool environment, then fire it up. This that don't have one can't!
We didn't have one on the only boat we could have. If we were anchored or moored there we only a few nights we suffered. In marinas every night could have been suffering. But we could run the AC on shore power. So I would say, like everything with boats, is how do you intend to use the boat?
In general, I'd think you'd realistically have to get into the mid-40' range for a generator to really be a likely feature.
If you don't have access, fuel, and sound proofing , you really would be better with other options: For heat, an Espar; for generating power on board to a larger battery bank, a large alternator; and, an decent inverter/charger/control system.
We had a Sabre 42 (hull #4) years ago. I knew a couple people that put generators on them -- AT THE FACTORY. It was a nightmare to service them.
If you don't have access, fuel, and sound proofing , you really would be better with other options: For heat, an Espar; for generating power on board to a larger battery bank, a large alternator; and, an decent inverter/charger/control system.
We had a Sabre 42 (hull #4) years ago. I knew a couple people that put generators on them -- AT THE FACTORY. It was a nightmare to service them.
Our 1991 P42 (same hull as the H43) came equipped with an Onan 8kw Genset (Kubota three cylinder diesel tractor engine). The main reason was to provide enough amperes (a bit over 60) to operate the two reverse cycle heat pumps (16K BTU main cabin, 9K BTU aft cabin) along with all the other power demands of the boat while away from shore power.
During our extended (two month) cruising season we prefer spending time on the hook in some remote anchorage as opposed to a marina. PNW weather does not require the use of heat pumps for cooling, but the Genset does come in handy to keep our house bank up. Our routine includes running the Genset every other day for about 1.5 hours, which is sufficient to heat water for washing and bringing the house bank back to snuff. Our Wallas diesel furnace provides heat if we need it during the off season.
As mentioned in other posts, it depends upon your power requirements and cruising style the Genset size for your boating needs. I'm glad that we have ours; it comes in real handy. Other than periodic maintenance, such as oil and filter changes, she just runs.
Well, it has what 450 moving parts and requires maintenance on a schedule like your auxiliary. Most of them are wedged in a pocket where you need to practice a yoga pose to work on them. I inherited a 5.5kw unit and love/hate the thing. If it were me, I would find a way to add wind and solar while budgeting power requirements. Last year I had a 150 Amp alternator installed on my Aux. and that pretty much gives me the battery charging capacity of my genset. Best thing I can say about the gen is that when it is running I am not wearing my auxiliary.
I'll add my 2 cents here. Anyone considering a generator and is impressed with the Fischer Panda size and relatively quiet running should research the topic extensively. Lots of threads on the web on the subject.
There have been variable reports about them over the years. The method of quieting them is a hard case. Aside from complicating service in small spaces, you need to mount them to control noise and vibration.
The Pandas had the principal advantage of size and weight. As for reliability, I have no direct experience with them. The Fisher uses variable RPM to deal with the loading variations.
We have an (old fashioned) constant RPM Westerbeke 7.5 KW unit. It's pretty quiet (we have good engine room soundproofing and I have a soft case around the generator. It's heavier and somewhat larger. The advantage is that those types of generators usually last a lot longer and are more reliable. Other than a water pump over the last 18 seasons, ours has had only normal issues of preventive service. We use ours a lot thruoutnthe extend Chesapeake seasons.
The Pandas had the principal advantage of size and weight. As for reliability, I have no direct experience with them. The Fisher uses variable RPM to deal with the loading variations.
We have an (old fashioned) constant RPM Westerbeke 7.5 KW unit. It's pretty quiet (we have good engine room soundproofing and I have a soft case around the generator. It's heavier and somewhat larger. The advantage is that those types of generators usually last a lot longer and are more reliable. Other than a water pump over the last 18 seasons, ours has had only normal issues of preventive service. We use ours a lot thruoutnthe extend Chesapeake seasons.
I have to agree...
a genset on a smaller boat really only makes sense if one feels the need for air conditioning... a good sized solar array (and the engine if equipped with a larger alternator) can take care of all the power needs... and a power inverter can run the nuke for the few minutes per day that they generally get used....
the power consumption requirements will dictate the need for a genset..... some of us will never let ourselves require that much power.
even though there are a lot of power consuming devices we could, and probably would, install on our boats if we had the room and an unlimited permanent power supply, I think most of us escape to the simplicity of our boats to get away from these kind of trappings... solar can take care of the heating, the refridgeration, the lighting, the stereo and the nav equipment, and it is much cheaper and trouble free over its lifetime than any brand of genset will be....
adding a genset and all the power consuming devices it can handle to a smaller boat will never make it a luxury liner and will only detract from the R&R value that the boat was bought for the begin with...
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Solar is what I have and a FP Gen which very happy with and have had no problems,my solar keeps my 4-6 volt batteries welled charged and run 3 ref and many other 12 volt items.
Most times when cruising I use the Gen for mostly AC and water heating and some minor battery charging,the 2-190 watt panels keeps from using the Gen for charging batteries.
Nick
Most times when cruising I use the Gen for mostly AC and water heating and some minor battery charging,the 2-190 watt panels keeps from using the Gen for charging batteries.
Nick
To answer your specific question inboard generators can be an asset but they bear a cost. To the degree that they can be an asset depends specifically on your personal needs. To illustrate the point I will refer to the live aboard in South Florida that keeps his boat on a mooring. For him running A/C, charging batteries and powering consumer electronics is a real big asset. Opposite is the sailor that keeps his boat at a slip with shore power and mostly uses transient slips at different Marinas when traveling. The cost of having an inboard generator besides the acquisition and installation costs is the fuel, maintenance and repairs. If meeting the needs supersede the costs then one will be desirable. Just to have one to heat water in a microwave to make coffee does not warrant having one. Reliability varies by makes and models but in general a frequently used and well maintained units will provide many hours of service. I guess your question is more about whether to purchase or pass on a boat with an older generator and the answer goes back to your own individual needs. If you decide a boat with a generator is a good deal even if you do not have a need for it then understand that you will be taking on a maintenance chore. they go by the old adage; "use it or loose it". There is always a middle of the road alternative and that is the use of a portable, gasoline powered generator for boats that do not have an inboard unit but from time to time may have the needs for one.