Anyone considering or already gone electric? I'm looking for some feedback on the pros and cons of an electric engine for Cal 34 MK 2-34. The main issues I believe are amp hours and recharge time.
I have a Minn Kota 55lb thrust electric outboard on an 8' inflatable. I love not having to deal with another fuel, not requiring tune-ups, the lack of noise, light weight of the outboard and the easy of storing it in any locker - inside or outside the cabin. I use a 76 AH Agm battery in the dinghy. Charging hasn't been an issue either with a portable charger at the dock or connecting it to my house bank on board. I am installing a solar panel soon as in the picture below which will remove the need for any other charging method. My solar panel bracket is different than the picture - an inverted "U" in stainless with the panel attached with bbq brackets. This slips into mounts inside the transom. This will allow me to angle the panel and when removed from the dinghy it will fold like a tea table. The solar controller is installed inside the lid of the battery box. I haven't run longer than 4 hours in the past and still had reserve left. With the solar panel longer runs will not be a problem.Well as a example I was going to give up on my gas dinghy motor and get
a electric motor and decided not to because how long will it take to charge and how or what would I charge it with.
We anchor out a lot and not at a marina that much and even thought I do have 2 big 190 watt solar panels and a diesel Gen I was afraid I would have to run my
Gen non stop charging that electric motor.
I really did think about it long and hard thinking less problems as a gas outboard
gives me but recharging would for me be a bad idea but hey if you day sail or are able to plug in at a dock than go for it.
Nick
Price.... Ouch...The new Gunboat G4 cat will have electric ring-drive 2 6kw motors that are capable of regenerating electricity. They use LIon batts and mount about 1kw of photovoltaics on the boat. Gunboat will also offer a generator option to keep the batteries topped off. It will be a foiler.
Some of the new hydroelectric generators coming on the market are a big improvement over photovoltaics, the power generation is immense, and you don't have to deal with panels.
You really don't want to know what my diesel generator install cost.:cry:Price.... Ouch...
What kind of drag does it cost the boat?
Greg
I guess Jill and I sail from a different point of view. We don't race are are not, and never planned, to sail around the world.You really don't want to know what my diesel generator install cost.:cry:
drag? Negligible. From the seller: "The serious cruiser can now take advantage of immense amounts of free power when cruising or racing, without measurable speed loss, thanks to Cristec's R&D and ocean testing efforts.
The round-the-world racers use hydro generators.
Basically about 700 lbs of batteries per gallon of diesel. My tank is small - only 12 gallons - but I can motor for 40 to 50 hours between refills. In this area - B.C. - a typical 2 week summer cruise is impossible with electric drive unless you have a generator which nobody really wants to hear in a pristine anchorage. Marina hopping in Desolation Sound doesn't work because there are few marinas, one of the area's advantages. Same with Greg's cruising in the Sea of Cortez. Most cruising any distance have enough issues generating enough power for refrigeration, electronics, and lights much less adding a 48 volt bank for propulsion. As Greg said it isn't much help at anchor anyway.Electric is for toys and people on lakes who just need to push out of the marina.
If you sail out of Stockton and need to buck the delta tidal currents and want to be able to boat whenever you feel like it electric is no substitute for an engine. Anywhere else in the delta or bay is the same.
Once before I wrote "1 pound of diesel burned at 30% efficiency will yield 2.2 kilowatt hours. To store that much energy would take 100 pounds of batteries".