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Old 11-06-2014, 10:31 AM   #43
ranger58sb
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City: Annapolis
Vessel Name: Ranger
Vessel Model: 58' Sedan Bridge
Join Date: Aug 2013
Posts: 7,088
Quote:
Originally Posted by Starside View Post
My yard is also a fine crew & I trust their advice.
Yep, agree. Good place, well-regarded, decades of experience, etc.



Quote:
Originally Posted by psneeld View Post
I don't think there is anything wrong with your setup...

You just either need more batteries for farther range or a way of producing electricity at a fairly high rate which in today's world would mean a fossil fueled or propane or alcohol or some other combustible fuel generator.

Some electric guys switched to lithium ion batteries for more power for the size/weight carried. I think a poster named DeckOfficer has toyed with a lot of these and there's an all electric Cat power cruiser that has posted a lot on electric power...they would be some good resources if you are willing to go a bit exotic. A search of electric propulsion and some near decriptors may give you a thread to unravel.

There may be something else but I have seen a few electric launches underway and talked to their owners and read a few articles describing your dilemma. They all basically added batteries or a little genset.

Many boats at some point wish they had more range...there are just limitations that are often difficult to work around though.

Good luck!

I tend to agree, and agree, and agree. The set-up is sound, and if it doesn't have all the range in the free world... well, it is what it is (or at least it can be as extensible as it can be made).

An off-the-wall idea about extending range here in the upper Chesapeake... might be a trailer.

Maybe not so elegant as a pleasant boat ride from the West River to the Miles River and then exploring from there... but OTOH, it'd be reasonably quick to just drive the boat over to the general vicinity, launch somewhere useful, and explore the Miles, Wye, and Chester river systems that way.

That approach is also not without it's own issues, though...

-Chris
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