Electric generator/charger?

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Anyone taking on the restoration of a classic woody deserves applause for the boat.
Your power choices are at best unclear.
 
rwidman said:
Recharging the batteries pretty much defeats the purpose of an electric powered boat, doesn't it?
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Don't see how. Joan's intended use as she described it sounds to me to be very well matched to a battery solution.

-Chris
 
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bayview said:
Three phase batteries is it now?
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No. I am saying (guessing) it is a three phase inverter powering an AC induction motor thru a VFD.

Such magic does exist and is quite common outside if the recreational boating world...
 
ranger42c said:
Don't see how. Joan's intended use as she described it sounds to me to be very well matched to a battery solution.

-Chris
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I meant to say "Recharging the batteries with a generator pretty much defeats the purpose of an electric powered boat, doesn't it?"

Sorry for the confusion.
 
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rwidman said:
I meant to say "Recharging the batteries with a generator pretty much defeats the purpose of an electric powered boat, doesn't it?"
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I thought the purpose was to silently sneak up on water fowl!:D
 
Donsan said:
I thought the purpose was to silently sneak up on water fowl!:D
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This would probably work better:

large_2011_2024b.jpg
 
It can be practical to run batts/elec propulsion with a gennie to charge. If 90% of trips are within batt range, then 90% involve NO running of the gen. That works fine. Gennie helps out on the remaining 10% of trips.

The key parameter is what are the durations of expected trips? If running all day in the ditch or bay or offshore, no good.
 
Ski in NC said:
It can be practical to run batts/elec propulsion with a gennie to charge. If 90% of trips are within batt range, then 90% involve NO running of the gen. That works fine. Gennie helps out on the remaining 10% of trips.

The key parameter is what are the durations of expected trips? If running all day in the ditch or bay or offshore, no good.
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I think it's been established that a typical portable or "Honda" generator cannot provide the power to keep the boat moving. It will take several hours to recharge the batteries.

If you install a genset powerful enough to provide the power needed by the motor you've now designed a "hybrid" or diesel electric boat.

The April 2014 issue of PassageMaker magazine goes into this and the variations in great detail.

If this was what the OP was leaning towards, the original diesel engine could have been retained and connected to a generator and batteries to drive the motor.

The bottom line is, it takes "X" amount of energy to move a particular boat through the water at a given speed (over water) no mater where that energy comes from.
 
If this were an electrical hobbyist it would be fun. Otherwise a small diesel would be so much simpler and im sure satisfying to own.
 
This thread is like the Energizer Bunny! It goes on and on...

(Someone said earlier to see the humor! So there it is...)

:)
 
Starside said:
This thread is like the Energizer Bunny! It goes on and on...

(Someone said earlier to see the humor! So there it is...)

:)
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Oh yeah, you'll fit in fine around here.

We have a great setting at this forum called the "ignore user" feature. Figure if you ever get tired of the same people calling you stupid over and over again just click on their screen name and select the ignore user button from the drop down menu and you'll never have to see or hear from them again.

Nice Elco, there's a similar one 3 slips down from me. ~Craig
 
>I meant to say "Recharging the batteries with a generator pretty much defeats the purpose of an electric powered boat, doesn't it?"<

There is realistically NO practical use for an electric powered recreational boat , just too limited in speed amnd range.

But BRAGGING RIGHTS , as you strut the dock might be worth an extra $25-$75K.
 
mahal said:
Starside,

I came across this article today and thought of your project.
The Log Newspaper | California Boating & Fishing News - NHYC-refits-its-shore-boat-with-electric-motor
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From the article:

“The beauty of the engine is it’s burning no fuel, it’s no longer diesel and completely electric and probably saves us $5,000 a year in fuel,” .......
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It's pretty sorry that an adult would say something so stupid. Where is this electricity coming from? Falling out of the sky?

Somebody, somewhere is burning something to generate electricity and while they may save $5K in fuel, they will see at least that increase in their electric bill.
 
rwidman said:
while they may save $5K in fuel, they will see at least that increase in their electric bill.
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Hardly. On a Duffy, it cost around $1 in electricity to cruise all day. By the way, Marshall Duffield the yacht club member mentioned in the article is the founder and owner of the highly successful Duffy Electric Boats. So no stupid adults in this project.
 
rwidman said:
No doubt but you can only cruise two hours. :rolleyes:
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Wrong again. I get seven hours per charge. Even a Duffy without the extended battery pack option still cruises for four hours. But who owns one with just the standard battery pack when there is room to double the capacity.

It seems that you know very little about electric boats, yet seem very critical of them. Have you driven one? It might just change your opinion.
 
$5000 of diesel, at $4/gal is 1250gal. At 18hp/gph, that's 22500 hp hr.

22500 hp hr x 0.746kW/hp is 16785 kW hr.

Assuming elec at $0.15 per kW hr, that elec power cost $2518.

About half price to run electric.

This discounts lots of stuff like charging losses, diesel idling time, maintenance on both, local epower rate, etc, etc.

I thought the electric would be an even smaller fraction...
 
Thank you for the article.

I think some folks are just against electric motors. I've been lying low cuz I'm converting now & didn't want the negativity.

Btw, the extra battery pack has me thinking that that's a better alternative. I meet the yard next week to go over the placement of everything & plan to discuss. I have to see how the space works out. I'm trying to keep my tanks cuz the costs are absorbent to remove them & we all know this project is expensive. I also have to consider displacement. There are technical issues that need to be worked out.

Thank you again for the inspiration. Restoring Starside hasn't been easy for me - emotional & financially stressing - so getting support instead of criticism has kept my confidence in my decisions intact. Thank you again. I can't say it enough.
 
And those people may not be the electric boat owners .....:rofl:

because there is a limited but successful market for some electric boats, some marinas don't charge for electric, and some people want what they want even though it is not a commercially viable item.

I don'the think the discussion with the OP was ever intended to be about resale or opening a boat restoration/building business.
 
I personally think electric boats are the future of boating. In other countries, they are much more popular. Even here on the Chesapeake, you see Duffy boats everywhere.

Different strokes for different folks. No disrespect intended. :)
 
Starside said:
I personally think electric boats are the future of boating. In other countries, they are much more popular. Even here on the Chesapeake, you see Duffy boats everywhere.

Different strokes for different folks. No disrespect intended. :)
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Yep and more and more fresh bodies of water are sail or electric only if you want to boat. Where there's a need there is a market which in turn will drive technology. As a single engine owner with large genny, I would love an electric get home option.
 
Starside said:
I personally think electric boats are the future of boating.
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As mentioned before, if a 35-40 ft trawler could get 50-60NM per day at 6-7 knots on a charge and could regenerate the charge overnight, there would be a huge market.
 
I think the technology is coming. Give it a few years... I suspect the batteries will also get smaller w longer range & less expensive. When it's time for me to get new batteries, I bet they will be cheaper & better n range & safety. It's just a matter of time for the Green technology to catch up to boating...
 
Duffy has sold more than 10,000 electric boats and there is a constant demand for them that Lear of the Learjet family is trying to compete with a line of their own plug-in boats. If Duffy offered a diesel or gas versions, I don't think it will be as popular. Imagine cruising a Duffy without the benefit of no engine noise, no vibration and no exhaust - that just defeats the purpose of owning one.

I understand that there is substantial savings in running an electric boat but I don't think Duffy owners care about that. Be open minded, rent one and you'll understand.
 
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mahal said:
Wrong again. Duffy has sold more than 10,000 electric boats and there is a constant demand for them that Lear of the Learjet family is trying to compete with a line of their own plug-in boats. If Duffy offered a diesel or gas versions, I don't think it will be as popular. Imagine cruising a Duffy without the benefit of no engine noise, no vibration and no exhaust - that just defeats the purpose of owning one.

I understand that there is substantial savings in running an electric boat but I don't think Duffy owners care about that. Be open minded, rent one and you'll understand.
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:thumb:
 
rwidman said:
I don't see charging stations along the ICW.
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Don't know much about the ICW, but in the west coast, every boat slip has a plug in station also called shorepower. So we have charging stations all over the place.
 
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