"Aja" is a 1978 Hunter 30 with a Mars motor and Sevcon controllor, and 12, 115AH batteries. I had depleted the batteries too far (even with on-deck generator) to have enough RPM on the prop to even push the bow into the wind. I made plenty of mistakes that day, including leaving a cotter pin off one of my new shrouds (the long trip was returning from the boatyard in Alameda) - which managed to pop - that prompted the call to Vessel Assist. I also have a crappy "unfurler" with a wicked sense of humor which tends to come out on windy days.
My same rig on a faster, lighter boat like the Ericson would probably work pretty well. But the point of my first post on the subject is actually similar to yours - converting to electric brings a whole new set of factors into the already challenging sailing conditions in San Francisco. It can be done, and especially if you are in a nice short-haul harbor like Pier 39, or are single and can ignore clock and calendar. I don't have those luxuries so was probably not the best candidate for converting - other than personal interest.
The decision to go electric in a sailboat is more complex than just learning about amps and watts. It is, as we both suggest, very much akin to the challenges in sailing engineless.
BTW - I used to sail into my downwind slip in Richmond 100% of the time - that I had my engine in full reverse every time is of no consequence.
-Keith
--- In electricboats@
>
> Your criticism is fair enough, I don't have electric power yet and I wasn's there so I don't know all of the circumstances. Do you have electric power? If not, are you going to convert? Or would you have both?
> Napa Scott
>
>
> --- In electricboats@
> >
> > If you think you can sail upwind single-handed in a 30' wide channel in 35kts - more power to you. Yet I did sail in - because I had enough knowledge of the topography and wind patterns to risk going outside the channel - and only bothered with that because I was trying to make a birthday party - I could always have dropped hook.
> >
> > I don't pretend to be the world's best sailor, but suggest you save your armchair sailing advice for after you convert. You lack credentials otherwise.
> >
> > -K
> >
> > --- In electricboats@
> > >
> > > I have to chime in since I've sailed on the SF Bay since I was 10, 40+ years. You have to expect heavy weather on the Bay most every day Spring through Fall. As I see it, electric (or diesel) power is "auxilary" power and a sailboat is meant to sail. We used to sail into our birth 50% of the time, I'd be happy with 2 gallons of gas. Boating is a challenge and there are always risks, if a person isn't comfortable with sailing most of the time, perhaps a sailboat isn't the right vessel. I'm not conservative enough to need a gas/diesel as a back up to my sails.
> > > Sorry to sound so negative, but I'm going with electric.
> > > Napa Scott
> > >
> > >
> > > --- In electricboats@
> > > >
> > > > Here's a little thought experiment to help you decide if electric is right for you. Think about all the trips you've had with diesel/gas in various weather/current conditions. Now imagine that you started those trips with only (1 gallon of diesel/2 of gas), because that is about equivalent to what you will be able to carry in electric energy. Would you have comfortably finished all those trips?
> > > >
> > > > Now...you can bring a generator, but they must sit on deck to be safe, and they really only extend range - the don't help much if the batteries are already low and that is, I bet, when most of us grudgingly turn them on. I know I wait until the last minute.
> > > >
> > > > In very rough conditions - such as I hit yesterday afternoon returning to Brisbane when the SF Bay "wind machine" went full throttle - you may find you lack the punch to even turn into the wind. I had Vessel Assist on standby but I ended up tacking in under jib-only at low tide - somewhat hair raising.
> > > >
> > > > Now...some of my batteries are shot, and I put in 14NM that day - but the problem is conditions can change on a moments notice, and you find. as I did, that fast currents, 3/4 of the day with no wind and the last 2 miles at 35kts in the face makes for a rough finish.
> > > >
> > > > -Keith
> > > >
> > >
> >
>
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