T-Pain Is On A Boat: Re: [Electric Boats] Re: Electric Seamanship (Potentially a new project.)

Saturday, May 22, 2010

Re: [Electric Boats] Re: Electric Seamanship (Potentially a new project.)

Keith brings up some good points to consider. As the saying goes:

"Their are bold sailors and old sailors but, there are no old bold sailors"

I too have found that the EP system has made me a better sailor. I understand its uses and limitations. I plan my trips accordingly. But, even when I had a diesel engine I would avoid bucking the currents etc... Why because it was fuelish and it meant putting up with all the noise from the diesel that much longer. Trips that I have made before with the diesel running are much more pleasurable under electric power. Last year I went down the 12 mile East River (tidal strait).

http://biankablog.blogspot.com/2009/09/electric-sailboat-cruise-to-new-york_26.html

Currents run 4 to 6 knots so you really want to go with the flow. You really can't sail it in most conditions because the winds cause the boat to spin in circles. The tugboat Captains who push the BIG barges are not amused. I went down there last year under electric propulsion. I kept my Honda generator running because I did not know what to expect and I always had my noisy diesel operating whenever I made the transit before. I found the boat drifted along quite nicely at 4 knots much more quietly that when I had the diesel even with the Honda running. Only one or two times did I actually have to give a little thrust to reposition the boat. This year I will make the trip without even turning the generator on now that I have the knowledge of what the boat can do and how much electric propulsion I need. The point is get to know your system, don't push it to it's limits, and know when you will really need to use it. Always remember you are on a sailboat first and the electric propulsion is auxiliary propulsion.

Capt. Mike
http://biankablog.blogspot.com

--- On Sat, 5/22/10, aweekdaysailor <aweekdaysailor@yahoo.com> wrote:

From: aweekdaysailor <aweekdaysailor@yahoo.com>
Subject: [Electric Boats] Re: Potentially a new project.
To: electricboats@yahoogroups.com
Date: Saturday, May 22, 2010, 2:57 AM

One thing no one has brought up, but which Mark's reply reminds me...he and I are within 30 miles of each other but the sailing conditions could not be more different. I'm inside the San Francisco bay, so 5kt currents and 35kt headwinds aren't that unusual. He's got some current, generally more favorable winds, but he's also on a lee shore whereas I'm surrounded by mud. He sails home with the wind (usually) - I'm against. He's got large swells (tough to keep an on-deck generator dry) - I've got square-faced chop (and freighters...)

I have run into situations where the rig wasn't enough (he may very well be a better sailor than I) - I've learned from that, I've tempered my desire to push the limits and I'm now a better sailor. And for the last year or so (of almost 3 total) - I've been delighted.

But where you do this is pretty important, and so I go back to this statement - think of all the trips you've been on and now imagine you left port with 1 or 2 gallons of fuel. If you would have gotten in trouble on any, you need to think through the why and how of avoiding it when that really is all you have (in electrons)

-Keith