Then there’s the largest (single) cost item for most of us: The Battery Pack.
A 10kwh pack can run from $1k to $12k+, depending…
From: electricboats@yahoogroups.com [mailto:electricboats@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of mtrgy
Sent: Sunday, November 13, 2011 5:56 AM
To: electricboats@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [Electric Boats] Re: Where to even start
Chris,
The comparison between the Thunderstruck-ev "sailboat kit" and a commercially available complete kit comes up with regularity.
What you are buying with their "kit" is a motor, controller and a wiring harness. On the surface, it may seem this is the major expense.
In reality, the motor and controller ARE the two most expensive single components. However, if you are buying everything needed to complete your installation, you will find they represent less than 50% of the total outlay, even before labor, batteries and charging means are considered.
In addition to these, you will need the following :
1. Throttle control (theirs has a potentiometer, but no hardware to mount and use.
2. Shaft, pulleys, thrust bearings, belt and frame to support the motor and these components.
3. Shaft coupling.
4. Battery monitoring.
5. Fuse and power switch.
6. Hardware to mount frame and motor assembly to engine beds.
7. Heatsink and mounting means for motor controller.
8. Nuts and bolts, electrical wire and terminals, time to put it all together.
9. Tools to fabricate above mentioned metal parts or $$ to pay a machine shop.
Don't get me wrong, if you are the type who likes to "roll your own" and are resourceful, you can build a system for less money than a commercial system. On the other hand, if you are looking for an engineered solution that will go in and work properly, without a great deal of effort or uncertainty, a commercial system offers the best value.
For what it is worth, we have had a number of customers who started out building, then came to usme to us, after one or more of the following:
a. Realizing they weren't up to the job technically.
b. Realizing they didn't have the time.
c. Realizing they weren't really going to save money.
Others have emailed saying they wished they had known about us before spending the time/money to do their own. I am sure other commercial providers have had similar experiences.
On the other hand, you will find a number of individuals in this group who have successfully built their own EP system from parts obtained from one of the EV supply houses, such as Thunderstruck.
Only you can decide the best path for you...
Regards,
Scott McMillan
Electric Yacht
--- In electricboats@yahoogroups.com, Chris Guldi <cxguldi@...> wrote:
>
> The PHRF rating of this boat is comparable to the other boats in the local
> club. I am more interested in the experience I will gain racing then
> winning any races.
>
> I have raced as crew on a boat that the skipper considers the day a failure
> if he fires up the outboard. He pushed the 30' boat out of the slip by hand
> and sails back into it. The Albin was only a 20HP, according to the
> paperwork I have it was an upgrade from the atomic 4 though had less power.
> I was going to sell it as scrap but enough people have suggested selling it
> that I will put it in my garage clean it up a bit and sell it on ebay.
>
> One burning question I have, why is this system so much less expensive then
> everything else out there? What's missing?
>
> http://www.thunderstruck-ev.com/index.php?dispatch=products.view&product_id=146
>
> On Sat, Nov 12, 2011 at 10:26 AM, Carter Quillen <twowheelinguy@...>wrote:
>
> > **
> >
> >
> > Chris,
> >
> > Columbias are great boats and if I recall correctly, if it's a Bill Tripp
> > designed C36 it's the one with the aft cabin layout, NICE!
> >
> > These boats where built for comfort and not speed so good luck with that
> > club racing thing, lol. Hopefully you'll have a nice handycap because
> > you'll need it. I had a Bill Tripp designed C34 for years and loved it but
> > it was NOT fast. It handled well in light air but traveled in slow motion
> > until the wind picked up to about 15 or 20 knots, then the boat really came
> > into its own. They are built like battleships. If you haven't found it
> > already check our www.columbia-yacht.com. It has all the history of
> > Columbia with specs and liturature on every boat they ever made.
> >
> > Sell the Albin! It's worth some money. A friend of mine just rebuilt his
> > for another C34. All the parts are still available and it is a bruiser of
> > a diesel, real marine grade stuff.
> >
> > Don't quibble between 8 or 9 hp, nominally they're pretty much the same
> > thing and both would be a bit undersized for a C36 in my opinion. This may
> > not be a problem if you're a diehard sailor that shuns your auxillary in
> > all but the calmest of conditions but if you ever want to use it to get out
> > of trouble in some heavy weather, you will come up short. I had a 30hp
> > yanmar in my C34 and there were times when I used every bit of it and
> > wished I had more. It was actually a bit bigger than it really needed to be
> > for that boat but I wouldn't have put anything less than 20 hp in it and
> > I've seen several C34s with motors as big as a Perkins 4-108(50hp) in
> > them. Both the C34 and C36 have a lot of freeboard and my C34 could make a
> > full 2 knots downwind with no sails up, just being pushed by the wind
> > against the boats profile. In heavy weather it takes some hp to move that
> > boat where YOU want it go instead of where the ocean wants to wash it. But,
> > like a said, real "SAILORS" don't even need no stinkin auxillary, that's
> > what the sails are there for, lol.
> >
> > Good luck with your project, it should be a lot of fun.
> >
> > Carter
> >
> >
> > *From:* Chris Guldi <cxguldi@...>
> > *To:* electricboats@yahoogroups.com
> > *Sent:* Saturday, November 12, 2011 7:48 AM
> > *Subject:* Re: [Electric Boats] Re: Where to even start
> >
> >
> >
> > Thanks Eric, it actually didn't occur to me to get the group to help with
> > specific system design and I am not sure why not? We have a 1970 Columbia
> > 36 displacement is stated as 13000 pounds. We were power boaters because my
> > wife wasn't interested in sail, got her on a sail boat and the power boat
> > went up for sale. The plan for the boat is to use it for club racing, day
> > sailing ans the occasional overnight with the kids. I suspect most of its
> > sailing will be club racing.
> > I am fairly certain that I will be looking for a motor around 8kw and that
> > is about all I am certain. The Asmo dealer recommended their 9kw motor but
> > I suspect that's because they don't have an 8.
> > On Nov 12, 2011 2:34 AM, "Eric" <ewdysar@...> wrote:
> >
> > **
> >
> > Hi Chris,
> >
> > I would suggest that you start a little higher up by describing your boat
> > and how you expect to use it. Virtually all of the questions that you asked
> > are influenced by these basic questions. The type of boat that you have
> > will dictate different answers. How you use the boat will change your
> > answers as well. So you might as well start at the beginning rather than
> > jump around between random details that will become relevent later.
> >
> > While every installation has a few choices to be made, the boat and your
> > use case will define many of your system attributes.
> >
> > Fair winds,
> > Eric
> > Marina del Rey, CA
> >
> > --- In electricboats@yahoogroups.com, "Chris" <cxguldi@> wrote:
> > >
> > > I have been lurking for a while and learning as I find the time to read.
> > I have a list of specific questions that I should take the time to write
> > down as every time I read something a new question pops up. Some of the
> > stuff doesn't seem appropriate for this list as it seems most are well
> > beyond my level of knowledge. Is there a good primer? What can I read to
> > learn the basics, I mean the very basics... things like why choose 48v or
> > 72v, or something different? How do you determine prop size? How do I
> > determine hull speed RPM for my prop to determine gear reduction? How do I
> > determine number of amp/hours needed and how do I size the battery bank?
> > >
> > > I am committed to an electric boat so much so that my diesel is on the
> > bed of the truck right now. I probably need to make a purchase soon if I
> > want to be in the water in the spring but feel woefully uneducated as a
> > consumer. So uneducated that I can't make a purchase decision at this time.
> > >
> > > Oh, and what do I do with an old Albin diesel? sell it for scrap?
> > >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
>
>
>
> --
> Chris Guldi
> cxguldi@...
>
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