Sure - a wind generator makes great sense at anchor, but underway in a good breeze it doesn't compare to the overall power from a sail, and you can size the water generation device to outpower any wind generator you cd carry, and a wind generator sailing downwind is useless and, as you imply, probably dangerous for small boats underway.
Nick
From: electricboats@yahoogroups.com [mailto:electricboats@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of oak
Sent: Thursday, August 01, 2013 1:07 PM
To: electricboats@yahoogroups.com
Subject: Re: [Electric Boats] Re: wave powered
Wouldn't it make a lot more sense to get a wind turbine and be done with it? (just remember to duck!)
From: Nick <chernikit@gmail.com>
To: electricboats@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Thursday, August 1, 2013 2:10 PM
Subject: RE: [Electric Boats] Re: wave powered
Well - I'd certainly agree if you referring to a fixed pitch propulsion propeller being used for re-gen, but there are other ways to skin this cat. Prop's and generators optimised for the purpose can do better.
I've sailed on a 56' Herreshoff where we used a towed taffrail generator on a long haul to the South Pacific to good effect - had the keep the steaks frozen ;-). But in the Doldrums (ITCZ) you can sure get skunked for wind. Sitting there, 'as still as a painted ship, upon a painted ocean', we did have to run the main engine to keep up. I'm now considering a type fixed to the boat like the Duogen mentioned in the article, as I'm now in more confined waters, and that tow rope does need a degree of attention. Pricey, though.
Nick
From: electricboats@yahoogroups.com [mailto:electricboats@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of cnc sales (hanermo)
Sent: Thursday, August 01, 2013 11:47 AM
To: electricboats@yahoogroups.com
Subject: Re: [Electric Boats] Re: wave powered
Yes .. and no.
It works, but very poorly, and generates very little power and has alot of drag.
2 large modern PV panels at 250-300W each will develop about 4-6 times the power, for very little cost.
Today, PV panels cost under 1$/watt.
Buying large is *very much* better than using smaller ones.
There is a speed cubed or squared relationship in water.
Thus fixed large surface area generators for narrow-speed-band high speed use work quite well, in water.
Thats why steam turbines for example work quite well, reliably and efficiently (although I believe steam is more of a gas, but..).
Its quite impractical to put one in a sailboat.
On a sailboat, the sail is one big wind generator, and so underway it's quite simple to power an in-water generator towed or directly attached to the boat for house battery charging.
Nick
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