Hi again George,
Glad you liked the weedwhacker idea. I was inspired when I was told
about it! The snag is the maintenance required after each use keeping
the drive from rusting away esp. if used in saltwater.
You might like my very own hybrid idea too, although not for a racing
boat - take a Chinese cheapie electric scooter wheelhub motor, and mount
the guts of it on a simple lightweight flywheel that can then be
balanced, and add it into the ICE driveline about where the coupling to
the shaft is, and feed the power via sliprings. It would need a pin or
similar (centrifugal clutch like a chainsaw? - electric clutch?) to lock
it for ICE use.
I would personally agree that in some ways electric is 'not there yet',
but have to add 'when competing directly with ICE on the same levels of
excess'. Like you, I have an open mind, and I see no reason whatsoever
why the choice has to be one or the other, when it can be both, if that
is what is needed. It would surely be a natural choice to favour not
starting the ICE unless really required.
For your racing application, maybe lightweight batteries would be the
next step.
Just watch out for others beating you with a humming noise coming from
their boats!
John
1.4. Re: Newbie
Posted by: "George Homme" georgeh@hommeonline.net georgeh3ci
Date: Fri Jun 10, 2011 10:32 pm ((PDT))
I don't disagree. Good comments.
I believe with a second battery the Torqueedo may very well be our
perfect solution. Honestly, in a racing situation we can always find a
tow home (if we really need one) so the problem is not difficult to
overcome. We are very happy with our Torqueedo. We've dropped about 20
pounds off the race boat (include fuel), it's easier to move the battery
to centerline of the boat for racing vs. taking off a motor, quieter,
more reliable (outboards seldom used are seldom reliable), etc. etc...
My comments were more directed to point out that EP is just not quite
there yet; in our case due to range. If we have to carry a Johnson or a
Weed Eater on board then EV is not totally here yet.
This is a great forum and cultivates great thoughts and ideas. I have to
tell you that using a weed eater never crossed my mind but I can see how
it might work!
--
http://www.fastmail.fm - Or how I learned to stop worrying and
love email again
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