Hi James,
I agree with your analysis, but the boat that was being discussed is a small cabin cruiser power boat. This makes it more like a hybrid car, that will only operate for a few minutes under electric alone, then the engine will be running until the boat stops. So the engine duty cycle will be above 90%.
Like you said "diesels make for a better motor boat, and electrics, be it battery electric, solar electric or diesel electric, make for better sailboats".
Fair winds,
Eric
Marina del Rey, CA
--- In electricboats@yahoogroups.com, James Lambden <james@...> wrote:
>
> Gentlemen,
>
> In determining the suitability of a hybrid drive for a sailboat one must consider the duty cycle of the diesel generator.
>
> If the boat consumes small amounts of power, and the batteries are used as a buffer to the large output of a diesel generator, then it makes sense.
>
> If the duty cycle is 10 to 1, then hybrid is an obvious advantage, the batteries won't get cycled that often so they won't wear out early, and the diesel generator will be charging the batteries at the diesel's optimum efficiency.
>
> If the duty cycle is 1 to 1, then the hybrid is not advantageous at all.
>
> It all depends on how you use your boat. It is my observation that the way boats are used in the Santa Barbara Harbor, that Hybrid Propulsion would be a great advantage. Most boats use their diesels very infrequently, some getting a tank of gas once per year at most.
>
> One also has to consider the percentage of energy used by the house, and the percentage used for propulsion. With boats that use more energy for their house than for propulsion, once again hybrid wins because a DC generator is upwards of 3 times as efficient as a belt driven alternator.
>
> The final remaining factor to determine if hybrid technology is appropriate for someones vessel is how pleasant life on board can be. Diesel Generators can be mounted in a lazarette - outside the living spaces of the boat. And an electric motor is far nicer to live with than a diesel - anyday.
>
> My firm belief is that diesels make for a better motor boat, and electrics, be it battery electric, solar electric or diesel electric, make for better sailboats.
>
> Now if I can only figure out how to automate the tracker for my 450 watt solar array......
>
> Pictures coming soon
>
> James
>
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