T-Pain Is On A Boat: [Electric Boats] introducing myself

Thursday, April 18, 2013

[Electric Boats] introducing myself

Hello electricboats group members,

My name is Gary Brown.

I joined your group yesterday evening. I've lived in Olympia Washington for 23 years off Totten Inlet, working in Information Technology - mostly state government stuff.

I have selected various attachments - wife (practically perfect in every way), 2 teens (mostly well behaved), 2 dogs (tail-wagging variety), 2 cats (hmmm), mortgage (still paying), motorcycle (honda cb750), 5 kayaks (whitewater and sea), sailboats (12 foot Force5 and a 32 foot cutter rigged sloop), generators (3 for backup home power)...

I learned to sail off the coast of Cornwall in England at summer-camp when I was 12 and 13 years old. Dad bought us a sailboat to play with during my teenage years. I developed real sea legs commercial salmon fishing in Alaska in my early/mid 20's. So, at 40 something I got into more serious sailing.

I have an engineering degree, so I'm dangerous - you know - willing to multiply numbers together and think it means something :) throw a logarithmic graph in there and I'm a kid in a sandbox - and dangerous.

In December I was informed that my '73 marinized diesel engine was experiencing severe compression problems on one cylinder - for me that's time to re-power. And that's how I arrived here. Who, really, wants to maintain a stinky diesel engine inside a sailboat. For goodness sakes its a sailboat.

I'm glad that there are electric options now. I can't really imagine when state-of-the-art was hemp rope and burlap sails and scurvy.

When I was 10 I remember getting shocked messing around with a 240V socket. I've never been the same since. I'm sure it has influenced my decision. Worrisome - yes.

I am purchasing an AMeP 7.5kw kit to repower. I'll be DIYing most of the install, with some help from a friend who's good with fiberglass - for securing a few hundred pounds of VRLA batteries below deck.

I will spend some time reading historical posts. I like the humor and level of discussion between group members.

Thanks for being here.

Gary in Oly