28' Great Dane, Denmark 1970--9000 lbs. 21 ' lwl -fiberglass- 3/4 keel.
Converted to electric drive -Solomon ST 37 Rare earth magnet- 3 phase motor@144 VDC- 105 Ah AGM batteries.
LOG BOOK
GIBSONS TO NELSON
Oct 2-Oct 12 2007
Mr. Red was introduced to the Fair Lady Green on her final trip around Howe Sound on her way the fresh waters of the Kootany Lake. Green a 36 year old has been a purist in her diet of grid side power since the removal of her second diesel last year and recieved a high voltage, three phase, rare earth permenent magnet implant. Red a strait from the box Honda EU 2000i all spruced up with a fresh pint of 10-30 and a full gallon of mid-grade, sat pertly on her poop lashed down with a dock line. Once primed Red purred a familiar tune and the connection was quick and easy.
The pair left Gibsons, Green's home for the last 6 years against wind and tide at only 4 Knots, her prop badly fouled with mussels and barnacles after languishing in the summer sun. Red was up the the challenge and put forth the rated 1600 watts, so that with the right throttle setting the net battery draw was 0 Amps. Greens range, her only visible fault besides some flaking bright work was greatly extended ,with Reds support and a extra gallon on board.
Greens gird habit cost 7 cents a kilo watt hour. A 50% DOD appetite amounts to 6kW or $0.42. Red however is a high roller, to provide the full meal deal would take almost 3 hours of effort using up most of the gallon at $5 Canadian. When she had a diesel on her back the some distance would have used more than a gallon. Good riddance to the roar, the stink and the small exhaust slick as the Volvo reluctantly started.
After knocking off a large clump of mussels with a stick we were able the go up the Fraser River at 3.5 Knots consuming 1 kilowatt, with Red running 20min on, 20min off he was able to keep her voltage well elevated, supplying drive and charge simultaneously. The batteries would alternate to maintain headway and offer us some quiet time to enjoy the sounds of the city.
After a lift at Shelter Island and bottom wipe, she headed of to the Kootaneys with her keel a mere 8" above the tarmac. All-Tow Boat Transport put as many miles on her in 12 hours a I did in 6 years. Safely delivered to lakeside she awaits a spring launch and a much needed shaft alignment ,with feeler gages this time. Red meanwhile does double duty standing vigil with his new companion, White, a freezer full of summer berries, together awaiting the inevitable winter black-outs.
VOYAGE HOME
Sechelt to Gibsons
58 Miles /23 Hours /4 Days.
The First Solo Circumnavigation of the Sechelt Peninsula in an electric powered vessel.
Power used Approximate 20 kWh from grid @ $0.07 -$1.40
Diesel displaced-23 hr x 1.5 l/hr-34.5 liters.@ $1 /liter CAD
Feb. 6 -Sechelt to Cauley Pt.---4 Amps-4 Knots--3 Hr-11 Miles/1.8kWh.
Feb. 7-Cauley Pt.-Pender Harbor. 6 Hr--18 miles.
Charge 2 kWh at Back eddy Pub.and 5+ kWh at Pender Harbor Hotel and Marina.
First Passage of Sechelt Rapids in an electric vessel.15 min/3.3 knots at 1800 watts, no current but quite turbulent.
Made Power- Down wind with Main Sail, hull speed-30 watts generated.
Feb. 8-Pender Harbor -Secret Cove 4Hr- 9 Mi -Strong head wind.
Charge 2 1/2 kWh. at Secret Cove Marina.
Feb. 9- Secret Cove to Gibsons- 10 Hrs.-20 miles. 2 hr charge at Wilson Creek(2 kw). 4 hr charge at Gibsons (6 kw).
Tacked SE into strong head wind with Jib and drive at low watts.
The motor was on for the entire trip,when the boat comes around there is no loss of speed and the change of tack is easy.
Last 2 hours into Howe Sound 1800 watts at 2+ knots. Very rough and strong head wind.
Voltage was at 144.4 VDC. at dock this rebounded to 146 VDC.
There was still power available, but charge was getting low.This was a challenging trip, a Gale force gust tore the top attachment of the jib, thanks to roller reefing, a must for single handing, I was able to reef and keep going.
Electric boost makes sailing a new experience"Electro-sailing" .
My slow old boat has become a performance sail boat, with 200 watts while reaching in 15-20 knot wind and light chop.
The motor makes up losses due to wave action, allowing the boat to maintain hull speed and the auto pilot is able to perform better due to improved steerage from pressure on the rudder.
In heavy air the boat works like a ketch, no main, jib furlled and 400-600- watts. Boat maintained hull speed and felt safe in 23+ knots and 3' chop.
100 watts takes the weight of the prop and the boat can open up .
Motor stayed cool and was used for the entire trip.
The charge seems adequate for 1 to 3days of normal sailing or 1 day of motor transit.
Extended up wind travels would require a back-up gen set, 2 kW would do.
Motor sailing at 100 watts adds 1/2 to 3/4 knots.
500 watts lets you point nicely up wind.
So nice to dock, the control available is no comparison to Diesel
The Green has proven that it is reliable and is considered in service.
Launched Jan 28 2007
LOG
Jan 28- Ship has Starboard forward list. Drive shaft needs alignment Max.3.5 Knots.20 min. run. It works.
Jan 29-Alignment run- Tom Baker on wrenches. Much smoother. Reached hull speed 5.2 knots. Plenty of power-45 mins.
These readings are approximate I will update as trials proceed;
2.5 Knots-whisper quiet-300 watts-250 rpm.
3.7 Knots-4 Knots- 600 watts. sweet spot
5.2 Knots-hull speed-2200 watts, some cavitation above this speed.
6 Knots-6000 watts- lots of cavitation.
Relocation of 2 batteries helped but still a little bow heavy.
Feb. 04.-3 Hr. run- 3 3/4-4.2 Knots average. at 6 A -900 watts.
Voltmeter readings:
Before leaving 154 v
5 mins-151v
90 mins.-148v
3 hrs.147v
Rebound-30 mins.-150v
Distance travelled-11 miles.
Est. range 20 miles.