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| Signs of spring: Crabapple tree in full bloom in St. Augustine. And did you notice Nissan is leafing out? |
We had dinner at a little Thai place by a lake, and
walking to our car at dusk we heard a familiar sound: spring peepers. You
won't hear that chorus in Central PA for a while! It was a sweet sign
that, like nature writer Edwin Way Teale (whose book we're currently reading)
we're headed north with the spring.
The last time we heard spring peepers, the
boat was still up on blocks next to the Erie Canal, and the Cap'n was busy
installing solar panels.
At the time we had no idea whether boats
powered by electricity were common, or rare. Costly, or affordable. We
were making it up as we went along.
In the course of this trip, we've learned not only
that electric boats have a 100-year history in America, but that they're more common than you might think. And fairly easy to get your hands on.
You don't have to be do-it-yerselfers (like us) to go electric. And
you have quite a few choices!
Back in Stuart, Florida, we tried to visit
with Cap'n Todd Simms of EPower Marine in Boynton Beach. His company sells and supports a variety of electric boats. (We liked the little launch with the "solar-assist" canopy). We couldn't connection because Captain Simms was too busy--I guess the electric-boat business is booming!
Recently, we heard from George Hope of New England
Hybrid Marine. His company's services seem pitched to sailors thinking of going electric; we read the talking
points on his home page, nodding and saying," Uh huh! That's
right!" Docking is MUCH easier with
an electric motor than a diesel engine. Installing the electric
motor WAS cake compared to aligning the engine (which
Cap did after replacing the engine mounts.)
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| While we're on the subject of unusual machinery: Look up the definition of "putz," then ask yourself, Why is this truck called a "putzmeister"? |
George encouraged us to check out Corvus Energy,
which makes lithium ion batteries for marine and other uses.
We have conventional lead-acid batteries; many industry observers predict
lithium ion will become standard for boats.
One big advantage: You can
discharge lithium ion batteries all the way without harming them (just like
your cell phone battery). With our fork-lift type batteries, on the other hand, when the batteries are just 50 percent discharged, we switch to diesel.
A sign that electric boats are going mainstream: Friday we heard from Bob Duthie, a boater who'd
visited us back in Kentucky, about a boat he spotted at Trawler Fest. (T'Fest is celebration of the
big, comfy cruising boats; it was held last week at the famous Bahai Mar marina in Fort Lauderdale--the home of John D. McDonald's famous fictional boat-dweller Travis McGee.)
Anyway, Bob spotted a 42-foot Grand Banks
trawler (about the size of our boat) that had been converted to diesel-electric hybrid. The designers say it has a top speed of 14 knots (which
is actually kind of speedy for a trawler) and cruises all day, on just
the batteries, at 8 knots (which is what most trawlers do while burning diesel
fuel). Add it to my "amusing boat names" series: The boat is named Watt Power!
And here's another very appealing electric boat that came across
our radar recently. As if a year of cruising wasn't fabulous enough, Cap was looking around on line for a vacation option for
NEXT summer . . . and breathlessly reports that a company in Wales rents out
Great Britain's only all-electric narrowboat for week-long vacations. Top speed: 3 mph. Perfect!
Posts
Is that the Monmouthshire & Brecon Canal? They have electric sockets at the moorings so you can plug the boat in to recharge over night. If so it is very picturesque (http://www.flickr.com/photos/ianturton/4033859837/in/set-236726/)
ReplyDeleteYes indeedy! The very canal. We can't wait to check it out.
ReplyDelete