Light winds were enlightening on our way from Bronte to Fifty Point. We learned to follow the ripples that indicate wind currents on the water. Heavenly day for sailing.
Our challenge is to sail around the world on a solar/wind powered catamaran. This blog will document and share our experiences.
Friday, August 19, 2011
Thursday, July 28, 2011
Electric motoring out of Bronte
With light winds expected and a long run to Fifty Point we set off early from Bronte Harbour. What a great feeling on a clear quiet morning to flick the switch on the electric motor and quietly make our way out onto the lake. As it turned out our use of the genoa made this one of the most pleasant days sailing we've ever had. Once on the lake we pointed just to the east of Fifty Point using our iPad Navionics chart plotter gps system. We raised the main and then genoa in light winds. Most of the way we were able to find the wind by watching the water for areas with ripples. Sure enough we picked up good speed, 4-5 knots, on a close hauled course near perfect heading for our destination. Sure enough we were there by about 1:30pm with just one tack to head in. Beautiful day of great sailing. Great recovery from our day of motoring.
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
Electric motoring from Oakville to Bronte on our C&C 35
Leigh had a bit of a fall on our trip from Toronto to Oakville. So, with winds blowing hard we decided to test the electric motor as a way of making it an easy stress free trip to Bronte. It was a sunny day, not much wave action as the wind was coming in from the north where the land is. We made 3-4 knots at about three quarters throttle doing about 1600 rpm with our old folding racing prop. It took a little over an hour with some extra time as we came in slow as this is our first time in this harbor. Once we docked and settled all the rigging down the battery meter indicated we still had about 100% charge and another 4.5 hours at 3-4 knots that we still could have covered.
Monday, July 25, 2011
Cruising with our electric motor
Next trick was to sort out the electrical hookup to make sure I could top up the charge on the batteries. Of course the shore power connection in Oakville is different than QCYC. I eventually found an adapter from our three round pronged (name?) plug to standard 3 prong outlet. She charges nicely on the 15 amp circuit provided, using about 10 amps. With that I can still run the fan to keep things cooler in the galley. I charge the house batteries only separately from the motor batteries as it would blow the 15 amp fuse provided by shore power here. Took less than an hour or so to charge up to full storage again. All set for our sail to Bronte or perhaps further out to Fifty Point Park. We'll see.
All is working well. The weather has been hot and humid which is yet another test of the system. So far so good. Met a few sailors from Mimico who'd been to QCYC and had read about our electric boat in the Clipper. I've invited them over for a tour. Off for some Thai food for dinner.
Monday, October 18, 2010
Sailboat goes electric
Well, after an attempt at repairing the old Atomic 4, and several attempts to learn the complexities of a gasoline engine system, we (by the way I should mention that "we" refers primarily to me, John Wilson, and my Dad, Ian Wilson as we've bought the boat together) gave up and made the decision to switch to electric. I should mention that this seems a little less crazy to me than perhaps most people as I live in a "eco" house that has grass growing on the roof (free air conditioner), solar panels covering the south side (earning me big profits on the Ontario MicroFIT program that pays 80.2 cents per kilowatt hour), a wind turbine, and some ten year old deep cycle batteries in the basement. We actually generate more electricity than we consume in the house and it seemed to me we ought to be able to make the switch to electric on the boat for the hour or two max that we ever use the motor going in and out of the dock.
So, after a quick google search we found Electric Yacht ( http://www.electricyacht.com ), run by Bill and Scott down in the Minnesota, in the United States. A run through their conversion stories and YouTube videos convinced me that we could do this. If a guy in Malaysia can order the system, get it hooked up and say it works well, then surely we could do this. So, we talked to a few boat mechanics, most of whom were less than interested, and then found Lorne at Genco who is young and eager to try to make this kind of new challenge work. So, we ordered the 10 kW brushless electric motor (sized by Bill and Scott based on some of the boats dimensions). The electric motor system, which we were assured is flexible enough to fit in the same location and mount where the Atomic was, came with everything we need including a monitor system (percent charge remaining, volts, amps, rpms etc), a throttle, power controller and the motor. The only other parts we needed to buy were some deep cycle batteries, heavy gauge wire and a charge controller for the deep cycle batteries. So, we all did some research and then went with the Odyssey batteries that Bill and Scott recommended combined with an Analytic charge controller that Lorne thought would suit our needs the best (military grade, sealed to prevent getting wet). The four large, rack mountable Odyssey batteries we ordered each cost about $700 and weighed in at about 130 pounds each. When all the new components, motor, and battery were combined we figure it weighs about the same as the Atomic 4 with a full tank of gas. All the new equipment including batteries would also fit nicely where the old motor and gas tank were removed retaining the same weight and balance in the boat.
Once everything had arrived Lorne followed the installation manual, and made a few calls to Bill and Scott, to get everything wired up, aligned and ready. Lorne had to design a solid wooden box system to hold the batteries in place. We cleaned out all of the old gasoline and oil gunk and painted the engine compartment white before putting the electric in. Finally the big day had arrived and we took her out (Initram is the name of our C&C sailboat) for a trial run. All systems worked flawlessly...better than expected. Simply push backward and she reverses out of her slip, quietly, with the simple hum of the electric motor. Out on the water in forward we take her slowly up to 2000 rpm. We get up to about 5 knots and all systems are looking great.
Around the Toronto Harbour we motor, enjoying the ability to talk to each other as we move around (so nice not to be yelling over the sound of the gasoline engine). At about 80% of the rpm max the Electric Yacht control monitor system says we've got about six hours of run time. At full throttle the system suggests we have about two hours of run time.
Around the Toronto Harbour we motor, enjoying the ability to talk to each other as we move around (so nice not to be yelling over the sound of the gasoline engine). At about 80% of the rpm max the Electric Yacht control monitor system says we've got about six hours of run time. At full throttle the system suggests we have about two hours of run time.
We've now been out many times and always seem to come back with essentially 100% charge remaining. For most of our sailing we take her out of the slip and once out in the harbour we put the sails up. Same thing coming back in so we had not really used much of the juice in the batteries on any outing. Finally, we decided to make a more substantial trip, going from Toronto to Port Credit.
On this day we had some strong winds out of the north. We motored for about twenty minutes across the harbour to pick some people up. We then motored for another ten minutes in the harbour putting the sails up. Off to Port Credit we sailed. We enjoyed some good sailing speeds up to 9 knots while riding some big ten foot waves.
Once we'd arrived in Port Credit (my first time sailing to a destination and my first time going to Port Credit), we were unlucky enough to have to surf in on those big breakers (or lucky depending on your perspective). The adrenaline was pumping as we rode a big one in and behind the break wall. Once fairly close to the wall, in the deeper part of the port I thought we were safe. Not on this day. The waves were still going up and down about six feet from top of the crest to the bottom of the wave. As we thought we were getting close to the public docks we were startled to realize we had become stuck on the bottom as we dropped down in the trough of a wave. As the next wave raised us up we were able to move again but this was not good. I immediately began to worry about the new motor and how the heck we were ever going to get out of this mess.
Once we'd arrived in Port Credit (my first time sailing to a destination and my first time going to Port Credit), we were unlucky enough to have to surf in on those big breakers (or lucky depending on your perspective). The adrenaline was pumping as we rode a big one in and behind the break wall. Once fairly close to the wall, in the deeper part of the port I thought we were safe. Not on this day. The waves were still going up and down about six feet from top of the crest to the bottom of the wave. As we thought we were getting close to the public docks we were startled to realize we had become stuck on the bottom as we dropped down in the trough of a wave. As the next wave raised us up we were able to move again but this was not good. I immediately began to worry about the new motor and how the heck we were ever going to get out of this mess.
Reverse, someone said. Yes, don't fight it, let us back our way out of here. Full reverse on the new electric. Two thousand rpm...and nothing. Then a wave picked us up a bit and we started moving backwards. The next wave the same thing. Finally on the third wave I was able to have full control of the boat in reverse, full power. So I kept her on full throttle for about five minutes taking us back into the bigger waves wondering all the time, would she have enough power to keep us out of the break wall. She did and then some. We got tucked in behind Port Credit Marina break wall and finally I switched her back to full forward going to the right into the Port Credit Marina. We found an open slip and took about half an hour to catch our breath and come down from the thirty minute adrenaline rush.
Now it was time to get back on the horse and get back out into those big waves. We'd used a lot more power from the batteries than I had ever expected to. Still, the monitor still indicated we had about 90% remaining battery power. So, we put the nose back into the big waves and started motoring back into those waves. Would she have enough power to make way against those waves and the strong wind coming against us? She sure did. We made some good progress out into the lake and got the sails up going directly into those ten foot waves and a heavy 20+ knot wind.
Approaching Toronto we decided to motor through the western gap and across the harbour instead of sailing for another hour or so to get to the eastern gap where the QCYC entrance is as the sun was starting to set. We motored through the western gap and across the harbour as the sun set at about 80% power, moving nicely at around 4 knots. We had about 69% battery remaining when we got back to the dock. We packed everything away and I plugged in the batteries so they'd be ready for another fun filled day of sailing. Electric motors for sailboats have arrived. Just think how much sense it makes. A gasoline engine has an electric motor, batteries for that starter electric motor, spark plugs, pumps, cooling systems, and who knows what else. With electrics, you are down to one of those basic systems...a large version of the gasolines electric starter motor. Talk about making things easier and simple to understand, never mind reliable. Add to that the ease of maintenance, ease of fueling (just plug her in), and ease of use. The more time we spend with the electric the more I have no doubt that this is the future of boating.
For more information about our electric motor conversion see: http://www.thesolarvillage.com/index.cfm?page=Electric%20Sailboat&tab=Travel
For more information about our electric motor conversion see: http://www.thesolarvillage.com/index.cfm?page=Electric%20Sailboat&tab=Travel
Sunday, September 19, 2010
Initram is lightning fast and sails like a dream
The sun was shining, it was fairly warm, with a gentle breeze as we chitty chatted our way out, complaining mildly about how slow we were going, with other sailboats motoring by us in a hurry. Not us. We mostly kept to our sails and even if we did use a bit of electricity to drive the motor nobody would have known as we were pretty much silent. Rounding the second green buoy we caught some decent wind and starting making good steady progress towards Port Credit off somewhere in the distance. What a sight. Hundreds of sailboat out on the lake racing, a gentle light blue sky and sun. Nobody on the nude beach...perhaps a tad cold for no clothing.
We passed a couple of other larger sailboats on our way out feeling pretty cheeky. Then lunch at 12:14 as our stomachs started growling. You could actually hear them as the airs were light and the boat sailing smoothe and quiet. We enjoyed our Turkey sandwhiches and salads, with lemonade and iced tea...perfec! A few pretzels for veggies, then some delcious Aero chocolate balls for desert.
About half way to Port Credit we decided to head back for port just before passing some more larger sailing boats...didn't want to embarass them. So, we did a quick tack right around and started heading east back to the islands. Half way back Claire Wilson took the helm with confidence and a subtle smile on her face. Up ahead was a beautiful forty footer under full sail making progress in the same direction as us. Hmmm, a race perhaps? Claire and crew, despite making any trimming of any sails started making good progress at making up the distance. As we neatly passed the larger vessel you could see the other helm looking in disbelief, up and down his sails, then back at us...how could Initram that young girl at helm be zipping past? Claire maintained a stern face, looking ahead mainly, not wanting to gloat, as we passed and then made more and more progress. Wow, Claire, you are doing great! A smile...yes, yes, she was.
Right into the eastern gap Claire maintained helm. Just before the turn in as John took helm, we made a perfect running jibe and under a beam reach zipped through the channel, lowered sails and were at the dock in no time. Ian M. Wilson took helm for the final docking procedure which was done to perfection. We even remember to put down the bumpers (no....actually they are "fenders"...so why can't I remember that?).
A perfect day of sailing the likes of which I've been dreaming of for years. Get out and sail it is pure wonderous freedom.
Thursday, September 16, 2010
How to convert your sailboat from gas/diesel to electric
First, let me explain that at first blush you might ask why even consider this option since I could find no other example of anyone in this area doing something like making a switch to electric motor for their sailboat? Surely, if it was such a reasonable idea somebody else would be doing it. Secondly, if there are no others doing it then surely it must not be a very good idea? And yet, it may be the case that nobody has tried it because the answer to the first question has prevented anyone feeling comfortable enough to move forward to try it to verify whether it is a good idea or not.
In my own case I've been using renewable energy (solar PV and wind turbines) to generate electricity at my house for the past ten years. In fact, we have no furnace, no gas/oil bill, and only use renewable energy sources for all our needs in the house (for all the details see http://www.naturallifenetwork.com/wilson.cfm). So, given my own personal experience, achieving this objective with our forty year old 35 foot C&C sailboat seemed like a reasonable possibility.
With a few mouse clicks and a google search I found Electric Yacht (http://www.electricyacht.com/). After reviewing a few of their conversion stories and youtube web videos I was convinced we could make this work on our boat. In addition, since our forty year old Atomic 4 gasoline engine was in need of some expensive repairs and a steep learning curve for us novice sailors, the switch to electric would make the task of managing the maintenance and up-keep of the motor much easier. Of course, it has always been clear that there would be limitations in switching to electric. The battery system and their cost would be limiting factor on how far we would be able to travel using the motor. I could see very little chance that it would match the distance a full tank of gas would allow. However, I also understood that 90% of the time we would be using the motor primarily to get on and off the dock. Still, in an emergency and during longer passages we'd need to be sure we understood the limitations of the batteries ability to deliver power, for instance in a storm. Also, the question of sufficient power was also a concern, although the choice of electric motor (larger or smaller) could largely alleviate this concern...although with the connection that a larger motor, drawing more power, would affect run time limitations with the battery.
Working to determine the best solution for our boat we came up with the selection of a 10 kW (roughly 17 hp) electric motor as a reasonable replacement for the Atomic 4 for our particular needs. Of course we could have selected the 20 kW motor for additional power. For batteries, we ended up selecting four high quality Odyssey AGM deep cycle batteries. Although lithium ion batteries are an option that may provide substantially more storage and far less weight, their cost is currently two to three times that of AGM. As electric cars enter the mainstream we can expect the lithium batteries to become the cost, weight, and storage option of choice.
A few things that make electric motors more interesting than you might think for longer journeys with a sailboat. While underway sailing a fixed prop will turn the electric motor making it a generator that will charge your batteries while you sail from port to port. In addition, as in our case, by adding some solar panels (and wind turbine), as well as a backup biodiesel generator, it is quite easy to create a system with run times the equivalent, if not superior, to pure gas/diesel options.
So, then, how much does it cost? Well, our 10 kW brushless electric motor kit (includes controller, throttle, motor, and mounting brackets) from Electric Yacht was US$4,995 plus shipping (from the US). The 4 large Odyssey 1800 rack mountable AGM batteries were about CAN$3,300. An Analytics charge controller was about CAN$2,200. Finally, the installation, done by Lorne Spence from Genco was approximately $3,400 (roughly 40 hours). So, it certainly is more than a new gas or diesel engine. However, we have essentially zero fuel costs for the life the motor and we expect fewer maintenance costs as electrics tend to be very reliable.
As for how the system performs in the real world...for that you'll have to read earlier blog entries and keep an eye out for future updates. In a word...the system works beautifully. She is quiet, powerful, and has enough run time and then some for all of our needs thus far (trips across Toronto Harbour and back, and we think enough to do a couple hours at 3-4 knots). Hope this helps get you thinking about an electric as viable alternative if you are thinking of replacing your aging gas/diesel engine on your sailboat. If you have question I'd be happy to try to answer them. Just send me a note at wilsonjd9@hotmail.com.
For a fellow sailors view of the experience with our electric powered sailboat check out his excellent blog: Ian Hoar - Wind and Sail.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)