Sailing is such a joy

Last evening we went out for a sail around Toronto inner harbour with some future sailors. Ian and Claire Wilson, my wonderful crew, easily fell into their roles, helping their cousins  David and Cassie (and aunt Kathleen), get into the swing of raising the sails, tacking and jibing. Such a wonderful warm evening to let each of the younger kids take a turn at helm. Seeing that twinkle of wonder as these youngsters commanded our 35 foot sailboat around the harbour, tacking with just the touch of their fingers. Claire's friend Andrea also took a turn at helm and was handy around the lines and sheets.

With just two or three knots of wind we were able to start raising the main sail on our way out of the dock area at QCYC. Our small electric dinghy motor only needed about a minute of run time before I was able to shut it down under main sail power as we exited the club dock area. A beautiful gentle cross breeze took us directly out of the club, into the harbour area on a close reach. Initram is such an easy boat to sail under light winds, she calms her skipper, and allows her junior mates to learn quickly and safely.

Tacking back and forth across the harbour was such a joy, my heart leaps at the thought of how we so elegantly slice through the water in our steady and solid boat. Silently gliding through the water, on a gentle breeze, a slight churn of water off our stern proving she makes excellent headway even under these light winds, the beautiful view of the city on our tack north, the quaint Toronto islands on our southern tack, and the odd propeller plane gliding in over our heads towards the island airport. Freedom. The mere thought that at any moment we could make for the eastern gap, exit out of the harbour onto the expanse of Lake Ontario, and head out, and one day, out to the oceans, through the St. Lawrence, to the Atlantic Ocean, the Pacific from the Panama Canal, South China Sea, Indian Ocean, the Med, and back to the Atlantic, all by the power of the wind, and the idea, that yes we can, and we will head out around the world one day soon enough.

Dream. Always dream. And then make your dreams happen. Happiness. Find your happiness. (Have been reading Slocums book about sailing around the world on my iPhone)

First sail on dinghy electric motor

We finally "got off the dock". Today, son Ian, Dad, Leigh, Claire and I went out on our sailboat, Initram, with the dinghy electric motor, a Torqueedo electric outboard, rigged to the back of 35 foot C&C. This is the first time in a few years that Initram has been out for a sail. What a great feeling after so much waiting.

Last Thursday night I spent a few hours jury rigging the Torqueedo, lithium battery powered electric motor to the back of our C&C 35. I basically clamped some hard wood to the swim ladder. We've been using the dinghy with this amazing well built German electric motor for a couple weeks. It has lots of power. I'd read that it could push 14 foot boats and perhaps bigger ones. So, since our Electric Yacht kit is still another week or two away from being fully installed, and we have been aching to get out and sail, we decided to try this temporary solution.

First of all, the boat is new to us so we had to figure out how to rig up the jib sail for the first time. I've worked the main sail up and down a few times at the dock so that was ready to go. We did a double check on all safety equipment, reviewed our plan for taking the boat out, and off we went.

Silently I reversed with the Torqueedo motor jumping a bit as I didn't have the ladder held down in place for reverse. Still, she moved slowly back quite nicely, sputtering a bit but kept moving. Once we'd pulled into the middle of the lagoon, between all the other boats, we hauled in the fenders (not wanting to have to buy everyone at the bar a beer on our first run out), and engaged full forward thrusters captain! Away she went, quietly past our neighbours, to the right of a few sailors coming in to dock, and past the Wards Island ferry dock. A few butterflies churned in my stomach, as I hoped that we would not run out of battery power until we were well clear of the docks and some fellow sailors who have said I am crazy.

Once we'd gotten past the entrance to QCYC, our club, we put the bow into the wind and began hauling up the main sail. After futzing with a double winched line, we got the main sail nicely up and started plowing through the water. I turned off the forward thrust on the electric Torqueedo, to conserve as much battery as possible for our return to dock, and we began hauling the jib up.

She sails beautifully. Smoothe as silk. Feels so well balanced you can hold course with just a finger on the wheel. We had fair winds and so were moving along very well. What a joy to be out in the Toronto Harbour, at last, sailing in a good breeze, with all the other sailors.

After some high fives, hand shakes and self-congratulations we enjoyed a couple hours of sailing. While at the helm the crew mutineed the idea of taking her out through the eastern gap for some open lake sailing. Not yet, apparently not everyone felt ready. What a great feeling just to tack back and forth on this beautiful speedy boat. We all had a blast taking turns at helm.

Finally, we got the word, time to go in. I was a bit worried about whether we'd have enough juice in the batteries to get us back to the dock under some kind of propellor driving power. I was prepared to use the main sail a bit in case we ran out of electric engine power. I kept the throttle in maximum distance setting and we slowly came into the QCYC docks under slow speed, red buoys on the right of course. What a day! The adventure continues. Soon we should have the full blown big 10 kW electric motor kit from Electric Yachts and Odyssey batteries (AGM, 1800 series, rack mountable), and the Analytics super military/marine grade charge controller. Stay tuned.

Ready for electric motor

We've cleaned out the engine compartment with some "green" cleaner that Leigh found in the pile of cleaners on the boat. That, and some extra elbow grease, and the boat is starting to look and smell like roses. Okay, so maybe I washed down the grease in that engine room, all 40 years of it. And now, here you can see Leigh actually cleaning it. Now we are ready to mount the new electric motor. We are hoping to see it arrive this week some time.

You can see that the water is a couple of inches higher on the water with the gasoline engine removed. We'll see how the battery and electric motor weigh in. 

I also went around the entire set of lifeline railing on the boat and tightened up all the uprights as some were actually popping out of their hold fittings. 

To the left are pictures of before and after the engine compartment was cleaned. What a relief to get that old crud out.

Gasoline goes, electric is on the way

Today we removed the Atomic 4 gasoline engine that had given our boat 40 years of service. This paves the way for cleaning up the space for our electric motor. Thanks to Paul and Lorne, the process went very smoothly. Paul used his dinghy to push us to the crane. We then hooked up the cranes hook to a special U shaped piece of metal for pulling engines out of boats recessed engine compartments. We hooked up a steel chain to the old Atomic 4 engines circular hole in the center on top. Up she went and then out. What a relief. Now the fun begins. We'll clean up with sunlight and then paint to get ready for the electric motor that should arrive this week.

Dad (to the right) did all the hard work of cranking the cranes hook up and down, as well as side-to-side. Lorne, in the top picture, takes care to keep the engine from going astray as we move it onto shore. With the old gasoline engine out of the boat we can now see what 40 years of burning gasoline leaves behind (see photo below).

We're getting close on the choice of batteries. Getting quotes from my solar system provider and a local distributor of Odyssy batteries as recommended by Electric Yachts. Lorne is narrowing in on a military grade charge controller. New elelectrical work is being completed by Lorne to upgrade AC and DC wiring to latest requirements as required for our insurance. Lorne has new electrical panels ready and will do final hookup shortly. Lorne has also got a plan for a battery bank platform and box to ensure the batteries are firmly secured. We are looking at a fairly heavy set of 4 x 12 volt batteries that may come in at about 500 pounds. So with the electric being about 200 pounds lighter than the gasoline engine and removal of gas tank we should be about even on the weight.

Electric motor conversion

Now comes the hard but exciting part. Replacing the forty year old Atomic 4 gasoline engine. We are replacing it with an electric motor to be provided by Electric Yacht. The plan is to haul the Atomic 4 out with the clubs crane, along with the fuel tank and other elements related to the gasoline engine.

Once removed we'll clean up the space, prepare it for the electric motor and batteries. While at it we'll be upgrading the electrical systems on the boat in order to comply with requirements for insurance. In order to do this our survey suggests several areas that need work including re-wiring the AC shore power systems, adding a GFI outlet, updated wiring that complies with marine code, a new electrical panel, updated DC systems wiring, and electrical wiring and systems to support the new electric motor, battery system and house DC power systems.

The future systems making our sailboat a truly "green" transportation option and vision for the future of electric powered boating include:

1. Electric Yacht 10 kW, 200 Amp brushless electric motor
2. Eight deep cycle (Trojan?), rechargeable batteries (upgradeable to 16 in future if required)
3. Charging systems from AC shore power.
4. Charging system support for propeller driving electric motor as a generator while under sail.
5. Four solar panels (4 x Siemens 40 Watt solar photo voltaic panels) mounted as a bimini on the back of the boat. Charging for electric motor battery or house batteries (switchable or automatic).
6. Two deep cycle batteries for house power separate from electric motor. Switchable in emergency to be able to provide electric motor power.

Future Add Ons:

1. Wind turbine for charging electric motor battery system.
2. Small gasoline generator for backup/long haul electric motoring.

All of these systems are designed to test and learn how well electric motor systems work for sailing. What we learn will be used to design, plan and eventually build a system for a future 36-40 foot catamaran sailboat we'll be upgrading to sail around the world on 100% renewable energy from solar and wind (gasoline generator will be for emergency use only). Catamaran upgrade to electric motors will require the use of two motors mounted in replacement of two diesel motors.

Here is a video showing an Electric Yacht conversion story:

Here is a 40 foot sailboat conversion story from Electric Yachts web site, check it out:

It was a fortunate day in February 2008. Fortunate because hull number 82 of the legendary Cal 40 came my way and fortunate too because she came without an auxiliary. The diesel had expired and lay ashore somewhere waiting for yet another rebuild and more. Having had a couple of less than pleasant experiences with diesel motors in previous boats I had developed a phobia, an allergy even, to those belching complications. Normally I would go engineless or clamp an outboard on the stern but the Cal 40 was somewhat large and I did not want to remove a very useful Monitor vane to make way for an OMC. What to do?

I had heard of electric motors for sailboats but the task seemed daunting because I am a mechanical klutz and also with the boat in Malaysia and the electric units available only overseas, it appeared a mission impossible. Anyway, I plugged away on the Internet and on an off chance, sent an email to Electric Yacht and as they say, "the rest is history."

Scott McMillan immediately came to grips with the complication of installing an electric motor in the Cal 40. The motor needed to sit backwards and down into the pan which housed the v-drive. It would be tight. Measurements and details went back and forth for a while. Amazingly all my concerns were addressed, all emails were answered and I knew this guy was several steps ahead of me. But was it doable? Scott thought the dimensions might work but was concerned the 48 volt system was too small for my boat, being 15500 lbs displacement on a 30'04" waterline length. The decision was mine. I knew I was in good hands and put trepidations aside and mailed a check for the deposit. It was done.

There was a delivery backlog which gave me time to remove the old tank and its 110 litres(29galls) of diesel, get rid of forty years of crud and grime and cut out the v-drive with an angle grinder. White paint followed and the bilge shone. Scott sent me a photo of my unit with the super short shaft and pretty soon a hefty parcel arrived at RLYC Langkawi. Duty free, of course.

Custom built motor, throttle, percent meter, master switch, 48 to 12 volt converter, custom cableing for the batteries and the controller which Scott had built separately so it would'nt get wet at the companionway foot, detailed instructions ; it was all there. He'd even upgraded me to a dual 48/72 volt system, in case I should need it.

Often times things just fall in place. My South African friend, Faith offered to help. A piece of 2 by 4 drifted by and made a stong back from which to hang the motor on a handy billy and within a week it was all hooked up. No engineering, no dry dock.

Fortunately Trojan T105 batteries are available in Langkawi and with the help of a two young and strong Burmese workers we placed them in the space where the diesel used to sit. Not exactly level but secure and unable to come adrift at sea.

Now for the results:
Conditions; no wind, flat calm, runs up and down tide and averaged. GPS speed.

1.1 knots @ 4 amps,
1.93 knots @ 11 amps,
4.0 knots @ 72 amps.

Cal 40
LOA ----------------------- 39'04"
LWL ---------------------- 30'04"
BEAM ----------------------11'00"
DRAUGHT------------------5'07"
DISPLACEMENT---------15500lbs.
Long fin, spade rudder, flat sections.

The motor limit comes on at 75 amps. The pitch is not quite right. It should go to 100 amps which may deliver another half knot and give a little more torque. The extra pulley Scott sent along for the 72 volt system may do the trick and I will swap it around soon. Otherwise I will have to adjust the Max Prop (self feathering) at next dry docking. Manoeuvering with the electric motor is a snap. Plenty of torque and of course no noise, no smoke. I charge up the batteries from shorepower at the marina via a battery charger. It's only pennies.

I have been in and out of the marina twice and the batteries are down 10%. When I extrapolate the data I come up with an endurance of 20 miles to a 50% discharge level and 30 miles to a 75% discharge level. Underway I will charge the batteries from the Air Marine wind mill; solar panels via Zahn's 12 to 48 volt optimizer. Another option is to change to a fixed propeller which would let the regen work on passage but the price is high; 15% loss could add up to a 30 mile a day deficit. There is a good chance I can do it all without buying a generator.which like the diesel is a step in the wrong direction.

Weight comparison might be of interest:

Perkins 4.107, Walter v-drive, full lube oil and bunkers, 4 Trojan T105, 1 starting battery, exhaust/cooling paraphanelia
Total approx weight…………………………555kgs(1228lbs)

Electric Yacht motor complete, 8 Trojan T105 batteries, Battery charger.
Total approx weight…………………………258kgs(567lbs)

That's it. I wish you, "Good sailing". With emphasis on sailing. Ben Lexcen's famous edict, "Fast is fun" got it right. Sailing is; motoring is not. Electric Yacht is a happy compromise.

Main sail rigging

Decided to unwrap the main sail and start getting it rigged. Still don't know if we have a boom vang, so will continue to research that but in the mean time, need to get the main sail on so it feels like it is ready to go. The biggest sail bag I could find seemed like the right place to start. The top bit seemed right, with a ring that I could attach the halyard to. The bottom stern end of the sail also had a wring that I could attach to the out haul. The bottom of the main sail slipped nicely into the rail on the boom, which I pulled out until it was completely threaded onto the boom. I then attached the main sheet halyard and began to tug the sail up the mast putting the plastic bits into the slide rail as I went. Up she goes. Got about half way up and noticed that we have some pockets for battens. Went down below and found four battens. The smallest one fit perfectly in the top batten pocket. The next largest was next and so on. The last pocket was too small for our last long batten, so not sure whether we're missing one or it isn't used.

With Leigh helping, we then lowered the sail flaking as we went, just like in the basic sailing course and our Guadeloupe trip. We did a reasonably handsome job of folding the sail on the boom, about a foot on each side, pulled nicely towards the stern as we went in order to keep the sail from overlapping with the mast. Once we had about half the sail down we wrapped and tied, with a reef knot, the first half the the sail. Next we brought down the rest and tied up the middle and front end of the sail. A beautiful dark blue sail cover fits snuggly over the sail, wrapping around the mast and protecting our big main sail. She is ready to sail...just need to ask about the missing batten at the bottom, as well as rigging up some reefing line to the sail.

Feels good to have that sail ready to go. Still working on the engine and electrical systems. Hoping to get out soon. Also need to pull out the jib and genoa sails and see what kind of shape they are in.

Oops, now the boom

So, a couple important things. First, we had the main halyard and the topping lift (the line that holds the stern (back) end of the boom) on the bow (front) side of the boat. That means it was looped over the spreaders and needed to be moved to the stern side. We must have made a mistake when raising the mast and left these two lines on the wrong side...note for next time, keep them on the stern side before raising the mast. This is THE way to learn, the hard way, one that makes it hard to forget.

Soooo, how to get those pesky lines on the  correct side of the rigging? Bosuns chair, apparently a device that allows one, with some help, to be raised up the mast to do work such as this. Don't have one yet. A little nervous of the idea. Would have to learn this whole rig-a-ma-roll (sounds like that little expression came from sailing?). Think. Try out every line, see what pulls what, could one of the lines haul up the messed up lines and then drop them on the correct side and return...not likely? Interesting, the topping lift has no line to raise it up. Only the main sail halyard has a line that can raise it. So, we try raising it with the topping lift line attached...it goes up, but doesn't feel like it'll have enough weight to come down...too much friction. So, I start tying various tools on to give it this required weight...wrench, spanner, another wrench. Getting heavy enough to come down once lifted up. Then I see that when it hits the spreaders it get stuck...won't go higher as the spreader is blocking the path.

Attach another thin line to the weight and use this to pull the whole thing towards the bow as we reach the spreader, then, as the boat rolls a little I pull and let the weight swing towards the stern and at the moment it is past the spreader heading further towards the stern I quickly lower the weight, bang, into the mast, but nicely below the spreader, now on the correct stern side of the boat. Success...in so many ways. Imagine, as I had visions of, a large set of steel tools up at the spreaders, stuck, dangling and clanging at everyone, look over here at this bozo. Fortunately, this time this ridiculous work-around has a pleasant ending.

With the topping lift and main sail halyard now on the stern side of the rigging, we are ready (or at least so I think) to attach the boom to the mast. We (my Dad and I), attach the topping lift clip and line to the loop and cleat, adjusting it to the height that ensures the pin goes through the connection at the mast. I slide the boom into the gooseneck, drop the large think long pin down into the hinge, pop a cotter (someone mentioned I spelled this differently in a past blog, and perhaps even in reference to a different piece of hardware...live, learn, try, forget and learn again) pin in to hold the large pin in place. She holds nice and fast, providing a boom that appears to be in the correct place, and the right way up.

I'd gotten the few block and tackle gizmos and lines that looked like the right pieces for holding the boom in place. Was trying to get the boom vang as well, which I thought I had, but turned out to be the main sheet (think rope with pulleys for hauling the boom in and out through tacks, turns...you know). Review some similar C&C boats, for ideas, and then hooked up the main sheets that clicked right into place towards the stern end of the boat on the boom. This also clipped in nicely to the slider system in the cockpit. A nice pull on the main sheet and the boom tightens up nicely into place. It swings back and forth when pulled in and out (useful for performing the necessary tacks). We then lock it into place in the centre of the boat so that it holds the boom in place right down the middle for now (some people clip it in to the side opposite the dock so that there is lots of room in the cockpit when docked).

It wasn't elegant and there was some thinking that perhaps we should wait for others to tell us how, but this attempting, trying and learning through every little mistake is quite a thrill. For today, the story ends well. I am sure there will be many ups and downs through this process. In fact the downs make the ups feel that much more exhilarating once accomplished.

Next hurdles include boom vang (no idea on this one yet...may just be some of the line and some pulleys). Then the sails need to be mounted and adjusted. Also, the electric motor is still on order and we will need to work through hauling the Atomic 4 gasoline engine out, clean the area and replace with the electric and batteries.