I have worked on very remote weather stations in the Atlantic, Indian Ocean and Antarctica. The weather predictions was never 100% accurate and the chief met Chappie, a rather clever guy said that the overall prediction has some merit but local the best is look out the window.
I like the hybrid diesel electric setup, sometimes you aren’t in a hurry and can just use it as an electric, but when you need to rush you can fire up the generator and run at optimal efficiency. When coming in and out of crowded anchorages you can do so silently and that’s such a bonus to the community.
I'm just making an observation...you have made such strides forward in the courage department... I think lifes storms have as much to do with that as much as any sea state ...
Nothing like a good powerful diesel engine. It will run forever with care. Carnivore menu for your best health. I also watch doctor Shawn Baker and doctor Ken Berry. Food is not entertainment and should not be. Drink water and water. Good video
This is exactly why I will not seriously consider electric drive. It is simply not as dependable nor does it have the range of a diesel. When the specs for dependability (ie power generation, storage & supply), range and power equal or surpass diesel, then I will take a good hard look, The safety of my ship, crew and passengers is absolutely dependent on ALL our systems being the best available, and the aux engine is #1 (rig & sails #2). So until electric beats diesel, it is for me, a hard no. Enjoying your journey and experiences. Thank you. CJ&JD Blackwell SV Rocinante =/|)= currently Hampton VA
I’d argue that it’s absolutely as or more dependable and has as much range as any diesel. The electric hybrid system runs as long as you have fuel, which is just like a diesel motor. The electric system is more dependable than a diesel motor as it has fewer parts to break and when you have a fuel problem, the electric motor still works while you fix the diesel generator, but if you’re relying on a diesel motor you’re dead in the water. Our electric system is designed to push us at hull speed for as long as we have sufficient power, that means we can instantly move with great speed and power to get out of trouble with the push of the throttle vs needing to start and warm up a diesel. The issue I discuss in this episode is not having enough power to push us at speeds comparable to a diesel for MANY HOURS OR DAYS. Which could be accomplished with a bigger generator and lithium batteries. This means we’re slow when motoring LONG distances. Which is ANNOYING but not dangerous if one understands the system and its limitations.
@@SpoondriftersUnderstood and, to a degree, agreed. I mean that, except for this... "...not having enough power to push us at speeds comparable to a diesel for MANY HOURS OR DAYS." That is the key point To Me. I will not (this is just me ok?) "bet my boat and crew" on any system that is not capable of pushing us at speeds better and longer than current diesel tech does and can. NO complex system is foolproof and 100% reliable, ESPECIALLY as sea. Two factors that negatively affect ALL boat systems are 1. they are subject to shaking and rotational forces (often an all axes) often for days at a time, and sometimes quite violently, and 2. the mere presence of "seawater" carries a cost in maintenance and repair you do not have in land based applications. ATM passive electrical generation is simply not reliable enough due to weather issues + 1/2 the day w/o sunshine. So you need active electrical generation and that means... A diesel or gas generator... and again IMHO, if I "need" a diesel or gas generator... well, I already have a good aux diesel engine (a Westerbeke 82B4, which runs like a top)(fingers permanently crossed) with a up-powered alternator... then I'm working with the historically best proven, so far, system that is available. Oh I could add a separate "generator"... but I simply do not see the advantage of taking on the expense and upkeep of a 2nd diesel motor, aside from the idea of "backup". And I have the rig and a tender (not a dingy). Our T/T Rocinante is sized, built and powered to be able to securely side tie and is powerful enough to act as a tug boat for Roci in a pinch. Again, IMHO, once electrical generation meets or exceeds diesel's capabilities for "run time at speed", then I will take a good hard look, but IMHO and in the research I have done, it simply does not... yet. =] That said, we are stating in Hampton VA this season to race with our friends and to install solar (4x flex panels @ 800W), upgrade the house bank (4x 12v LiPO4 @ 800A) and install passive wind and hydro generation to "bump up" total power generation then top it off with a watermaker (and you have talked us into a countertop ICE MAKER!!) and a few other bits & bobs and hopefully, we will join the yearly migration south this fall. All of the above is only one poor old salt's opinion and is of no more (or less) value than that. =] We LOVE following you guys! And Todd, I follow you because I respect your skills and experience, yours is one of the better channels for that. Kudos man. If I may, Our deepest condolences, our hearts go out to you and yours. JD =/|)=
