S4EP2//Installing an Inboard Diesel Engine W/Folding Prop From Scratch 

What a nice comment. Thanks much. It took the longest to make by far of any video I have made. Glad you found it useful.

@Snowgorilla9789. Thanks. Concur there is real value in knowing how your systems are installed and how they work. Thanks for engaging.

Kolton, thanks for the kind words.

That's a very nice think to say! I of course agree with your keen observation!

@@travistucker7317 Thanks for the comment. Glad you enjoyed it.

Thanks Gordon.

Thanks.

Thanks.

Thanks. I appreciate that.

Glad you enjoy them. There is more to come.

Well I am flattered. But I am no Slocum. Capt Josh is at the top of the pyramid and in a league of his own. Re the FR, it's painful to even think that day will arrive, though eventually it must. But for now, I'm focused on our great partnership and the many tens of thousands of miles of sailing together still to come.

Correct. It's not just the prop, the sling has to be forward of the rudder as well. We align the slings between the end of the cabin top and the base of the boom gallows frame.

Thanks. Appreciate the kind words.

Hi Daniel. It's a great question. The short version is I think electric is just too limited for what you spend. It sounds better than it is in reality. For a more detailed explanation I recommend you scroll down in the comments to the entry by @woodman1113. He, @fiddleswithbikes, and I gammed on it a bit. I more or less explained my thinking. Others are going to feel different on this topic. That's OK.

That's a great question. Thanks for asking it. Short version: Electric has limited range. The batteries are very expensive. You need 48v for any kind of power and you'll need twice that many batteries to have a reasonable sized bank. I priced out 10-15hp equivalent electric motor and a bare minimum 48v lithium bank and it cost more than the 25 HP diesel. Difficult to recharge unless you return to dock or cover your boat in solar panels. I don't like the look of all that hardware and you also have probably $2k-$5 K in just the arches to support the panels. No sun? No juice. Regeneration (free wheel prop under sail) is over hyped according to people I have talked to that have tried it. So no folding prop which means more drag and less performance under sail. Also, it's just a matter of time before all those electrons are going to be compromised in the salt water environment that is the reality for small boat off shore sailing. I'm not being critical of others who like that approach but it is not robust or reliable enough for me. That's my thinking in a nut shell. I wrote more in the PS articles or you can check the web site.

The RANGE is THE big issue. You can actually go pretty far on a charge, however, if you go slow and the water & wind are calm. I differ in my opinion from Far Reach about the reliability however. I think that the electric system is going to last way longer and be FAR more reliable than the diesel. And the battery cost should be thought of as buying your all your fuel for the next 10 years. (and weighs about as much as the engine + fuel) There are other benefits that most people don't think of as well, like adding just a little power can keep your sails full enough to keep sailing in conditions where diesel boats have to turn on the motor when the sail begin to slat in low wind.

@fiddleswithbikes You've clearly had a better experience with electronics on a boat than I have. I think electric drive sounds better in theory on cruising boat than it is in reality, though I'm sure it's getting better all the time. I know of six displacement sailboats with electric drive. None of the owners are happy. They like the motors are quiet but that's about it. Got a good friend with a big trimaran and a huge electric system and 2000 watts of solar. All installed by one of the finest boatyards. Nothing but trouble. Has spent a fortune trying to get it to work right and still not there. He seems determined to get it to work. Time will tell. Batteries can be quite fussy about being charged. I read up and visited the boat forums when I was gathering info and the angst among boat owners about battery woes of all kinds including LiFePo4 and the heated debate and arguing about charging, conditioning, equalization, voltage, amps, inverters and how it should or should not be done was tiresome and made my eyes glaze over. A lot of people with battery issues. I think you are right about fuel cost if you use the engine a lot like a car. I use about 10 gallons of diesel a year. Fuel cost is negligible for me. So for me and my situation there is no return on investment. If you enjoy messing with electrons (and many people seem to) and can really spread out the solar panels then perhaps you can be happy with electric drive on a cruising boat. But you better be able to do all the work yourself or it will cost more than you think. You're not going to find any experts out at the edge of the world to trouble shoot your system. A properly installed well maintained diesel is pretty darn reliable. Clean fuel, change the oil, lubricate the linkages. That's it. Diesels are used world wide so there are parts and mechanics out there though skills vary from great to terrible. With more advancement in charging capabilities (I see this as the big issue for voyaging boats) and more skills by everyday people we might eventually get there. There is no right or wrong on this just what is right or wrong for each sailor.

I owned an electric inboard Pearson 365 and I'd say the only saving grace for me on the EV was the improvement in interior smell vs the tired old diesels boats in my price range usually give. Range was a bummer. We actually still stuck a Tohatsu 6hp in an outboard motor well to make a hybrid compromise. 2 systems is pretty reliable in that way. I'd say in hindsight, either have a boat small enough that an outboard motor well alone makes sense or just go inboard diesel. 34' on a monohull is probably the cutoff between those. We actually have a catamaran with 2 outboards in wells now and that works pretty well for us. With all the real estate for solar, it will probably be a swap to 2 electric outboards one day since I'm allergic to gasoline now. As you say, no right or wrong answers here except for each sailor's situation. @@FarReachVoyages

@@GuyIncognito764 Good insights. Thanks for sharing and engaging.

You’re correct. With the prop in front of the rudder the helm is more responsive initially as water is pushed over the rudder and by initiating short blast of throttle and applying helm you can push the stern left of right…to a point. With the helm behind the rudder the boat has to start moving for water to flow over the rudder allowing it work. However, in reality I have found the helm to respond well with the boat barely moving. In theory the helm should be more responsive in reverse with the prop behind the rudder but I have not found that to be the case yet. Full keel boats are notoriously hard to steer in reverse especially with any cross wind, and the Far Reach is no different in that regard. Having sailed engineless for a long time I am used to planning ahead and avoiding situations that limit our ability to maneuver. I have not found any of these considerations to be a problem as I operate very conservatively under power.

@@FarReachVoyages yes that makes sense - with boat like ours reverse has almost no control - I berth by adjusting with forward movements- interesting i imagined your set up would have worked better in reverse - guess the underbody rules

Everything you want to know about the engine install can be found on our website--www.FarReachVoyages.net. Four entries in agonizing detail. The Beta has been excellent though I don't have much use on it. I don't motor much. Plenty of power. I could have gone with a 16hp and been fine. Most people would want a 35 which would be a good replacement for the 4-107.

Thanks.

We get a little prop walk to port in reverse and a little to starboard in fwd from a dead stop. Can use to your advantage. Technique driven. Full-keel boats are notoriously difficult to steer in reverse. The FR is no different.