How will boats be powered when ICEs go away?

[sbw1]

I'd be a bit skeptical on the fuel burn quoted, but otherwise not surprised.

Possibly. However the genny on our Tiara burned a little less than a gallon per hour and that was gasoline powered. Wouldn’t these be at least as efficient?

 

[Henry Boyd]

Possibly. However the genny on our Tiara burned a little less than a gallon per hour and that was gasoline powered. Wouldn’t these be at least as efficient?

The gen on the Sabre is a 9kw Onan with 4 cyl Cummins. The full load burn rate (per spec) is 1 gph. Based on our fuel consumption difference between port (w/gen) and stbd tanks leads me to believe real world consumption providing electricity for four AC units, a fridge, ice maker and battery chargers is closer to a third of a gallon.

 

[Golfman25]

We were in NW Indiana this past October. Windmills as far as the eye could see. They are also making quite an appearance on the west coast of Michigan around the Ludington area as well. I believe they will be around for awhile. Local resistance is still a major limiting factor however.

Right. But the problem is those fields produce barely enough to run the local Dennys.

 

[sbw1]

Right. But the problem is those fields produce barely enough to run the local Dennys.

Do you have any facts to back that up? Seems quite a stretch.

 

[Golfman25]

Do you have any facts to back that up? Seems quite a stretch.

No, but you get the point. You need a chit ton of windmills to provide the same power as a small natural gas generation facility.

 

[km1125]

Possibly. However the genny on our Tiara burned a little less than a gallon per hour and that was gasoline powered. Wouldn’t these be at least as efficient?

The gen on the Sabre is a 9kw Onan with 4 cyl Cummins. The full load burn rate (per spec) is 1 gph. Based on our fuel consumption difference between port (w/gen) and stbd tanks leads me to believe real world consumption providing electricity for four AC units, a fridge, ice maker and battery chargers is closer to a third of a gallon.

For house loads, then yes anywhere from 1/3 GPH to 1 GPH (or maybe 2) would be very reasonable and expected depending on load.

But powering a 50ft vessel at 20-25kts?? No way. According to that post, there were "2 diesel gens, 1 for house and 1 to power to electric pods for the drive system. This system works, gens burned about a gallon per hour per gen and boat would do 20-25 knots."

 

[ttmott]

Energy isn't free. It takes X amount of energy to move a boat no matter where and how the energy is derived. It's the challenge to make the most efficient use of fuel. A Watt is a Watt wither it is contained in a liquid or electrically.
The measurement of efficiency gained in any propulsive system is energy over time and how much of the energy contained in a liquid fuel is transformed into moving the craft - ie the best use of energy without the unneeded consumption of fuel.

 

[sbw1]

Wouldn’t a battery bank being charged with a diesel genny still burn about a gallon per hour even if the batteries ran the electric motors that drove the boat at 21 knots?

 

[Nater Potater]

Wouldn’t a battery bank being charged with a diesel genny still burn about a gallon per hour even if the batteries ran the electric motors that drove the boat at 21 knots?

As @ttmott noted, it takes a certain amount of energy to move that hull through the water, no matter how it's generated. In my case, it takes about a gallon of gasoline to travel one mile on plane. That's 121,000 kilowatt-hours (kWh) of energy expended every mile. In other words, about 24 GPH is going out of the tailpipes. So, no matter how it's stored, whether in chemical or electrical form, that much energy has to come from somewhere. You can't be pulling 24 GPH-worth of energy from the batteries and expect to keep up with 1 GPH from a generator.

 

[Pirate Lady]

As @ttmott noted, it takes a certain amount of energy to move that hull through the water, no matter how it's generated. In my case, it takes about a gallon of gasoline to travel one mile on plane. That's 121,000 kilowatt-hours (kWh) of energy expended every mile. In other words, about 24 GPH is going out of the tailpipes. So, no matter how it's stored, whether in chemical or electrical form, that much energy has to come from somewhere. You can't be pulling 24 GPH-worth of energy from the batteries and expect to keep up with 1 GPH from a generator.

 

[ttmott]

View attachment 137809

There is 1.04435 minutes of capability at 20 knots... Here's my backup calcs. You'll be quizzed tomorrow...

 

[techmitch]

There is 1.04435 minutes of capability at 20 knots... Here's my backup calcs. You'll be quizzed tomorrow...

Ok Sheldon.

 

[SR400DB]

I personally feel it is very simple. If all of this green energy was viable, then why are there still coal, natural gas, nuclear, and other forms of power generation plants in place of all of the green energy?

if it was viable those that produce power would have embraced it long ago. In the Peoples Republic of California. There is so much subsidy for green energy that people do it. Hell I almost did until the research told me it was not an economical option at the end of the day. The state just eliminated one of those subsidies for people with solar. All of a sudden those solar panels are not very attractive.

 

[GypsmJim]

I personally feel it is very simple. If all of this green energy was viable, then why are there still coal, natural gas, nuclear, and other forms of power generation plants in place of all of the green energy?

if it was viable those that produce power would have embraced it long ago. In the Peoples Republic of California. There is so much subsidy for green energy that people do it. Hell I almost did until the research told me it was not an economical option at the end of the day. The state just eliminated one of those subsidies for people with solar. All of a sudden those solar panels are not very attractive.

It IS viable. It's just not cost effective to build the massive hardware.

The second fly in the ointment is every time a company wants to develop a solar or wind farm they are shot down by the neighbors. Ugly, birds would get killed, etc.

If / when there is a massive infusion of equipment, eventually it will become cost effective. And of course, technology is ever improving.

Just not in our lifetime.

 

[SR400DB]

Yessir. Sometime in the future maybe.

But it’s not viable now. Now will it be in the near term. And if we continue down this path of funding before income I predict that ends badly. At some point the money runs out. Right now I’m the states where I have homes the tax money is spent on things that provide zero return on investment. Just my $.02.

 

[aerobat77]

I guess it will boil down to battery electric boats , together with laws that you are not allowed to operate a combustion engine in a privately used boat.

 

[SR400DB]

There is zero chance they will keep me from operating any of my diesel engines. Zero I tell you.

 

[GypsmJim]

There is zero chance they will keep me from operating any of my diesel engines. Zero I tell you.

If you simply look around you, you will see what is happening today. It's not just energy, or ICEs, or riots and discontent, or the southern border, or discombobolating the constitution, or the war in Ukraine. If you had told me even 10 years ago that the good old USA would have sunk this low, I would have said you were a moron.

Truth is that it sure looks like we are coming close to the breaking point. So, don't hold your breath. When the time comes take it like a man.

When they come to take your diesel what are you going to do? Our forefathers took up arms. If they have their way there won't be any arms to take up.

My state is proposing legislation that will outlaw any auto or appliance that uses fossil fuels. OK, yeah some will be grandfathered. I can keep my boat going, but what about the furnace in my house. It will be illegal to replace a FHAG furnace. My house does not have the infrastructure to covert everything to electric.

I'm sorry I don't have a solution. Way too many of us are too complacent to even vote. And some of the ones that do have been brainwashed and vote the wrong way.

All I can say is that I'm happy I don't have any Grandchildren.

 

[Golfman25]

If you simply look around you, you will see what is happening today. It's not just energy, or ICEs, or riots and discontent, or the southern border, or discombobolating the constitution, or the war in Ukraine. If you had told me even 10 years ago that the good old USA would have sunk this low, I would have said you were a moron.

Truth is that it sure looks like we are coming close to the breaking point. So, don't hold your breath. When the time comes take it like a man.

When they come to take your diesel what are you going to do? Our forefathers took up arms. If they have their way there won't be any arms to take up.

My state is proposing legislation that will outlaw any auto or appliance that uses fossil fuels. OK, yeah some will be grandfathered. I can keep my boat going, but what about the furnace in my house. It will be illegal to replace a FHAG furnace. My house does not have the infrastructure to covert everything to electric.

I'm sorry I don't have a solution. Way too many of us are too complacent to even vote. And some of the ones that do have been brainwashed and vote the wrong way.

All I can say is that I'm happy I don't have any Grandchildren.

That's why there is the second amendment. Our forefathers knew better. And I am 2 months away from being declared a felon due to state's attempt at a gun ban. Patrick Henry out.

 

[aerobat77]

There is zero chance they will keep me from operating any of my diesel engines. Zero I tell you.

Hopefully you are right but it may boil down you will simply be prohibited to operate a diesel powered boat by law . Similar to cars in europe : from 2035 only electric cars will be sold to private people . Not sure what happens to existing cars .