| Author | Message | ||
     David Sheriff Board Administrator Username: admin Post Number: 94 Registered: 01-2004 |
Glacier Bay does seem to be at the forefront of this technology. Diesel-electric propulsion is common in larger craft. Whether it will prove out in recreational boating remains to be seen. The standards organizations are trying to catch up to cover the technology, which involves DC in the neighborhood of 500 volts. I'm not sure the advantages are persuasive, and I don't know that much about practical systems, but it's interesting. In larger boats it eliminates the transmission and permits matching higher engine speeds with slower prop speeds. Also placing the electric motor and prop in an "azipod" which can be steered to direct vessel thrust rather than having a rudder. | ||
| Ted Lavino Moderator Username: tlavino Post Number: 44 Registered: 01-2006 |
Greetings folks, to me it seems a no brainer to substitute a small compact genset, a powerful electric motor and healthy sized battery bank for the diesel engine present in most vessels. No more running a big expensive engine with no load to charge your batteries. Silent propulsion. Stingier on fuel. The folks at Glacier Bay in Alameda have been on the forefront of this paradigm shift for a few years now. Moorings is now testing a catamaran with this technology: http://cruisingworld.com/article.jsp?ID=49968&typeID=397&catID=571 More info from Glacier Bay: http://www.ossapowerlite.com/ |
