MacGregorSailors.com

Anyone have one of these? at around 750$ the hybrid 100 wind and water generator looks like an interesting energy alternative.


http://www.boost-energy.com/ampair/prod ... oduct5.asp

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Wadda Win the Lottery !!!
very interesting !

J

Highlander wrote:Wadda Win the Lottery !!!
very interesting !

J

Gettin' pogy now to supplement the pension!
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Québec 1 wrote:Anyone have one of these? at around 750$ the hybrid 100 wind and water generator looks like an interesting energy alternative.


http://www.boost-energy.com/ampair/prod ... oduct5.asp

Q1

It will create drag greater than the amount of energy it produces. If you're sailing and making more speed than you want, that's fantastic, but I've never been in that situation. If you're powering, you'd be using more fuel to drive the water past the generator than the generator makes in electricity--the motor's alternator would be more efficient. If your boat sits in water than has faster than a 2 knot current, then you'd get something for free.

Otherwise, a $100 solar panel will do a better job.

It will create drag greater than the amount of energy it produces.

Just to swag this, a white hulled travelling at 6 knots has a kinetic energy of 1/2 mass V^2 or 1/2 (1500kG)(3 metres/sec)^2 = 7500 Joules of energy

So if your generator is robbing 100 Watts, thats only 100 Joule/sec or a small fraction of the boats total energy.

A blue hull will be more noticeable of course

(all calcs before 6am and coffee subject to errorr)

I'm on-board with Mastreb on this, though perhaps not adamantly. I'm skeptical that you would get enough power out of the Aquair, consistently enough, to be "worth the candle". You do see a lot of cruisers sporting wind-generators, though.

If I really needed all the amps I could get - i.e. if I were trying to run a fridge without plugging my boat in to shore, or running a Honda generator - I would give this serious thought, along with mounting a solar arch on my boat's transom.

Catigale wrote:

It will create drag greater than the amount of energy it produces.

...So if your generator is robbing 100 Watts, thats only 100 Joule/sec or a small fraction of the boats total energy.

Only a small fraction of the power stolen will result in the 100 watts generated. Some will be lost to heat (inefficiency + friction drag), but the vast majority will be passed off to the water as form drag. I believe it steals much more than 100 Joules/sec Cheers,

~Bob

Price$$$ seems to e to be the biggest issue..Drag coefficient could be easily determined by mounting an electric trolling motor and then while under sail lowering it into the water.. I believe a dirty / fouled hull creates more drag..
Compact Yachts, at least 3 years ago offered a totally self contained electric 19' . They claimed it was self sufficient. Its biggest issue,was cost as well..
For that kind of money you can buy a pretty substantial Solar system and or a small very quite gen set..They each present their own set of issues as well.

Bob - and more importantly, you need to know how much energy is needed to keep the boat moving, which is much less than its total kinetic energy of course.

The generator could be a large fraction of this, agreed.

Just to SWAG again, my Merc 50 HP BF moves Catigale at 6 knots at 1800 rpm - if thats 10 HP or so, thats about 7kW of power needed by motor.

When I start sailing offshore again this is on my list. They really come into there own on a downwind run when the wind generator isn't going to do too much but the reffer is still drawing

On Your Offshore Sailing don't go to the Saragrass Sea and at least 20 miles off shore as it will pick up any thing in the water and shut down. Taflogs trailing were always cloged up even 500 miles offshore heading to St Thomas.
You need some type of weed cutter on the prop.
You will go thru many lines and jambs. Best to have it on a free wheeling engine prop. and that means inboard engine .
Solar is the way to go today if you are not in the Tradewinds, other wise use a Wind Generator.
Dave

BlueSeas wrote:When I start sailing offshore again this is on my list. They really come into there own on a downwind run when the wind generator isn't going to do too much but the reffer is still drawing

Yep, I love Solar PV power but it has it's issues like any other power source. For me number one is the size. If that Hydro unit actually puts out 168 AmpHrs in 24hrs, then think about how large a PV array needs to be to supply that much! Many square feet depending on your assumptions. One 85w PV is better than 6sqft and that's not going to provide anywhere near the total power. Pick your poison there is no perfect solution