A Very Different form of Hybrid

ozyran · 05-29-2007, 09:41 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Green Car Congress
African Cats, the Dutch company that last year introduced a hybrid version of one of its lightweight, 43-foot catamarans (earlier post), is developing a full-electric retractable propulsion and generation system for sailing yachts.

(Full Story Here)

Other highlights include the recharging system, which gets its electricity from solar panels and a wind generator.

On a personal note, I would love to see more systems like this emerge in the nautical industry. This just fills me up with hope for the future

qbee42 · 05-30-2007, 08:22 AM

We have 5,000 pounds of lead ballast in our boat, which could be replaced with a lot of batteries. Cost, density, and limited life have been the main deterrents. Cost is obvious. Density is a bit more subtle: the effectiveness of ballast is directly related to its density as compared to that of water. The job of ballast is to hold a boat upright in the water. To do that it needs to be denser than the water around it. While batteries are heavy, even the heaviest are not nearly as dense as lead, and newer ones are lighter still, which is good for cars but bad for ballast. Note that this is mostly an issue with mono hulls, as catamarans rely on form stability as opposed to ballast stability, and light weight is an advantage in this case. As for limited life, our ballast is in a fin shape bolted to the bottom of the boat. If this were replaced with batteries, the batteries would need to be fin shaped or fit in a fin, and they would have to be replaceable, since battery life is limited.

Tom

ozyran · 05-31-2007, 04:16 PM

I think if you designed the batteries to fit the keel fin of a single-hull sailing yacht, there would be an opportunity for the single-hulled application of this technology. Especially if you use bolted-on plates to cover the access panels and design the compartment to be watertight. Of course, then there's the issue of ensuring that the people involved in the installation and removal of the batteries were properly trained, and so forth; this is definitely a step in the right direction though.

Just my $.02

05-30-2007, 08:22 AM	#2
qbee42 Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Northern Michigan Posts: 5,701 My Car: 2006 Prius Package: #7 Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 6	We have 5,000 pounds of lead ballast in our boat, which could be replaced with a lot of batteries. Cost, density, and limited life have been the main deterrents. Cost is obvious. Density is a bit more subtle: the effectiveness of ballast is directly related to its density as compared to that of water. The job of ballast is to hold a boat upright in the water. To do that it needs to be denser than the water around it. While batteries are heavy, even the heaviest are not nearly as dense as lead, and newer ones are lighter still, which is good for cars but bad for ballast. Note that this is mostly an issue with mono hulls, as catamarans rely on form stability as opposed to ballast stability, and light weight is an advantage in this case. As for limited life, our ballast is in a fin shape bolted to the bottom of the boat. If this were replaced with batteries, the batteries would need to be fin shaped or fit in a fin, and they would have to be replaceable, since battery life is limited. Tom __________________ *Black* 2006 package #7 Northern Michigan

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Form 8910 Now Available - TurboTax	airliner53	Prius Tax Credit Discussion	2	02-14-2007 10:49 PM
The California HOV form has been updated!	Pest	Prius Main Forum	22	08-12-2005 04:31 PM
Question about a new form of fuel?	Doug	Environmental Discussion	0	07-08-2005 01:26 PM
Form 8910 Now Available - TurboTax	airliner53	Prius Main Forum	0	12-31-1969 07:00 PM
New York State form IT-253	syclone	Prius Main Forum	0	12-31-1969 07:00 PM

05-31-2007, 04:16 PM	#3
ozyran Join Date: Apr 2007 Posts: 695 My Car: Package: Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	I think if you designed the batteries to fit the keel fin of a single-hull sailing yacht, there would be an opportunity for the single-hulled application of this technology. Especially if you use bolted-on plates to cover the access panels and design the compartment to be watertight. Of course, then there's the issue of ensuring that the people involved in the installation and removal of the batteries were properly trained, and so forth; this is definitely a step in the right direction though. Just my $.02