Watt & Sea Hydrogenerators

[markiobe]

Originally Posted by SailFastTri

I understand your thinking and it sounds like an exciting project. Definitely some pluses, but consider the following:

Retractable outboards sounds pretty cool for a race boat, but a cruiser is better with props under the hull. Outboards will aerate frequently in big seas and are not as efficient, especially going to windward (when you’re more likely to need them).

A friend owns a Seawind cat equipped with outboards, and I know his next boat will have inboards. I’ve owned a trimaran that had a Yamaha 4-stroke auxiliary outboard, and it aerated constantly between large seas. More noisy than inboards, too. Yes, there are cost and weight savings and servicing advantages, but the absence of drag retracted doesn’t make a big difference compared with folding or feathering props.

Apologies to all for the thread drift.

I thought that might open the proverbial worm-can! I'll be quick so as not to drift too far: The boat is a completely new design from an existing builder and has no accommodation in the hulls, all the accommodation is on the bridge deck, (like some trimarans but with no middle hull).

The engines are therefore mounted more towards the middle of each hull (as you have no accommodation to worry about) much like a sail drive and therefore have no aeration problems. Also no problem with noise!

[YourOldNemesis]

Originally Posted by dial_amonkey

Hi OldNemesis, it's called a "Mechanical Oil Seal" - Seal innovations in Christchurch NZ can supply it - you can call them +64 03 341 8043 - and give them the measurements - They should be able to send you the correct part to Fiji.

Watt and Sea are sending me a service kit and have emailed instructions. To replace the bearings at the far end, I need to extract the whole thing from the housing.

Did you do this? What happens to the cable - do I need to loosen the cable seal so it can slide inside the housing?

[dial_amonkey]

Hi OldNemises, I didn't replace the bearing, just the oil and the seal: I would love to get a hold of those instructions for replacing the bearing. Is there anyway you could forward on to my email address sailabroad@gmail.com - Thanks!

[toolbar]

@markiobe: Oh, I love Alan's designs and I think the Stealth X series is very interesting!

I know that you think about redundancy, but an E-propulsion Navy 6.0 Evo electric outboard also has a regen feature that promises performance at least comparable to a dedicated watt and sea unit. And it's cheaper. Just buy a second one and put it into a locker. :-)

Paul

[markiobe]

Originally Posted by toolbar

@markiobe: Oh, I love Alan's designs and I think the Stealth X series is very interesting!

I know that you think about redundancy, but an E-propulsion Navy 6.0 Evo electric outboard also has a regen feature that promises performance at least comparable to a dedicated watt and sea unit. And it's cheaper. Just buy a second one and put it into a locker. :-)

Paul

Ahh!! That I wasn’t aware of, thanks for the info I will investigate

[goboatingnow]

Are people , in this day of big solar , still using hydro generators , !!! I crossed the pond with one. Poor generation , awful to retrieve and the sharks loved the propellor. Invest in solar and put the hydro next to the walker log on the sitting room antiques shelf.

[markiobe]

Originally Posted by goboatingnow

Are people , in this day of big solar , still using hydro generators , !!! I crossed the pond with one. Poor generation , awful to retrieve and the sharks loved the propellor. Invest in solar and put the hydro next to the walker log on the sitting room antiques shelf.

You might be right, however I refuse to have a generator and we can't fit a very big alternator to our engines so the fall-back on a passage was for a hydrogenerator. In my understanding they're pretty efficient nowadays, maybe different from the towed versions of previously...?

FYI we're planning a big solar array and lithium battery bank and no propane on the boat so we're totally dependent on being able to create and store electricity.

We're probably going to have a bike static trainer on the boat so maybe the best option is to put the other half on it for 4 hrs/day and hook it up to produce electricity?

***visions of hamster wheels..***

[Matt Johnson]

You'll need the race version of the Watts and Sea since you'd be way past the speed specs for the cruising version. The Race is around $20,000 USD.... Which makes a bunch of alternatives in the same price range or cheaper.

I'd also check if the regen for the E-Propulsion has a speed limit too.

Matt

[toolbar]

The EPropulsion is supposed to stay at the same wattage from 10 knots onwards. But since the Stealth has retractable outboards it's pretty easy to get the leg out of the water if he is really hauling ass at 20 knots.

Paul

[markiobe]

Originally Posted by Matt Johnson

You'll need the race version of the Watts and Sea since you'd be way past the speed specs for the cruising version. The Race is around $20,000 USD.... Which makes a bunch of alternatives in the same price range or cheaper.

I'd also check if the regen for the E-Propulsion has a speed limit too.

Matt

Not sure where you're looking but I see the Cruising 600 at €4158 and the Race at €7900. Maybe they're much more expensive in the US?

Also, not convinced I'd need the Race even though it's a performance focused cruiser. As you know it's really more about the ability to sail in lighter conditions plus have a bigger performance envelope rather than top speed per se. If you can average 10kn on passage then that's a great outcome and both the Cruising 600 and the Race top out at 600w, it's just a difference in the output curves. Anyway, I'd defer to their suggestions as we're clearly not the experts!

[Matt Johnson]

https://www.emarineinc.com/Hydrogene...y-Watt-and-Sea

Just took a new look at Watt&Sea's site and it seems they have changed a few things. It now says max speed of "15 knots with the 240 mm propeller, 20 knots with the optional 200 mm propeller" which is higher than I remember.

With as light of a boat as you're talking about, the acceleration to 15knts will happen so quick that you wouldn't be able to use the hydrogen in anything but the lightest winds (when you won't want the drag). But with the 200mm prop, you'd be fine.

I'm guessing you'll be 48v. If so, Balmar and a few others make 48v alternators that put out around 3kw without the HP load of an equivalent 12v.