Comment

Comment by Nate Jones on November 16, 2012 at 8:34pm

Comment by Richard Thomas on November 16, 2012 at 1:48am

Good photos and discussion on your websites, Randy and James.  It is helpful to hear what equipment you used and how you rate it.  I'll look forward to more photos and discussions as you proceed with the installation and testing.  Thanks for sharing.

Comment by James Sizemore on November 15, 2012 at 8:53am

I am most likely still a week away from testing my setup, but I do have lots of pictures http://www.deny.org

Comment by Richard Thomas on November 15, 2012 at 2:01am

Randy, I hope you document and take photos of your install.  In the near future, I will be installing a 360 in the 47' cutter that I am building here in New Mexico, and will need any guidance I can get.  I was interested to read your thoughts about the ABYC standards on electrical systems in boats.  I'm building a boat from scratch and have been building my electrical system as I went along - doing common sense things like using only marine grade wire and connecters and to solder all slices.  Here in New Mexico I doubt there is any marine surveyors I could ask about things.  Is there any guidance on the web that would be useful?

Comment by Randy Jones on November 14, 2012 at 10:59pm

 

As we get ready to install our new Electric Yacht 360 drive system in our 45’ Friendship Sloop, a little American Boat and Yacht Council ( A.B.Y.C.) research needs to be done first. As a boat builder, mechanic and marine surveyor with S.A.M.S. I often survey boats that have been modified or repaired by the owner. The problem starts when the ABYC standards are not followed by the owner. A wire is not just any wire. Its use, load and the environment it will be used in are all factors that must be considered. Wet cell batteries or AGM all need to be installed so that they are safe and perform as needed. ABYC answers all these questions and has the recommendations you need to follow when doing work on your boat so that it is safe and you can get insurance.

 I will admit, the ABYC standard reads like a law book, weighs 50 pounds, and will put you to sleep, but the good news is you don’t have to read it. Most, if not all, marine surveyors love boats and love to show off their knowledge, call one for the answers. I’ll bet you will get the answer you need and help making sure your conversion is safe and ABYC compliant at little or no cost.

 For us we need to bring AC power onto the boat that never had AC power. We need to make sure our AC power inlet and downstream wiring is all ABYC compliant and up to today’s standards. When we are 20 miles off the coast and it picks up to 30+ Knots, I’ll have enough to worry about. Following the ABYC Standards could make all the difference.

Comment by Randy Jones on October 25, 2012 at 9:49pm

 A trick for anyone converting a wooden boat.

  Use Cedarific cat litter to pull oil from the frames and planks. It won't dry out or dissolve the hard seam compound or melt any wooden finish like varnish or paint. 

Fill the bilge let sit for about a week the vacume it out smells great ( just don't let the cat near the boat).  Any left over will float next spring and can go through a bilge pump without binding it up. 

Comment by Randy Jones on October 21, 2012 at 5:56am

In Maine we have a unique program that allows a commercial documented vessel to replace a old "dirty Diesel" with a new clean or Tier II engine. Well we are a commercial documented vessel and we applied and got the matching grant funding to switch out our old engine to a clean electric one. In fact we are the first vessel in Maine to do so. 

The grant stipulates that we drill a hole in the block to prove that the old engine has been removed from service. Well it is near deer season up here so we put  hole in the block Maine style.  We shot it   God love the Federal Government

 And it was Gary's wife's rifle that we used!!!!  

Comment by Skip Barbour on October 13, 2012 at 12:45am

Comment by Skip Barbour on October 11, 2012 at 11:11am

Unfortunately  the motor is still  not  set up  properly.  Scott at EY  has made some suggestions,  but again the lack of  labeled parts, diagrams  and clear instructions has been frustrating.  Hopefully  we can get the system to run properly  this weekend, if not I guess I will  have the boat hauled early. 

Comment by Skip Barbour on September 30, 2012 at 4:02am

First  run  was fine..  posted a video. I took the  sumlog off the  boat when  we removed most of the through hulls,  so I don't know the speed,  but the performance  was fine!! Unfortunately  the  motor  ran  hot and  we  need to  adjust the level of  reduction.

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