Clearing Customs US
Thanks to all who responded to my question about clearing customs into the
US. I have been both educated and chastised.but mostly educated. Thanks to
all. I'm busy now eating and drinking all the prohibited items obtained in
Canada before we clear.thankfully we have a week or two :).
Joe
"Carolyn Ann" GH N-37
Currently at anchor in Logan Bay of Clapperton Island North Channel.
In the #120 Issue of Professional Boatbuilder Nigel Calder writes an
interesting article titled 'Running the Numbers' wherin he deals with the
actual cost of electrical power aboard the average modern cruiser.
He provides a lot of examples from his own Malo 46 boat that he recently
took delivery of. He examines the various options and provides real cost
figures. The data provided is; to say the least - eye opening!
Nigel even provided some product Mfg. names I had not even heard of.
He mentions boats at anchor using wind generators. He also mentions taff
rail towed water generators. The drawback being high drag when under
way. This is obviously directed to sailboats.
But there is something I have never seen mentioned. Water generators when
anchored. Hmmm?
How about a water turbine driven by tidal or river current to be used
when a boat is anchored for several days or perhaps even weeks? The list
has discussed anchoring with one or two anchors and having to cope with
reversing tidal currents - so why not extract power from this tidal
current? Apparently it has not been done. Why? is there a problem? If
so what?
I have several design idea in mind but would like to hear what the list
members have to say?
regards
Arild
the boat electric guy
www.electronicnavigator.com
Arild, We have often wondered how the currents in some of our anchorages could
be used to generate power. Not being an engineer, I wondered if in fact there
would be enough energy in the tidal flows and currents to be able to generate
enough power to make it practical, how it might be deployed to not become a
problem and where we would find someone to even research such a system. With
solar and wind, which we have used for decades, readily available, could a new
system be made that could be had for the equivalent costs. Well, those have
been our thoughts. Chuck
To follow our adventures, go to
http://trawler-beach-house.blogspot.com/
http://sea-trek.blogspot.com/
On Wed, 8/5/09, 2elnav@netbistro.com 2elnav@netbistro.com wrote:
In the
#120 Issue of Professional
Boatbuilder Nigel Calder writes an interesting
article titled 'Running the Numbers' wherin he
deals with the actual
cost of electrical power
aboard the average modern cruiser.
He
provides a lot of examples from his own Malo
46 boat that he recently
took delivery of. He
examines the various options and provides real cost
figures. The data provided is;
to say the least - eye opening!
Nigel even provided some product Mfg. names I
had not even heard of.
He
mentions boats at anchor using wind
generators. He also mentions taff
rail towed
water generators. The drawback being high
drag when under
way. This is obviously directed
to sailboats.
But there is something I
have never seen mentioned. Water
generators when anchored. Hmmm?
How
about a water turbine driven by tidal or
river current to be used when a
boat is anchored for
several days or perhaps even weeks? The list has
discussed anchoring with one or two anchors and having to
cope with
reversing tidal currents - so why not
extract power from this tidal
current?
Apparently it has not been done.
Why? is there a problem?
If so what?
I have several design idea in mind but would like to
hear
what the list members have to say?
regards
Arild
Arild, We have often wondered how the currents in some of our anchorages
could
be used to generate power. Not being an engineer, I wondered if in fact
there
would be enough energy in the tidal flows and currents to be able to
generate
enough power to make it practical,
I imagine power generated is proportional to current velocity and diameter
of the turbine. I can't imagine anchoring in any more than a 4 knot current,
nor dealing with or throwing overboard a turbine any more than one or two
feet in diameter.
I wonder what kind of electrical power that would generate?
-- Jim Ague
Jim, I think therein lies the rub. In most anchorages we encounter the current seldom exceeds 2 knots and even then for a short period of time. There are exceptions but they are few. Chuck
To follow our adventures, go to
http://trawler-beach-house.blogspot.com/
http://sea-trek.blogspot.com/
--- On Wed, 8/5/09, Jim Ague ague@usa.net wrote:
Arild, We have often wondered
how the currents in some of our anchorages could
be used to generate power. Not being an engineer, I
wondered if in fact there
would be enough energy in the tidal flows and currents
to be able to generate
enough power to make it practical,
I imagine power generated is proportional to current
velocity and diameter of the turbine. I can't imagine
anchoring in any more than a 4 knot current, nor dealing
with or throwing overboard a turbine any more than one or
two feet in diameter.
I wonder what kind of electrical power that would
generate?
-- Jim Ague
Large scale megawatt power generation projects have bene proposed for
using the gulf stream to generate enough power to light up cities like
Miami.
Naturally the environmentalists shot down the idea becaue it might ensnare
the whales.
But if you are just looking at a few kilowatts its feasible and practical.
And because you are NOT sailing, the drag factor is not an issue. You
would have to use a bigger anchor. <VBG> but not anythign bigger than what
many trawler owners are already using.
Arild
----- Original Message -----
From: "Chuck and Susan" sea_trek_2000@yahoo.com
To: "Trawler and Trawlering" trawlers-and-trawlering@lists.samurai.com
Sent: Wednesday, August 05, 2009 5:41 PM
Subject: Re: T&T: Energy cost article by Nigel Calder
Arild, We have often wondered how the currents in some of our anchorages
could
be used to generate power. Not being an engineer, I wondered if in fact
there
would be enough energy in the tidal flows and currents to be able to
generate
enough power to make it practical, how it might be deployed to not become
a
problem and where we would find someone to even research such a system.
With
solar and wind, which we have used for decades, readily available, could a
new
system be made that could be had for the equivalent costs. Well, those
have
been our thoughts. Chuck
To follow our adventures, go to
http://trawler-beach-house.blogspot.com/
http://sea-trek.blogspot.com/
On Wed, 8/5/09, 2elnav@netbistro.com 2elnav@netbistro.com wrote:
In the
#120 Issue of Professional
Boatbuilder Nigel Calder writes an interesting
article titled 'Running the Numbers' wherin he
deals with the actual
cost of electrical power
aboard the average modern cruiser.
He
provides a lot of examples from his own Malo
46 boat that he recently
took delivery of. He
examines the various options and provides real cost
figures. The data provided is;
to say the least - eye opening!
Nigel even provided some product Mfg. names I
had not even heard of.
He
mentions boats at anchor using wind
generators. He also mentions taff
rail towed
water generators. The drawback being high
drag when under
way. This is obviously directed
to sailboats.
But there is something I
have never seen mentioned. Water
generators when anchored. Hmmm?
How
about a water turbine driven by tidal or
river current to be used when a
boat is anchored for
several days or perhaps even weeks? The list has
discussed anchoring with one or two anchors and having to
cope with
reversing tidal currents - so why not
extract power from this tidal
current?
Apparently it has not been done.
Why? is there a problem?
If so what?
I have several design idea in mind but would like to
hear
what the list members have to say?
regards
Arild
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----- Original Message -----
I imagine power generated is proportional to current velocity and diameter
of the turbine. I can't imagine anchoring in any more than a 4 knot
current, nor dealing with or throwing overboard a turbine any more than
one or two feet in diameter.
I wonder what kind of electrical power that would generate?
-- Jim Ague
REPLY
Absolutely correct. A one foot turbine would not be sufficient but a set
of carbon fiber blades as big around as a crab trap at say 3' - 4' would
begin to get into serious power. Look at how light an Air-X wind turbine
is. Same size but now with the hydraulic power of current instead of wind
and look how much more torque it delivers. Now you can use a gearbox to
speed up the generator. Or mmaybe use a hubless design.
Arild
----- Original Message -----
From: "Chuck and Susan" sea_trek_2000@yahoo.com
Jim, I think therein lies the rub. In most anchorages we encounter the
current seldom exceeds 2 knots and even then for a short period of time.
There are exceptions but they are few. Chuck
REPLY
Quite true Chuck. However some people also dock in rivers where the
current is constant.
Ther is a bridge in the nearest town wher th 4ebow wave at low flow times
is stil one foot high. Based on where the wave rises again I estimate the
river current at 4 knots. About 7- 10 knots durin g spring freshet. There
are three bridges. If every bridge pier support had a big turbine built
into the pier base the town could power itself.
Arild
Is there some reason why more trawler-type boats don't use wind
generators? That source seems like a natural to me, and many sail boats
use them, but one hardly ever sees them on trawlers. While sailors
cherish a brisk wind in order to get in their sailing time, we could all
harness it as a charging source even though we trawlerites wouldn't
(normally) be using it for locomotion!
<><><><><><><><><><><><>Mozilla Thunderbird<><><><><><><><><><>
Bob McLeran and Judy Young Cruising the Atlantic Coast
MV Sanderling Defever 41 Trawler
Blog: http://sanderlingcruise2009.blogspot.com/
Pictures: http://public.fotki.com/rmcleran/
Currently: Henderson's Wharf Marina, Baltimore, Maryland
On 8/5/2009 7:57 PM, 2elnav@netbistro.com wrote:
Nigel even provided some product Mfg. names I had not even heard of.
He mentions boats at anchor using wind generators. He also mentions
taff rail towed water generators. The drawback being high drag
when under way. This is obviously directed to sailboats.
But there is something I have never seen mentioned. Water generators
when anchored. Hmmm?
-----Original Message-----
... You would have to use a bigger anchor. <VBG> but not anythign bigger
than
what many trawler owners are already using.
When I anchor for the night, I want to set my hook as firmly as possible,
and prevent any drag that would work against the anchor. The last thing I
would ever consider was hanging a drag device over the side that was going
to put a several kilowatt additional pull on the anchor rode.
Nigel sure had a screwy idea with that one - but then again, he is just a
writer pushing out as many words as he can to make money!
Kevin