+ Reply to Thread
Page 15 of 15 FirstFirst 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15
Results 211 to 223 of 223

Thread: Commander 227

  1. #211
    Join Date
    Apr 2015
    Location
    Chicago, IL
    Posts
    133

    Cozy Commanders

    Those two commanders look cozy in there. Maybe there will be an Ensign next fall.

  2. #212
    Join Date
    Sep 2008
    Location
    Brooksville, FL
    Posts
    720
    Quote Originally Posted by Commander227 View Post
    "As for The Princess's repower;
    I will certain miss the ease of use. The quiet, vibration less operation. And until this summer the reliability. So why change?
    The range mostly, and the decreased efficiency since moving to a buoy. The range has been fine as long as I'm not in too big a hurry. Cruising at around hull speed really eats up the juice. I'm thinking of racing The Princess regularity this summer and many times in light wind that requires motoring to and from the course which is on the other side of the lake and it's kinda tight to get there in time.
    Also, my son will be moving to Door County, WI. after he graduates in the spring. (He landed a job as a Design Engineer with Marine Travel Lift) Door County has wonderful sailing grounds on Lake Michigan and I'd like to keep The Princess there part of the year. The diesel will be a more appropriate power plant for the Great Lakes and safer for my son to use on his own.

    Mike


    More than most others I can understand your decision to go to the diesel inboard. I had some serious issues with my electric drive initially but since I finally got all of those issues worked out I now have a really good feel for both the electric option and the internal combustion engine option which I have used many times before.


    The electric motor things I really like are as follows;


    1.) Instantly available aux. power. When you find yourself needing just a little extra forward power just slide the throttle forward and you have it.


    2.) Quiet operation. I love coming into the dock and being able to talk to others on board or on the dock in a normal tone. The same holds true for motoring when we lose the wind entirely.


    3.) No messy fuel or oil to deal with on board. The boat stays clean and odor free.


    4.) Free fuel. Since my slip rental includes electric I have no fuel cost above the slip rental cost.


    The electric motor things I am NOT so fond of are as follows;


    1.) Getting to the boat to go sailing and finding that the power at the marina was down for an extended time and my battery charge is low. You can't just pour more fuel in the tank and proceed to go sailing. Charging takes time.


    2.) Motoring range. I'm finding that in real life the range I was expecting to get from my battery bank is significantly less than the theoretical range I anticipated getting. Also speed with the electric needs to be kept low if you need to go any long distances.


    3.) I am reasonably good with mechanics but not as well versed with electrical engineering. So many things I could solve with an internal combustion engine but not so many that might crop up with the electric drive.


    4.) Available repair people for an electric drive are MUCH harder to come by than for gas or diesel engines.


    5.) Limited places to get repair parts from.


    6.) The potential that you could in fact burn your boat to the ground. If these high amperage circuits are not properly wired there is a very real potential to have an electrical fire that would be impossible to contain.


    7.) Battery cost. If you need to replace the batteries (and let's face it that is only a matter of time) it is a pretty expensive thing to do. My batteries cost $2500.00 the first go around and things are not getting less expensive as time goes on.


    So while I like my electric drive while my boat is on the lake I'm not so sure it would be an appropriate choice for a "big water" boat.
    JERRY CARPENTER - C147
    A man can succeed at almost anything for which he has unlimited enthusiam.

  3. #213
    Join Date
    Sep 2001
    Location
    San Rafael, CA
    Posts
    3,621

    Big Oil on the skids

    Pricey bigger boats are leaving the factory with electric motors and solar panels. They
    are sewing panels onto sails now (SolarCloth mains). Retractable OceanVolt saildrive
    leg powered by 1/3 AGM weight lithium batteries. OceanVolt also can get a folding
    prop to open in neutral and spin it to help charge the system.

    Well, only mean to say: electric propulsion is here to stay big time.
    J/Boats J/88c is all electric. OV sail drive. SolarCloth sails from UK Sailmakers.
    Gunboat G4 Beneteau foiling cat with a retractable OV saildrive leg. Get it up and GO.

    Torqeedo has just arrived with a 100lb 20 horse OB with 10,000 watt input power, 5600
    watts propulsive power. 5k. Don't know what batts won't drain immediately or how to
    keep them charged from a 26' platform. It's coming, but holy conniptions, it's pricey!!

    Jerry, Thanks for the pros and cons. You have some cons there never dreamed of! I'm
    seriously considering cashing out some of my retirement funds for this still new stuff.
    Don't know what I doing really. Keep looking over here for inspiration..sold my Yamaha
    8-4... no way will there'll be petroleum aboard... ever again!

    Even talked with OV, who could help me for $20,000 or so with a horizontal motor like
    you guys! My Ariel always had a well. And the "bank account" is no way deep enough.
    Last edited by ebb; 01-11-2016 at 03:10 PM.

  4. #214
    Join Date
    May 2008
    Location
    Excelsior, Minnesota
    Posts
    326
    After talking to Chris (of Red Ink) I'm convinced that I caused the controller burnout on The Princess by running her off the generator. He had talked to a tec at Kelly Controls who told him the generator voltage was not clean enough for the controllers. Makes sense, I did run her pretty hard a few times.
    C227

  5. #215
    Join Date
    Sep 2008
    Location
    Brooksville, FL
    Posts
    720
    Quote Originally Posted by Commander227 View Post
    After talking to Chris (of Red Ink) I'm convinced that I caused the controller burnout on The Princess by running her off the generator. He had talked to a tec at Kelly Controls who told him the generator voltage was not clean enough for the controllers. Makes sense, I did run her pretty hard a few times.
    C227

    Mike thanks for letting us know that. I actually contemplated doing something similar myself and now I know better!
    JERRY CARPENTER - C147
    A man can succeed at almost anything for which he has unlimited enthusiam.

  6. #216
    Join Date
    May 2008
    Location
    Excelsior, Minnesota
    Posts
    326

    Princess Power

    Repowered progresses;
    Mounts in and power plant bolted in and aligned. Was able to slide it in from the cuddy with only minor disassembly. Using a 3 gallon outboard tank modified for the fuel return. Found a used two lever shift/throttle. A little clunky but needed the two lever as the fuel shut off is part of the throttle assembly on the engine. Back past idle shuts down fuel. Wanted engine weight as far forward as possible so the front mount is on the re enforced cuddy sole. Still need to run exhaust, order a shift cable, repair old instrument pan and mount engine cluster then get creative building a doghouse around the engine.
    Attached Images        

  7. #217
    Join Date
    May 2008
    Location
    Excelsior, Minnesota
    Posts
    326

    7th grade shop project

    Working on the new interior.
    Port side: cooler drop in, booze bottle holder, cup holders, junk drawer and rubber maid bin storage below.
    Starboard side:
    Hanging locker, sail locker, pull out garbage, counter space for fix'in the cheese and fruit plates.
    Attached Images        

  8. #218
    Join Date
    May 2008
    Location
    Excelsior, Minnesota
    Posts
    326

    Season opener

    We had our earliest ice out since the late 1800's this year, so we are already in.
    The City completely replace their buoy system after last year's break a ways. Everything top notch.
    Had a new radial jib made by Sail Crafters, so much more power out of that little guy! Shape is fantastic!
    Newly installed diesel (the heart of gold) is purring along nicely. We hit hull speed at around 1/2 throttle on smooth water and she will stop on a dime so there is plenty of power. We will have to adjust to actually hearing the motor after being spoiled by the electric. I'll keep my eyes open for a two bladed prop for next year, the three bladed 12X8 seems to be a great fit but being I have so much extra range why drag the extra blade thru the water. I'd like a 12X9RH if any one has one laying around.
    My little shop project below turn out pretty good, I'll post some pictures next time I row out.
    So happy to be back in the water and looking forward to a great season.
    Mike
    C227
    Attached Images  

  9. #219
    Join Date
    May 2008
    Location
    Excelsior, Minnesota
    Posts
    326

    Checking in

    Wow, the relentless march of time. 4 years since my last post.
    Life keeps ticking along. Kids out of college and out in the world, we sold the house in our little lakeside community we raised them in and moved 6 miles from Lake Minnetonka. The Princess was moved to The Wayzata Yacht Club when we lost our city buoy. We now have to get on a bike or car to get to the boat. A rude awakening.
    I have raced in the Ensign fleet at WYC my entire life but the last two years I was racing The Princess in the PHRF fleet. To be somewhat competitive we had to had to undue a lot of the niceties that made The Princess The Princess. My wife hated it and I missed one design racing. This year I’ll be crewing for a newer member in the Ensign fleet and we will be sharing The Princess with an old neighbor so she is back on her old mooring ball in Excelsior. Racing gizmos and sails removed and back in cruising mode.
    Nothing else new with The Princess really. Showing the strain of being well used and time since refit. Bow scuffed and dinged from the mooring ball, nonskid chipped and peeling in a few spots, lines faded and stained. Etc.
    looking forward to another season with the old girl.
    Mike
    C227
    Attached Images  

  10. #220
    Join Date
    Apr 2007
    Location
    Grand Haven / Muskegon, Michigan
    Posts
    613
    Hey Mike! Welcome back! Nice picture there. When you get around to it, I'd be curious to see pix of your finished interior project.

  11. #221
    Join Date
    Sep 2001
    Location
    San Rafael, CA
    Posts
    3,621
    Ditto on that! And just arrived back myself, thanks Bill.
    Just plain news is more important than ever these days.
    Pictures too!

  12. #222
    Join Date
    May 2008
    Location
    Excelsior, Minnesota
    Posts
    326

    Move up to the salt less sea

    Big move for The Princess this year, back to the Great Lakes. Only this time to the greatest of the Great Lakes. Superior, Gitchi Gummi, the salt less sea. 1/10 of the fresh water on the entire planet is here in here in this, the world largest lake. She’s in the Duluth harbor at a great full service marina called Barkers Island. We’re super excited!
    Attached Images    

  13. #223
    Join Date
    Sep 2001
    Location
    San Rafael, CA
    Posts
    3,621
    The Princess spiffed up in her cloud white bottom and black dress.

    She seems to have a double squinty smile anticipating the move

    to the world's largest fresh water inland sea. Dressed to the nines.


    Here's a raised toast with a cup of morning macha from Litlgull

    Smooth sailing in the bright future ahead!

+ Reply to Thread

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts