magnetman

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OluaAvJQYcU If someone strikes you with an umbrella that could potentially be assault.

Being 6ft2.5in tall has quite seriously limited the number of Boats I can consider for living on. Thats a really interesting design. A rudimentary version of what I meant by a 'well'. It looks like someone has done something quite clever there in that the seagull, which does not allow 360 rotation due to having a drive shaft tube as well as an exhaust tube, has been mounted on a sort of turntable system. An electric pod can just be mounted on a single tube which is easier. Looks like a seagull century barge pusher.

Maybe they could limit the marketing to relatively short people.

I was talking about an electric outboard. They are very different to petrol outboards and if incorporated into a well rather than at the back they are difficult to steal. This sort of thing. I know it doesn't look like an outboard but its not an inboard. The steering is dealt with. You can just use a teleflex and have a wheel or if you want a tiller then fix the motor dead ahead. One could even do both It seems to already have been decided that a submerged electric pod drive is going to be used. I was just pointing out another way to do it which avoids the need for a weed hatch, simplifies installation and provides an easy servicing option. A well which is well designed and the correct dimensions could work really well I think.

You will notice I never mentioned lead acid 'domestic' batteries. Anyway just out of interest how much did the battery bank on your Boat cost and what is the capacity in kWh? I think you said you went for LFP which does seem to be a good choice. LTO might be better but is quite expensive. Example GF06180V Sonnenschein Gel Battery 6V 200Ah £314.99 Inc VAT Guaranteed next working day delivery on orders before 1pm GF06180V Sonnenschein Gel Battery 6V 200Ah quantity Add to basket PRODUCT DESCRIPTION The GF-V range of blocks are suitable for hard industrial use. This includes applications for advanced guided vehicles, mobile elevating work platforms, cleaning machines, walk-behind pallet trucks, electric cars and buses. This means that no maintenance whatsoever is required throughout the entire service life of the battery. The special advantage of this Sonnenschein dryfit battery lies in the batteries’ suitability for extreme operating conditions and the highest demands on reliability.

Yes but they are ballast. This is a Boat being built for customers.

Also if you use an outboard the steering problem is already solved. No hull penetrations, seals etc needed.

It is interesting to observe that even really quite expensive electric Boats are still fitted with Gel type lead acid batteries. Obviously we all know that lithium chemistries are far better but the Boat does need to sit down in the water. Another point about using an inbuilt outboard is to make the customer feel happy about potential repairs. You can point out that the motor can be removed and substituted for another the same in 5 minutes if it stops working. The product (HDPE canal Boat) is aimed at people who want convenience I know it seems odd but most people can vaguely understand an outboard. Its convenient. You see them in films. Everyone's uncle has one in his shed. A high tech inboard is a bit of a mystery. An outboard is 'accessible' to more people.

Also if you need more ballast at the back of the Boat presumably this is where the battery banks will be. In a situation like this it may be desirable to have heavy rather than light batteries.

This is one of my Eton Racing Boats coaching launches. Only a small launch but this is what I mean by a 'well'. Its really handy because one can lift the outboard to clear the propeller I think a design like this would be quite easy to incorporate into a plastic narrow Boat.

I think maybe you also did not consider this ! I was referring to the fact there is a flat plate all the way along under the propeller area. This limits flow of water to the propeller. Which is what I said. I think on a slow Boat the lack of water from below is a significant problem. I also think this flat plate and the ballast tanks would make steering difficult as it would present too much of a resistance to the starn moving sideways. I doubt this would go round the hairpin turning right out of Hawkesbury Junction onto the Coventry canal in one go. I do think this material could be brilliant for houseboats but cruising narrows are a different animal. It might make more sense to have a cut out well type arrangement and have a (hidden) outboard motor. That would also reduce the excessive buoyancy of the starn section and make the needed ballast tanks smaller. In this scenario I would definitely be asking Vetus for some financial assistance perhaps in exchange for some advertising of their product. If they were to decline it may be an indication that they are not confident on its suitability. If it worked nicely they have a new market to exploit.

Not with the grills on it isn't. The grills seem to be a required part of the design. These are going to block up in five seconds. Autumn puts a lot of leaves in the canal. They could block up grills really quickly. Even with a normal prop a chuck back is needed from time to time but will intake grills it would be ridiculous. One would be in reverse more than forward. Its an electric motor drive not just a big old Diesel so efficiency is even more important. I have always thought a potential solution to prevent large floating articles getting into the propeller would be to have some spikes around the waterline at the front of the Boat. Also handy for ramming.

The trouble is its not an air intake. Its a water intake. It is interesting but there are a lot of obstructions to water flow to the propeller.

This sounds a bit like the intake strainer grill which is used on jet drives. Will this not foul up in 5 seconds ?

They don't make magnets like they used to. I am not up to date at all with what is available these days. Its been years since I last sold one of my little Maxigrab magnets. They were quite good really.

In terms of prop fouls is there actually a way to get something simple like an item of clothing or a sack off the propeller ? Is it actually possible to do this? Presumably this has been taken into account. Its actually fairly common to pick things up on the propeller. What is the precise procedure for clearing it? This seems to be the kind of question likely to be asked at a Boat show. apologies of this has been covered.

Scantily clad leggy females engaging in animated conversation in summer can be a hazard in this regard in my experience. Its all too common. Real nuisance. One approach is to call through the side door 'Paul, can you please make some tea darling' to make said females continue their journey and sink someone else's Boat.

Duckett's 3 sounds like a logical name for them. So it would be Ducketts top lock in this case if that was correct. Having said that I seem to think there may have been a stop lock at the junction to the Regents section. According to the Wikipedia entry they are now just called Hertford Union Top, Middle and Bottom locks. And around 1850 apparently there was a dam constructed where the cut meets the Regents Section of the Grand Union to stop the latter losing water.

Which is the front gate? If it is the top/head gate then how can one be behind the cill if the Boat is touching/getting caught under the balance beam? Presumably the front gate is the bottom/tail gate in the instance.you describe. Boat going downhill. Confused.

The design is basically flawed. There are no airfoil surfaces on it. As mentioned by another poster its basically just a glorified and oversized anemometer. These are for counting revolutions to estimate wind speed not for harvesting energy. I have heard that the generator in these is reasonably good quality.

The signs are dodgy because they show a Boat caught on the cill. someone might subconsciously think that this the desired outcome and the idea is to stay forward of the marker. Forward being in an uphill direction. Putting signs around locks is a way to divert attention from what someone is doing. Its not a good idea in general but there is one H&S sign I do think is worth putting in potentially hazardous areas..

It was particularly dodgy when the RCD was renamed the RCR. Previously one could become confused about whether the discussion related to electrical safety devices. Now one can become confused about whether the discussion relates to a well known canal breakdown subscription provider. I suppose at some point it will change again to the RSI. Repetitive silliness insurance.

Good point about the GRP. I did realise this after posting. Most of the sunken Boats I see on the River are indeed GRP but I would say these have in most cases sunk due to water from above rather than water from below.

Yes. Ekki is another one. I was given some Ekki when the lock gates on the K&A were being replaced. Heavy stuff. I dropped a small piece of it in the canal accidentally and it went down like a brick.