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Dawncraft 25 cc Lady Mary


Welsherfarr

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Hi all, 

I've been lurking and reading on the forum for a while now and made a couple of posts. But for my own sanity ideas and hopefully some advice from more experienced boating people. I thought no would start a build thread. 

It will be a bit slow at times as the boat is a 3 hour drive away but I have the ideas and hopefully when I do get there the progress will be intense. 

This is a picture of my boat when I said yes to having it. It is a shell and need lots of work. But I have a boat. 

received_1175442959311567.jpeg

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1 minute ago, Welsherfarr said:

... hopefully when I do get there the progress will be intense. 

I hope you’re right. However my experience and that of countless others is that it rarely is, despite best intentions. 

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I want to run the boat on electric propulsion using a 100ft/lb trolling motor initially. To power this I am looking at a diesel generator about £600 according to eBay. This should run for 10 hours on a tank full. 

I need to run for about 7 hours a day to cover the miles over two weeks. I have considered doing away with the batteries and using a variable voltage transformer to run off the generator and power the motor. 

I can then use the generator to also power a few other items on the boat. Electric hob and heater. There will be a bank of 12v leisure batteries on the boat for running lights and charging devices. 

 

I really want to work with the electric propulsion the long term plan when I get the boat back to mk will be a much smaller cruising route and a good time between moves. So solar may work ok when I am home. But to move the boat on this adventure I want to start as I mean to continue and spending £1200ish on a petrol outboard that I don't want and will sell when I get back probably for a loss does not make any sense. A 100ft/lb electric motor is £200. 

 

Does anyone else have an electric set up like this

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Running a diesel generator for 7 hours a day to move the boat is not "electric propulsion". At best it is diesel-electric propulsion. 

You will have all the disadvantages of diesel propulsion and few of the advantages. If your boat was designed for an inboard engine, then you really would be best off with an inboard diesel.

As well as propulsion you will also generate enough electricuty for you domestic needs and (with a water cooled engine) get free domestic hot water 

If an inboard engine is not achievable, then a petrol outboard will give you better propulsion (but much less domestic electricity and no hot water).

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1 hour ago, Welsherfarr said:

I want to run the boat on electric propulsion using a 100ft/lb trolling motor initially.

 

Can't help but wonder why.

 

I really don't think you've thought this through at all, given your plans to generate the leccy with a stonking great dirty and noisy diesel genny.

 

 

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2 hours ago, Welsherfarr said:

Hi all, 

I've been lurking and reading on the forum for a while now and made a couple of posts. But for my own sanity ideas and hopefully some advice from more experienced boating people. I thought no would start a build thread. 

It will be a bit slow at times as the boat is a 3 hour drive away but I have the ideas and hopefully when I do get there the progress will be intense. 

This is a picture of my boat when I said yes to having it. It is a shell and need lots of work. But I have a boat. 

received_1175442959311567.jpeg

Wow hope you are good at DIY, I'm an old engineer but would not take on this dream, but dreams is what makes life good so who am I to throwt them. Good luck with this project and I'm sure lots on here will help you.

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Joking aside.

 

I can see what you are trying to do. But the advantage of true electric boating  is NOT having to run a diesel engine all day.

You use an engine to charge the battery and then run on electric, but that means charging the battery on a running genny or boat engine all night, not allowed, its 8am till 8pm, just when you are wanting to boat.

Solar and wind power is just not normally sufficient in the UK, the sun don't shine enough, wind don't blow long enough. You need acres of PV panels and have you ever slept or tried to sleep on a boat with a wind turbine on it?

Using a genny to just charge batteries is not simple, you have to power a big sophisticated battery charger and electronics don't take kindly to running off a lot of generators.

 

So you propose running a genny all day whilst you use the electric for propulsion? A diesel electric boat. You may as well run a conventional engine & gearbox driving a prop. More efficient, it will heat water and charge your leisure batteries at the same time. 

Unless you can come up with a silent way of charging your batteries at night its a crazy idea. But if you do you will be a multi billionaire overnight, let me know, we'll split it.

Edited by Boater Sam
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By eck, this place is getting busy with projects of a late. And GRP )

 

First off good_luck with it, a sit will be needed, done this many a time away from home projects and hard to complete if at all. 3hrs away is a long treck for a weekend never mind a week of work. If i was you bring it closer to home, save a fortune and closer to home as possible means more chance of it being done. 

 

I am with other, i dont get why diesel genny all day to run elecy propulsion...?

 

For all the cost just get an inboard diesel engine fitted, cost same i bet.

 

 

Best of luck :) 

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Dawncraft centre cockpits look lovely, but if it's sitting on the hard will it float? If i remember correctly, there are hardwood keels and rubbing strips under the waterline. Bolted through the hull. Be confident in those before setting off on any major travels.

 

ETA: this example looks as though it was always designed for an outboard

Edited by BilgePump
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Well, that's all very encouraging!  Still, we always used to say" "no plan survives first contact with the enemy".  I know it's a bit harsh in parts, but I hope you can take the opinion here in good part and give due consideration to the nuggets of experience and sense in there.  Better to have your intentions given a good old fashioned sanity check now than when you've spent a load more money buying all the kit!  Good luck! :)

 

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So I've spoken with a guy at bill highams regarding a 9.8 Parsun at £1400 with remote steer, electric start and battery charge. About 7-8amps I recall him quoting. Any thoughts on this as an engine? Any good? 

Regarding the fins on the bottom one is missing and the other is rotten. Both will be getting replaced. Possibly fibreglassed. 

The rubbing strakes will be getting removed and all holes filled. 

I want to build a sliding roof canopy to try and use as much of the space as possible. Anyone else built one for a centre cockpit? 

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14 hours ago, Welsherfarr said:

So I've spoken with a guy at bill highams regarding a 9.8 Parsun at £1400 with remote steer, electric start and battery charge. About 7-8amps I recall him quoting. Any thoughts on this as an engine? Any good? 

Regarding the fins on the bottom one is missing and the other is rotten. Both will be getting replaced. Possibly fibreglassed. 

The rubbing strakes will be getting removed and all holes filled. 

I want to build a sliding roof canopy to try and use as much of the space as possible. Anyone else built one for a centre cockpit? 

Bill Highams are good but expensive. You can get a good Honda for half the price. I recently picked up a 1998 Honda 15hp, elecy start remotes for £750. Has charge output but no cop at i think 6amp....could be 8amp.

 

One thing that has always got me wondering, why DC fitted timber keels and bolted them through the hull. I guess they have last a good 40 years though on some boats, some not. I am about to replace a set in GRP for a customer as the ones on his DC25 which are barley there.  

Good to hear you ridding of the strakes, more the lower one as they are prone to leaks being so close to the water line. 

 

Its low cost in materials to build a canopy in GRP, this is a top screen and canopy i built for my last boat, but fixed but much the same to slide back if hinged. I plan on doing one for my Norman this year that slides back..or forward, not decided yet.

 

 tn_20170619_165254.jpg

 

 

Admiral Faffer :)

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