Gas-free boat … any good for Constant Cruising

[Didne]

Hello All ! … I’m new to narrowboating and new on the site … although I’ve been lurking round here recently trying to learn things from the wealth of info so generously shared … this is my first post tho … 

 

I’m looking for my first narrowboat … I’d assumed that they all had gas cookers and and multifuel stoves but recently I saw one advertised that had neither … everything was 240v electric, big domestic washing machine, domestic fridge freezer, tiny electric cooker, microwave, … even the fire was electric … and yet it was described as a constant cruiser … is this really possible to live comfortably on a boat like that without being tied to a pontoon ? 

 

It’s spec was

 

Beta 43hp engine

150 prm gearbox

Victron multiplus 5000 inverter

Dometic travel power 5 kva generator

1 starter battery (don’t know what spec)

3 leisure batteries (don’t know what spec)

600w solar panels (4x175w each)

 

Thank you 

Didne 

xxx

[Ewan123]

If you don't mind lots of generator engine running, I'm sure it's possible.

Edited October 28, 2023 by Ewan123
corrected thanks IanD

[IanD]

6 minutes ago, Ewan123 said:

If you don't mind lots of generator running, I'm sure it's possible.

There's no separate generator, to use the Travelpower means running the Beta 43 for hours and hours, especially since the batteries are lead-acid not lithium, and maybe all the time when cooking or washing. Also those batteries and solar panels are rather small for a gas-free boat.

 

The boat looks like it's intended to spend most of its time plugged into a shoreline...

Edited October 28, 2023 by IanD

[Crewcut]

You might be able to do a little cooking without running either the generator or the engine but electric heating no chance. Better though to run a generator than the engine whilst stationary for power. You'd have to "do the math" on cost to heat with electricity via generator but the fact that hardly anybody does is a big clue...

 

Oooooops my bad it's not even a real genny...🤐

Edited October 28, 2023 by Crewcut

[BoatinglifeupNorth]

Looks like as said above you’d be running the engine/Travel power most of the time, I would say not the most ideal continuous cruising boat. 

[Tony Brooks]

The "generator" is driven by the engine and CaRT say no engine running, unless actually moving, between 8pm and 8 am so I don't think it is viable for the whole year. If it has lithium batteries, then maybe, but I think that you will still be running the engine to power much of the domestic equipment.

 

How you are going to recharge the batteries is probably more important than how long they can supply the loads.

[BoatinglifeupNorth]

1 minute ago, Crewcut said:

You might be able to do a little cooking without running either the generator or the engine but electric heating no chance. Better though to run a generator than the engine whilst stationary for power. You'd have to "do the math" on cost to heat with electricity via generator but the fact that hardly anybody does is a big clue...

There is no generator the Dometic Travel power gets the power from a third alternator on the engine, so you need to run the engine. It is not a stand alone generator 

[GUMPY]

It's not going to work 😱

[IanD]

6 minutes ago, Crewcut said:

You might be able to do a little cooking without running either the generator or the engine but electric heating no chance. Better though to run a generator than the engine whilst stationary for power. You'd have to "do the math" on cost to heat with electricity via generator but the fact that hardly anybody does is a big clue...

There isn't a generator, the Travelpower is basically a 5kW alternator driven by the engine...

 

Heating with electricity from a generator -- even if it had one! -- is crazily expensive, and using a Travelpower even more so. Plus you can't do it between 8pm and 8am.

 

It'll work when plugged in, but not when cruising. Even when plugged in, a standard 16A shoreline plus the batteries/inverter are going to struggle with cooking and heating and washing...

Edited October 28, 2023 by IanD

[Jak]

Gas free boats tend to have acres of solar and big battery banks. This one really does not!

[BoatinglifeupNorth]

Avoid this boat for continuous cruising.

[Alan de Enfield]

Keep your hands in your pocket and walk quickly away without giving it another thought - It'd end in tears.

[IanD]

3 minutes ago, BoatinglifeupNorth said:

Avoid this boat for continuous cruising.

Avoid this boat unless it's going to be permanently plugged in to a shoreline and never move... 😉

Edited October 28, 2023 by IanD

[Guest]

Sometimes the old ideas are the simplest and in lots of circumstances the best too.

 

Even now if I was buying another boat it would be multifuel stove and LPG for cooking and extra heating.

 

Solar yes to keep the batteries charged up but that would be it. And we were leisure boaters and didnt live aboard.

 

(This of course is just an opinion, others are available, but KISS)

[BoatinglifeupNorth]

Exactly, that why I said avoid for continuous cruising, looking as the spec it looks like it was on a shore power, I doubt it was a continuous cruising boat. If it went out I imagine the engine/Travel power would be running a lot of the time, especially winter months.

[Guest]

Ps,

 

I might have a diesel stove.

[LadyG]

I met a chap today who was intent on buying a Jackary, as this would provide all his power for TV, (12volts), eight hours per day. 

He has several batteries, and they run everything including the fridge for several hours, but then fade.

He assumes  I don't have any power issues as I have two solar panels.

I explain that I my solar panels are generating about 5amps when it bright cloudy, and I need to generate electricity six months of the year.

I think he has killed his batteries,  

Edited October 28, 2023 by LadyG

[Didne]

Wow ! … 16 replies in only three hours ! … You guys are great … Thankyou … Well there’s definitely a common consensus here … No good as it is then …

 

How tricky / expensive would it be to retro-fit a mult-fuel stove for heating and gas for cooking, along with the associated gas pipework, and a gas oven and hob, (and certification I suppose) to turn it into ‘a proper boat’  ?

 

I met a fella today who’d had his diesel heater removed and replaced with a multi fuel stove … said it cost him around £2500 a few years back but he did already have the hearth in place and the flue hole in his roof … I suppose that’s more expensive now 

 

What about gas for cooking ? it’s a 58’ boat with a gas locker at the very front and the galley at the very back!  no pipework … maybe a gas locker could be fitted on the stern ? … would adding all that be ridiculously expensive ? 
 

cheers

Didne 

xxx

 

 

[Jen-in-Wellies]

16 minutes ago, Didne said:

What about gas for cooking ? it’s a 58’ boat with a gas locker at the very front and the galley at the very back!  no pipework … maybe a gas locker could be fitted on the stern ? … would adding all that be ridiculously expensive ? 

My boat has this arrangement. Just run a suitably sized gas pipe from the bow gas locker to the stern kitchen. Much easier and cheaper than trying to arrange a boat safety scheme compliant gas locker at the stern.

[ditchcrawler]

2 minutes ago, Jen-in-Wellies said:

My boat has this arrangement. Just run a suitably sized gas pipe from the bow gas locker to the stern kitchen. Much easier and cheaper than trying to arrange a boat safety scheme compliant gas locker at the stern.

But has the OP got a gas locker?

[BoatinglifeupNorth]

19 minutes ago, Didne said:

Wow ! … 16 replies in only three hours ! … You guys are great … Thankyou … Well there’s definitely a common consensus here … No good as it is then …

 

How tricky / expensive would it be to retro-fit a mult-fuel stove for heating and gas for cooking, along with the associated gas pipework, and a gas oven and hob, (and certification I suppose) to turn it into ‘a proper boat’  ?

 

I met a fella today who’d had his diesel heater removed and replaced with a multi fuel stove … said it cost him around £2500 a few years back but he did already have the hearth in place and the flue hole in his roof … I suppose that’s more expensive now 

 

What about gas for cooking ? it’s a 58’ boat with a gas locker at the very front and the galley at the very back!  no pipework … maybe a gas locker could be fitted on the stern ? … would adding all that be ridiculously expensive ? 
 

cheers

Didne 

xxx

 

 

Why? Why do all that work and cost when there will be a suitable boat out there? How many boats have you viewed and what’s the attraction about this one, cheap, friends boat, close to you?
 

[Jen-in-Wellies]

22 minutes ago, Didne said:

it’s a 58’ boat with a gas locker at the very front

 

2 minutes ago, ditchcrawler said:

But has the OP got a gas locker?

 

[BoatinglifeupNorth]

8 minutes ago, ditchcrawler said:

But has the OP got a gas locker?

Yes, but it is a reverse layout, galley at rear, so would have to run suitable diameter pipe work to keep gas pressure or relocate gas locker to rear stern? A bit difficult if this boat is a Trad stern and is all the work involved cost effective? I would just bin this boat and look elsewhere.

Edited October 28, 2023 by BoatinglifeupNorth

[MtB]

3 hours ago, Alan de Enfield said:

Keep your hands in your pocket and walk quickly away without giving it another thought - It'd end in tears.

 

 

And if the OP still has doubts, she should ask herself (and the vendor!) why the boat is on the market for sale. 

 

 

 

 

 

[BoatinglifeupNorth]

13 minutes ago, MtB said:

 

 

And if the OP still has doubts, she should ask herself (and the vendor!) why the boat is on the market for sale. 

 

 

 

 

 

 And ask how he continually cruised on a boat which seams unsuitable for the purpose.

Edited October 28, 2023 by BoatinglifeupNorth