Gas-free boat … any good for Constant Cruising

[Tony1]

31 minutes ago, BoatinglifeupNorth said:

The pair of you’s don't seam seam worth while listening too, yeh You both have loads of experience, probably a couple of years afloat.  

Please ignore the two sprog muppets above, let them argue the toss, I imagine  they’re also relevant Newbies😂

 

The OP has already decided not buy this boat.

I am asking James a question that he and I find interesting to discuss- I am not trying to advise the OP.

Since most of your contribution so far has been insults, I wonder if you might be so kind as to wind in your deeply unpleasant neck by a few yards? 

Cheers.

 

[Alan de Enfield]

8 minutes ago, Tony1 said:

 

Well its a fair cop guvnor.

I had no idea tbh, so I did a quick google search, and found this:

https://www.energysage.com/electricity/house-watts/how-many-watts-does-an-electric-oven-and-stove-use/

 

Alas, I trusted google - again...

 

 

Surprising that a US website quoting prices in US$ should use European voltages when the US ddomesric electicity supply is 120v

 

 

Generally, electric stoves use between 1,000 and 3,000 watts (W) of electricity, depending on the model, whereas ovens use between 2,000 and 5,000 watts (W) of electricity, depending on the model. Most ovens and stoves use anywhere from 20 to 60 amps and connect to a 240-volt outlet.

Over the course of a year, an average 2,800 W oven and electric stove might combine to cost about $145 to use – that's about $12.08 on each of your monthly electric bills. Importantly, this is just an estimate! Depending on the size of oven and electric burner you're using, the length of time you're cooking food for, and the specific model you use, your costs can vary significantly.

[BoatinglifeupNorth]

6 minutes ago, Tony1 said:

 

The OP has already decided not buy this boat.

I am asking James a question that he and I find interesting to discuss- I am not trying to advise the OP.

Since most of your contribution so far has been insults, I wonder if you might be so kind as to wind in your deeply unpleasant neck by a few yards? 

Cheers.

 

No. most of my comments have been based on many years of experience and seeing what’s been happening over the last couple of years since people like yourself have bought a boat, total Sprog, you often moan about your mistakes that your boat is not ideal. 

Edited November 1, 2023 by BoatinglifeupNorth

[Tony1]

5 minutes ago, BoatinglifeupNorth said:

No. most of my comments have been based on many years of experience and seeing what’s been happening over the last couple of years since people like yourself have bought a boat, Sprog.

 

Get a life mate. 

You can't seriously think that the bile you spew out on this site is helping you or anyone else?  

Congratulations on your decades of boating experience.

If any of that had made you even a teeny bit less spiteful and unpleasant, you might be worth listening to. 

 

 

Edited November 1, 2023 by Tony1

[BoatinglifeupNorth]

1 minute ago, Tony1 said:

 

Get a life mate. 

You can't seriously think that the bile you spew out on this site is helping you or anyone else?  

Congratulations on your decades of boating experience.

If any of that had made you even a teeny bit less spiteful and unpleasant, you might be worth listening to. 

 

 

😂 Still living the dream? Have you realised you bought a boat that’s not really suitable for continuous cruising, muppet😂

[Tony1]

4 minutes ago, BoatinglifeupNorth said:

😂 Still living the dream? Have you realised you bought a boat that’s not really suitable for continuous cruising, muppet😂

 

I don't know about living the dream, but I'm guessing I am a much happier person than you will ever be.

For what its worth, I have 1400 watts of solar and 400Ah of lithium batteries, and a very good charging system, with both diesel CH and a SF stove. 

So yes- there's not that much more that I want or need to make my boat very comfortable and very efficient for year round cruising. 

But thanks for asking. 

 

[ditchcrawler]

We have a gas free boat, I expect we will have problems selling it when the time comes but so far I have had over 20 years pleasure from it so will take what I can get.

We don't live aboard but for the winter we have a diesel cooker that also heats the water and acts as a space heater. In the summer we use a slow cooker, induction hob and mini oven. We have an electric kettle and coffee make. We don't have solar as we cruise every day or if mooring for a couple of day its because we are somewhere like Birmingham so eating out. We normally travel for a minimum of 2½ hrs a day

[IanD]

50 minutes ago, MtB said:

 

Point of Order yer honour...

 

Electric ovens are typically 1,500 Watts. Both of mine are 1,500W as have been (I think!) all the others I have owned.

According to the specs, the maximum power ratings for my (domestic) oven/grill and 4-ring induction hob are 3.5kW and 7.3kW respectively... 😉

[MtB]

3 minutes ago, ditchcrawler said:

We don't have solar as we cruise every day or if mooring for a couple of day its because we are somewhere like Birmingham so eating out. We normally travel for a minimum of 2½ hrs a day

 

 

I suspect this would be a most unusual cruising pattern for anyone claiming to be a continuous cruiser. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1 minute ago, IanD said:

According to the specs, the maximum power ratings for my (domestic) oven/grill and 4-ring induction hob are 3.5kW and 7.3kW respectively... 😉

 

Confusing a cooker with an oven is a common mistake.

[BoatinglifeupNorth]

 

24 minutes ago, Tony1 said:

 

I don't know about living the dream, but I'm guessing I am a much happier person than you will ever be.

For what its worth, I have 1400 watts of solar and 400Ah of lithium batteries, and a very good charging system, with both diesel CH and a SF stove. 

So yes- there's not that much more that I want or need to make my boat very comfortable and very efficient for year round cruising. 

But thanks for asking. 

 

Are you on your little boat? well please stop bemoaning the things you wish you had on your boat and wishing what you had known before you bought it a couple of years ago😂👍
 

Edited November 1, 2023 by BoatinglifeupNorth

[IanD]

11 minutes ago, MtB said:

 

Confusing a cooker with an oven is a common mistake.

 

Huh? I'm not confused, those are certainly the power ratings for the (separate, built-in) oven and induction hob I've got on the boat... 😉

 

Never likely to hit the maximum >10kW though since this would need oven+grill+4 rings all on maximum at the same time. Mind you, with two rings on maximum and the tumble drier running I did once see about 6.5kW from the inverter, I was deliberately pushing it to see if it could cope... 😉

Edited November 1, 2023 by IanD

[Tony1]

4 minutes ago, BoatinglifeupNorth said:

 

Are you on your little boat, well please stop bemoaning the things you wish you had on your boat👍😂

 

What? What the hell are you even on about? 

Seriously mate, get some help with anger management.

We all fly off the handle sometimes (and I'm as guilty as anyone else), but 75% of your posts seem to be attacking newbies for being newbies- or just insulting people. 

It's really unpleasant to see, which is why I think its time to block your posts- but you are really not helping yourself with all this anger and aggression. 

Either way, I've had enough of these schoolyard style exchanges- enjoy your evening. 

You won't be getting any further replies from me.

 

 

[BoatinglifeupNorth]

40 minutes ago, Tony1 said:

 

What? What the hell are you even on about? 

Seriously mate, get some help with anger management.

We all fly off the handle sometimes (and I'm as guilty as anyone else), but 75% of your posts seem to be attacking newbies for being newbies- or just insulting people. 

It's really unpleasant to see, which is why I think its time to block your posts- but you are really not helping yourself with all this anger and aggression. 

Either way, I've had enough of these schoolyard style exchanges- enjoy your evening. 

You won't be getting any further replies from me.

 

 

  Calm down, Calm down, Don't go into one trying to use the victim scenario 😂 please stop making things up(%) to distract your lack of real world knowledge. Looking at your posts it clearly shows a boater who bought an unsuitable boat. Obviously you don’t like the truth about your boat not being the best choice for CCing, I tell it how it is, I don’t live in a “Rosy & Jim” world and I imagine I’ll still on the canals long after you’ve sold up👍

Edited November 1, 2023 by BoatinglifeupNorth

[JungleJames]

5 hours ago, BoatinglifeupNorth said:

The pair of you’s don't seam worth while listening too, yeh You both have loads of experience, probably a couple of years afloat.  

Please ignore the two sprog muppets above, let them argue the toss, I imagine  they’re also relevant Newbies😂

Are you flirting with me? So sweet.

5 hours ago, Tony1 said:

 

I think the OP has dropped the idea of buying this boat, but I find it an interesting topic anyway, so I'm interested in your thoughts on some of these challenges:

My issue with going gas free is based on the scenario of a boater using a normal electric cooker, including an oven. 

So if you were preparing a meal, you might want the oven on, using say 4000 watts. Plus at least one hob at say 1500 watts. 

That's about 5500 watts- so you need a big inverter, which is going to be very expensive. 

The other issue I have is buying a big enough lithium battery bank that you can pull out 5500 watts from them (so maybe 400+ amps at 12/13 volts?)  

And the third issue for me is- how do you get all that charge back into the batteries? 

I'm guessing that a 4000 watt oven running for 45 mins might use 240Ah of charge, maybe? 

That's an awful lot of charge to generate, even with a travel power. And that's just for one meal. 

Now if you were to drop the idea of a full electric cooker, and look at things like air fyrers and induction hobs, you could reduce the energy needs for cooking, but by how much? 

I just have a suspicion that the cost of the diesel fuel needed to generate all the charge required for cooking would be more expensive than using gas, and the cost of the electrical setup need to handle all the power would be really expensive.

That's not to say that you cant run a hob (or two) and a microwave and a kettle from batteries, of course. It definitely has a role in some cooking.

But many people who enjoy their cooking will want a capable cooking setup, and will be looking at a full electric cooker with an oven. 

And for them, I personally feel that gas is the cheapest and most effective option. 

 

 

I have to admit. In all the gas or no gas arguments, I forgot to point out to check the power used by the oven, and make sure the battery power is there.

Inverter- fair call. 

 

In all the hysteria of the gas brigade, I did forget to mention these things needed clarifying. Fair cop.

I allowed myself to be drawn in to the argument.

 

Cost- yes, I admitted gas was probably cheaper than diesel. But then in the summer that's evened out by having solar.

 

I suppose amongst all the shouting, I was, in a very poor way I suspect, trying to point out that we don't have enough info to be sure either way. So more investigation is needed by the OP regarding the boats systems.

It still is, as the battery figure supplied clearly isn't correct.

But, from what we now know, this should be doable, so long as they don't spend weeks alongside the tow path. I've always been clear of this.

First proper checks should be done by the OP. Including switching the oven on as part of looking over the boat, and checking the power drain (when it isn't plugged in). That will give real figures, and I should have said this from the start. My bad.

 

As I've always said though, it depends if they are happy going gas free, and if they like the boat.

 

PS. If anything, I've been a little guilty of allowing the anti gas free brigade get to me. They jumped straight in, oh it's all electric heating, oh it's lead acid batteries, no you must never do it. 

When it was clear they were making stuff up about the boat in order to try and prove their point. 

We now find out these made up points were incorrect.

I don't know whether it will suit the OP or not. None of us do. 

Also, our lovely friend possibly has a point as well, ie gas is easier. But, like me, he hasn't put it across very well at times.

 

So I'm just saying, yes it can work in certain cases.

If they want to come back and ask about power draw and figures, then that can be discussed away from the hysteria caused here. 

4 hours ago, Tony1 said:

 

The OP has already decided not buy this boat.

I am asking James a question that he and I find interesting to discuss- I am not trying to advise the OP.

Since most of your contribution so far has been insults, I wonder if you might be so kind as to wind in your deeply unpleasant neck by a few yards? 

Cheers.

 

Now I don't know our lovely friend from Adam.

But- he has been insistent the OP should not buy the boat, and also asked for a link to the broker.

 

That to me sounds like he wants to snap the boat up himself.

Edited November 2, 2023 by JungleJames

[manxmike]

How disappointing that this, like some other threads, has to descend into unpleasant exchanges. Surely if we have centuries of experience or are a newbie we are all boaters who love the canals?

[Tony1]

17 hours ago, JungleJames said:

 

Cost- yes, I admitted gas was probably cheaper than diesel. But then in the summer that's evened out by having solar...

 

I don't know whether it will suit the OP or not. None of us do. 

Also, our lovely friend possibly has a point as well, ie gas is easier. But, like me, he hasn't put it across very well at times.

 

So I'm just saying, yes it can work in certain cases.

If they want to come back and ask about power draw and figures, then that can be discussed away from the hysteria caused here. 

 

 

Thanks for the detailed reply James- my takeaway from the 'gas-free' discussion is that its probably expensive and impractical IF you want to run a full size electric cooker (with an oven).

BUT if you are ok with other methods (air fryers, induction hobs etc), then it becomes a lot more do-able. 

And as you say, there are many cruising boats that make it work. In fact our very own ditchcrawler has done so happily for decades, with no issues. 

 

But all that said, I really like and prefer the convenience and cheapness of gas (e.g. one 13kg bottle lasts me almost 6 months).

And on a cool Autumn morning, 5 minutes of a gas hob running can take the chill from the boat very quickly, without needing to fire up the stove or the CH and wait 20 minutes for any heat. 

 

But yes, you do make a very fair case for going gas free. 

However, you should be aware that it is actually heresy to support gas free boating.

Therefore it is my duty to report you to the Boating Inquisition, so you can expect a knock on your boat at 3am very soon.

There is still a chance to recant your evil ways and return to the gas fold- but if you refuse, you will be burned upon a pile of overcharged ebike lithium batteries (the nasty ones).

 

 

4 hours ago, manxmike said:

How disappointing that this, like some other threads, has to descend into unpleasant exchanges. Surely if we have centuries of experience or are a newbie we are all boaters who love the canals?

 

I can only apologise to the OP and the forum in general for my part in spoiling the tone of the discussion.

I was trying to have a relevant follow-up discussion with another poster, after the OP had got the decision she needed from the thread.

I did ignore the first insulting post, but unfortunately on the second one I felt I should respond, or else I might get the same individual feeling he could  make offensive replies to any post I might make, with no consequences. 

But of course, ultimately there's just no point in online aggression. I've done it myself here, and afterwards regretted my rudeness- and as a victim of aggression myself on this occasion, I made the mistake of carrying on the exchange and spoiling the thread.  

Lesson learned. 

 

[blackrose]

3 hours ago, Tony1 said:

 

Thanks for the detailed reply James- my takeaway from the 'gas-free' discussion is that its probably expensive and impractical IF you want to run a full size electric cooker (with an oven).

BUT if you are ok with other methods (air fryers, induction hobs etc), then it becomes a lot more do-able. 

And as you say, there are many cruising boats that make it work. In fact our very own ditchcrawler has done so happily for decades, with no issues. 

 

 

 

While the practicalities of going gas free may have been explained so we all know that it can be done, I still don't understand the basic premise for doing so? Perhaps I missed it while skimming though the thread to avoid the arguments, but I don't think anyone has adequately explained the benefits of going gas free?

 

To my mind doing away with systems on a boat so that you have to rely on fewer or inferior systems just seems to run counter to everything I've learned about living aboard over the years. 

 

Also you cite ditchcrawler as an example of someone who has successfully been without gas on his boat for decades, but as he points out himself he's not living aboard the boat which is what this thread was about. Again, while that example shows that going gas free is possible albeit on a part time basis, it doesn't explain the benefits of doing so. Is it just to save money on 2 x 13kg gas bottles per year for example or not having to lift heavy gas bottles twice a year? I'm basing that on most people's use of one 13kg gas bottle around every 6 months.

Edited November 2, 2023 by blackrose

[Tony1]

27 minutes ago, blackrose said:

 

While the practicalities of going gas free may have been explained so we all know that it can be done, I still don't understand the basic premise for doing so? Perhaps I missed it while skimming though the thread to avoid the arguments, but I don't think anyone has adequately explained the benefits of going gas free?

 

To my mind doing away with systems on a boat so that you have to rely on fewer or inferior systems just seems to run counter to everything I've learned about living aboard over the years. 

 

Also you cite ditchcrawler as an example of someone who has successfully been without gas on his boat for decades, but as he points out himself he's not living aboard the boat which is what this thread was about. Again, while that example shows that going gas free is possible albeit on a part time basis, it doesn't explain the benefits of doing so. Is it just to save money on 2 x 13kg gas bottles per year for example or not having to lift heavy gas bottles twice a year? I'm basing that on most people's use of one 13kg gas bottle around every 6 months.

 

I think the phrase 'going gas free' was slightly misleading.

The only benefit I can personally see from being gas free is the scenario where you have a chance to buy a boat that is about 10k below the market price for a normal boat of roughly the same age and quality. 

In that (example) scenario where you dont have gas when you first buy your boat, you might be tempted to explore the feasibility of cooking without gas, in order to save spending a few thousand on a gas and cooker install, possibly welding a gas locker, etc. 

But as I've said a few times, the gas-free approach is not for me personally- I would always have gas installed if a new boat didnt have it- so I'm probably the wrong person to answer the question.

James might be able to give a more informed perspective on it. 

 

 

 

 

[JungleJames]

3 hours ago, blackrose said:

 

While the practicalities of going gas free may have been explained so we all know that it can be done, I still don't understand the basic premise for doing so? Perhaps I missed it while skimming though the thread to avoid the arguments, but I don't think anyone has adequately explained the benefits of going gas free?

 

To my mind doing away with systems on a boat so that you have to rely on fewer or inferior systems just seems to run counter to everything I've learned about living aboard over the years. 

 

Also you cite ditchcrawler as an example of someone who has successfully been without gas on his boat for decades, but as he points out himself he's not living aboard the boat which is what this thread was about. Again, while that example shows that going gas free is possible albeit on a part time basis, it doesn't explain the benefits of doing so. Is it just to save money on 2 x 13kg gas bottles per year for example or not having to lift heavy gas bottles twice a year? I'm basing that on most people's use of one 13kg gas bottle around every 6 months.

I'm not sure there needs to be a benefit. Sometimes different people just fancy doing different things.

Or perhaps certain people just prefer electric ovens/ hobs. 

Is there a benefit to supporting your football team? Possibly not, but it may be a way of life. There doesn't need to be a benefit. Although making you a happier person is a benefit.

 

I'm also not sure either is a superior way of doing things. It's just a different way of doing it. 

 

But saying that, I can think of a few things that may make it better or beneficial to certain people. Note, that doesn't mean it's beneficial to everybody.

 

Lets say somebody has a boat with a lovely built in Perkins generator (other makes are available) because they want to avoid idle running on the main engine. To me, a built in generator is a must as it gives so much flexibility, as idle running on the main engine should be a no no.

Said person also has a lovely large bank of Lithium Phosphate, Lithium Titanate or Sodium Ion (Is that more acceptable to the anti lithium brigade?!!!) batteries, and a proper charging setup. Hey, if you can, then why restrict yourself? This battery setup provides loads of flexibility.

 

Now, I've just described how any newbuild of mine would preferably look, and It has benefits galore.

 

So, you have all this on your boat. My next question would be, do I really need to cook with gas when I have the ability to cook with electricity? I will save a little on what is an expensive newbuild, I can give myself extra storage space, as what would be a gas locker can be given over to storage. I also avoid lugging gas bottles around, and I have 1 less system to possibly maintain. A system that I really do not need now.

 

So, I have indirect benefits from the generator and large battery bank, and direct benefits from leaving gas behind.

 

Yes the initial build price will be more expensive, but that may not matter to some, and then ongoing costs could be lower.

 

Charging batteries is cheaper.

Less hours on main engine.

Less idle running on main engine, so it lasts longer.

 

Costs of cooking would hopefully even themselves out when you take solar in summer into account. 

But, even if it didn't, some people may not care about the cost of cooking, so this isn't a disbenefit to them.

 

Now, the above is arguably a better liveaboard boat than most that have gas, so we can't say gas free is not suited to liveaboard. Oh, and these boats do exist. They are just in the minority as the initial cost is expensive.

As I say though, that's not to say this boat suits everybody.

 

Next. What if someone wanted a lovely Heritage range cooker? Well, they come as diesel or electric, so you are hardly going to fit a gas system when it has no use.

They could buy themselves a nice diesel range, and even use it as a boiler in winter. A gorgeous copper kettle sitting on the hot plate, heating up, then whistling away to you when your water was ready to make your cuppa.

I think I've just died and gone to heaven!!

 

So, a benefit of going gas free? Well, I'm not installing something I don't need!!

 

Now if we briefly go back to the OP. Their benefit was in buying a boat that they seemingly liked.

 

So yes there will be direct and side benefits to going gas free to some people, even though there doesn't actually have to be a benefit to it. 

 

 

2 hours ago, Tony1 said:

 

I think the phrase 'going gas free' was slightly misleading.

The only benefit I can personally see from being gas free is the scenario where you have a chance to buy a boat that is about 10k below the market price for a normal boat of roughly the same age and quality. 

In that (example) scenario where you dont have gas when you first buy your boat, you might be tempted to explore the feasibility of cooking without gas, in order to save spending a few thousand on a gas and cooker install, possibly welding a gas locker, etc. 

But as I've said a few times, the gas-free approach is not for me personally- I would always have gas installed if a new boat didnt have it- so I'm probably the wrong person to answer the question.

James might be able to give a more informed perspective on it. 

 

 

 

 

Depends what you mean by informed?

No, I can't at all. Im just thinking  outside the box. Trying to ignore the shouting, and thinking how it could be done. Happy in the knowledge it's been done plenty of times before so must be doable.

Whilst accepting different people like different things.

 

Oh, and in the case of a type of boat described above. It's gas free but could attract a premium. May not, but could. 

Certainly if I saw a boat on the market with a built in diesel generator and a lovely bank of correctly installed lithium, I'd be paying a premium for it if I had to.

If it then had extra storage because it had no gas locker, then I'd pay even more of a premium. I wouldn't need to worry about cooking as the lithium and generator can handle it.

 

The Heritage idea, well, that won't attract everybody, and it'd probably be on the market a long time if it was up for a premium.

Edited November 3, 2023 by JungleJames

[Lady M]

9 hours ago, blackrose said:

 

While the practicalities of going gas free may have been explained so we all know that it can be done, I still don't understand the basic premise for doing so? Perhaps I missed it while skimming though the thread to avoid the arguments, but I don't think anyone has adequately explained the benefits of going gas free?

 

To my mind doing away with systems on a boat so that you have to rely on fewer or inferior systems just seems to run counter to everything I've learned about living aboard over the years. 

 

Also you cite ditchcrawler as an example of someone who has successfully been without gas on his boat for decades, but as he points out himself he's not living aboard the boat which is what this thread was about. Again, while that example shows that going gas free is possible albeit on a part time basis, it doesn't explain the benefits of doing so. Is it just to save money on 2 x 13kg gas bottles per year for example or not having to lift heavy gas bottles twice a year? I'm basing that on most people's use of one 13kg gas bottle around every 6 months.

 

It may be that gas is seen as dangerous so better avoided.

 

[blackrose]

26 minutes ago, Lady M said:

 

It may be that gas is seen as dangerous so better avoided.

 

 

Well that would be a rather ignorant misapprehension. Since a properly installed, tested and operated LPG system isn't dangerous, avoiding one on a boat is of no benefit.

6 hours ago, JungleJames said:

I'm not sure there needs to be a benefit. Sometimes different people just fancy doing different things.

Or perhaps certain people just prefer electric ovens/ hobs. 

Is there a benefit to supporting your football team? Possibly not, but it may be a way of life. There doesn't need to be a benefit. Although making you a happier person is a benefit.

 

I'm also not sure either is a superior way of doing things. It's just a different way of doing it. 

 

Yes you're right there doesn't necessarily need to be a benefit, but there shouldn't be a disbenefit, and I'm afraid not having gas for year round liveaboard use is definitely a disadvantage. In my opinion anyway.

Edited November 3, 2023 by blackrose

[Guest]

1 hour ago, Lady M said:

 

It may be that gas is seen as dangerous so better avoided.

 

 

Electricity can be dangerous too. If that is indeed their reasoning then I would say they would be mistaken using that as a criteria.

[IanD]

Going gas-free -- meaning, adding a generator and big LFP battery bank and *big* inverter (and lots of solar?) -- just to avoid having gas for cooking makes little sense, unless (like some people) you're terrified of the risks of a gas explosion. Even for a new-build, and even more so for a retrofit.

 

If you're going to add the genny/battery bank/inverter/solar anyway for other reasons -- like wanting "proper" 230Vac to run lots of appliances like in a house -- then gas-free is easier to justify once you've taken the decision to go down the "big electrics" route and pay the (high!) cost.

 

If you're going to have all this anyway for propulsion on an electric/series hybrid boat like mine then it's a no-brainer because it's "free" (cheaper than gas, anyway), electric cooking means no gas locker or cylinders or piping or regulations, and I for one prefer an electric oven/induction hob.

 

So depending on circumstances, a "gas-free" boat can either make no sense at all ( @blackrose )  or a great deal of sense ( @IanD ) -- as usual with boats there's no single "right" or "wrong" answer... 😉

Edited November 3, 2023 by IanD

[Tony Brooks]

I would point out that the fact it has a lithium battery bank only came late in the conversation, and even then the capacity given made no sense for a gas fitted boat, let alone a gas free one.  On the facts as first presented, it did look a problem buy because it seemed winter charging could only be via the alternator(s) and/or Travelpower. It was the likely recharge time required for an LA bank that persuaded me it was a poor buy.

[IanD]

4 minutes ago, Tony Brooks said:

I would point out that the fact it has a lithium battery bank only came late in the conversation, and even then the capacity given made no sense for a gas fitted boat, let alone a gas free one.  On the facts as first presented, it did look a problem buy because it seemed winter charging could only be via the alternator(s) and/or Travelpower. It was the likely recharge time required for an LA bank that persuaded me it was a poor buy.

Indeed, I wasn't saying that the boat in question was a good design (it's not...), just that a blanket "gas free is a bad idea" statement is not correct -- it's true for some boaters/boats but not others, depending on circumstances.

 

There's a tendency on CWDF for some people to say "this is right/wrong for me so it's obviously right/wrong for everybody" -- see toilets, stern type, engine, EVs... -- and such statements are very often wrong... 😉

Edited November 3, 2023 by IanD