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Can these electric outboards power a narrowboat?


Doodlebug

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If you look closely at the youtube video you can see the surface disturbance from what looks like the boats main propeller, which seems to be some distance away from the electric outboards.

Edited by Iron Dutchess
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Done, straight away. I'm flattered, what does someone do when they wish to appear debonair, handsome and intelligent, pinch my name to post inane comments. I manage that very well on my own. What a (navy) lark eh!

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but then they weren't operating at the same speed or in the same circumstances as found on canals today.

 

When all boats where horse boats and two approached a bridge or sharp corner at the same time they would see each other's horse in time to take action.

 

The same thing applied with mix traffic, motors would see the horses first.

 

They were professional people and knew what to do.

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Why? I doubt Jim Riley is the only Jim Riley in the world. And accounts called 'Jim Riley' and 'JimRiley' won't be a problem with the forum software

 

Richard

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Yes the only time horsedrawn boats needed to stop was at locks. I am pretty sure that when they met another boat both boatmen knew what to do and if there was a glancing collision the telly was not going to fall off the shelf ;)

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Done, straight away. I'm flattered, what does someone do when they wish to appear debonair, handsome and intelligent, pinch my name to post inane comments. I manage that very well on my own. What a (navy) lark eh!

Maybe another person with the same name :unsure: this could be a problem with using a name as a forum id . there would he a lot of John Smiths.

 

And bridges, and wharfs

 

Richard

Ok yes. bollards

 

Cross posted with RLWP

 

 

I don't think they would have stopped at bridges. Ok maybe slowed down and anticipated the boats' movements but the only places they would have actually come to a complete halt would be places where there was canalside furniture such as strapping posts which would be used to stop the vessel.

 

I don't believe a horse would ever be used to stop a boat.

 

I could be wrong :rolleyes:

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(Not a reply as I cross posted again)

Obviously the boat could come to a halt naturally as it glided in to the side to be tied up but we are talking about stopping in predefined circumstances. An electric drive system is fine until you have to stop suddenly.

 

As the massive majority of other boats are using high powered diesel engines the bridge situation is probably the biggest aggravating factor. Unless you have a boat with big Woolwich bows in which case you do not need to stop.

I believe the process was to steer the boat into the side of the channel and use that to slow the boat down

 

Richard

That sounds right :)

Edited by magnetman
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Why? I doubt Jim Riley is the only Jim Riley in the world. And accounts called 'Jim Riley' and 'JimRiley' won't be a problem with the forum software

 

Richard

Correct. There were 2 of us in my class at school. But I seriously doubt that it's him or any other real one. There's a link to recent posts on another thread where I was troll baiting. ??

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If you had two minn kota outboards with a rudder between them I think it would have some effect but it would be very limited. It would help if the outboards were steerable and had rudder blades added onto them. Not necessary for small boats where the underwater motor pod is directly steered but on a narrow boat slow speed steerage is very important unless you have a bit of horsepower to 'force' any manaeouvres

 

Ideally you would want a big rudder like a butty rudder with a large electric drive pod built in.

 

Its been done with hydraulics not sure about electric but there may be one or two.

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Saw a boat below Atherstone last week being powered by two electric outboards strapped on the back, he was making very slow progress when I saw him.

Edit

Just got the video to load and the set up was identical the boat was blue as well

 

We met it coming down as we were going up. At that point, it was making VERY slow progress, powered by the cabin shaft used as a punting pole.

 

Iain

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you have a seriously sized narrowboat a petrol outboard won't be adequate for stopping either, unless it is a heavyweight turning an 18" prop (is there such an animal?). you'd better explain further to convince the doubting Thomases that your proposal is practical and reliable.

 

 

Everyone seems to be doubting the ability of an outboard to push a narrowboat.

 

Can I clarify we have no rudder and have lasted most adequately with our 10hp engine. Can easily upset boats by going too fast (if we wanted to!) and can stop in half a boats length going into locks.

 

If anything we have more control since we have direction in reverse. I can do the equivalent of a hand break turn and swing round in one boat length!

 

Not sure where the confusion has come from.

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if you spoon feed us with facts, whilst asking for a definitive answer up front, then you are sowing the seeds of confusion.

 

why don't you provide a full specification of the boat (size, weight, etc), the battery and charging facilities, the typical pattern of intended use, and the mechanism by which the boat will be stopped in an emergency?

 

on the other hand (even though some of us have first hand experience of electric outboards and their capabilities and limitations) if you know better then don't ask the question to which you already have all answers.

 

 

 

.................. oh, by the way, the answer to your original question in its simplest form - no, those electric outboards are not a practical means of powering a typical narrowboat.

Edited by Murflynn
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if you spoon feed us with facts, whilst asking for a definitive answer up front, then you are sowing the seeds of confusion.

 

why don't you provide a full specification of the boat (size, weight, etc), the battery and charging facilities, the typical pattern of intended use, and the mechanism by which the boat will be stopped in an emergency?

 

on the other hand (even though some of us have first hand experience of electric outboards and their capabilities and limitations) if you know better then don't ask the question to which you already have all answers.

 

 

 

.................. oh, by the way, the answer to your original question in its simplest form - no, those electric outboards are not a practical means of powering a typical narrowboat.

Because if I explain the whole system people will start talking about how the batteries won't cope or how it would be easier to do it a different way. But I don't want to know about batteries. I want to know if the outboards will push the boat fast enough. Equally I don't want to be told outboards are no good at steering narrowboat a because a) that's not the question and B) because I know fully well that they work perfectly well.

 

I'm not sure how battery capabilities or charging ability, mounting, steering or suchlike have any bearing on the overall speed.

 

Hope that makes sense. I did explain the whole system in a previous post but never got down to the speed of outboards.

 

 

Please could you explain your reasoning as to why it won't work? It's no good just saying it won't work. So far some people have said it will and some have said it won't which is really useful when explained in context. But bear in mind that someone said 10hp is not enough (which we have at the moment and works perfectly well). So I hope you appreciate why background info or testimony helps.

 

A while ago I was told that my wind turbine would be far too big and could blow the boat over. Nothing could be more from the truth. The boat hardly rocks in the strongest of storms. Let alone the nightmare scenarios suggested by some people here when I asked a few years ago. But that was based on people's gut instinct which I have come to realise is very unreliable!

 

Still eager to hear more opinions!

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I've seen vids of LiPO powered light aircraft so I have no doubt that there could be electric canal boats.

 

Going the lead acid route I see a well designed roof holding about 1Kw of panel array, charging a set of fork truck batteries giving say 5 hours a day during the summer and 1 hour a week during the winter but weight could be an issue.

 

Going the LiPO route the same panel array would need a different charger and give the same performance for much less weight.

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Because if I explain the whole system people will start talking about how the batteries won't cope or how it would be easier to do it a different way. But I don't want to know about batteries. I want to know if the outboards will push the boat fast enough. Equally I don't want to be told outboards are no good at steering narrowboat a because a) that's not the question and cool.png because I know fully well that they work perfectly well.

 

I'm not sure how battery capabilities or charging ability, mounting, steering or suchlike have any bearing on the overall speed.

 

Hope that makes sense. I did explain the whole system in a previous post but never got down to the speed of outboards.

 

 

Please could you explain your reasoning as to why it won't work? It's no good just saying it won't work. So far some people have said it will and some have said it won't which is really useful when explained in context. But bear in mind that someone said 10hp is not enough (which we have at the moment and works perfectly well). So I hope you appreciate why background info or testimony helps.

 

A while ago I was told that my wind turbine would be far too big and could blow the boat over. Nothing could be more from the truth. The boat hardly rocks in the strongest of storms. Let alone the nightmare scenarios suggested by some people here when I asked a few years ago. But that was based on people's gut instinct which I have come to realise is very unreliable!

 

Still eager to hear more opinions!

let me repeat, for clarity: the answer to your original question in its simplest form - no, those electric outboards are not a practical means of powering a typical narrowboat.

 

however your ideas about practicality, the boat/equipment combination and the art of the possible are entirely subjective, you have not defined them, and you are entitled to your own opinion.

 

I could power a bicycle with a Jetex 200 motor from the 50's, but it wouldn't be practical.

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What about lots of them attached to the spokes of the wheels?

 

Richard

It would look good, almost as good as when we tied fireworks to a mates bike wheel and he went off down the street only to meet the village copper.

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