Running a couple hours a day you should be able to get used to
it. More comments below.

Doug
s/v Callista

"Skip Gundlach"
skipgundlach.sez.remove.this.and.the.dots.to.mail wrote in
message ...
In several of the mailing lists of which I partake, there's been
discussion
of generators of late, originally about using AC, but migrating to
charging,
noise, space and cost considerations and other issues.

As we prepare to cut the cord for the rest of our lives, we're actively
considering an arch to carry solar and wind gear, as we'll be spending the
rest of our lives in the Caribbean, where there's ample of both. However,
the boat currently (pardon the expression) has a working generator of
recent
vintage (under 600 hours). It's got a (Diesel) Kubota engine driving an
Onan 6.5KW 3600 RPM electrical end (along with an alternator on a belt).

Unfortunately, despite its large motor mounts, hush box and muffler, and
located inside an engine room, other than from a fair distance off,
outside
the boat, it's enough to drive you (well, me, for sure!) mad with the
noise,
and, to a much lesser extent, the vibration. As a result, I refuse to run
it except in emergency conditions, and wouldn't consider running it for
more
than a few minutes in an anchorage. FWIW, the exhaust noise outside the
boat is pretty minimal - but the engine noise from inside is fierce.

Has anyone successfully tamed the 3600RPM noise monster?

Yes. Purrs like a kitten.

If so, what did you do?

Bought the optional sound enclosure and installed the genset in it.

Alternatively (again, please excuse the expression), is anyone
interested in a low-hours 6.5KW generator?

Not after the great sales pitch you just gave

It would free up a great deal of battery space!

Only if you can find a way to charge the beasts!.

We're inclined toward wind and solar, but have this
otherwise perfectly good,

From your description it doesn't sound "perfectly good".

expensive, piece of gear already installed which,
if we don't have someone buy it for some significant amount of money, is
likely to stay put.

Better to keep it, install solar and wind, and use the genset as a backup
when necessary.

Thanks for any input on how to kill the noise monster...

Is a sound enclosure available? If so get it. We have an Entec West
genset and without it the noise would be bad. It is powered by
a Fehrymann 1 lung diesel.

L8R

Skip and Lydia

Morgan 461 #2
SV Flying Pig
http://tinyurl.com/384p2

"And then again, when you sit at the helm of your little ship on a
clear night, and gaze at the countless stars overhead, and realize
that you are quite alone on a great, wide sea, it is apt to occur to
you that in the general scheme of things you are merely an
insignificant speck on the surface of the ocean; and are not nearly
so important or as self-sufficient as you thought you were. Which is
an exceedingly wholesome thought, and one that may effect a
permanent change in your deportment that will be greatly appreciated
by your friends." - James S. Pitkin