On Tue, 14 Jul 2009 14:57:27 -0700, Jim wrote:

Vic Smith wrote:
For O/B sailboats.
A 50-80 Amp alternator on a 9-15 hp OB.

Sailors often carry a Honda EU1000-2000 to provide juice at anchor.
Though not real loud, they can be an irritation to nearby boats,
especially big boats using big watercooled internal gensets that don't
make much outside noise. Some of those owners think the Honda's
should be outlawed at anchorages.

What's with Honda's being the bad guy? Why mention Honda? These
generators are made by a variety of manufacturers.

I would say Honda generators aren't the problem, it's the construction
site type generators that are the problem. You know the ones.

I use an inverter, four golf cart batteries for the house bank, and have
a large alternator on the main engine. I'm good for 4 days on the hook,
no charging, and the ice cream is hard enough to bend a spoon. I use
electricity exactly the same at anchor that I use it at the dock.

Occasionally, with an hour or two of charging, I have a full tank of hot
water for showers, and topped off batteries.

A separate generator is not necessary as far as I can see. Not even
desirable.

Big, water cooled internal generators that run all day and night are
very annoying to me. Shut the damn thing off and shut off some lights.

Everyone who thinks they have to run their generator to make coffee is
the problem.

Well I don't drink coffee so there wouldn't be a coffee maker.

But dude - gotta have air conditioning. :)

Don't leave home without it.