Gawlea!

Shore sounds like a job for two or even three trolling motors in
wells, two aft and one foreward.

Azipods!

Hanging propellors off the ends of the boat is a sure way to whip up
the air while props are out of the water in waves.

I would use the one foreward, mostly, for easy days marina docking,
etc. Should be able to steer it from the v berth in the sun or rain,
or remotely, or lock it and and raise it and plug the hole when ready
to sail. A fishguard bottom plate could be affixed beneath the prop
for maximum convenience and trouble free transformations. A one foot
lift might retract the prop and smooth the bottom. If located
foreward in the cockpit, it might sit next to the bridge deck step and
be innocuous raised or lowered.

With two after azipods, crabwise docking could become an exercise in
balance, pushing a keel sideways and providing some redundancy.

Using all three might permit all sorts.

No tranny saves weight for batteries. The generator you will need
anyway, if it is a little larger. Spatial accommodations could
benefit, if range might suffer, as if fuel economy were most important
on a sail boat.

With wind no motor is needed, if tradition tells anything. With no
wind, auxiliary drive is just that. 3/4 hull speed is very
economical. Sailing is an adventure, fun, not many of our livings nor
sustenance nor work, but joy and pleasure only. As with golf (I am
told) the longer time spent at it the better.

Now, if one azipod could charge batteries under sail, you might
subsist with solar cells...

The windage design of the topsides must accommodate low power
manouvering under power or in a breeze. A well balanced low drag
topsides plan should be utilized. A comparatively low elevation would
be best, as it is in any sailing vessel. I kind of like the idea of
raised deck and hull side portlights (a glass bottom?) as opposed to a
dog house.

Will you ever want for air conditioning? Possibly using one of the
wells, a stovepipe heat exchanger with only a small automotive heater
radiator underwater and ducted air tubes could provide basic survival
cooling. It would stow for sailing, being plugged in and deployed
overboard for overnight comfort at anchor. A sump dip tube for the
bottom of the stovepipe overboard would evacuate condensed humidity
scavenged from the recirculated cabin air. An air to air heat
exchanger would provide fresh ventilation. It won't make ice, but such
a system could defend your sweaty sanity and restlessness on a muggy
night with little weight or energy penalty, requiring only a small fan
for air circulation.

I can almost envision such an air conditioner in a bag, like a kayak.

As well, using an azipod well for a "stick in the mud" anchor, as used
on the junks of the Yangtze, might be an additional bonus.

Ain't it wonderful, the way one small decision regarding an auxiliary
powerplant can affect so many options?

Terry K

On Sun, 16 Dec 2007 08:58:39 -0800 (PST), Terry K
wrote:

Shore sounds like a job for two or even three trolling motors in
wells, two aft and one foreward.

Azipods!

Hanging propellors off the ends of the boat is a sure way to whip up
the air while props are out of the water in waves.

I read your post with interest. As for waves, you only mount them, on
some kind of bracket, when you are going to use them. The original
reason for suggesting them is that they are compact, light, and cheap.
My reservations are mostly lack of power. One probably won't get it,
two stands a better chance, at least.

Casady

There's also the torqueedo electric outboard. I see that Jamestown
Dist. is selling those. Not cheap though.

Here's an ebay link to thoosa electric motors. They look a bit pricey to
me, start at 15hp for AU$7,500 and go up to 60HP for about AU$10,500. No
idea on the quality/usability etc, but i do see this guy advertise on ebay.
They look to have a full turnkey system, but I'm thinking to wait another
5-10 years when these things will hopefully get cheap!

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/Thoosa-Electr...QQcmdZViewItem

Shaun


"Todd" wrote in message
...
There's also the torqueedo electric outboard. I see that Jamestown
Dist. is selling those. Not cheap though.

If you need an engine, you would not want it waving about in the air.
Better under the hull as suggested in a well.

If you want to steer it, you want in effect, an azipod.

Lack of power is relative. 1 or 2 horses will likely give you half
hull speed, unless there is wind and waves against you, in which case,
I would mostly prefer to sail.

So, you want an auxiliary sailboat, or a motor sailer?

Or, an expensive diesel electric drive?

Or, a motor yacht with auxiliary sails?

Terry K

On Wed, 19 Dec 2007 13:15:35 -0800 (PST), Terry K
wrote:

If you need an engine, you would not want it waving about in the air.
Better under the hull as suggested in a well.

If you want to steer it, you want in effect, an azipod.

Lack of power is relative. 1 or 2 horses will likely give you half
hull speed, unless there is wind and waves against you, in which case,
I would mostly prefer to sail.

So, you want an auxiliary sailboat, or a motor sailer?

Or, an expensive diesel electric drive?

Or, a motor yacht with auxiliary sails?

There is an ocean crosser motor yacht that comes with a 1200 sq ft
Genoa.

Casady

Terry K wrote:

If you need an engine, you would not want it waving about in the air.
Better under the hull as suggested in a well.

Thanks for all who responded. Lots of interesting ideas and useful
directions for more research.

If you want to steer it, you want in effect, an azipod.

Or, two engines. How about wells near the forward end of the cockpit, one on
each side. With bottom plates, so when pulled up, the hull will be smooth
for sailing?

Lack of power is relative. 1 or 2 horses will likely give you half
hull speed, unless there is wind and waves against you, in which case,
I would mostly prefer to sail.

That is good to know - I may have been looking for too much power.

So, you want an auxiliary sailboat, or a motor sailer?

Certainly a sailboat, with just a bit of auxiliary motor power to manouver
in and out of marinas.

I still like the idea of electric propulsion, it is quiet, and immediately
available when needed. It looks like it might be possible to get enough
power from batteries, but I probably want a small generator anyway, in case
I need to motor in from further out.

Planning to do mostly day sailing, with the occasional cruise of a week or
two. Starting from Copenhagen, mostly in the Baltic (with a dream of
visiting Scotland once)

Still, as I said, the whole thing is on the dreaming stage. Perhaps I start
serious designing next year, and do my best not to build it...

- Heikki