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.

That's the one usually mentioned, because they are the most common,
because from most accounts they are the best. Wasn't knocking Honda.
That's what I'd get.

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

Mind you, I know about this only from reading, and the Honda's are
sometimes specifically mentioned.

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.

I'd have a similar setup on a bigger boat with an internal diesel.
And also have solar and perhaps wind.
But my boating plans will likely end with OB power, and my post about
OB's with better charging output was in that vein. That way I could
easily do without a dedicated generator.

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.

I agree "not desirable." The "not necessary" is harder to pin down.
I don't know where you boat/sail, but reading journals of Caribbean
and Florida cruisers (Florida is where I'll be) there are plenty of
complaints about droning generators running almost constantly,
including all night.
The heat can be brutal, and though my wife is hardy, it may be
necessary to provide a respite with A/C. Not that I don't appreciate
a cooling off myself, but with her no respite from sweating could be a
deal killer.
My intent there is to use the smallest home unit and cool only a berth
area. How I would do that is another subject.
But having limited A/C was the reason behind my initial post.
Duty cycle would be light, but the amps might be impossible to
replace practically with a small OB alternator.

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.

Yet those running them often complain about the gas generators on
decks, and say their gensets are almost dead silent.

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

Add TV's, microwaves, walk-in reefers, etc.
Not anything I want to do. But I appreciate a good night's sleep
at less than 90 degrees.
BTW, if you search a bit for Hondas and cruisers, you might be
surprised to find how many small sailboats with alts attached to
diesels use the Honda's often enough because they don't want to run
the inboard, for one reason or another.
So though you and I may agree about keeping electric power consumption
low, others disagree.
I wonder how the Texans and other gulf cruisers handle the heat when
they cruise if they don't have A/C.
For a short trip sleeping on deck is a possibility, but I think when
you get to week you want to dive into a cool berth when nightime
temps stay high, below decks is hotter, and it's raining.
I'm willing to torture myself a bit - but I'm a man.
My wife has a different psychological makeup.
Thank God for that!

--Vic

On Tue, 14 Jul 2009 21:48:52 -0500, Vic Smith
wrote:

I wonder how the Texans and other gulf cruisers handle the heat when
they cruise if they don't have A/C.

That's a good question and I can partially answer it - A/C. My son
has been using the Grady which has A/C in the step down. From what
he's told me, it gets hot there even at night when the temps are in
the high 70s. No cross ventilation in the cuddy. I can speak to the
cuddy being a little uncomfortable when I took it down to Charleston a
couple of months ago.

http://www.gradywhite.com/336/ - click on the cabin tour.

And we've got a Honda EU3000i on the boat to run the A/C.

I'll give you a personal evaluation when I go down in August. :)

For a short trip sleeping on deck is a possibility, but I think when
you get to week you want to dive into a cool berth when nightime
temps stay high, below decks is hotter, and it's raining.
I'm willing to torture myself a bit - but I'm a man.

Not me. My physiological heat control circled the bowl in SEA and only
got worse when I lived down South for a few years in MS and LA. I hate
the cold and I hate the heat.

I'm only comfortable between the temperatures of 68 and 80 degrees
which means I probably should move to Hawaii. :)

There are a couple of things that help.

Shade is life. A tarp over the boom can reduce cabin temps 20 degrees
or more.

A wash down pump can be used to spray water on the hull and decks to cool them.
That's necessary even when the AC is being used or the boat will never shake off
the noon day sun.

But the real way is you simply acclimate to the heat.
I don't normally complain at 100 degrees - until it's 100 for thirty
days in a row. Then, I figure we've earned bragging rights.

It takes a few weeks out in the heat, proper diet and hydration, and some guts.

People lived her for hundreds of years before Mr. Collins figured out his
apparatus for treating the air...




Wizard of Woodstock wrote:
On Tue, 14 Jul 2009 21:48:52 -0500, Vic Smith
wrote:

I wonder how the Texans and other gulf cruisers handle the heat when
they cruise if they don't have A/C.

That's a good question and I can partially answer it - A/C. My son
has been using the Grady which has A/C in the step down. From what
he's told me, it gets hot there even at night when the temps are in
the high 70s. No cross ventilation in the cuddy. I can speak to the
cuddy being a little uncomfortable when I took it down to Charleston a
couple of months ago.

http://www.gradywhite.com/336/ - click on the cabin tour.

And we've got a Honda EU3000i on the boat to run the A/C.

I'll give you a personal evaluation when I go down in August. :)

For a short trip sleeping on deck is a possibility, but I think when
you get to week you want to dive into a cool berth when nightime
temps stay high, below decks is hotter, and it's raining.
I'm willing to torture myself a bit - but I'm a man.

Not me. My physiological heat control circled the bowl in SEA and only
got worse when I lived down South for a few years in MS and LA. I hate
the cold and I hate the heat.

I'm only comfortable between the temperatures of 68 and 80 degrees
which means I probably should move to Hawaii. :)

On Tue, 14 Jul 2009 23:17:15 -0500, cavelamb
wrote:

There are a couple of things that help.

Shade is life. A tarp over the boom can reduce cabin temps 20 degrees
or more.

A wash down pump can be used to spray water on the hull and decks to cool them.
That's necessary even when the AC is being used or the boat will never shake off
the noon day sun.

Thanks. Hadn't seen that trick before. Or forgot.

But the real way is you simply acclimate to the heat.

That's what I've found. And it happens pretty quick for me.
Found out for sure when my car A/C broke down there once.
A new schedule avoiding the high sun got us right in 2 days.
Found we cranked the A/C in our suite up to 85 when we came in,
to keep from getting cold.

--Vic

Vic Smith wrote:
On Tue, 14 Jul 2009 23:17:15 -0500, cavelamb
wrote:

There are a couple of things that help.

Shade is life. A tarp over the boom can reduce cabin temps 20 degrees
or more.

A wash down pump can be used to spray water on the hull and decks to cool them.
That's necessary even when the AC is being used or the boat will never shake off
the noon day sun.

Thanks. Hadn't seen that trick before. Or forgot.


I live in California, no need for air conditioning, so I wasn't thinking
that way in the discussion on running a generator.

Since I don't have (and rarely need) an air conditioner at the house, I
occasionally hose down the plants in the side yard on the few hot nights
we have. It really cools the place down.


But the real way is you simply acclimate to the heat.

That's what I've found. And it happens pretty quick for me.
Found out for sure when my car A/C broke down there once.
A new schedule avoiding the high sun got us right in 2 days.
Found we cranked the A/C in our suite up to 85 when we came in,
to keep from getting cold.

--Vic

On Wed, 15 Jul 2009 00:01:27 -0400, Wizard of Woodstock
wrote:

That Grady is more boat than I'll have, and I"ll have to tackle A/C
differently.

Not me. My physiological heat control circled the bowl in SEA and only
got worse when I lived down South for a few years in MS and LA. I hate
the cold and I hate the heat.

I'm only comfortable between the temperatures of 68 and 80 degrees
which means I probably should move to Hawaii. :)

That's how my wife is, and she bitches when it gets out of that range.
Funny thing is she's slim, and when I slim up heat hardly bothers me
at all.
I think a lot of it is psychological, maybe based on experience.
Not to say your thermostat can't get messed up.
I know I can control a lot of the "discomfort" by setting my state of
mind, and using a few tricks.
Maybe because I spent years in a 120 degree boiler room and then spent
some years almost as hot as a heat treater, then some years working
outside in record cold winters.
Gives your mind something to work with when the temps are a bit hot or
cold. Then your body catches up.
A cool drink or hot toddy does help. Those are tricks.
Still haven't found a good trick to stop her bitching though.

--Vic

"Vic Smith" wrote in message
...
On Wed, 15 Jul 2009 00:01:27 -0400, Wizard of Woodstock
wrote:

That Grady is more boat than I'll have, and I"ll have to tackle A/C
differently.

Not me. My physiological heat control circled the bowl in SEA and only
got worse when I lived down South for a few years in MS and LA. I hate
the cold and I hate the heat.

I'm only comfortable between the temperatures of 68 and 80 degrees
which means I probably should move to Hawaii. :)

That's how my wife is, and she bitches when it gets out of that range.
Funny thing is she's slim, and when I slim up heat hardly bothers me
at all.
I think a lot of it is psychological, maybe based on experience.
Not to say your thermostat can't get messed up.
I know I can control a lot of the "discomfort" by setting my state of
mind, and using a few tricks.
Maybe because I spent years in a 120 degree boiler room and then spent
some years almost as hot as a heat treater, then some years working
outside in record cold winters.
Gives your mind something to work with when the temps are a bit hot or
cold. Then your body catches up.
A cool drink or hot toddy does help. Those are tricks.
Still haven't found a good trick to stop her bitching though.

--Vic

Humidity will make that heat worse. Coming back from June Lake today, and
as we come down on 120 from Yosemite the temp is reading 102. Got dinner
and fuel in Oakdale. 106 at 5pm. Was hot, but not as bad as when I lived
in Dayton, OH or Biloxi, MS. June lake was about 70, but windy until
yesterday. We canoed June Lake yesterday. One trout caught and released.
Stopped at Saddlebag Lake and fished this morning. Is just outside the
Eastern entrance to Yosemite. Caught and released one trout and had a drive
by. Hit the bait and snagged the line in the rocks. Got snag loose, but no
fish. Is at tree line, and still snow at lake level. a month ago when we
came through Yosemite there was 3' of snow at Tuolumne Meadows.

On Tue, 14 Jul 2009 21:48:52 -0500, Vic Smith
wrote:

I wonder how the Texans and other gulf cruisers handle the heat when
they cruise if they don't have A/C.

You can not cruise (or live in) the gulf states in the summer time
without A/C.

Wayne.B wrote:
On Tue, 14 Jul 2009 21:48:52 -0500, Vic Smith
wrote:

I wonder how the Texans and other gulf cruisers handle the heat when
they cruise if they don't have A/C.

You can not cruise (or live in) the gulf states in the summer time
without A/C.



Whata wus.

On Tue, 14 Jul 2009 23:17:42 -0500, cavelamb
wrote:

You can not cruise (or live in) the gulf states in the summer time
without A/C.



Whata wus.

Perhaps. We find that the biggest issue this time of year is the
mosquitos. The area where we live sprays and that keeps them under
control. Elsewhere however when you try to open things up at night
to ventilate, the critters just about carry you away. A/C solves all
that.