The used boat I am in the process of buying (34 Sabreliner Fast Trawler) is
not equipped with a genset. It is diesel powered.

I really don't need a genset for most of my boating activities as I usually
stay on a slip when doing my limited cruising, but once in a while it's fun
to spend a night or two swinging on a mooring or anchored.

I've searched around looking for information on the safety issues of
carrying a small, portable, gasoline generator on board for making morning
coffee or whatever. I have a little Honda EU-2000 Inverter type generator
that is small, light, quiet and completely self-contained. For my needs, I
could fuel it on the dock, and it would have enough gas to serve the minimal
morning coffee making needs for a week or more. No need to carry any more
gas containers.

The references I've found are conflicting. Many do this and seem to think
it's fine as long as it is stored and operated above deck (cockpit area).
Other references state it should only be operated sitting on the dock and
never aboard the boat.

The only disasters I've read about is when people have tried to
"permanently" install a portable generator by modifying it's enclosure, fuel
supply system or trying to tie the generator output into the boat's
electrical panel.

Does anyone have any knowledge, experience or input? I can't really see
anything wrong with it as long as it is stored properly and obviously
operated in the open, so it is well vented and ventilated. I would not tie
it's power into the boat's electrical system. I'd just use an appropriately
sized power cord (extension cord) and plug the coffee maker directly into
the generator.


Thanks,

Eisboch

There are many cruising sailboats that use the Honda and love them.
Many plug them directly into the dockside power port and backfeed the
boats AC panel.
This enables them to charge the house batteries using the onboard
charger.

They always run them on deck (fore or aft). Not sure how or where the
store them.

On Sat, 26 Apr 2008 06:29:15 -0400, "Eisboch" wrote:

Does anyone have any knowledge, experience or input? I can't really see
anything wrong with it as long as it is stored properly and obviously
operated in the open, so it is well vented and ventilated. I would not tie
it's power into the boat's electrical system. I'd just use an appropriately
sized power cord (extension cord) and plug the coffee maker directly into
the generator.

The first thing I'd do is check with your insurance company and with
your marina. If they're OK with it, and if you take all suitable
precautions with the gasoline and its containers, have a CO2 monitor
and use it, then you've got most of the safety issues covered. I
carry my gasoline for the dinghy on deck, stored near a scupper drain.

That said, the EU-2000 makes a bad neighbor even though it is one of
the quietest generators available. In the long run I think you'd be a
lot happier with a permanent installation which is tied into the boats
electrical system.

"Wayne.B" wrote in message
...
On Sat, 26 Apr 2008 06:29:15 -0400, "Eisboch" wrote:
That said, the EU-2000 makes a bad neighbor even though it is one of
the quietest generators available. In the long run I think you'd be a
lot happier with a permanent installation which is tied into the boats
electrical system.


Thank you , thank you, thank you. It's so sad that some people don't realize
how rude they are running these portables. Get a clue people.

Wilbur Hubbard

Wayne,

I think you want to monitor carbom monoxide. I'm guessing CO2 was a typo.
I don't really follow the OP. His boat has a diesel engine. I wonder how
he starts it. Perhaps it has a battery or two. Anyway a small camp stove
will heat coffee, fry eggs, make oatmeal, et c. The genset seems silly.

Dave M.

On Sat, 26 Apr 2008 06:29:15 -0400, "Eisboch" wrote:

I've searched around looking for information on the safety issues of
carrying a small, portable, gasoline generator on board for making morning
coffee or whatever. I have a little Honda EU-2000 Inverter type generator
that is small, light, quiet and completely self-contained. For my needs, I
could fuel it on the dock, and it would have enough gas to serve the minimal
morning coffee making needs for a week or more. No need to carry any more
gas containers.

The hazards of gasoline, while real, are overrated by some. The vapor
is heavier than air, and a leak with a powerboat, with a clear shot
from tank to bilge, is one thing. I presume your cockpit has drainage
over the side. If there is any wind the hazard wlll be even less. Get
the right fuel can and leave it in the cockpit, as well. A cigarette
does not burn hot enough to ignite gas. If you drop a burning cig into
gas, it will just go out. Matches or a lighter are a different story.
I don't panic if I walk into a cloud of gas fumes, with a burning cig
in my mouth, but I sure as hell leave the lighter in my pocket. There
is no bogus, spark producing, wiring in the cockpit,?I would be more
concerned about the noise.

A twelve hundred watt do-dad operated for six minutes would take 10AH
at 12 volts. Get an inverter/charger and a serious battery. With a
hundred AH deep cycle battery you should be good for a week. Get a big
enough array of solar cells, the inverter, and a big battery and you
would be all set with none of the drawbacks of noisy gas power, no
need to run the main engine just to charge the coffee batteries. I
don't know how the cost of an inverter, battery, and solar array,
compares to the generator. I presume you already have an adequate
charger for the starting battery. I don't know what any of the stuff
costs and wouldn't mind a bit if someone cares to comment on that..

Casady

"Eisboch" wrote in
:

Does anyone have any knowledge, experience or input? I can't really
see anything wrong with it as long as it is stored properly and
obviously operated in the open, so it is well vented and ventilated. I
would not tie it's power into the boat's electrical system. I'd just
use an appropriately sized power cord (extension cord) and plug the
coffee maker directly into the generator.


Thanks,

Eisboch





I have the little sister to the 2000, the Honda EU1000i. It powered my
stepvan shop for a couple of years before I got a sweet deal on the
EU3000is, a much quieter, slower-turning, more powerful unit that runs
both 8000 Btu A/C units all summer, now.

The problem with portable generators on boats is Carbon Monoxide
poisoning from the heavier-than-air, hard-to-detect exhaust fumes
filling the hull and killing the stupid Darwin Award winners in their
sleep. If you keep the genset DOWNWIND with its exhaust outlet to lee
over the stern it should be fine....lots of them are used this way.

I use my EU1000 as a shop heater, running it INSIDE the truck in winter
to recover nearly 100% of the waste heat to warm the truck while
powering the shop. To do this, I welded a pipe nipple over the little
exhaust tube that sticks out where the warm cooling air exits the
cabinet. A coil of 1/2" copper tubing is attached to the pipe nipple
and snakes around behind some cabinets heating the air even more before
going through the deck plates to exhaust gas and condensate water out
under the truck. A similar system of using a welded on pipe nipple and
some lawn furniture tubing could make a gas stack to easily pipe the
exhaust fumes away from the cockpit on a yacht.

Skip uses an EU2000i to supplement his wind and solar power on Flying
Pig very successfully. These little Hondas run a LONG time on a little
fuel. Works great!

Be informed, however, that Honda parts and service rival Rolls Royce and
Maybach cars in price and labor costs. I have a Honda Reflex 250cc
plastic motor scooter, 1 cylinder, 1 throat carb. It died on me from
some dirt in its fuel clogging the jets, so the dealer says. To clean
the carb out and replace its V-belt variable speed drive...a simple V-
belt that looks like the power steering pump belt in an old car...is
$US649! Rolls Royce doesn't charge that much for V-belts!

Honda Generator parts and service are all similarly priced to my Honda
Scooter......VERY expensive.

The worry about the EU2000i in a boat is unfounded. When you shut down
the EU2000 by turning the "switch" off, it closes the fuel valve
automatically. If you then simply close the vent by moving the lever to
the closed position in the fuel filler cap, the entire fuel system is
now sealed for safe storage about anywhere....including the boat.

"Larry" wrote in message
...
Skip uses an EU2000i to supplement his wind and solar power on Flying
Pig very successfully. These little Hondas run a LONG time on a little
fuel. Works great!


And Skip is a proven inconsiderate jerk in many other areas as well. He
needs to get a clue and so do you. Portables are too noisy and it takes an
inconsiderate jerk to prop one up on the back of his boat where it
broadcasts noise for half a mile and bothers everybody within earshot. How
has it come to the point where people are so selfish that they don't even
consider how rude they are being with their noise? All for the sake of being
too cheap to put a real, quiet built-in generator in the hull.

"I'm a freaking cheapskate. I wish to save a few dollars. In doing so I will
be bothering lots of folks who enjoy peace and quiet. Well, **** them. ****
them all. I'm the important one in this world. My fun and convenience
supercedes a bunch of folks right to peace and quiet."

That's Skip and that's you, too apparently. Grow up and act like a
responsible considerate man why don't you?

Wilbur Hubbard

On Sat, 26 Apr 2008 14:05:04 +0000, Larry wrote:

The problem with portable generators on boats is Carbon Monoxide
poisoning from the heavier-than-air, hard-to-detect exhaust fumes

Carbon monoxide is slightly lighter than air. Carbon dioxide, which is
harmless, is appreciably heavier than air.

Casady

"Larry" wrote in message
...


The worry about the EU2000i in a boat is unfounded. When you shut down
the EU2000 by turning the "switch" off, it closes the fuel valve
automatically. If you then simply close the vent by moving the lever to
the closed position in the fuel filler cap, the entire fuel system is
now sealed for safe storage about anywhere....including the boat.



That was really my question. I already have the Honda EU-2000i, so it's not
an additional investment.
Furthermore, contrary to certain complaints/comments, it makes less noise
than the exhaust from the permanently mounted, diesel powered gensets that I
had on my last two boats. In terms of courteous use, it's a matter of
common sense. If you think it will be heard or possibly bother someone,
don't run it.

I was really after the safety issue, not a philosophical discussion of the
appropriate use of a generator.
It can also be used to recharge batteries in an emergency and other
requirements for temporary power when you don't have any.
I certainly am not talking about it running all day, powering an AC unit.

Anyway, I think I have found my answer elsewhere.
Thanks to all that replied, even with the coffee brand suggestions.

Eisboch