MOG Solar Powered Yacht- Tell me more!

Visit http://www.mogcanalboat.com for additional information on the MOG.

We are pleased to respond to any and all questions the MOG. There is much to cover because there is much that is unique. We will start with a question and a follow up that are especially relevant as the thermometer dips into the 20's and the teens. 

Question:  

Frigid weather is death to batteries. Does this cold weather significantly deplete the charge on the MOG's batteries or do the boat's solar panels keep them charged?

Answer:
The sun keeps the batteries charged. 

If traveling and using the batteries to drive the boat, fewer miles would be traveled in winter because of the low angle of the Sun, thus lowering the total daily amount of energy collected by 30%.

They are under constant watch by the solar electric controller, limiting the amount and duration of charge to the battery banks. During winter, the sun is lower to the horizon and the sun is also closer to Earth. By monitoring the charge state of the batteries the amount of voltage is varied throughout the day to keep the battery chemistry in perfect balance.

Because the boat just sits in the slip, nearly all the sunlight is unused. However, I could set a cheap plug in appliance timer for a few hours per day, turn on the 110 volt AC power and run a 1500 watt heater/fan but that is inviting an unattended appliance disaster. I have enough Murphy going on without texting an invitation to the unwanted.

 MOG Battery Box

Follow up to first question...
Question:
The sun keeps the batteries charged in winter, but what about comfort for the captain and crew in winter and year-round?
Answer:

Winter- The image below shows the interior of the MOG. The thermometer on the rail indicates a nice 71 degrees, while the outside temperature was 30 or below all day. While onboard, I used the 110 volt electric heater set to low (only 410 watts). A large part of the warmth came from the solar electric yachts huge windows (bright sun reflected on the wall on the right of image) with the insulating curtains rolled up.

Spring, summer, and fall- A combination of hinged windows that capture any available breezes and an air-conditioning unit powered through the MOG's batteries. More on "spring, summer, fall" as the season's change.

Wilmington NC waterfront as seldom seen.

Visit www.mogcanalboat.com for more details about the MOG Canal Boat.

I had planned to test the docking, collect better running videos and some steering around the Cape Fear river. The forecasts for Sunday, January 5th, 2014 were touting warm weather and 6 mph breezes which seemed most reasonable. However, within an hour of the predicted slack of high tide, the 70 degree somewhat cloudy day, went from tranquil to T-rex. The wind was steadily increasing to 13 mph and generated some strange at water gusts. The river continued to pour into its run-on high tide, creating flooding of the Battleship North Carolina Park at the waterfront. Arriving at the Cape Fear Marina and seeing the still rising tide and wind, Hillary and I decided to drive a mile downtown to eat late lunch at the Pilot House restaurant. I figured that would leave time for the tide to abate and maybe the winds drop. For kicks we decided to stop by the battleship and see if there was anything interesting. Water was everywhere that had been walkable and parkable. In fact there was no way for visitors to get to their cars from aboard the battleship without a shin deep soaking. Just like us, they would have to wait to leave the 'slips' in which their cars were parked. I got a few pictures and drove out the park road as water, in several places, rolled across that same thoroughfare. Sitting by the windows in the quaint 19th century Pilot House building and dining on some succulent fried oysters, a Rod Serling scene flowed by our window. A fog eerily crept down the Cape Fear river from the direction of our marina a mile up river. The city disappeared, the water view disappeared and left only the towers of the drawbridge as indicators of a once-was river. Obviously, this was not to be a good test day but I am quite happy with the pictures, the great lunch, the company, and the views were misty-fying.
Shots from this unique afternoon:
 
Bridge view from the Pilot House Restaurant, Wilmington, NC

City of Wilmington on the Cape Fear River... Well, it was there a few minutes ago.

 One can dingy across from the North Carolina Battleship Park to the Federal Court House.

BB-55 occupies a larger parking space. Picture taken with a Samsung Galaxy III, in our Sprinter van on the park's road...in the same water. It is an honor to share the space.