WHOOPS - our other site is under construction.

Photographed when the MOG was lengthened 10 feet from a 30 to a 40 foot boat  about 12/13/2009.

http://mogcanalboat.com/

The MOG website will be up & down for this December 3 & 4th of 2016.

We and our internet server folks at COMSPECO are reformatting our site.

Monday December 5th should be the date for the full relaunch of the site.

The site visitor will find dates and specifications that reflect the MOG of 2016.

These updates will be taking place over the next week, so bear with us please.

The site will look quite similar to the old but the underlying features for operation 

and editing will be far superior as well as better access by all types of computers

and devices. Thank you in advance for your patience.

George.

INAUGURATION DAY

The MOG Totally Electric Powered Solar (TEPS) boat wowed the crowd.

The 1st Wilmington Boat Show

A Huge Success Sept. 9-11, 2016

Without a doubt, the inaugural Wilmington Boat Show came off without a hitch. With a planned for crowd expected at about 5,000 the attendance was greater than 11,500 at the gate and that was not counting special considerations such as vendor guests or those that may have attended through the waterway & dock area.

For the TEPS (Totally Electric Powered Solar) boat, over seventy of the hundreds walking through the boat, signed up for the email 'advanced info' service. That service is a confidential notification to those that signed on, to get earlier notification of technology updates prior to MogNavy Blogs.

In some cases MOG will get a new or updated technology to test. Often these tests are not mentioned until completed. Those that signed up with their email address will at least be aware that we are addressing a market need and what the time frame, use and expectations are. 

Heads up will also be given as to a scheduled blog about the product. Some of the products used are subject to Non Disclosure Agreements (NDAs) with a manufacturer which prohibits passing information to the public concerning test data.

Algemac II displays its technology for awaiting guests 

as well as those aboard.

We are quite sure that our readers will understand that this is needed so that a product can be reviewed and have improvements made prior to entering the market. It is the manufacturer, at certain times, that will allow us to announce a specific product's use and can be released through the email. In return, MOG gets to test and work with some very interesting eco and high efficiency items. Our readers then get the scoop on what is really new when the manufacturer and MOG agree on  lifting the NDA after confidential evaluation.

Passers by just loved the comparison of the big 

fossil guzzler being replaced by two small 

but powerful torqeedo electric outboards.

For a displacement hull such as the MOG, the two

Torqeedo units equal the available thrust of the 60 hp

fossil fuel guzzler in the center of the transom.

The Torqeedo 4.0 Cruise motors were perfect for getting the comparison across to the show attendees. Seeing a 60 horsepower ICE that could not push the boat any faster (and less control) than two electric motors was an eye opener.

Inside the boat we showed a video of the old motors pushing the boat at speed while relating to the viewer that the Torqeedo was a more advanced outboard, readily available and packed all the power needed for two outboards to negate the use of gasoline or diesel power.

Power with no fossil fuels was clearly displayed.

At the helm were displayed a variety of steering and control 

methods for the electric motors. Also shown is the AGLCA 

burgee to indicate our intention to embark on the 

Great Loop of over 6,000 miles.

A small sample of the new thin solar module material was passed around to the folks boarding the MOG for a tour. The thin film modules will drop the module weight from about 40 pounds to just 4 pounds. Not only is that a drastic weight loss but the new modules come in many more sizes which allows more efficient use of space on the roof.

With better use of roof space, over 3,000 watts of power can be generated. Simply put, the boat can cruise in a straight line, at a sailboat speed (without tacking) without significantly taxing the batteries. That kind of efficient energy use should allay any fears of range anxiety.

The modules currently used weigh 44 pounds each. With 11 

modules and mounting hardware, that is about 500 pounds 

total. The new module layout should total about 100 pounds 

and a more dense array yielding higher power output..

This is an example of how the new thin film and light weight 

solar electric collection modules might appear on the roof. 

Various sizes and mounting methods would better utilize 

the roof space, providing additional power.

MOG + Wilmington Boat Show
September 9th to 11th of 2016 in the water.

The ALGEMAC II will be in the water at slip B24 for all to board, take notes, pictures and have questions answered.

http://www.wilmingtonboatshow.com/

One question that gets the most asked is quite possibly the most lengthy to answer, so as to help those that come to this blog prior to the show, here is the the answer to the question......

Why aren't solar boats more popular?

No demand = no change.
Before I get deeper in that, some definitions of abbreviations:

ICE - Internal Combustion Engine (ENGINE). Late 1800s to now
EV - Electric (motor) Vehicle (MOTOR). Mid 1800s to now
PEV - Plug in Electric (motor) Vehicle. 1900s to now
HEV - Hybrid (engine) Electric (motor) Vehicle combined. 1900s to now
FC - Fuel Cell (produces) electricity from gases or fluids without combustion. Various types.
PV - Photovoltaic cells arranged to (produce) electricity (a module) from sunlight. Various types.

Back to 'no demand = no change'. The argument goes, how can potential consumers demand something about which they know not? Correct but that is the job of the boat manufacturer (in this case) involving the marketing team. The reason for no marketing is that the company wants to market what will sell. A company does not make money producing a product (major costs) by educating the vast potential prospects (major costs) only to have a competitor come in later in the education process and scoop up the converted consumers. Yes, it is money and consumer's money at that.

Without a market, there is no way for a company to sell a product, to reap a profit, that can be plowed back into improving the product offered. Especially when the product is sold as a discretionary item, absolutely not required by the user ( a yacht).

In order to successfully 'bootstrap' a company that offers a self fueling, low maintenance and easily handled boat, demands that the boat be of competitive initial price and lack none of the amenities of a currently fossil fueled boat of same size. That will not happen for at least years and maybe decades.

So that's it ??!!  Nope

It is up to you to read this whole article and understand it (post questions if unclear). As a member of the prospective boat purchase 'interested' market, that is your responsibility. If my advice is somehow found to be askew, it is still your due diligence that will overcome my shortcomings and lead to a more informed you.

OK, my part and yours are loosely defined and a team is now formed to ferret out what to really expect.

Let me offer the ultimate self fueled boat that is technically produceable right now, as a start point, skipping over the EV, PEV, HEV and FC oriented craft. Go for broke here...  TEPS (Totally Electric Powered Solar)tm boat.

In essence, when you buy the boat, the fuel (solar modules atop) comes with it for the next twenty or so years. Think on that a minute (no fuel, filters, oil, injectors, centrifuges, oil filters, oil changes, disposal, fines, valve settings, noise, vibration, smells, engine logs, fuel stops)...  you can add more.

How do I get this magic boat today? 3 examples follow.

1.  Requirement number one is reduce. Literally give up stuff. Size matters! When was the last time you delved into the back of the big fridge on the boat? A 3.5 cubic foot will do with todays packaged and frozen foods.

2.  Get to meet folks that have a fifty foot yacht, have money to spare and they now cook on an $80 induction unit the size of a hot plate. Why? Because it is not only instant heat but puts out less ambient heat, requires less time to cook, less electricity (uses the house battery rather than the gen set), cleans & stores easily.

3.  Air conditioning is great but the limited effect of a sea water intercooler, the water circulation pumps and additional through hulls are expensive to buy, fit and maintain compared to a window type AC unit or the newer modular (split) units. If one does not like the look of a window unit, talented ship carpenters can creatively hide the perceived beast. The AC option then costs less, functions in or out of water, is replaceable from Walmart and much more portable, should the need to move it arise.

The TEPStm boat really becomes a floating, mobile, power source that represents your personal involvement in due diligence, creativity, customization, responsibility, stewardship and fiducial cleverness.

Is there such a boat on the market? Some are getting close to pure solar but putting the boat up on plane or even maintaining 7 miles per hour for a half day is not in reach without dropping $30k to $50K in exotic batteries.

Almost one year ago (2016) 20hp motors that could be used inside or outside the boat with ninety percent efficiency, came to the American market. Until then, on the MOG, ALGEMAC II, our 92% efficient motors were custom made and prohibitively expensive for a consumer. That impediment is now lifted with the advent of new outboards that are incredibly small and hugely powerful. These new motor/boat combinations are a direct analogue to the non-engined pure sail boat, power from nature.

Some of the manufactures at which MOG has been looking and in contact are Elco, Torqeedo, Parsun, Golden, Cree, Navy 6,  RiPower and Aquawatt. We plan to show one of these manufacturers models at the show. That will depend mostly on our findings, their specifications, answers to our questions and mostly, do the models fit our need.

UPDATE TODAY September 1.... Two Torqeedo 4.0 Cruise electric outboards will be displayed on the stern of the MOG Totally Electric Powered Solar (TEPS)tm boat. We are very excited to be able to show their new advanced motor and will have brochures for those with interest in becoming acquainted with their improved technology.

The MOG is a prototype and not for sale, a private endeavor and technology demonstrator. At the show you can observe from a monetarily safe distance the nearly 30 year project. Until some company wants to plumb the depths of the TEPStm market, the ALGEMAC II will maintain her lead and carry your best hopes and wishes.

See you at the show in Wilmington, North Carolina.

The Totally Electric Powered Solar MOG Canal Boat was re-launched March 30, 2016.

OTHER POWER?

ADDED PICTURES 3-31-2016
Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) maybe someday?

http://www.mogcanalboat.com/

Click on picture to enlarge.

MOG is not so myopic as to rule out all ICEs. In fact there is substantial vested interest in a little known company in New Jersey that is scaling the cliffs of engine technology that should carry the combustion engine over into the era of powerful batteries and electric motor drives which is probably decades away.

Electric motors in vehicles of all types are at the mercy of battery technology and until the day of the 250 pound 400 mile battery, ICEs are still the best alternative. The company in NJ, Coates International, Ltd seeks to make engines be more efficient, simpler, less costly, more powerful, lighter weight and also more clean.

Magic? Nope. Just really good engineering and a little bit of rocket science technology. For the motor-heads out there it is quite simple, throw the poppet valves away with their attendant thousand parts and replace with a dozen parts utilizing a rotary valve, shown above (not to be confused with a rotary intake).

You know by now that MOG is fully committed to the TEPS (Totally Electric Powered Solar) boat but if you have an interest in what is coming down the pike, you can get the whole info by seeing their site  http://www.coatesengine.com/    So why are we interested? Because there may be a need for an auxiliary ICE engine for the MOG and if it has to be done for some reason, it should be done correctly.

Here are some pictures of the inventor and President of Coates Int'l supervising a real tough technological challenge, that of preparing a Cummins natural gas generator engine for use with the dirtiest fuel and to make it run clean. The dirty natural gas is direct from well-head gas in an oilfield. The gas is so dirty it is usually burnt off and if used in a generator will foul the engine in just weeks of use. Coates has a fix that works, not only for dirty gas but the clean gas too, as well as for diesels and gasoline engines. Click the picture to enlarge.

George Coates with Cummins donor engine 

before replacement of entire upper valve 

system by the CSRV system.

Entire top consisting of just under 1000 parts is to be 

replaced by about 20. The oil sump pan has been 

dropped down to replace the flat pistons with

 new dome pistons.

New large front valve/chain casting replaces the 

casting in picture on right (has numbers hand 

written around a circular bearing boss).

New water intake casting to water pump 

shown next to large vertical filter to the back 

side of alternator. Bottom half of the CSRV heads 

shown in place without their top covers 

& valves. Smaller picture at left shows

 no such casting on original engine.

New domed high compression pistons (center photo)

 that replace the flat pistons on the left. Domed 

pistons in the Cummins block showing the 

previously used oil galleys to the old valves, 

now blocked with plugs. No oil is used at all in

 the new CSRV head, thus the oil never gets dirty

 with burnt carbon, requiring few oil changes

 over the engine’s extended life span.

George Coates supervising the lowering of the second 

of three heads for the 6 cylinder, spark ignited, natural 

gas Coates Spherical Rotary Valve system on a Cummins engine.

ADDED PICTURES 3-31-2016
Click on pictures below to enlarge.

Comparison before & after size using CRSV

 In the near future both ICE and Electric propulsion will coexist and it is in the best practice to know as many of the suitable technologies as possible. At MOG the best way to stay on top of the best technologies is to be actively involved, Coates certainly has earned our attention. I look forward to the day that George and his son Gregory have their engine valve train on every ICE to make way for the cleanest power to emerge.

Please let us know if you liked this brief diversion and would like to have a few more installments of the progress. You can 'like' us and your comments would be most welcome.

DEFINITION

American Canal Boat, MOG (Marine Off Grid)

There comes a time when events, technology and necessity conspire to redefine words, so as to pass forward, a new definition of a word or set of words.

The MOG Canal Boat is a compromise between the 

European canal boat and the hearty Chesapeake 

Bay Skipjack. With twin electric motors, she is 

highly maneuverable in deep or shallow waters.

An old Chesapeake Bay Skipjack gets a lift for a new life.

The case here, being the branching of the words 'canal boat' to include a craft that satisfies requirements beyond those typically accepted by our European maritime brethren.

An example of a 7 foot beam UK narrow boat and at the other end of the spectrum a 32 foot Linsson Dutch canal boat.

An extremely flat bottom of a 50 foot long 7 

foot beam UK narrowboat. In protected shallow 

canals this is a fine canal boat but lacks the high 

maneuverability of the twin screw power boat. 

With no keel or skegs it is a bit tricky to handle. 

 .

The Linssen line of canal boats from 29 to just 

over 50 feet have a single robust keel but will 

heel onto her side without a quayside on which 

to lean. The draft is about three feet and far too 

deep for the estuaries of the USA.

An editor of a UK magazine had quite properly reflected about MOG Canal Boat name. However his comments were in the UK context of a more protected canal environment found in Great Britain and in the European continent. He commented to me  "…..although I should point out that we tend to focus (articles) on boats with dual coastal/river ability rather than more canal focused craft such as this (MOG)." Evidently the difference in our boat's application was not made clear enough, otherwise they might consider an article.

Our response was to present a different bent, that there is quite a difference in what most folks here in the USA consider a canal, such as the Erie Canal, Chesapeake & Delaware Canal, Albemarle & Chesapeake Canal, Illinois & Michigan Canal and the Panama Canal etc. All of these canals are monstrous compared to the quaint, bucolic, flower lined canals of Europe and the UK. One of the greatest plans we have, is to someday bring the MOG Canal Boat to the UK. What a simply gorgeous country in which to float the boat! 

A 360 foot long 'tow' in the Chesapeake & Delaware 

Canal. Not shown is the nearly 1000 foot wide expanse 

of water connecting the two river created bays through 

a 16 mile wide strip of land.

The MOG Canal Boat is built for the USA interpretation of canals, ones that have 300 foot barges that emerge into 100 and 200 mile long bays and lakes, teaming with freighters, destroyers and the occasional aircraft carrier. Calm waters as well as near shore inlets and some decent wave action are daily fare for the MOG Totally Electric Powered Solar boat. It is not a trawler, granted but it is patterned after a most seaworthy shallow draft Chesapeake Bay skipjack hull.

Looking at a Totally Electric Powered Solar boat 

peacefully resting on the shore for a picnic.

Near costal waters and the Intracoastal Waterway (ICW) of the eastern United States of America are the targeted waters of the MOG. Over 6000 miles just on the Great Loop alone.

The addition of the words ‘canal boat’ here in the USA most often has the connotation of maritime operations in ‘the ditch’, slang for the various waters of the Intracoastal Waterway.

Nearly all of the ICW is part of the Great Loop and other than the harbor dredged channels, most of it is incredibly primitive, vast expanses and unpopulated savannas and forests, very different from Europe.

One can easily get lost in the myriad twists and turns of the coast and ICW estuaries, a reason the boat is so designed, lending it sustainability. In effect, if you can fish, hunt, forage for wild rice and berries, find oysters and clams, you have arrived at a whole higher level of exploring in comfort with the MOG Canal Boat.

The Great Loop includes short journeys into the Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico. Also included in the Great Loop are the huge and sometimes very dangerous fresh water Great Lakes of Huron, Erie, Ontario, Michigan and Superior. Rivers such as the Tennessee, Delaware and the over 1000 mile long Mississippi are subject to flooding and swift flows. Also, at the entry to New York City is the infamous Hell’s Gate area as the tide meets the Hudson River, the name is well chosen.

The Chesapeake Bay, Pasquotank, Neuse, and Pamlico sound, along with shifting inlets, are known to be quite treacherous for a flat bottom barge or a typical steel narrow boat or canal boat.

The MOG Canal Boat has a far greater range of targeted operation than any boater might imagine whether sailing, trawler, kayak, barge, runabout or house boat oriented.

The USA has very few miles of protected canal compared to the long protected distances one may travel in the UK and continental Europe. In fact, on the Mississippi River there are many wilderness stretches from 50 to over 300 miles without a proper marina. The ICW of the USA still has a component of wilderness difficult for folks from other civilized countries to immediately grasp.

The MOG Canal Boat is meant for the above described rough and tumble environmental trekking with an 18 inch draft that allows horizontal grounding everyday if desired. The captain and crew need never seek out a fuel pump or dockside electric pedestal to refuel/recharge, the sun takes care of all the power needs. The Totally Electric Powered Solar boat is more closely related to a live aboard aquatic Hummer.

Truly no range anxiety here as with gasoline, diesel or dockside charging. Range of the Totally Electric Powered Solar (TEPS) boat is truly unlimited and certainly less fickle than winds to blow a sail boat.

The boat that has been and remains decades ahead of its adoption, certainly adds a new definition to a new class of canal boat. MOG Canal Boat has no peer.  http://www.mogcanalboat.com/

HOT idea

Watt goes out, comes in

Not every 30 degree F day will be sunny while cold but on the very many occasions that the two converge, the boat owner of a TEPS boat (Totally Electric Powered Solar) boat gets an even greater saving on the heating bill.

A 1500W heater on Low (439W) right out of its box

from Walmart. The soda was frozen in the boat and 

thawing by the heater. The sun had been heating the 

inside, so not much electric heat is needed.

In essence, by combining the solar gain through the large expanse of windows and the sun pouring down on the solar electric collecting roof, the warm window light and electric heater make a very cozy space.

One of two zoned, modified sine inverters of 1500 W

 each. They can be used with the resistance fan heater 

shown above. Not much electricity being consumed 

to assist the heat gain from the windows & sun.

In fact, as the day goes on, the electric heater used in the early morning is switched off (the saloon gets too hot at 80 degrees). The sun streaming in the windows does the warming all by itself. As a side note, that very same heat in the summer is blocked over 90% by an exterior silver mylar shade, allowing a small AC unit to keep the interior cool (reported in the June 4, 2015 blog).

Enerflex from Home Depot, model# 115362 comes in 

12x4' rolls at about $16. It is strong, lightweight, easy

to cut and tape to whatever shape required. Usually

ordered as it is not always stocked in store.

Between 439 & 445 W out and 450 or more coming 

in from the solar array atop the boat. As a Scotts man, 

I just can't get enough of this idea. It shows the 24 volt 

battery bank #2 at 25.7 volts, just so neat.

The above demonstration is of a sunny day event on a 35 degree F day. If there is sunshine coming into the boat, the amount of auxiliary heat is a fraction of what would be needed in a standard trawler or cruiser.

Cold bed syndrome?

Nothing worse than making it nicely through a cold day, only to be refrigerated in bed. You can't have a warm electric blanket, at night, with no sun on a solar electric boat, right? WRONG!!!

The sun has been stored as chemically converted energy in batteries and awaits serving any need (within reason) you desire, in this case warmth through the cold night.

Outside temperature was about 28 degrees F with the 

bedroom temperature allowed to drift down to 41 when 

the lights were turned off. That is a darn cold test.

A well made Sunbeam electric blanket with a computer controlled thermostat is just the ticket to a snuggly nights sleep. Emphasis here though is on computer controlled. That will require a pure sine wave (as in home type outlet) 120 volts of A-C current. That leaves out the modified sine wave inverters.

The little pure sine wave inverter perched atop 

the blanket box. Note the two cables with 

alligator clips for the 24 volt system 

(to be hard wired in the electrical cabinet).

A new toy on board is an Aims pure sine wave 300W inverter. Why such a puny inverter wattage? Because if you do not need the extra wattage...  why pay extra money? What most folks do not know is that electric blankets use very low wattage, in this case between 40 and 160 watts. That's all folks.

All the better, the sine unit connects directly to the 24 volt DC battery bank (yes it is fused) and has an outlet that is great for the blanket, computers, cameras, phones and the radio control chargers.

The Sunbeam electric blanket tag. Click 

picture to enlarge the view and text.

Warm story short, the sub 32 degree F night was very warm indeed and left the battery bank full above its 24 volt level the next morning. The blanket had to be layered differently at about 0100 hrs because it was on the lowest setting and still too warm. Once moved to a level above the comforter, it was no longer in such near contact to my body, working flawlessly.

Please remember to never sit or lay on an electric blanket because the wires inside are not strong enough to resist weight concentrations of hips and shoulders. The unit will prematurely fail... no fire, just fail to heat properly.

A note here is the Mylar/aluminum foil that will be used for curtain backing for both inside or outside application. Just testing the very strong foil as it was draped inside the saloon on the non-sunny side. With the heated air from sun through the large windows, the temperature rose in about a half hour from 40 degrees to 65and about 15 minutes later to 75.

A 12' roll, 4' wide is temporarily stretched over the 

port interior windows (no incoming sunlight) for a 

temperature test. Later the aluminized mylar sheet 

will be cut for a type of curtain to be used inside 

or outside the boat.

 With a bilge temperature of 46 and 30 to 40 outside, 
the interior begins to build heat in the saloon from 

incoming sunlight. The Mylar foil was pulled 

back so you can see the winter tree line off 

the port side as it zips past 65 interior.

The Mylar film reflects close to 96% of the solar heat back into the room. It was taken down soon after at 80 degrees. The high was 40 degrees outside with the temperature in the bilge at 46.

There is nothing exotic here, just common sense applied to currently available consumer technology. All of these elements can be seamlessly integrated into a clean design but for now this is a wonderful and physical playground for the inventive mind of MOG.

http://www.mogcanalboat.com/

MARINE ELECTRIFYING NEWS

Electric & Hybrid Marine Expo Recap

Huge, just simply huge. The Ft. Lauderdale, FL expo was an absolute huge success. Making as successful an attempt at blogging such a technologically drenched marine expo as it was in the reality of the moment, will be a Herculean task. The only problem being is, you are stuck with me on this one.

Best to start with a sunny Monday of January 11th at 12 noon for the opening, where, in the lobby, there stood a great business colleague Robert Aronnson standing with Dr. Barry Iseard and Alex Rodriquez of Apollo Energy Systems. After extending cordialities the decision was made to individually walk the show, then meet the next day at AES headquarters and discuss the expo, among other business interests. More on that later herein.

The attire for attendees as well as exhibitors and guest speakers was casual but the the roster of all those there was all but casual. If you can imagine the top designers, engineers, executives of cruise lines, freighter lines, work boat & tug builders, naval architects, maritime/homeland defense, armament scientists/engineers, port systems management, commercial and consumer boats and ship executives, then your mind is in the right place.

Alex was kind enough to snap a picture of George McNeir, 

Robert Aronnson CEO, AES, & Dr. Barry Iseard AES scientist.

So what is the point for the 3 day expo? Simply to get all the designers and users into a convention hall to sample the smorgasbord of new types of batteries, electric & electronic control systems, electric & hybrid internal combustion engine systems that are more clean, economical, durable, of greater ROI, and less complex. Modular systems with greater service life. All that and more good tech, any red blooded boat captain would love to have for replacement of their current running gear.

How about a few hundred horsepower electric motor in a sterile case with no dipstick, oil, fuel drips or intake cleaners, as pictured below? Looking more like a spaceship gun than a motor, the LTS unit can play the field for many different marine installation types from very fast runabouts to sizable cruisers and trawlers. One motor for many applications makes design and implementation much more smooth. Smooth and silent also fits well for the Navy or the yacht owner.

A lightweight aluminum stand supports a svelte electric motor.
Just dial in the number of hundreds of horsepower and torque
with the controller box mounted above, switch on & go. 

You ask, what is for fuel/power for all the new electric motors and the electric motors coupled with combustion engines (hybrids)? Batteries and fuel cells are the answer. there were booth displays from over a dozen electric power storage systems, not to mention a bunch of very smart engineering and manufacturing firms creating specialty systems for the marine environment.

The European countries have pooled their talents and money to get a head start on the electric & hybrid marine market, alighting in Ft. Lauderdale for this expo to show their expertise. Firms from the UK, Germany France and other counties on the continent flew the pond to broaden the expo's range of offerings.

Orion from France, presented their control systems and engineering talent.

The show was actually open to the public but the overwhelming attendance was corporate tech and executive designers and recommenders. However, if you were there, the apparent direction of maritime power would be obvious, a new departure was at hand, prompting questions such as, will this be on my yacht soon? Yep, sooner than you might think.

One player in that consumer yacht market application is the man behind Island Pilot yachts, Reuben Trane, with whom I had the pleasure to sit and converse a bit. He is a most inventive, creative and technical force in the boating world. At the same time he is very market savvy, having placed in the water a number of fully functioning electric-hybrid yachts. One of the early integrators in the technology and art of electric and solar boat power, Reuben created the correct wake for the industry to follow.

At six foot-five Mr. Trane graces the room

with distinguished presence and knowledge.

Two views of the Island Pilot DSe - diesel/solar electric

hybrid, catamaran yacht designed by Rueben Trane.

The 40 foot Totally Electric Powered Solar (TEPS)

40 foot MOG boat prototype with updated solar array.

We will be adding more to the blog this week. Hold fast, we are getting the new news ready for you to see.