To introduce this post, we direct you to our last entry in which an infrequent problem arose during rapid control changes from forward to reverse and reverse to forward is discussed. Under certain conditions a brief shutdown was required. Of course a shutdown is not a good option in real-life, real-time boat navigation. The partial fix was a brief hesitation during the actual change of direction via the MOG's joystick. Also, a thought (to be proven Feb. 8th) of reprogramming the Navitas electric motor controllers might completely cure the anomaly. Please review the previous blog entry from 1/29/2015 (You Gotta Know Where It's Headed) to fully appreciate the advances noted below.
A February 8, 2015 test of the reprogrammed Navitas starboard controller for its electric motor yielded only one thing to do and that was a planned fix anyway. The bottom line being, that none of the Navitas programable variables sent to the starboard electric motor controller’s brain (commutator/sensor circuit inside the motor's shell) made any change in its behavior.
HOWEVER , when all settings were returned back to their original parameters, it was obvious that the one true improvement was the port side electric motor had been upgraded at eCycle headquarters and responded far better than the older type eCycle, starboard motor, being 'program' tested. It seems the improvement is in the updated commutator assembly inside the motor's end cap shell.
The comparison of the older (starboard) motor to the newer (port) motor in rapid response, now confirmed the new (eCycle modified) motor was superior for rapid forward and reverse changes. Furthermore, after nearly 7 minutes of fast reversals of direction, the new port motor never confused its commands. In fact, the only way that it erred was a very planned and deliberate super fast direction change, very difficult to perform without malice toward the motor. Even at that degree of rapidity, pausing the joystick for barely a second, allowed continued operation, no shutdown required.
All of the activity on the new port motor was much faster than reversing an internal combustion engine through a mechanical marine transmission, as well as better than the older starboard motor's response.
A video shows the test but does not show the joystick movement on the hand held remote control unit. One can hear the noisier reverse versus the more quite forward. If one listens closely, there is a change in the motor speed but the starboard motor (on the right of the video) stays in its previous direction, although the joystick drove the controller in the opposite direction (the direction change was not communicated to the electric motor’s brain (older type sensor), so the rotation of the propeller stayed the same, oops).
The motors are quiet but the camera erroneously intensifies their volume.
The video shown is from a Samsung Note4 cellphone.
So, the intermittent behavior will be fixed by removing the starboard internal electric motor and replaced by newer type eCycle electric motor, as was done to the port motor. Why was this not done in the first place? Because the designer needs to understand what causes the problem, what is a single fix, a combination of fixes and exactly where does the fix occur in the motor and/or system? As a designer/builder one needs to know all they can about the intricacies within a system, bring it to the point of failure and create a reasonable and effective remedy. In this case a combination of fixes were required to iron out the intermittent operation.
After the starboard motor is prepared and reinstalled on the outboard, a series of similar in water tests must be made followed by an actual sea trial... again.
An email was received a few days ago that confirmed there is a bit more work to do on the presently used electric drive motor controllers. The email was from the last of four potential electric motor controller manufactures that said, in brief, the new controller unit’s design would cost $20,000 just for the first two prototypes and their engineering would not start for over 6 months, not including another half year to complete the test delivery units.
The current Navitas motor controllers are more sophisticated than needed for our boat powering use. We just use forward, reverse, stop & throttle (FRST). Navitas is a superb control unit but in some instances prohibit too quick a shift in motor direction by temporarily shutting off power. Although this forward to reverse protection is fine in a car, it is downright dangerous in a boat. Reverse is your brakes and if there is a significant pause, then the stopping of the boat is imperiled. A set of criteria must be placed into the controller’s parameter set to counter the tendency to shut down in what is usually some automotive safety mode. For a boat, such a safety mode is not desirable. There is a facility for an outside computer to make changes in the controller’s operation.
The altering of the errant mode is made difficult because of the seemingly limitless parameters that can be set in the controller’s computer. Each of the possible combinations need to be tried. Not knowing how some of the parameters effect others, adds to the mystery. Working the issue with a car is fairly predictable because the wheels are planted on a firm surface with a known physical resistance. Employed on a boat in the slippery water, the same controller lacks a firm set of well grounded tire resistance. Add to the equation wave action, water flow, wind resistance, propeller slip and a host of fluid variables, the task of sorting out a simple land travel problem is made quite difficult in the water.
So for now it is back to a computer being hooked up to the controllers, running through reams of possibilities until some type of trend occurs that can be consistently altered towards fixing the problem. Other electric boats have less sophisticated motors that do not require the Navitas controller. However, those other motors are not as efficient and robust either, which compromises a ship’s seaworthiness. Once programmed to take into account the crucial variables, the dependable controllers and dependable motors will be far superior to their less sophisticated, heavier and shorter life expectancy brethren.
Computer attached to the starboard motor controller to modify the way the controller responses to commands.
Many variables for the system. There are 8 other pages of data that may be changed.
The inventor/designer of the MOG, George McNeir, whose unstoppably inventive mind continues to generate new ideas, was prompted by yet another request to quote the build of a MOG and pondered the requested requirements of the potential customer. His deliberation concluded that a prospective pilot of a MOG needs to have at least a year or two of power boating under his or her hat. Prior experience is required to communicate clearly the terms and conditions for which the boat is intended. The MOG is custom to anyone who so chooses to have one built to satisfy basic cruising needs, using only solar electric power. Knowledge begets knowledge.
An upcoming article will lay down the background, research, history, benchmarks, accomplishments, trials, failures, technology and future improvements. A time line far greater than one lifetime, will pin down the literal genetic spark upon which the current endeavor, MOG ALGEMAC II was, until lately, unknowingly based on the ALGEMAC I . A truly amazing set of events, nearly 90 years in the making, spanning three generations. We will present a series of articles I hope you will enjoy as much as we enjoy writing them in http://www.mognavy.blogspot.com/ and the site http://www.mogcanalboat.com/
A few pictures might cast the derivation in an emerging light. The elegant 1924 McNeir designed, custom built ALGEMAC I and the 30 and 40 foot (extended 30 foot) totally solar electric ALGEMAC II.
This is November 18th, 2014 and if all goes well, on the 29th of November I hope to add a "free shower" to this blog. The idea is that the propane flow-through water heater has been replaced by a smaller unit having the same amount of hot water delivery. However, even the newer unit requires fossil fuel in the form of propane to heat the water.
The ultimate is to have a shower in mid November that has hot water heated by the sun's warmth. In short, a prototype hot water heating system will be laid beneath the photovoltaic electric production array atop the MOG yacht and directed to the shower area.
The system will be unsophisticated but should demonstrate the heating ability of the area and efficacy of the idea. The amount of water, temperature, flow and possibility for integration will be monitored on the user.
The idea had better work very well, the user will be Hillary, supportive wife of over 36 years. If the idea does not pass her empirical test, more than the shower system will be in hot water.
Look forward to the next install of this post to see how the life of this inventor is working out for him.
Outcome to be added here November 29th.....
NOVEMBER 30th
A day late but not a dollar short. Hillary was starting to feel a cold coming on so she took to the valve on the hose bib and I was the one to take the shower. I used a simple series of four 50 foot garden hoses laid directly on the roof. There was no attempt made to insulate or concentrate the sun's energy shining on the hoses, no glass top, foil lining, black coloring or placement under the PV array atop the boat, as shown below.
The statistics go as follows...
Water pressure 40 psi at pump in bilge, up 10 feet to roof
Temperature indoor and outdoor, 68 F
Temp of water in tank 58 F
Temp at hose surface on roof 95 F (sun on green garden hose)
Temp at hose end in shower 88 F (lukewarm) for 1.5 minutes
Temperature of propane heated water over 110 F (97 F for finishing shower).
I got wet with the roof heated water and lathered my head and shoulders, then the water temperature dropped to cold. For about 1.5 minutes the water was above tepid and a decent shower (if the temperature was sustained at 88 F) could be made of it. I had worse in the military in the winters of Germany but this is now, not then and there.
After a few brief temperature measurements, the propane, flowthrough water heater went into action. The freshly heated water was appreciated, propelling my mind from the frosty fields of German artillery ranges to the comforting surroundings of the Cape Fear Marina of Wilmington, NC.
In a pinch, such a simple water heating system would suffice but certainly not if the outside temperature dipped to 32 F. For those types of temperatures the system envisioned needs to be enclosed, insulated and have blackened collection surfaces. Such systems do exist. The reason for this particular test is to set an empirical base line for a specific configuration (a most simple one) to which all improvements and comparisons can be made.
The roof area available is about 1'8" by 16'6" or nearly 28 square feet. For comparison, a 4x8 sheet of plywood is 32 square feet. I will need to generate a steady stream of warm shower water by using less than a sheet of plywood's surface for heating water to 95 F at the outlet in the shower stall. All that without the use of propane.
TO SUM IT UP
Solar water heating drastically reduces the need and cost of propane water heating. The correctly sized solar water heater will provide a continuous flow of hot water for bathing most of the year. In the coldest months, the sun will preheat water entering the propane water heater, thus lowering the amount of propane required to get the water hot enough for a shower.
Very few marinas stock propane tanks and the delivery of such a fuel is slim to none on the Mississippi river. Most yachts burn diesel fuel in a generator, to make electricity, to heat water for a shower. That is costly, inefficient, noisey and stinky. The Mrs. and I like smelling clean as well as being clean.
So now you know my winter assignment. Hot water in the summer is no problem but the near winter time period and resulting temperatures are the challenge. I will keep you posted as to the options and final system structure.
The crude test water heater is actually just four green garden hoses connected in series to yield about 1.5 minutes heated water. The water being pumped up to the roof was from the internal water tanks at a chilly 58 degrees F. The picture orientation is the roof top between port & starboard PV panels.
Old propane water heater unit (top) replaced by new demand gas water heater (bottom).
The new unit is smaller and easier to set temperature and flow rate of hot water
Free energy 'for life' comes with the 40 foot MOG solar electric yacht. Power is from the fuel station in the sky, sunlight. Literally, an unlimited range and it also stores lots of energy for those overcast or rainy days. Microwave, refrigerator, AC, TV, lighting and coffee maker as well as motive power are all solar electric, no fossil fuel.
The video shown is with the two electric outboards (inboards on another version) running. The fossil fuel auxiliary engine is up out of the water. As you can see, the boat really moves along briskly.
With a full head (commode), vanity/sink, large separate shower, also a galley and true queen size bed, it is literally a home at the beach, . See the November 3, 2014 blog below for an Atlantic Ocean waterfront home with nature’s neighbors and no real-estate taxes.
Happy with the clams. An incredibly
stable platform for cooking and dinning aboard. If you like to rock while you
wine and dine, just time it with the incoming tide. The white sand beach is
just over the dunes for wading, swimming and walks with my love.
Success is a trip and sea trial of
about 50 miles with one key element -zero- This is
not the usual $112.50 dollars in fuel for a forty foot yacht (at about .5 mpg
at $4.50/gal) but zero dollars in solar electric power. You truly buy the fuel
when you buy the boat. The fuel is part of the boat. Even newer batteries and
photovoltaic modules will have much greater power, efficiency and lifetimes
compared to those of this prototype. I am merely working with currently
available store bought power items. I am invested in advanced power systems,
some of which are tested on the MOG, Algemac II, pictured here.
In my youth, boat travel was with
fossil fuels. This seemed as normal as driving the family 1956 Ford Club Sedan
to the Esso station for gasoline at 20 cents per gallon. The MOG's fuel supply/gas station is
in the sky.
I have always detested vehicle
mileage claims (especially boats) they are seriously compromised by the
nettlesome fact, the pilot must drive out of their way to get fuel (often under
the guise of a rest or dinning stop and then back track to the line of
direction. Get real, the money/fuel you spend getting off the track and getting
back on track IS part of your fuel economy (it is called wasted time &
distance) and literally kills ‘stated fuel mileage’. Boat travel requires three basics, fuel, water, and food. If you have ‘time’ for a
solar yacht….. fuel is not an issue. You are only constrained by food (if
you have a water purifier/maker).
I am not dating myself as much as I
am dating many of those reading this blog. Make the mind shift…… You as well as
I and the wife, are now confronted by a totally solar electric yacht. A boat
that is over 39 feet long and has complete accommodations for two people in a
home environment. This is not a scaled up kayak, narrow catamaran or day-boat
where one hunches over to contort into a V-berth, soaks the toilet paper during
a shower, pulls food out of a styrofoam cooler and rumples their clothing into
cubby holes. It is a purpose built yacht powered by solar electricity.
It was not built to break distance
or speed records for its class. It is a nice looking home on the water (and
land) that will set its own marks in new territories about which some could
only dream.
This is not a beer boat (a few on
which I have had fun). It IS a ‘pocket yacht’, especially near 12,000 pounds
instead of the more usual 30,000 pounds and up, without stinky diesel engines,
oil, fuel filters and hefty fines if
just a quart of fuel/oil spills overboard. I also look forward to the day that
the 60 hp gasoline auxiliary engine gets put out to pasture but more on that,
later in the evolution.
SEA TRIAL….. nope!
Now for the trip and sea trial.
Firstly, forget that it was a sea trial. Everything worked well enough that I actually
forgot that I was out to test the system. The wife (Hillary) was happy and as
at home as I. Soon, former thoughts of glitches faded into the oohs and aahhs
that only silence and clean exhaust can produce while sliding through a seaport
such as Wilmington, NC.
As many pictures as possible are
framed by some part of the MOG. I want you to know that the Algemac II is real,
functions as a boat and serves as a yacht.
We departed the dock at
Cape Fear Marina (Bennett Brothers Yachts) just after 10:20 AM. Weather was
a balmy 70’s and a bit of 12 mph wind on the nose as we sailed south on the
Cape Fear river. About half the length covered on the river was with the tide,
yielding speeds of 7 to 8 mph ‘speed over ground’.
Keep your head on a swivel. Although
the speeds are slow, everything is sliding and passing in multiple directions
all around. Not a Sunday drive here in a busy port.
The port seemed quiet until we
turned the bend ahead.
From the time we left the dock until
11:57, the 60 hp gasoline outboard had been dragging in the water at idle,
never used, and in neutral in case of an emergency. The 24 volt battery system
was maintaining a constant 25.3 volts, amazing. Once clear of the dredging unit
and the port docks, the engine was shut down and elevated above the water. Even
when the auxiliary engine was in the water, our solar craft was generating more
power than used. Obviously there was an improvement in speed and handling when
the gas engine was lifted from the water.
Around the bend we saw the port was
busy with two tugs passing southward to pick up an additional freighter.
This Algemac II performed admirably
with less than 2/3 throttle. More power was coming into the batteries than
going out to the electric motors. Once the river broadened out, the tide effect
ceased southerly and reinstated itself counter to our intended direction.
Although our speed was cut down to near 4 mph by the oncoming tide, the handling
remained clean and the sun kept the battery power-out equal to the power-in. I
will take being a little slower in exchange for free fuel on any sunny balmy
day.
In the video you can see the tide is
coming toward the boat (there is a V shape opening up aft of the can buoy). The
boat maintained a forward speed of about four miles per hour. Not exceptional
until one counts the momentum as a Sun contribution.
Literally, the clouds rolled in
while the boat pushed ahead against wind and tide at around 12:32 on
10-16-2014, Cape Fear River. We were soon covered by the clouds.
To add to the test of the boats
solar generation, thick clouds rolled in, overtaking us as we kept headed for
Snow’s Cut near the Carolina Beach inlet. The cloud cover began to effect the
voyage’s battery bank on which we were running (there are two banks). The
voltage dipped to 24.7 at 12:32 and never dropped below 24 volts all the rest
of the way to the bridge at the end of Snow’s Cut at 15:53. The second point to
be made is that all 15 miles was accomplished on just one of two battery banks.
That means one completely full bank was available if needed.
Prior to entering the Cut we picked
up the tide flow again, resulting in zipping along at a good clip of about 6 -
7 mph and through the bridge as shown in the video. There were a lot of boaters
waving hello and thumbs up as we passed big yachts and people fishing from
smaller aluminum boats.
Moving right along at 15:23 through
the Snows Cut bridge about 6-7 mph with the tide and on Saturday’s return, 3
mph against the full flow. Note the cloud cover is completely over head.
Through Snows Cut bridge on solar
electric power only. This time with the tide… the next day was the
opposite direction at full tide against our bow, slow but steady.
This trawler was heading for the
‘cut’ at the end of the day with a train of pelicans feasting on cast offs.
Soon after, we took the boat into a shallow sound behind the narrow beach at
the ocean.
At 16:15 the Algemac II turned into
a shallow (36 inch) back bay from which the high tide had been almost half way
removed. The idea here being to never go into the shallows on a high tide. The
next tide might not be so high as the one upon which you entered…. you could
get stuck for a day or months. After about 15 minutes we had reached the back
side of the strip of dunes that separated this lovely estuary from the roaring
ocean, just 275 feet over the white sandy dunes. From the deck and especially
the top of the boat the ocean’s blue waters churned onto the beach, our new
living room view. At high tide the ocean was viewable from inside the boat,
just over the dunes. We could stay here as long as the food lasts, what a
beauty.
Panoramic view from beach to boat
The next day. Hillary standing in
amazement at the sight of her new beach house. Yes you really can have it all
and no real estate taxes. We also got along just fine with the neighbors.
After the hook was set in the
receding 30 inch water, a second small anchor was thrown out to assure that the
fickle wind that may arise at night will not drive either end of the boat onto
the beach. The last thing we want is to have any part of the boat’s water line
above the high tide line on the beach, leaving the boat stranded. That would be
bad news. In fact the wind did come up that night and pulled the smaller stern
anchor enough to raise an eyebrow in the next mornings first dawn view. All was
fine, as the position was well below the high tide line. That morning we heard
that Gonzalo, the Bermuda hurricane, had started to alter the idyllic weather
we had expected and gusts to possibly 30 mph might come our way.
Having left the city of Wilmington,
NC on Thursday, all day Friday was spent relaxing on the sound, collecting sea
shells, walking and wading into the Atlantic Ocean.
Hillary and I discussed the idea of
paring the trip down by one day and leaving for the return to Wilmington’s down
town on Saturday. This meant leaving in the late afternoon. This would also pit
the solar electric yacht and its two ten horsepower electric motors directly
against the full outflow tide, funneled at our bow by the restrictive placement
of the bridge at Snows Cut. Even for power boats of much more horsepower it is
of some concern. We would be making the move at the end of the day, the sun
would be setting, glaring directly into our eyes with small and large boats
dodging about. A new anchor haven would need to be made in declining light and
secure enough to fend wind and wave from the close commercial sea lane channel.
A bit of a reach.
Far from our 30 inch depth, three
sizable yachts ply the deep and marked channel from which they cannot stray.
Only kayaks, paddle boards, small boats with outboards tilted up, get here.
We left our shore side villa beach
property Friday at 14:48. A temporary anchorage was made about a quarter mile
away next to the ICW to assure there was no delay from winds suddenly changing
direction, thus blowing the water out from under us. A plan was made as to the
6 mile attack to reach an island on the commercial channel just the other side
of Snows Cut. We waited a bit for the weather forecast, then pulled anchor
again at 16:45, headed for the cut.
For about one mile the cruise was
nice but began to get slowed to the expected 3 mph imposed by the tide. We
could go faster but no need to waste the energy in the full battery banks. If
taken at the correctly planned pace we should arrive at our destination with
power to spare and some bright dusk to find our anchorage for the night. Guess
what? That is exactly what happened with wind against us, tide against us and
almost no sunlight to recharge the batteries. We went into a cove at a spoil
island near green marker 7 to eat, view and bed down for the evening.
Here’s to sun in your eyes. The
camera adjusted its iris to the glare but our human eyes were not as fortunate.
The anchor was placed with plenty of
scope to view the setting sun during our wine and dine. Our draft is 18 inches.
The water depth here varied from 20 inches to over 40 inches. Dark fell and the
sky became our private planetarium.
At 08:30 the next morning’s weather
radio alerted us to the fact that the hurricane off Bermuda could cause some
unwelcome local weather patterns. We would leave our corner of this lovely
spoil island and head for down town Wilmington as the sun replenished our
batteries from the passage through the cut last evening. This Saturday’s
weather though was just superb, sunny, wind on our tail and some tide to boot.
I could not ask for more. We ate breakfast, relaxed listening to the FM radio,
had coffee from the microwave as we got things into order for the last leg of
the trip. The time approached to haul the anchor and get moving North. At 13:07
the anchor came up and we were off to Wilmington.
At 13:37 to our amazement, while in
mid channel, a clunk was heard, stopping the starboard electric motor briefly.
We saw no damage, checked the systems out and headed on our merry way. The boat
will be hauled out in the next few weeks for winter work to be done, keeping
the clunk in mind for a look-see when on the hard.
13:50, the tide flowing north on our
side of a marked island channel, combines with the ship’s channel on the other
side of the island. At this point our forward progress is opposed by the eddys
of large churning areas of water. This persists for a while, then continues as a
very light tide northward through the port.
With the port in full view, there
seem to be some boats waiting for something. Drawing ever closer, the apparent
blockage is caused by the dredging machine happily gorging away at the face of
the port’s docks. While the dredge is working this close to the dock face, no
traffic may pass through. With barely enough side clearance, an 18 foot
outboard boat with a family on board, catches the ire of the deck hands on the
dredge. Saying it was a close call would be an understatement.
Dredging Fear as the iron monster
heads back our way. Now fully open, a 40 foot tour boat makes its escape ahead
of us as we enter the ominous “zone”. A bit melodramatic but it is unnerving.
We turned our boat to circle the
area several times to await the more officially accepted opening of the dredge.
Allowing the faster boats to go first (a most prudent move), we followed them
through the opening after waiting for the downstream boats to exit their
flotilla. This time the dredge workers seemed a bit more cordial, even though
they had to work on this sunny Saturday.
My pass, before the dredge swings
back to close the narrow passage. Not shown here are the other boats trying to
make it through before the dredge swings closed. Is my hair standing on end?
The concentration of prop wash and
the narrowing of the river current made a very sloppy pass through the area.
We were not the only boat passing
through the dredge's gate. The Wilmington bridge and skyline welcome us home as
the Henrietta III passes on our starboard side.
Farther up the Cape Fear river and
directly across the river from Wilmington’s Market Street water front, was the
annual October (beer) Fest. Seems all were having a great time.
The trip drew to a close as we
cleared the Isabelle Holmes bridge with a south westerly wind and southerly
flow of tide at our Cape Fear Marina dock and berth. The boat was paused about
200 feet off the docks so that I could lay in wait on the wind and tide
interaction, a good practice no matter what size or power the boat has.
Watching the wind’s action on flags and the tide’s action around the docks, I
can adjust my entry options into the fairway leading to the 6 slips in the
intended section. A plan of entry is kept in mind with actions mentally noted
for contingence and conditions not clearly anticipated.
This older Google Earth photo shows
the MOG pointed out of her slip. She is now nose in, after this trip.
I usually enter the fairway parallel
to the docks providing excellent fore to aft corrections while allowing (in the
usual case) the wind to gently blow her into alignment with the slip. Her bow
was pointed south and the wind was blowing out of the south west. This seems to
work well in this situation where the tide flow can have strong effect on a
boat crossing the tide’s north or south direction. The response of the electric
motors is very rapid because there is no time lag involved, as for a regular
fossil engine transmission, to switch gear direction.
Once I was in alignment with the
slip, a little nudge forward on the remote control joysticks, eased her into
the slip and to a full stop. The remote control is carried by me anywhere on
the boat so that I can see the exact clearance, depth or nearness of any
potential threat. Usually I steer while sitting on the foredeck but I have
brought her in or out of a slip from the stern.
At 16:30 Algemac II was neatly in
place. This was a most rewarding trip for Hillary and me. I hope you have seen
a boat and circumstances a bit different from the norm and will send along your
comments to our site at http://www.mogcanalboat.com/
and to the blog site at http://www.mognavy.blogspot.com/
60 HP internal combustion engine on the left...10 HP electric on the right (one of two) on the MOG.
Why
outboards? Several
visitors to the MOG have asked that question.
ANSWER: For now, during testing,
they allow easy access to the small (14 pounds or 6.3 kg) but powerful electric
motors.
Actually, a future design of an
inboard arrangement is preferred to the current use of outboards. More on that
later.
Previously the electric motors were
under the sole of the boat, accessed through hatches. This meant opening
hatches and having a hole in the floor where I was also trying to walk.
The inboards were aligned and
secured to the boat’s framework and to straight propeller shafts, down and out
through the bottom of the hull, complicating quick tech upgrades and shaft service
when needed.
The outboards are light and easy to
remove as a whole unit or lift the top motor cover and look inside (my
preferred method as pictured).
This winter I will be tackling the
inboard versus outboard debate and feel there are some great solutions that
will allow us to have the best of both worlds. As usual, technology plays an
important part.
So if you like outboards, enjoy the
view for now…. as it is with the MOG…..
things will definitely change.
Pictured is the 60 hp internal combustion
engine (much more power than needed) and one of the two 10 hp electric motors
with the top removed. The boat's electric motors propel the boat at her
required top hull speed of seven knots, quietly and without costly fossil fuel.
