The Steamboating Forum

The worst 'hole in the boat' story I know of happened here in Puget Sound.

A gentleman fell in love with a large (85 foot?) beamy ancient sailing boat somewhere in the Baltic. I believe he visited it once but had a survey done there locally and had the boat delivered to Seattle. It had along career in the Baltic Sea fishing service. A very large, heavy wooden ketch with a primordial one cylinder engine.

Upon delivery, the new owner opened the hatches and discovered that one hold was level full of sea water. Startled, he rigged an electric pump and waited. No change in the level. He then rented a gasoline engine driven pump of some size. No change. He then recruited the local fire department to come by with a 'serious' pump. Still no change.

The boat was motored to a marine railway for investigation. As the boat climbed up the ways there was great spurting from many orifices. The center hold was intended as a live fish hold and communicated with the sea via zillions of perhaps one inch holes.

He estimated that he pumped most of the harbor through those holes. A very 'sweet' bilge. After plugging the holes the vessel had to have a great deal of ballast added.

Mike

Lopez Mike wrote:After plugging the holes the vessel had to have a great deal of ballast added.

Ha!


Back to the topic but on a slightly larger scale, emilyanne is a 58ft*7ft narrowboat and has cabin space for a small galley and 6 berths, with running hot and cold water lighting, an electric fridge, charge points for mobile phones, small inverter for running a laptop, etc. In fact we also have a 3kw bow thruster.

All of this is driven from a large truck alternator, rewired into star topology to given high charging voltage at low speeds, drive from the engine via a 18inch pulley on the propshaft given a 6:1 ratio and hence a drive speed of around 1000rpm at normal cruising speed. This charges a 220Ah 24v battery at around 30amps max, which if the fridge use is kept right down, will last a few days if stopped, or is continuously rated throughout the season using it every other weekend.
The bow prop has its own 110AH 24v bank in the bow, with a change over switch to charge from the same alternator.



Daniel

I think good led lights are available here. Click Here to Visit

Ashef wrote:I think good led lights are available here. Click Here to Visit

Beware that site, they sell reproductions. Most of what they list can be found multiple times on ebay.

I have a small open coal fired boat. I do not require a boat safely cert to put her onto the canals but I would have to,if any I used any fixed electric wiring.

Mike