whatcharterboat
Supporting Sponsor, Overland Certified OC0018
No Looked more like the DSE /Florida boat. Hard to explain. Imagine just squashing that one together and putting it on a trailer. Had a pop top as well so it wasn't too high when towing.
Trailerable expedition boat
- Thread starter Mickldo
- Start date
No Looked more like the DSE /Florida boat. Hard to explain. Imagine just squashing that one together and putting it on a trailer. Had a pop top as well so it wasn't too high when towing.
whatcharterboat
Supporting Sponsor, Overland Certified OC0018
Mick had the spelling wrong. It WAS a long time ago. The outboard models are called Prowler Cats. Have a look here:
http://www.schionningdesigns.com.au/www/welcome.cfm
The outboard models are called Prowler Cats.
Still trying to get some info on that air/water cooled fridge too. Haven't forgotten .
Talk to you soon.
John.
http://www.schionningdesigns.com.au/www/welcome.cfm
The outboard models are called Prowler Cats.
Still trying to get some info on that air/water cooled fridge too. Haven't forgotten .
Talk to you soon.
John.
Mickldo
Adventurer
I have had a couple of thoughts about using a Cat for this project.
Cabin space - The Platemaster hull has a high bow which allows us to build a cabin with enough head height to be able to sit upright on the bed along the full length of the bed. Due to the tunnel on a Cat it is very hard to fit a full height cabin on a boat this size without raising the COG too high.
Engine room - With the 4 cyl Yanmar or Steyr diesels mounted in the Platemaster hull we can hide the motor under the transom to give us a clutter free work space. I am not sure how much room there would be in the separate hulls on a Cat this size (6 - 6.5m LOA x 2.5m Beam) to mount the smaller 85hp inboards and hybrids (if I went with a Cat it would only be if I could use the hybrids more efficiently). The whole idea of using the Cat is to get two long slippery hulls to increase the efficiency so if I have to make the hulls too wide I'd be defeating the purpose of the exercise.
Battery weight - Conversely if I make the hulls too skinny and slippery it won't displace enough to support the weight of the batteries needed to run the hybrids.
Cabin space - The Platemaster hull has a high bow which allows us to build a cabin with enough head height to be able to sit upright on the bed along the full length of the bed. Due to the tunnel on a Cat it is very hard to fit a full height cabin on a boat this size without raising the COG too high.
Engine room - With the 4 cyl Yanmar or Steyr diesels mounted in the Platemaster hull we can hide the motor under the transom to give us a clutter free work space. I am not sure how much room there would be in the separate hulls on a Cat this size (6 - 6.5m LOA x 2.5m Beam) to mount the smaller 85hp inboards and hybrids (if I went with a Cat it would only be if I could use the hybrids more efficiently). The whole idea of using the Cat is to get two long slippery hulls to increase the efficiency so if I have to make the hulls too wide I'd be defeating the purpose of the exercise.
Battery weight - Conversely if I make the hulls too skinny and slippery it won't displace enough to support the weight of the batteries needed to run the hybrids.
whatcharterboat
Supporting Sponsor, Overland Certified OC0018
Mick Just leaving work now. I'll be on EXpO about 9.oclock our time If you're around late tonight. Talk more about this then if you're up. Have some other idea.
John
John
Mickldo
Adventurer
Our Platemaster hull is a pretty fuel efficient hull anyway (at planing speeds at least, we haven't done any real fuel tests at displacement speeds). We build in trim tabs into all of our hulls as a standard feature. By trimming the motor to the correct level of trim and then using the trim tabs to get the boat trimmed at the right attitude to suit the conditions we can throttle back on the motors to achieve planning speeds down less than 10knots. With our smaller boats, like the 6m I want, we have achieved under 8knots. This is starting to get down to the type of speeds that the hybrids are operating at. I wonder if while you are on the plane you could get the hybrid running at full noise and cut the diesel motor and still keep it on the plane. Hopefully this will allow the electric to run more efficiently than at displacement speeds.
And continuing on with this train of thought, I told you all I waffle on.......
Instead of a Cat running twin 85hp inboards and twin hybrids what about the Platemaster 6m hull with twin 85hp inboards and twin hybrids? This would give twice the power of the hybrids keeping it on the plane easier.
Time to go research engine weights and sizes, BRB.
And continuing on with this train of thought, I told you all I waffle on.......
Instead of a Cat running twin 85hp inboards and twin hybrids what about the Platemaster 6m hull with twin 85hp inboards and twin hybrids? This would give twice the power of the hybrids keeping it on the plane easier.
Time to go research engine weights and sizes, BRB.
whatcharterboat
Supporting Sponsor, Overland Certified OC0018
Mick Still stuck here waiting for a lift.
When you do the math it doesn't look good. We are talking a serious battery bank and that will rule out planing. Only way to do it is with a discplacment hull. I'll dig up some info for you on electric boats.
Before the net I used to subscribe to a pommie mag called "Electric Boat" so I still have some info lying around here. Next time you are up in the Daintree there is a really nice one that does croc tours just before you get to the place. That little creek just before anyway. That is the same boat as the one I used to worked on but I still think a long cat is the go. Even if you had to assemble it at the ramp.
When you do the math it doesn't look good. We are talking a serious battery bank and that will rule out planing. Only way to do it is with a discplacment hull. I'll dig up some info for you on electric boats.
Before the net I used to subscribe to a pommie mag called "Electric Boat" so I still have some info lying around here. Next time you are up in the Daintree there is a really nice one that does croc tours just before you get to the place. That little creek just before anyway. That is the same boat as the one I used to worked on but I still think a long cat is the go. Even if you had to assemble it at the ramp.
Mickldo
Adventurer
Mickldo said:
OK, scratch that idea with the Steyrs at least.
http://www.steyr-motors.com/products/products.htm
The 85hp motor weighs 243kg whereas the 184hp motor weighs only 15kg more at 258kg. By the time you add two hybrids and all the batteries it is going to be way too heavy.
Just as a comparison the Suzuki DF175TX we normally fit to this size hull only weighs 220kg.
http://www.hainessuzukimarine.com.au/home/motor_details.asp?id=25
When I was first researching the Steyrs I was looking at slightly smaller motors than the 184hp motor to see if I would be able to save a little weight but they are all the same weight all the way down to the 110hp model which only saves 3kg. So I might as well go for the model that puts out the exact same power as the max power recommended for the hull seeing as there is no weight penalty there.
Mickldo
Adventurer
whatcharterboat said:
The added weight of the batteries and hybrid will hopefully be offset by the reduced person load on board. I can run up to 6 x people @ 90kg with this hull but I only need it for 3 POB. So that leaves me with 270kg up my sleeve.
According to the specs I have read on these new hybrids you can get roughly 6 hours use out of a 300AH bank. At 6knots that works out to be 36nm which is quite a fair way in one stint of discharge. I can then start the diesel (or park in the sun) to recharge the batteries for another stint.
I know it will never take over as a main power source but it will be a handy backup and auxiliary source.
whatcharterboat
Supporting Sponsor, Overland Certified OC0018
Yeah If we are just talking about something to tow up to the
gulf or Kimberlies I'd keep it simple and as light as possible . Different story if we are talking about an Expedition Boat but we aren't are we? Then sure a hybrid setup would be great. But up there a fast boat is a plus and a planing hull will be a lot mare compact to tow.
My idea was to have a cat that you could transport a 4x4 on top of. Not the other wat round. A 4x4 that tows a boat.
Camp in the truck on top of the hulls and drive it of on the beach??? Think big Hobie cat . No sails just a small pop top truck sitting in the middle. Maybe 40'.????
gulf or Kimberlies I'd keep it simple and as light as possible . Different story if we are talking about an Expedition Boat but we aren't are we? Then sure a hybrid setup would be great. But up there a fast boat is a plus and a planing hull will be a lot mare compact to tow.
My idea was to have a cat that you could transport a 4x4 on top of. Not the other wat round. A 4x4 that tows a boat.
Camp in the truck on top of the hulls and drive it of on the beach??? Think big Hobie cat . No sails just a small pop top truck sitting in the middle. Maybe 40'.????
Mickldo
Adventurer
Mickldo said:
Apparently you can also use the hybrids batteries for the house batteries and I was planning on a minimum of 240AH originally (2 x Fullriver 120AH AGMs). The AGMs weigh about 37kg each so even if I run 4 batteries to give 480AH it is only going to be an extra 74kg over my original non-hybrid setup (not allowing for the hybrid motor itself or its controller).
whatcharterboat
Supporting Sponsor, Overland Certified OC0018
Mick that's awesome the electric boat I spoke of before would run for about 8 hrs but at 5 or 6 knots and it had a 44o amphr bank at 36 V . 6x 220 amp batteries at about 80 or 90kg each.
Got to go. Talk later.
Mickldo
Adventurer
whatcharterboat said:
Yeah it is something I do need to research further but from what I have found out so far it is looking good in this department. Of course the more batteries I add the better the range but the harder it will be to keep them charged properly.
I am going to go and have dinner now. I'll be back later too.
Mickldo
Adventurer
This is the 6m hull I plan on using if I go monohull. This is a 6m we built to survey specs for the local Marine Parks. I haven't got any pics of the half cab we built on this hull on this computer. I am going to have to remember to grab some pics off my computer at work to post up.
