Almost free power!
After clearing in to customs yesterday, and stocking up on a few groceries, Rebecca and I spent much of the day digging through our Amel’s lockers. It was quite the treasure hunt!
There are so many cool things about this boat. I think if I wrote about a feature of the day, it would take me some time to run out of topics. Here is one for example… the boat has an alternator run off the drive shaft. That’s right, as you are sailing the propeller turns in the water, turning the shaft. The shaft is connected to an alternator by a belt and that alternator charges the batteries. At a sailing speed of 6 knots, we were seeing 10-15 amps going into our batteries. My question is, why doesn’t every boat have one of these?
Note the key which turns the shaft alternator on. The other key on the ring is for the engine. This prevents you from trying to run the shaft alternator at the same time as the engine.
looks like you have found yourself a winner of a boat – congratulations again and have fun getting to know her!
Thank you!!
I never sailed an Amel. My question is how much noise does it make when making power?
Zero. You can of course hear the prop/shaft turning, but we could hear that on the Leopard too.
Two consideration I can think of
It adds drag.
It wears your gear.
Neither is a showstopper
Drag as opposed to a feathering prop, but I don’t know how much drag is imparted by the shaft alternator itself. As for wear, the shaft is turning anyway. You’re just harnessing it.
Ain’t nothing free; replace that fixed prop with a feathering (or folding if you prefer) prop and you’d likely be sailing at seven knots or better in the same conditions.
I think I’d rather have the electricity. And feathering props scare me.
Lots of people scared of wind generators, watermakers, and being a charter captain. Jus saying. With ample solar and wind, I would have liked my last long trip on a fixed prop boat to be two days shorter, and not listening to the rumble of the shaft/prop when I was sailing.
I have heard about Prop Shaft alternators– Never knew anyone who had one though.. And the gauge if very Retro looking– Can’t wait to hear/See all the other cool stuff onboard..
Gotta change or polish up the Key Switch– That ain’t very pretty.. But it works..
Pretty is in the eye of the beholder. :p
Fantastic idea! Especially on ocean passages this would be beneficial, even more so than wind generators (Which you can’t use in high winds). Very cool! I wonder what kind of power it would product if you are just anchored in a current?
Good question. Does your prop turn while at anchor?
No, my boat has a folding prop, that and Bermuda doesn’t sport as much current as in other places in the Caribbean or US for that matter, not inshore at least.
You don’t see them much anymore because the wind generators are much more efficient. But they have their own drawbacks. I can’t stand living under a helicopter!
I don’t know if I’d agree that a wind generator is more efficient. While underway that would totally depend on the point of sail. On a broad reach or a run, the apparent wind is less, reducing output on most wind generators substantially, I suspect.
That’s actually a useful amount of power. One more way to harness wind energy. I like backup ways of generating power.
More power is better. I am going to try to connect our presently deactivated wind generator today.
I have been quietly following your blog for a number of years with avid interest while trying to plan my own getaway. I have huge admiration for what you have achieved and your willingness to share good and bad with all your “followers”. We can all learn an amazing amount from all the bloggers that so willingly share their experiences and it really is appreciated.
One of the blogs I follow has just posted a couple of good articles on the shaft generator which I thought you may be interested in!
http://justalittlefurther.com/the-blue-view/the-blue-view-prop-shaft-generator-pt-1/
http://justalittlefurther.com/the-blue-view/the-blue-view-prop-shaft-generator-pt-2
In the meantime good luck with your new purchase. As an aside I think NineofCups posted a good article on the renaming ceremony to appease he who must be revered!
Brian
Thank you! I’ll check those posts out.
Henri Amel was a true believer in propshaft generation. My educated estimate is that the yard only stopped fitting them by early Summer 2002.
Olivier Beauté, who was with the factory for many years, told me just a couple of weeks ago that the only reason they stopped is because their alternator supplier stopped making them, and it was a bit much to go out and find new ones. By 2002, all Amels were 24V, so where do you find a low RPM 24V alternator?
just a little further.com’s post is great because it closes the loop and explains why special low RPM alternators are required. Brian R, thanks!
Interesting. Thanks for that insight.