Torqeedo Update

New Torqeedo Electric Motor Update.

You might remember that last April I posted the “I’ve Gone Green” addition to this blog.  Since then I’ve had several requests for additional information and photos regarding the installation and how the motor actually works.  So, here’s the update…

              

The Torqeedo model that I bought is the 2.0 Cruise Tiller model.  It is a 24-volt electric outboard motor that weighs about 40 pounds and has about 120 ft/lbs of thrust due to the big three-blade 10 X 12 propeller.  That is about the equivalent of a six to seven HP gasoline outboard.  The folks at Torqeedo rate the motor as appropriate for boats up to 6,000 pounds displacement.  With two 12-volt batteries, the total weight is about the same as my 100 pound Mercury gasoline engine and five gallons of gasoline.  However, raising and lowering the Torqeedo is much easier than the same operations with the 100 pound Merc.

The reasons for choosing this model were many... but one of the big considerations was that I could see where two 12-volt batteries could be placed in Snickerdoodle's cockpit fuel locker.   But, where would I put two more batteries if I went with a 48-volt motor???  Another consideration was the significant increase in price from the Cruise 2.0 to the Cruise 4.0.

The 24 volts are delivered by wiring, in a series, two Group 27 - 12-Volt deep cycle marine batteries.  I searched all over to find batteries with the highest amp hour rating.  The ones I chose were from NAPA.  These batteries are rated at 110 amp hours.  Other Group 27 batteries were rated as low as 90 amp hours.  The portside cockpit fuel locker on Snickerdoodle is just the right size for these two batteries.  And, installing them there was easy.  To keep the batteries charged, I bought a Professional Mariner ProSport battery charger rated for 12 or 24 volts.  The battery charger was on sale at the local West Marine store for $120 instead of the “normal” WM price of $150.  I installed the battery charger by securing it to the bulkhead between the big portside cockpit locker and the quarter berth.  This charger plugs into a regular 115-volt AC grounded outlet – Snickerdoodle is already wired for shore power, and I had previously installed one of those outlets near the companionway stairs.  So, mounting the charger on the quarter birth side of the bulkhead made sense to me.  The charger has separate wires for each battery which I led through a one-half inch hole in the bulkhead and another one-half inch hole that I drilled in the forward bulkhead in the fuel locker.  Whenever I plug into shore power, the charger automatically brings the Torqeedo’s batteries up to full charge.  From a nearly “used up” battery condition (the motor won’t run if the battery bank is at less than 18 volts), it takes about eight hours to fully charge the batteries.

BTW – Don’t rely on the brilliance of the West Marine staff for accurate information regarding battery chargers.  While standing and looking at the various models of battery chargers, the Inventory Manager for the local WM store approached me and asked if he could help.  I had the ProSport charger out of the box and asked how the charger could be changed from 12-volts to 24-volts.  He advised me that I would need to take the back cover off of the charger and move a “little wire” from a 12-volt post to a 24-volt post inside the charger.  This seemed odd to me… but the price was right; and I went ahead and purchased the battery charger.  Upon getting the charger home and reading the owner’s manual (you all read the manual don’t you?), I found out that the charger was programmed to automatically know whether to charge for a 12-volt or a 24-volt battery bank.  I’m sure glad that I read the manual and didn’t just start unscrewing the back of the charger.  Upon further reading I discovered that disassembling the charger voids the warranty.

95% of my motor usage is motoring from the marina to go sailing and then back to the marina after my sail is done.  The Torqeedo is perfect for this application.  My two favorite destinations for overnight “weekending” trips are three and eight nautical miles from the marina (~6-nm and ~16 nm round-trip distances).  Again, the Torqeedo’s range and speed is almost identical to the 8 hp Mercury engine that the Torqeedo replaced.  The biggest difference is with the 5% of the time when Kathy and I are on longer trips around Lake Pend Oreille.  Sandpoint, ID is approximately 28 nm from Bayview where Snickerdoodle is berthed.  Hope, ID is approximately 20 nm from Bayview.  Using a Klein multi-meter, I’ve been able to get a pretty good idea regarding how many amps per hour the Torqeedo uses at different speed settings.  This information helps me select the speed that the motor should be set at relative to the distance I’ve got to travel and the charge left in the batteries.  - - Fortunately, there is shore power available at both Sandpoint and Hope - - At 2.5 to 3.0 knots boat-speed, the battery bank will last for about eleven hours… Of course, I’d only motor that many hours if there was no wind.

I have also purchased the 10-foot long wiring harness for the Torqeedo 2.0.  With this wiring harness, I can use (if needed as a backup) the two Group 24 “house” batteries with 80 amp hours at full charge.  The 10-foot wiring harness just reaches from the motor plug to the battery box in the main cabin under the starboard settee.  I have not had to use this long wiring harness yet… but it’s there if needed – also stored in the fuel locker.

So far this year, the longest distance I’ve motored was ~25 nm.  The lake was “flat calm” the whole way.  I set the motor at about 2.9 knots (according to my Garman GPS chart plotter) and we covered the distance in eight hours with battery charge still available.  After the first two hours, the voltage indicator on the motor showed about a 0.3 volt drop hour-by-hour.  And, the voltage reading on the motor indicated 22.8 volts left in the battery bank at the end of the day.  I did find out the next day that the 22.8 is “variable” depending on engine RPMs ……  While motoring into a ten knot breeze to set sails, I needed to increase the RPMs to about where we would have had 4+ knots boat-speed in calm weather.  The voltage dropped quickly – but we still had enough to set sails…… and to get back to the slip at the end of the sail.

One of the things I’ve really enjoyed with the new Torqeedo is the learning curve that I’ve had.  AND, I’m still learning.  Next is researching solar chargers to augment the initial charge when Kathy and I decide to sail to parts of the lake where shore power is not available.  And, researching whether the Torqeedo will charge the battery bank if the boat is sailing faster than the motor “throttle” is set at.  In-other-words, if I set sails at a boat-speed of 1.5 knots and leave the motor “on” and in the water… will the propeller spin at higher revs as the boat-speed increases – changing the motor into a generator???  Will I need to install a voltage regulator in the circuit in this case???

Finally, I am truly glad that I bought the Torqeedo last spring.  It is quiet - - very quiet.  And, the motor is so smooth running that it is virtually vibration free.  There are no gas fumes to contend with.  There’s no gasoline to purchase.  I paid out a little more money than it would have cost to buy a new 10-hp Honda… but not a lot more…  Many of my sailing friends now are calling Snickerdoodle the “stealth” boat……  Some of the racers are saying that it’s an automatic penalty if they see the motor in the water during a race……… ha, ha

The biggest disadvantage is that I have a really nice 8-hp Mercury outboard engine in the garage still for sale… Anybody interested????????

Heaving To

          Heaving To is one of those sailing skills that many have heard about, but few have actually practiced.  It is a skill that has many benefits.  Here are just a few of the great reasons to know how to heave to:

1.     If you’re sailing single-handed, you can take a break from steering without dousing the sails.

2.    You can also fix and eat lunch, take a nap, go to the head, change clothes, etc – all with the sails still up, but the boat Hove To.

3.    Heaving To makes fixing and repairing things go quickly and easier.

4.    Reefing the mainsail single handed or short handed goes easier if you’re Hove To.

5.    You can plot your position on the chart without having the boat move significantly while you’re doing this basic navigational chore.

          So, what is Heaving To?  Simply it is adjusting the jib sail so that the jib is back-winded while the mainsail is sheeted out to about a beam reach setting.  One way to do this would be to release the loaded jib sheet while sailing and pull the jib’s clew to windward with the windward jib sheet.  This is quite a bit of work if there’s too much breeze blowing.

          An easier way to Heave To is to simply tack the boat without releasing the old loaded jib sheet.  As the boat comes through the eye of the wind, stop the boat’s turn by moving the tiller to leeward and ease the mainsheet.  As the boat comes to a stop, you’ll notice that your boat will perform sort of a “falling leaf” motion on the wind and waves with first the jib backing and pushing the bow away from the wind and then the main filling and the boat rounding up.  Adjusting the tiller or wheel to help the boat round up will complete Heaving To, and you will jog along on the waves and wind at about one knot or so with very kindly boat motion.

          Practice Heaving To on nice days with 5 to 10 knots of breeze.  Follow the six steps below.  It’ll only take a couple tries to figure everything out.  Then keep this maneuver in mind for those situations where you want to stop steering and there’s no one else who really wants to steer.

Better Anchor Holding With A Sentinal

Better Anchoring with a Sentinal

 

I love staying overnight on Snickerdoodle.  I especially like staying overnight while anchored out.  There is something particularly restful about “swinging on the hook”.  One of the Barnacle Bill Blogs in 2011 talked about anchoring.  You sure want to have everything ready before you arrive at your anchorage…… anchor rope, anchor chain, anchor……

  This drawing shows a boat at anchor with everything set up pretty well.  Notice that there is about a five to one ratio (scope) between the length of anchor rope and chain to the depth of water.

Sometimes though when you are anchoring, the weather forecast indicates that a storm is coming.  And, while you have selected a good anchorage, there isn’t enough room to let out more scope to help the anchor stay dug in during the storm.  Having a weight attached about half-way down the anchor line will help the anchor stay in place even if the wind pipes up.

 

I have two three-pound sash weights to use as a weight (often called a sentinel).  Sash weights are the iron weights that used to be used on windows in homes to help you raise or lower the window in its frame (or sash).  The sash weights have a hole drilled in one end and I can clip a snap hook through the hole.  I secure a light line to the snap hook and then snap the hook onto the anchor line and lower the sentinel about half-way down the anchor line.  The sentinel changes the anchor line angles and keeps the anchor line at a lower angle which greatly improves the anchor’s ability to stay dug in the bottom.

So, if you are thinking about anchoring your boat, consider adding a sentinel, snap hook and light line to your anchoring gear.  You might sleep much easier in blustery weather.

Heavy Weather Sailing

Heavy Weather Sailing - - Some Basics

Wind Force Matrix
Wind Speed	Beaufort	~Boat Speed	Pressure	300 sq ft	Water	Wind
Knots	Scale	Close Hauled	Per Sq Ft	Sail Area	State	Terminology
1 - 3	1	Steerageway	.003 - .03	9 lbs	Ripples	Light Airs
4 - 6	2	1 -3 knots	.05 - .12	36 lbs	Many Ripples	Light Breeze
7 - 10	3	4 - 5 knots	.16 - .33	99 lbs	Waves Begin	Gentle Breeze
11 - 16	4	6 - 7 knots	.40 - .85	353 lbs	Long Waves	Moderate Breeze
17 - 21	5	First Reef	.96 - 1.4	420 lbs	Whitecaps	Fresh Breeze
22 -27	6	Second Reef	1.6 - 2.4	720 lbs	Many Whitecaps	Strong Breeze
28 - 33	7	Heave To	2.6 - 3.6	1080 lbs	High Sea Running	Moderate Gale

“Heavy weather” is generally understood to be wind and water conditions where the boat becomes difficult to handle.  The boat might be heeling excessively (washing the windows); or the person on the helm might not be able to steer a given course (lots of pitching and yawing); or the boat does unexpected maneuvers (unexpected violent jibes or uncontrolled 360 degree spins).  Being inexperienced or unprepared for heavy weather is frightening at best and downright dangerous at worst. 

Take a look at the “Wind Force Matrix”.  Notice that up to Beaufort Scale of 3 or 4 everything is fine.  Sailing is wonderful - - - just what everyone loves about sailing.  Sometime during force 4 – and certainly into force 5 – the wind force becomes more than many sailors are comfortable with - - - let alone, happy about.  Notice the wind pressure equivalent on a 300 sq ft sail.  That pressure is being felt by the rig, sails, sheets and halyards.  Imagine trying to hold 350 to 420 lbs - - - let alone trying to control that force.

Interestingly, on inland lakes where the wind has insufficient fetch to develop an ocean wave pattern, one or even two forces should be added.  You might experience Force 3 wave action while experiencing Force 5 wind pressure.  This is particularly evident on large inland lakes like Pend Oreille and Coeur d’Alene in Northern Idaho.  If a Force 5 wind is blowing out of the southwest at Lake Pend Oreille for instance; there is very little wave action near Bayview at the south end of the lake.  Prudent skippers still reef their mainsails and/or shift down to smaller jib sails to decrease healing and keep their boats under control.  At the same time, twenty five miles north up the lake near Pearl Is. and Cottage Is. there will be a true ocean sea running.  The lake will be covered with many whitecaps and the waves will be quite large.

Experienced skippers need to keep many things in mind as the wind freshens and conditions begin to approach “heavy weather” so that the boat and its crew arrive at their destination safe and sound.  Some of these considerations are:

Appropriate clothing;

Safety harnesses, Life jackets, and Jack lines;

Rigging knives and other tools;

Health – including hypothermia, potential injury, and hypothermia;

Preparing the boat for heavy weather conditions;

Reefing the mainsail;

Rigging and setting a storm jib.

Here’s a photo of a twenty-eight-footer in heavy winds on Lake Pend Oreille during an August storm in 2009.  Even though the wind was blowing 25 to 30 knots and gusting as high as 40, note that the waves are not all that large.  This skipper though has reefed the mainsail and has a smaller working jib up.

What is “appropriate clothing” for heavy weather conditions?  Clearly, it is important to avoid hypothermia.  And, since wet clothing and strong winds quickly sap your body heat, waterproof clothing is a must.  This waterproof clothing is often called “foul weather gear” or “foul weather clothing”…… “foulies” for short.  At a minimum, your foul weather clothing should include:  waterproof pants, waterproof jacket, sea boots, and a sou’wester hat.  Buy your pants, jacket and boots larger than your “normal” size.  You will probably have multiple layers of clothing on under the pants and jacket; and you might want to wear heavier than normal socks (even two pairs of socks).  These extra layers take up space and make a “normal” size tight and quite uncomfortable.  The layers under the foul weather jacket and pants might include: long underware bottoms and top; fleece pants and sweater; wool or fleece jacket; snow skiing socks; and a wool or fleece stocking cap (watch cap).  To take up room in the oversized sea boots, buy a pair of felt liners.  The sou’wester (Gorton fisherman) hat is a must!!  The long back protects the back of your neck from water, and the front “bill” can be turned up or down depending on rain or spray hitting your face.  An unusual piece of foul weather clothing that some of us now have aboard is alpine ski goggles.  With wind-blown spray all over the place, these ski goggles protect your eyes and the lens can easily be wiped with a finger to provide good visibility.  Additionally, alpine ski goggles often come with a “no fog” coating on the inside of the lens that really works.  Two final thoughts about foul weather clothing:  buy your foul weather pants in a “bib overall” style that has suspenders.  These afford more protection, are warmer, and are just the right “fashion” to wear if you are the cook in the galley while under weigh.  And, don’t be a “tight-wad” when buying your foul weather gear.  I can speak from personal experience that it is a terrible experience to have a seam open up on your foul weather jacket in a heavy rain storm.  Can you spell WET, WET, WET???  I can……

Here we are - - all suited up in our “foulies”……

Prop Walk and other Mysteries

“Prop Walk” and Maneuvering Around The Marina

One of the trickiest parts of sailing doesn’t have anything to do with sailing.  It has to do with motoring around the marina.  This includes backing out of a slip, shifting into forward gear after backing out of the slip, and motoring back to the slip.  For new sailboat owners, successfully backing out of a slip may be the trickiest and toughest part to boat ownership.

The reason that backing out of a slip is so tough is because sailboat engines are notoriously underpowered; AND the propellers are also very small compared to the size and weight of the sailboat.  Compare for example a twenty-five foot long powerboat and its fifty to two hundred horse-power engine and huge propeller with a twenty-five foot sailboat with its six to ten horse-power engine with its “tiny” propeller.  The “tiny” propeller doesn’t move much water with each revolution…… BUT, the propeller can “walk” the stern of the boat to the left or to the right before the boat begins moving either forward or backward.

We talk about the propeller being either “left handed” or “right handed”.   This refers to the rotation of the propeller when in forward.  If the boat is not moving and the propeller begins to turn, the rotation causes the propeller to “paddle-wheel” and move the stern of the boat to one side or the other.  A “right hand” propeller tends to walk (prop walk) the stern to the right (starboard) in forward; and to the left (port) in reverse.

 

Problems are created for new sailboat owners if the “prop walk” moves the stern in the “wrong” direction…… to the left when the skipper wants the stern to pivot toward the right.  No amount of rudder angle will prevent the “prop walk” because the boat is not moving forward or backward; so, no water is flowing along the rudder.

 

The problem becomes worse as the stern continues to pivot in the wrong direction.  If the boat eventually makes it out of the slip, the boat is headed in the wrong direction.

The easiest solution to overcome the effects of “prop walk” is to use the tiller on the outboard engine to help turn the transom in the desired direction.  This takes some practice so-as to know how much to turn the engine while in reverse and when to straighten out the engine before engaging forward gear.

Another problem occurs after the boat is out of the slip.  If the skipper has backed out successfully, he/she often thinks (wrongly) that the boat should be lined up straight down the slip row before shifting into forward.  The boat may be stopped in the water or even be backing up.  So, considerable “prop walk” is going to take place as the boat is shifted into forward gear.  If the boat is lined up straight before shifting into forward, the stern pivots to the right and as the boat gains forward direction, the skipper finds that the boat is now aimed at the boats and slips across from the slip just exited.

 

It is better to back the boat out to about a forty-five degree angle and then shift into forward.  The transom pivots with the “prop walk” to the right - - aiming the bow right down the slip row.  Yea!!!!  A perfect backing out and motoring away.