I'm simultaneously contented and tickled by these glimpses. It has a lot to do with your personality, exceptional technical skills, and unique delivery. I do hope that if you ever decide to move on from canal life that you take us along in some capacity. Cheers and thanks again.
I am particularity appreciative for this fit up. The hybrid system is very well thought out and exhibits experience with emphasis of technology, efficiency and cost without over sophistication. It balances everything quite nicely. Hats off to the owners and their craftsman. Also, much thanks for the links in the description.
Myself and my partner just purchased our first narrowboat, your videos were a major assistance in the acquisition! We watch your videos with a regimented regime these days. You'd be welcome to have a nosey and do a video any time you like!
Presently we are doing some minor upkeep/ repair work over in willow bridge marina (just on the south side of Milton Keynes). Will send over an email this evening!
this is the best youtube discovery i`ve made in yrs,,,,takes me away from the troubles we have here in the states ,peace of mind is at premium these days.thank you!!!
Wonderful video and absolutely beautiful boat with class upgrades everywhere. I am fascinated by the concept, albeit the trolls will complain about the lack of tradition, no wooden bottom and no horses.
Thanks for posting these vlogs, this is something totally foreign to us here in America, especially Texas. I'm really enjoying a view into this way of life and all the interesting things that go along with it, since it's something that I'll probably never get to experience. I really enjoyed this video and seeing other types of canal boats that are out there. Keep up the good work and stay safe 👍🏻
What a fabulous boat. Having the choice of electric or diesel is such a bonus. Thanks for the excellent tour and explanation of the systems. Happy Cruising
I recently found your videos of "CruisingTheCut," quite by accident and enjoy watching them. My favorite rock band is, "Pink Floyd." In one of their songs titled, High Hopes. They mention meeting by the "Cut." I live in Owatonna, Minnesota USA. I had no idea what the Cut meant. So, I looked it up. I grew up on the southern shore of Lake Michigan and served 10 years in the US Navy, but never heard of a narrowboat.
I like stories like this, I often wonder how things are in the US, so vast and seemingly endless places to explore. I owned a narrowboat for a short while in England and it is a wonderful way of life, spent many a evening listening to Pink Floyd!
:) I was hopping there was at least one HyBird Narrow Boats on the UK's canals..... Vary nice unit, happy to hear the owners are delighted to own n enjoy it in their retirement years. Thanks for finding and showing it to us........... :)
Great video again! Love the technology on this boat. Interesting that the owner said they just had to buy it when they first stepped onboard, echoed what you said in an earlier video about buying a boat and the fact that you know when it's the one because it feels right! What a great canal boat.
The most important issue was not addressed. On a full charge what is the actual range on electric power? So-called green hybrid motor cruisers have very limited range and are only useful for quietly leaving an anchorage or short-term slow trawling for fish. The energy expended in the complexity of the installation and its upkeep is seldom recouped in real life.
This is a cool project. Hybrid seems like the way to go for boats, for now. I’m interested in more information on how their diesel stove and radiator system works?
Thanks for this review, we have a serial hybrid NB on order, the technology is fantastic (we'll have lithium batteries, 9KVA generator and 10KVA inverter). No gas, mains power throughout. Solar doesn't appear to be worthwhile for the cost as the generator would do as much as the panels could in a day in about 15 minutes! It's a long wait for our build slot though, the tech might improve even more by the time ours goes into build!
@@CruisingTheCut Thank you for this link, it's very interesting! As our boat won't be in build for at least 18 months it will be interesting to see how the battery tech moves on in that time. We've chosen Finesse to build ours but Ortomarine were also recommended to us, nice boats.
That's all well and good until it breaks. You didn't mention anything about solar panels? the only way to charge the batteries is with the engine? Say 50% charge how long does he have to run the engine to fully charge the battery's? Just for kicks how much was that system?
I am not a narrow boater. But I do know a thing or two about electrick powertrains. I would likely choose lifepo batterypacks, skip the direct drive between propeller and diesel engine. Get a two cylinder diesel handset if, say about 15kw. The batteries would allow for more capacity at lower wight and volume, the genset could be made smaller and less noisy, to top it all you could get a significant mileage if plugged in to shore power every now and then. All in all you should be able to cover most distances purely on electric drive.
Sail Life get back to sanding.... you don't have time watching other people's video's! Ha! Sorry Mads I know you really deserve a break now and then....... Alfy's gotta band !
I would like the electric power for the quietness of my boat, if I had one. Let the other guy enjoy whatever engine he has. I read many of the comments below. I hope it gains some popularity so that it becomes more than a custom engineering idea for powering the narrowboat.
I currently have a 30 foot, Elco, electric launch. Powered by a 5 horsepower, 48 VDC motor, the silence is wonderful. Will run about 55-60 nautical miles per charge.
A very nice boat. I've never heard of a diesel stove before. I like almost all that they have done, minus the walk through bathroom. But other than that, a very clean and well put together boat.
ANY internal cumbustion engine has an optimum speed for greatest efficiency. If run at this specific speed only when batteries need charging and relying on electic propulsion for varying speeds and loads, then it becomes more efficient (especially since you can use a smaller engine).
That is a very cool boat with technical stuff i love. Good thing I wasn't on board. I would have been drooling so bad the batteries would have shorted.
I love Silent Running, both the movie and the propulsion system. I drive a 2017 Chevy Volt which I've had since they rolled out in 2016, so I really appreciate silent. Mostly I drive on electrons, but still have the gas back up plan if my travels extend beyond the 53 advertised EV miles. Since, I live in Texas, that does happen. Has anyone used an EV traction battery and it's associated charging system for narrowboat propulsion? Did it work?
I'm currently having a sailaway built that will include this system from Hybrid Marine. I will be going for a fairly large solar array. Since I plan to continuously cruise with stops of 7-10 days between moving and I won't generally be in a hurry, my theoretical maths says that in the summer that should be long enough to top the battery up sufficiently for a few hours cruising on 'moving day'. With a bit of luck in 6-8 months I should know roughly how right I am!
I think you're probably right, given a large enough array and a policy of stopping to "top up" for several days at a time. I'll be interested to hear how it goes.
Great professional video David as always - many thanks - BUT while the idea is good the initial cost is a lot and we dread to think how much replacement batteries would be !!!!! Thanks again and hope it is not too cold for you at the moment.
Great coverage, just stumbled upon this video and it's exactly what I'm looking for (thinking of moving to the UK and buying a narrow boat), Hybrid must be the way forward. I'm also looking for a better/greener way to deal with the pump outs (Macerator), want a more environmentally friendly grey water treatment system as well! Cheers!
The roof unfortunately has all those little skylights dotted all over it which would be obscured by solar; seems the original owner didn't take that into account.
As I was watching the video, I was thinking you should do videos for people trying to sell their boats. You have the right style for it. Plus a little extra cash! I've looked into hybrid power. Most people have the top deck covered in solar panels to reduce the amount of engine time. Lithium batteries are more expensive, but take up half the room so you could retrofit a standard boat. (Though, they do need the right smart charging system or you find out just how well lithium burns!) Lithium also doesn't have a lot of the limitations of lead batteries and don't suffer from memory issues.
Perhaps make a sample video using your boat or find someone in your marina selling their boat and make one to figure out how long it will take and then figure out the price (bonus - you can use it for another episode of "Poking Around Other People's Boats - another two birds, one stone) . If someone's selling a boat for ₤30,000 what's another ₤500 or so? Perhaps the local brokers will be interested as well.
I've done enough of this to know how long it would take and the price. I'm open to requests from people, they just need to get in touch. Sample videos are on my website under Video Production.
@@TheBrewersDroop I'm sure in the coming years second hand lithium batteries will become quite affordable, when they reach end of life in mass produced performance road cars, they can go onto a second life as off-grid power sources and probably good enough for a steady trundle in a narrow boat, too.
I like the idea of this hybrid system, but I think I would have gone with a direct electric drive, and a separate diesel generator. If the generator was properly sized it could still power the boat, but would drastically reduce the complexity of a setup like this.
Yes, the hybrids I've seen have all used this system because narrowboaters seem to be a cautious bunch who still want the reassurance of a diesel drive in case of problems but if I were able to spec my own new boat, I'd have the system you describe.
@@CruisingTheCut Even with a relatively small 4 or 5 KW Diesel generator, it would still provide enough power to move the boat under normal conditions, and when in a Marina one could just bypass the generator and plug directly into the mains. (I have experience with this as I have a 120V electric Pickup truck and simplicity works well.)
@@CruisingTheCut ...and you could put the generator up front where you'll barely hear it while cruising. Put the batteries in the keel to act as ballast, and the electric motor at the back. Used electric car batteries will be much cheaper in the next decade or so as EVs batteries start to be retired in large numbers. They'll still have plenty of life left in them for applications where weight is less of an issue (such as boats).
@@DEADB33F That's just it, weight is of no issue on a narrow boat within reason, you would just need less ballast. I imagine for now that lead acid batteries would be a fair bit cheaper, but if other battery technologies become more cost effective over time, you could change tack then.
I like some of the ideas for living in the boat, and the stern galley. But still steering from an unprotected area seems a bit odd. With my clumsiness, I'd probably step off the boat. I've wanted to build a tunnel drive river boat for cruising up our inter-coastal waterways and rivers. I prefer a mid-ship pilot house, but perhaps that's not practical there, maybe because of the low tunnels. I enjoy your radio voice. Oops, also wanted to say that a boat built from the start as an electric boat would probably use a small generator, only running from the batteries, and recharging occasionally. One wouldn't need a noisy diesel for that. Use propane for the stove, etc.
British canal boats are designed for our canals, which are narrow and have frequent locks where you need to step on and off. You don't get waves or other things that would knock you off a more sea-worthy boat. You can steer from inside or outside of the enclosed area, or (with a 'semi-trad' stern like this) you can just use it to contain small children.
Actually I'd argue that the steering area is too protected for a canal boat! The seating area couldn't be used while steering in case the tiller suddenly swung across, and it could actually mean a tumble into the canal may be head first. Zero obstructions (i.e. no railing or seating) would mean in the event of a visit to the water it's unlikely to be upside down and head first.
Probably could add solar to the top like yours to help trickle charge the batteries. Or maybe get a portable wind turbine that can be easly put up and down to help charge when there is some wind out. Awesome video and boat. Thanks.
I'm guessing those are just standard high-amperage car or truck alternators. They certainly look like it. They usually operate at 50 to 60 percent efficiency which doesn't mean much to a car but could mean double the fuel cost if the diesel engine is running mostly to charge the batteries. Its just idle thought but I wonder how practical it would be to fit a dedicated, purpose-built generator unit to the diesel engine instead of those alternators. (some investigation later) They do exist. They're called "generator heads" and come in pretty much any power and voltage you'd like, running at efficiencies of 80 to 90 percent.
Borg Warner makes high power brushless alternators up to over 6kW capacity that can be 80+% efficient. Standard brush type alternators tend to get hot and have reliability problems if run at full power constantly. I'm surprised they don't cover the top deck with solar panels.
No, as explained they are traction batteries. Usually 2V cells, vary from 400-1200Ah. Lead acid are also very efficient in charge and discharge efficiency if you operate them correctly.
Alan has always intended to add solar but here in the UK it won't really add a huge amount in terms of moving along. In peak summertime, if you put a *lot* of panels on the roof, you'd have maybe 1 - 1.5kW capacity but even then you'd only generate that if the panels pointed directly at the sun, shining brightly, and they'd have to do that all day (moving as appropriate) to generate enough Wh to make a useful dent in the motor capacity of the battery bank. In winter, they'd be useless and in Spring / Autumn they'd generate very little given the few hours of sunshine we have. They would, however, be useful for charging the batteries sufficiently to run electrical applicances aboard, again except in winter.
Now your talking my language. I worked for a company that built large off road machines. They were powered by large engines and generators. Able to put out 1000 amps at 630 volts. That was just the DC ones. They also had an AC generator that worked on 500 volts. As an electrician, it was my job to build the control systems for these machines. In a pinch, one could fiddle with the controls and weld with the DC system. The AC was used to power rack and pinion systems that controlled the functions of the machines and other components. These machines could light up a city block of homes. Are push a large boat at top speed.
I want one couple to just comment how well they sleep on a bed that is only four feet across! My husband and I slept in beds like that when we stayed with his family and friends in Mexico, and it was miserable. We have a king size bed here and he spent the entire trip practically pushing me out of the bed every night. (He was asleep, but he is a sprawler). I am surprised that more beds on these boats don’t have the slats that allow the bed to expand at night. A definitely necessity.
I really like the concept, but it seems to be only halfway to a proper diesel-electric narrowboat propulsion setup. If I lived in the UK, wanted a narrowboat and had the money (I don't, I do, I don't have), my dream setup would be to have a maximum all-locks size (17.5x2.1 m) narrowboat with a high-efficiency diesel generator at the front of the boat, hidden behind thick sound proofing panels and mounted on rubber floats. Running, it would be almost inaudible from the rear of the boat. The generator would be sized to handle a continuous power delivery to give the boat its top speed against a river current and use a more efficient alternator than the small ones attached to regular diesel engines. In the middle of the hull, below the floor, would be a huge battery bank. Sized to be able to run at normal canal speeds for ten hours on a full charge, and still have juice left for two days of "hotel loads" moored without shore power. Then attach high-efficiency solar panels to the entire roof and all sides, except for where you need windows/portholes, vents and other minor "obstructions". Something like 40 square meters of solar panels should be possible to fit, and 2/3 would be illuminated at any given moment. At 200 W/m^2, that's 8 kW nominal power, or perhaps 5 kW actual on a sunny day. Then finally an electric motor on a steerable pod drive at the rear, sized to handle a continuous power output to give the boat it's maximum intended speed against a typical river current for several hours. On a sunny day, the solar would keep the engine running without even drawing from the batteries. In this video, we see about 2 kW used at one point. With 5 kW from the panels, you could double that and still have some left over for electronics, lights and other things.
I think that a small dedicated diesel engine (together with solar) just used to charge the batteries and not anything else would be the next step. The prop would be totally powered by an electric motor.
d ss There are a few boats that operate like that. The advantage of a small, separate generator is that it can be sited anywhere. The disadvantage apparently is that because they run at a constant speed, users are often accused of speeding past moored boats when in charging mode because the tone of the engine doesn't change.
Two comments; It's like a bloody U-boat (picking up some UK slang) LOL and secondly this boat screams for a solar cell installation project to become even less reliant on it's diesel engine.
Love this idea, hybrid..... so many options as far as alternate fuel. Like hydrogen....and various other ways to charge, curious why they did not have a good many solar panels on board, in fact, I did not see any on the top. Cheers
I think the current owners, having only had it for a year, haven't got round to it yet but also the amount of solar you could get up there would be a drop in the ocean compared to the amount needed to power the boat, all things considered. There were lots of those little roof light wells installed which would also be obscured by solar panels so it seems the original owner didn't really design it with that in mind, sadly.
The marina they were moored at seemed to have a lot of electric outlets so I hope they can charge up with that? Do mooring places not usually have electric outlets? Camping sites for caravans usually have outlets.
another really good video and what an amazing boat I work in the car industry and take it from me anything that says hybrid cost you a lot of money you'll never save any money in the long run solar panels on the narrowboat is the best way to go the concept is fantastic for example 4 hybrid batteries on a car £6,000 to replace the electric motor £3,000 another example if you have a hybrid and trying trade it back in at the main dealer they won't let you trade one back in even if you bought it from them one day it'll be nice if it all comes cheap enough
Older hybrid cars are having their lithium batteries recycled. The batteries are still pretty good but they don't generate the high current needed to accelerate a car. But they should still put out enough power to run a narrow boat. Many companies are using the recycled batteries for household solar. Much less expensive than new.
Older batteries are puzzling. You find a weak cell and you replace it and you're almost back to original...almost. But the cycle has begun as more and more individual cells will begin to die. Pay me now or pay me later? It might be worth it just buy an entirely new battery than pay over and over again someone to swap out the dying cell.
@@leefury7 Even that you cannot replace the bad cell to a new one, you have to match it with the existing ones, if you don't do that, you risk destroying all the old ones completely. Thats why the pack needs to be refitted again, measuring all cells so that they match within few milliamps.
Jan Sergejeff should be ok if you can balance the cells with a bms prior to installation. If you buy a spare module or have similar used replacements handy you could swap the module and repair the faulty one ready for the next time one of the cells drops charged and needs swapping. But it would still be annoying without propulsion while you do the hokey kokey.
Just watching this again. Lovely. Reminds me a little of the electric water buses on the Koenigsee in SE Germany. Well worth a visit and excursion if you take your van down there.
A Few Ideas Here , Cover the roof in PV Cells to help with Charging, Use a petrol engine converted to LPG as a motor to drive the boat & / OR charge the batteries. LPG is half the price of diesel, & Much cleaner as it burns. Have a small LPG engine that does not drive the boat, But solely charges the batteries . Most of the power on this boat will be used on household appliances. ( unless you cruise every day ) I would Split between all types of Fuel / Power / Heat. to use what is Best Available that Day. Log burner = heat & cooking, Electric to Cruise, Solar to top up the Batt's. The future of FUEL is Multiple options & choices to suit each Situation. For cars / homes / Boats / everyone everywhere. No single Fuel will be reliable at source, / or constant cost at source. Solar , Wind & Hydro are the Future. With Fossil fuels as a back up / emergency fuel due to cost / availability / Pollution tax etc. Always have a Log burner, even if you don't use it often. it will heat & cook for free. / use freely available fuel . Always have more than 2 options to charge your batteries. We are heading towards another Major fuel Crisis in the next 3 to 10 yrs. & Beyond.
LPG might be somewhat more difficult to source along the inland waterways. While LPG burns much cleaner, it can cause significant environmental damage at the supply sources with some extraction methods. LPG burning petrol engine reliability and longevity could be significantly less than diesel. Diesel with electric dual drive allows charging the batteries from any source to avoid using diesel fuel. Biodiesel from various sources could also be used that is a little bit cleaner burning and could be sourced locally to reduce pollution from the long distance transport of fuel. Biodiesel is less vulnerable to fuel crises than LPG. With a combination of solar, wind, and shore power charging the diesel use can be minimized. I am not saying that this set up is ideal, but it is a reasonable choice among available options.
I'm simultaneously contented and tickled by these glimpses. It has a lot to do with your personality, exceptional technical skills, and unique delivery. I do hope that if you ever decide to move on from canal life that you take us along in some capacity. Cheers and thanks again.
That's a lovely compliment, thank you.
Serene and stealthy. Like that setup.
The future of all engines; well done.
I am particularity appreciative for this fit up. The hybrid system is very well thought out and exhibits experience with emphasis of technology, efficiency and cost without over sophistication. It balances everything quite nicely. Hats off to the owners and their craftsman. Also, much thanks for the links in the description.
I helped deliver an electric narrow boat years ago. Bliss...sneaking up on the kingfishers!
Myself and my partner just purchased our first narrowboat, your videos were a major assistance in the acquisition! We watch your videos with a regimented regime these days.
You'd be welcome to have a nosey and do a video any time you like!
Excellent! Drop me an email? My address is on the About page on my RUclips channel. Whereabouts are you?
Presently we are doing some minor upkeep/ repair work over in willow bridge marina (just on the south side of Milton Keynes). Will send over an email this evening!
Great video to wake up to. Nice job David
Cheers
Nice boat, and the perfect application for electric propulsion.
Indeed. Now if only we had little nuclear "Mr Fusion" reactors like on Back To The Future... ;-)
this is the best youtube discovery i`ve made in yrs,,,,takes me away from the troubles we have here in the states ,peace of mind is at premium these days.thank you!!!
Lovely boat, thanks for the film David
:-)
Wonderful video and absolutely beautiful boat with class upgrades everywhere. I am fascinated by the concept, albeit the trolls will complain about the lack of tradition, no wooden bottom and no horses.
ncplantdoctor I doubt many trolls are watching narrowboat videos, but shushh don't wake them.
That was amazing. So quiet. Good to see other boats too.
Thanks
Sandy
More sneeky peeks round other boats will come next year!
Thanks for posting these vlogs, this is something totally foreign to us here in America, especially Texas. I'm really enjoying a view into this way of life and all the interesting things that go along with it, since it's something that I'll probably never get to experience. I really enjoyed this video and seeing other types of canal boats that are out there. Keep up the good work and stay safe 👍🏻
Thank you. Glad you like the videos.
What a fabulous boat.
Having the choice of electric or diesel is such a bonus.
Thanks for the excellent tour and explanation of the systems.
Happy Cruising
You'll see even more of it when you get to the very recent vlogs too.
I recently found your videos of "CruisingTheCut," quite by accident and enjoy watching them. My favorite rock band is, "Pink Floyd." In one of their songs titled, High Hopes. They mention meeting by the "Cut." I live in Owatonna, Minnesota USA. I had no idea what the Cut meant. So, I looked it up. I grew up on the southern shore of Lake Michigan and served 10 years in the US Navy, but never heard of a narrowboat.
I like stories like this, I often wonder how things are in the US, so vast and seemingly endless places to explore. I owned a narrowboat for a short while in England and it is a wonderful way of life, spent many a evening listening to Pink Floyd!
I love Pink Floyd and have watched a ton of these videos and I never put that together until your comment. (edit for typo)
That is an exceptional system. Thanks for the very informative vlog
I can't get over how quiet that thing is on electric power. That's serene.
:)
I was hopping there was at least one HyBird Narrow Boats on the UK's canals.....
Vary nice unit, happy to hear the owners are delighted to own n enjoy it in their
retirement years. Thanks for finding and showing it to us...........
:)
There are a few but they're quite rare due to the initial cost I think.
Yes, it costs lotsO $.$$ to save a little $.$$ sadly. But the quiet is well worth it in my opinion.......
really informative about the running of an electric engine
Great video again! Love the technology on this boat. Interesting that the owner said they just had to buy it when they first stepped onboard, echoed what you said in an earlier video about buying a boat and the fact that you know when it's the one because it feels right! What a great canal boat.
Cheers!
This is a great video, so thanks for showing us one and all.
The most important issue was not addressed. On a full charge what is the actual range on electric power? So-called green hybrid motor cruisers have very limited range and are only useful for quietly leaving an anchorage or short-term slow trawling for fish. The energy expended in the complexity of the installation and its upkeep is seldom recouped in real life.
I agree with Dan, the chug, chug and smoke from the wood burner is the best part.
I'm pleased to confirm you can still have a wood burner on a hybrid boat ;-)
I see that there has been a bit of discussion on narrowboatworld recently on the potential (and maybe actual) perils of wood burning stoves
A glimpse into the future.....excellent video 👍
If I won the lottery ( like my neighbour) I would commission a hybrid diesel/electric engine in a heartbeat with a Tyler Wilson hull........ 😊
Thanks so much for video.Just completed changing all the seals.😊
This is a cool project. Hybrid seems like the way to go for boats, for now.
I’m interested in more information on how their diesel stove and radiator system works?
I love this! The dogs must really love the quiet too
Apparently they love walking the towpath; they need three, hour-long walks a day, minimum!
Thanks for this review, we have a serial hybrid NB on order, the technology is fantastic (we'll have lithium batteries, 9KVA generator and 10KVA inverter). No gas, mains power throughout. Solar doesn't appear to be worthwhile for the cost as the generator would do as much as the panels could in a day in about 15 minutes! It's a long wait for our build slot though, the tech might improve even more by the time ours goes into build!
Sounds impressive, what an exciting time for you! You may also enjoy my other, more recent video, here ruclips.net/video/A5jsb72nCRE/видео.html
@@CruisingTheCut Thank you for this link, it's very interesting! As our boat won't be in build for at least 18 months it will be interesting to see how the battery tech moves on in that time. We've chosen Finesse to build ours but Ortomarine were also recommended to us, nice boats.
Very nice boat, interesting technology, well explained!
Cheers
Another wonderful video, thank you :)
Loved the layout of that boat, and the Hybrid propulsion. Very nice! Thank you for sharing
Glad you enjoyed it
Not related to their method of propulsion, but I really like their layout, and the fact that the pump out tank is not located under the bed!
I said it was "at the back near the engine" - do you like it less if I reveal its in a corner of the kitchen? ;-)
Ha well...that is a different kettle of fish...Walks into the kitchen at dinner time "mmm.. what's cooking?"
What a lovely boat
That's all well and good until it breaks. You didn't mention anything about solar panels? the only way to charge the batteries is with the engine? Say 50% charge how long does he have to run the engine to fully charge the battery's? Just for kicks how much was that system?
That stove is gorgeous. What a VERY nice boat!
I am not a narrow boater. But I do know a thing or two about electrick powertrains. I would likely choose lifepo batterypacks, skip the direct drive between propeller and diesel engine. Get a two cylinder diesel handset if, say about 15kw. The batteries would allow for more capacity at lower wight and volume, the genset could be made smaller and less noisy, to top it all you could get a significant mileage if plugged in to shore power every now and then. All in all you should be able to cover most distances purely on electric drive.
Yet another stellar video! Thoroughly enjoyed it as always :)
Haha, cheers Mads!
Sail Life get back to sanding.... you don't have time watching other people's video's! Ha! Sorry Mads I know you really deserve a break now and then....... Alfy's gotta band !
I would like the electric power for the quietness of my boat, if I had one. Let the other guy enjoy whatever engine he has. I read many of the comments below. I hope it gains some popularity so that it becomes more than a custom engineering idea for powering the narrowboat.
The sliding window covers are incredible. Those little windows are beautiful on cool days, but on a hot day are terrible.
I'd say that a jet engine powered boat would be unusual, a hybrid, these days, should be the defacto standard.
Diesel electric but it's a gas turbine instead of diesel engine
they are in the netherlands. some places you only can rent a electric boat. diesel and petrol boats are only alowed if you bring your own
Amazingly peaceful drive system, 😁👍
It will be nice to see more electric boats :D
What a well thought out boat.
I believe motoring with out the diesel noise is well worth the up charge.
Great video, what a fab narrowboat.
:-)
I currently have a 30 foot, Elco, electric launch. Powered by a 5 horsepower, 48 VDC motor, the silence is wonderful. Will run about 55-60 nautical miles per charge.
That was a great idea and video! Thanks.
:-)
An interesting boat.
Like the idea of silent cruising.
A very nice boat. I've never heard of a diesel stove before. I like almost all that they have done, minus the walk through bathroom. But other than that, a very clean and well put together boat.
SpiritBear12
The walk through loo isn't a problem two doors at each end of the loo for total privacy.
Diesel stoves very common on boats that are at sea for extended periods...fishing vessels eg
ANY internal cumbustion engine has an optimum speed for greatest efficiency. If run at this specific speed only when batteries need charging and relying on electic propulsion for varying speeds and loads, then it becomes more efficient (especially since you can use a smaller engine).
That is a very cool boat with technical stuff i love. Good thing I wasn't on board. I would have been drooling so bad the batteries would have shorted.
What a lovely image! ;-)
I love Silent Running, both the movie and the propulsion system. I drive a 2017 Chevy Volt which I've had since they rolled out in 2016, so I really appreciate silent. Mostly I drive on electrons, but still have the gas back up plan if my travels extend beyond the 53 advertised EV miles. Since, I live in Texas, that does happen. Has anyone used an EV traction battery and it's associated charging system for narrowboat propulsion? Did it work?
Not that I know of but various people have suggested it in the comments!
good video !!
Thanks Russ; for some reason, I thought you'd enjoy this one.
I'm currently having a sailaway built that will include this system from Hybrid Marine. I will be going for a fairly large solar array. Since I plan to continuously cruise with stops of 7-10 days between moving and I won't generally be in a hurry, my theoretical maths says that in the summer that should be long enough to top the battery up sufficiently for a few hours cruising on 'moving day'.
With a bit of luck in 6-8 months I should know roughly how right I am!
I think you're probably right, given a large enough array and a policy of stopping to "top up" for several days at a time. I'll be interested to hear how it goes.
Praise for the engineering and the owners’ of the boat.
More of this please! I'd love to see silent canal boats!
See vlog 168 and 169!
@@CruisingTheCut Superb! Off to watch them now! I love how my worlds are starting to cross over between canals, Twitter and EV's! :)
Great professional video David as always - many thanks - BUT while the idea is good the initial cost is a lot and we dread to think how much replacement batteries would be !!!!! Thanks again and hope it is not too cold for you at the moment.
The stove is nice and warm! Yes, battery cost would be a few thousands of pounds :-(
Prepare to engage the caterpillar drive!
That's on a submarine, been watching to many old films. Red oktober I believe.
What an excellent show on this Hybrid Alternative! Thank you so much! Regards Bill from Queensland Australia.
Thanks Bill
Great coverage, just stumbled upon this video and it's exactly what I'm looking for (thinking of moving to the UK and buying a narrow boat), Hybrid must be the way forward. I'm also looking for a better/greener way to deal with the pump outs (Macerator), want a more environmentally friendly grey water treatment system as well! Cheers!
See also vlogs 168, 169 and 212 then, could be of interest.
@@CruisingTheCut Will do thank you!
very interesting drive system and just as nice is that the boat itself looks marvelous inside and out. Thanks!
Seems like the arrangement used in submarines, and with all that roof area, potential saving in diesel fuel if solar panels continue to drop in price.
The roof unfortunately has all those little skylights dotted all over it which would be obscured by solar; seems the original owner didn't take that into account.
Wow beautiful inside.
Needs a solar roof to cut back on the diesel.
They were already at budget limits but they could probably add in solar panels later when funds allow.
As I was watching the video, I was thinking you should do videos for people trying to sell their boats. You have the right style for it. Plus a little extra cash!
I've looked into hybrid power. Most people have the top deck covered in solar panels to reduce the amount of engine time. Lithium batteries are more expensive, but take up half the room so you could retrofit a standard boat. (Though, they do need the right smart charging system or you find out just how well lithium burns!) Lithium also doesn't have a lot of the limitations of lead batteries and don't suffer from memory issues.
I'd happily do those videos, if people want to pay... yes Lithium is good in theory but brings its own set of complications not least the charging.
Perhaps make a sample video using your boat or find someone in your marina selling their boat and make one to figure out how long it will take and then figure out the price (bonus - you can use it for another episode of "Poking Around Other People's Boats - another two birds, one stone) . If someone's selling a boat for ₤30,000 what's another ₤500 or so? Perhaps the local brokers will be interested as well.
I've done enough of this to know how long it would take and the price. I'm open to requests from people, they just need to get in touch. Sample videos are on my website under Video Production.
If you have a good amount of solar and a wind gen, plus lithium batteries. that's the way to go with a hybrid engine.
Weight not being an issue, lithium batteries are an unnecessary expense.
@@TheBrewersDroop I'm sure in the coming years second hand lithium batteries will become quite affordable, when they reach end of life in mass produced performance road cars, they can go onto a second life as off-grid power sources and probably good enough for a steady trundle in a narrow boat, too.
Great vid as ever CTC. Lovely boat and nice idea but I'd miss the chugging along. The chug is all part of it and much loved.
You could tape record a chug and have it play back on loop! ;-)
I like the idea of this hybrid system, but I think I would have gone with a direct electric drive, and a separate diesel generator. If the generator was properly sized it could still power the boat, but would drastically reduce the complexity of a setup like this.
Yes, the hybrids I've seen have all used this system because narrowboaters seem to be a cautious bunch who still want the reassurance of a diesel drive in case of problems but if I were able to spec my own new boat, I'd have the system you describe.
@@CruisingTheCut Even with a relatively small 4 or 5 KW Diesel generator, it would still provide enough power to move the boat under normal conditions, and when in a Marina one could just bypass the generator and plug directly into the mains. (I have experience with this as I have a 120V electric Pickup truck and simplicity works well.)
Diesel electric is hella reliable tho
@@CruisingTheCut ...and you could put the generator up front where you'll barely hear it while cruising. Put the batteries in the keel to act as ballast, and the electric motor at the back.
Used electric car batteries will be much cheaper in the next decade or so as EVs batteries start to be retired in large numbers. They'll still have plenty of life left in them for applications where weight is less of an issue (such as boats).
@@DEADB33F That's just it, weight is of no issue on a narrow boat within reason, you would just need less ballast. I imagine for now that lead acid batteries would be a fair bit cheaper, but if other battery technologies become more cost effective over time, you could change tack then.
Very nice boat. Different than any I've seen.
Wow it has a crapometer
Great Video as always. Have a good weekend.
Cheers
I like some of the ideas for living in the boat, and the stern galley. But still steering from an unprotected area seems a bit odd. With my clumsiness, I'd probably step off the boat. I've wanted to build a tunnel drive river boat for cruising up our inter-coastal waterways and rivers. I prefer a mid-ship pilot house, but perhaps that's not practical there, maybe because of the low tunnels. I enjoy your radio voice. Oops, also wanted to say that a boat built from the start as an electric boat would probably use a small generator, only running from the batteries, and recharging occasionally. One wouldn't need a noisy diesel for that. Use propane for the stove, etc.
British canal boats are designed for our canals, which are narrow and have frequent locks where you need to step on and off. You don't get waves or other things that would knock you off a more sea-worthy boat. You can steer from inside or outside of the enclosed area, or (with a 'semi-trad' stern like this) you can just use it to contain small children.
Actually I'd argue that the steering area is too protected for a canal boat! The seating area couldn't be used while steering in case the tiller suddenly swung across, and it could actually mean a tumble into the canal may be head first. Zero obstructions (i.e. no railing or seating) would mean in the event of a visit to the water it's unlikely to be upside down and head first.
Also loved the video & information about your adventures.
Sort of like diesel/electric submarines. Very cool.
Probably could add solar to the top like yours to help trickle charge the batteries. Or maybe get a portable wind turbine that can be easly put up and down to help charge when there is some wind out. Awesome video and boat. Thanks.
I'm guessing those are just standard high-amperage car or truck alternators. They certainly look like it. They usually operate at 50 to 60 percent efficiency which doesn't mean much to a car but could mean double the fuel cost if the diesel engine is running mostly to charge the batteries. Its just idle thought but I wonder how practical it would be to fit a dedicated, purpose-built generator unit to the diesel engine instead of those alternators.
(some investigation later)
They do exist. They're called "generator heads" and come in pretty much any power and voltage you'd like, running at efficiencies of 80 to 90 percent.
Borg Warner makes high power brushless alternators up to over 6kW capacity that can be 80+% efficient. Standard brush type alternators tend to get hot and have reliability problems if run at full power constantly. I'm surprised they don't cover the top deck with solar panels.
They are high efficiency TRACTION BATTERIES (fork-lift-truck style)
No, as explained they are traction batteries. Usually 2V cells, vary from 400-1200Ah. Lead acid are also very efficient in charge and discharge efficiency if you operate them correctly.
Fab vid as always. I haven't seen any other of your 'poking around other people's boats' episodes yet. Hope you do more!
Thank you. Take a look at Vlog 58 :-) You volunteering your boat? It's the only one I know of with a bidet...
Hope it’s not a stupid question but why not use some solar panels to help charge the batteries?
Alan has always intended to add solar but here in the UK it won't really add a huge amount in terms of moving along.
In peak summertime, if you put a *lot* of panels on the roof, you'd have maybe 1 - 1.5kW capacity but even then you'd only generate that if the panels pointed directly at the sun, shining brightly, and they'd have to do that all day (moving as appropriate) to generate enough Wh to make a useful dent in the motor capacity of the battery bank.
In winter, they'd be useless and in Spring / Autumn they'd generate very little given the few hours of sunshine we have.
They would, however, be useful for charging the batteries sufficiently to run electrical applicances aboard, again except in winter.
For daily use it is plain impossible. It takes weeks to charge one cycle in the summer. And then you use it in few hours.
Now your talking my language. I worked for a company that built large off road machines. They were powered by large engines and generators. Able to put out 1000 amps at 630 volts. That was just the DC ones. They also had an AC generator that worked on 500 volts. As an electrician, it was my job to build the control systems for these machines. In a pinch, one could fiddle with the controls and weld with the DC system. The AC was used to power rack and pinion systems that controlled the functions of the machines and other components. These machines could light up a city block of homes. Are push a large boat at top speed.
That's a lot of power!
CruisingTheCut
V-16 Caterpillar Diesel roughly 2700 horsepower the newest off road haulers can carry 400 tons.
I was so absorbed in this video the ending took me completely by surprise. I wanted more, Sir.
I want one couple to just comment how well they sleep on a bed that is only four feet across! My husband and I slept in beds like that when we stayed with his family and friends in Mexico, and it was miserable. We have a king size bed here and he spent the entire trip practically pushing me out of the bed every night. (He was asleep, but he is a sprawler). I am surprised that more beds on these boats don’t have the slats that allow the bed to expand at night. A definitely necessity.
Anyone see that huge man eating caterpillar on his collar? It was wearing boots! Great vid.Many thanks.
:-)
Very interesting. If we have hybrig cars, why not hybrid boats? Superb vlog - thanks David
betamarine.co.uk/portfolio-item/he-hybrid-propulsion/ there are many hybrid boat systems now.
I really like the concept, but it seems to be only halfway to a proper diesel-electric narrowboat propulsion setup. If I lived in the UK, wanted a narrowboat and had the money (I don't, I do, I don't have), my dream setup would be to have a maximum all-locks size (17.5x2.1 m) narrowboat with a high-efficiency diesel generator at the front of the boat, hidden behind thick sound proofing panels and mounted on rubber floats. Running, it would be almost inaudible from the rear of the boat. The generator would be sized to handle a continuous power delivery to give the boat its top speed against a river current and use a more efficient alternator than the small ones attached to regular diesel engines. In the middle of the hull, below the floor, would be a huge battery bank. Sized to be able to run at normal canal speeds for ten hours on a full charge, and still have juice left for two days of "hotel loads" moored without shore power. Then attach high-efficiency solar panels to the entire roof and all sides, except for where you need windows/portholes, vents and other minor "obstructions". Something like 40 square meters of solar panels should be possible to fit, and 2/3 would be illuminated at any given moment. At 200 W/m^2, that's 8 kW nominal power, or perhaps 5 kW actual on a sunny day. Then finally an electric motor on a steerable pod drive at the rear, sized to handle a continuous power output to give the boat it's maximum intended speed against a typical river current for several hours. On a sunny day, the solar would keep the engine running without even drawing from the batteries. In this video, we see about 2 kW used at one point. With 5 kW from the panels, you could double that and still have some left over for electronics, lights and other things.
See my later videos about electric hybrid narrowboats eg 168, 169, 244 and 312.
I think that a small dedicated diesel engine (together with solar) just used to charge the batteries and not anything else would be the next step. The prop would be totally powered by an electric motor.
d ss There are a few boats that operate like that. The advantage of a small, separate generator is that it can be sited anywhere. The disadvantage apparently is that because they run at a constant speed, users are often accused of speeding past moored boats when in charging mode because the tone of the engine doesn't change.
Interesting and adds dimension to the way forward of narrowboating. Good vid.
Cool video ! Cool boat ! 👍👍👍🇺🇸
Those roof prisms at 3:28 are appealing, I like them even though it means another hole in the roof to mind the sealing of.
Do it right, and you'll never have an issue. ;)
Two comments; It's like a bloody U-boat (picking up some UK slang) LOL and secondly this boat screams for a solar cell installation project to become even less reliant on it's diesel engine.
Love this idea, hybrid..... so many options as far as alternate fuel. Like hydrogen....and various other ways to charge, curious why they did not have a good many solar panels on board, in fact, I did not see any on the top. Cheers
I think the current owners, having only had it for a year, haven't got round to it yet but also the amount of solar you could get up there would be a drop in the ocean compared to the amount needed to power the boat, all things considered. There were lots of those little roof light wells installed which would also be obscured by solar panels so it seems the original owner didn't really design it with that in mind, sadly.
Oh yeah, I forgot about the prisms...right right. Cheers
The marina they were moored at seemed to have a lot of electric outlets so I hope they can charge up with that? Do mooring places not usually have electric outlets? Camping sites for caravans usually have outlets.
Yes, all marinas have electric hookups on the berths
another really good video and what an amazing boat I work in the car industry and take it from me anything that says hybrid cost you a lot of money you'll never save any money in the long run solar panels on the narrowboat is the best way to go the concept is fantastic for example 4 hybrid batteries on a car £6,000 to replace the electric motor £3,000 another example if you have a hybrid and trying trade it back in at the main dealer they won't let you trade one back in even if you bought it from them one day it'll be nice if it all comes cheap enough
Thanks. I agree we're in a bit of an odd transition are phase at the moment. Give it a few more years and hopefully it'll all be cheaper and easier.
I don't know what I'll possibly do with all this hodgepodge of narrowboat engine knowledge but I'll be damned if I'm not learning loads
I’m so green with envy my dream boat. Glad owner enjoys it so much 😊
Older hybrid cars are having their lithium batteries recycled. The batteries are still pretty good but they don't generate the high current needed to accelerate a car. But they should still put out enough power to run a narrow boat. Many companies are using the recycled batteries for household solar. Much less expensive than new.
Older batteries are puzzling. You find a weak cell and you replace it and you're almost back to original...almost. But the cycle has begun as more and more individual cells will begin to die. Pay me now or pay me later? It might be worth it just buy an entirely new battery than pay over and over again someone to swap out the dying cell.
@@leefury7 Even that you cannot replace the bad cell to a new one, you have to match it with the existing ones, if you don't do that, you risk destroying all the old ones completely. Thats why the pack needs to be refitted again, measuring all cells so that they match within few milliamps.
Jan Sergejeff should be ok if you can balance the cells with a bms prior to installation. If you buy a spare module or have similar used replacements handy you could swap the module and repair the faulty one ready for the next time one of the cells drops charged and needs swapping. But it would still be annoying without propulsion while you do the hokey kokey.
I really like the breakfas bar instead of a dinette it makes a lot more sense if you're not having guests over often
wonderful episode:)
Just watching this again. Lovely.
Reminds me a little of the electric water buses on the Koenigsee in SE Germany. Well worth a visit and excursion if you take your van down there.
How long will it run on a full charge? How long will the diesel be needed for to recharge from zero?
Absolutely beautiful and fascinating, even in 2020.
A Few Ideas Here ,
Cover the roof in PV Cells to help with Charging,
Use a petrol engine converted to LPG as a motor to drive the boat & / OR charge the batteries.
LPG is half the price of diesel, & Much cleaner as it burns.
Have a small LPG engine that does not drive the boat, But solely charges the batteries .
Most of the power on this boat will be used on household appliances. ( unless you cruise every day )
I would Split between all types of Fuel / Power / Heat. to use what is Best Available that Day.
Log burner = heat & cooking,
Electric to Cruise,
Solar to top up the Batt's.
The future of FUEL is Multiple options & choices to suit each Situation.
For cars / homes / Boats / everyone everywhere.
No single Fuel will be reliable at source, / or constant cost at source.
Solar , Wind & Hydro are the Future.
With Fossil fuels as a back up / emergency fuel due to cost / availability / Pollution tax etc.
Always have a Log burner, even if you don't use it often.
it will heat & cook for free. / use freely available fuel .
Always have more than 2 options to charge your batteries.
We are heading towards another Major fuel Crisis in the next 3 to 10 yrs. & Beyond.
LPG might be somewhat more difficult to source along the inland waterways. While LPG burns much cleaner, it can cause significant environmental damage at the supply sources with some extraction methods. LPG burning petrol engine reliability and longevity could be significantly less than diesel. Diesel with electric dual drive allows charging the batteries from any source to avoid using diesel fuel. Biodiesel from various sources could also be used that is a little bit cleaner burning and could be sourced locally to reduce pollution from the long distance transport of fuel. Biodiesel is less vulnerable to fuel crises than LPG. With a combination of solar, wind, and shore power charging the diesel use can be minimized. I am not saying that this set up is ideal, but it is a reasonable choice among available options.
Quite the enjoyable poke around. :)
A bit of a poke never goes amiss
Indeed.