Alternative Propulsion Thread

[fastcat435]

Originally Posted by Dedzaboy

Apologies for going slightly off topic here, but after my post #81 on this thread the other day, Fastcat435 made a post where he said that if the electric drive system did not work out as planned, it had been previously agreed with his customers that he would retro-fit conventional diesel engines in place of the electric systems, at Fastcat's expense. To which I replied on post #83, "I wish them luck".
Fastcat's post however has now disappeared completely, making my reply #83 look slightly redundant! So where did Fastcat435's post go?

Hallo Dedzaboy

I do not know why it disappeared but the statement was if the electric system does not work out as planned normal diesel sail drives will be installed as was agreed in the original contracts.
Provisions to do so have been build in from the beginning, I did not say retrofit since that is not needed, We will wait with the installations until Green eMotion is tested and only then if all is ok we will install the Green Motion system.
In mean while Team Heiner the pilot customer in the Netherlands has approved the system and will install it in next build boats. We have started building the next step up in the Green Motion system , a 18 to 24 KW version of this retractable motor/ generator pod suitable for yachts from 50 ft up a 8 KW version is now available and a 12.8 kw is available in 3 months
Greetings
Gideon

[Dedzaboy]

It's interesting that you say you don't know why that post disappeared, since a moderator had already informed me that the post had been removed by yourself, which apparently is possible within 30 minutes of posting.

I expect that you forgot that you'd done that.

[fastcat435]

I actually tried to correct a spelling mistake i made since my English is not to good but that did not work out !!!

[Steve_C]

Hello Gideon, you say the Green E-Motion system is now available. Is it installed in a Cat yet? i would really like to here some details about performance.

How soon will you have a new Fastcat available with this drive system?

I will be ready to purchase in the near future and would love to see how it is working out.

By the way, how did things work out with Barnacle and Butterfly? Are they squared away and happily sailing? I remember hearing you where really working to get things right for them. That's a big selling point for me.

Thanks.

[jkd]

Originally Posted by Steve_C

Hello Gideon, you say the Green E-Motion system is now available. Is it installed in a Cat yet? i would really like to here some details about performance.

How soon will you have a new Fastcat available with this drive system?

I will be ready to purchase in the near future and would love to see how it is working out.

By the way, how did things work out with Barnacle and Butterfly? Are they squared away and happily sailing? I remember hearing you where really working to get things right for them. That's a big selling point for me.

Thanks.

Steve,

Good luck in your search. Unlike the stock market where they are required to tell you that 'past performance is no indication of future results', when you are dealing with cutting edge technology, you can only go by past results to get a feel for what will happen in the future.
I would advise anyone jumping into this market to reasearch, reasearch, reasearch the history of those they are dealing with.

Again, good luck in your search.

John

[fastcat435]

Originally Posted by Steve_C

Hello Gideon, you say the Green E-Motion system is now available. Is it installed in a Cat yet? i would really like to here some details about performance.

How soon will you have a new Fastcat available with this drive system?

I will be ready to purchase in the near future and would love to see how it is working out.

By the way, how did things work out with Barnacle and Butterfly? Are they squared away and happily sailing? I remember hearing you where really working to get things right for them. That's a big selling point for me.

Thanks.

Hallo Steve

We will be testing the Green Motion system until the end of this year using different size props 2 bladed , 3 bladed and 4 bladed in diffeerent sizes and pitch angles to see what the ideal type will be both for generating and propulsion.
Only when the testing program is finished and the Green Motion system is optimized will we post the test results. It has no use to show the results now while we are still testing.
The legs swing from underneath the bridge deck 120 degrees down in to the water and because of the props being out of the water most of the time are we able to use large efficient props.
Gideon

[ColdFusion]

Originally Posted by fastcat435

Hallo Steve

We will be testing the Green Motion system until the end of this year using different size props 2 bladed , 3 bladed and 4 bladed in diffeerent sizes and pitch angles to see what the ideal type will be both for generating and propulsion.
Only when the testing program is finished and the Green Motion system is optimized will we post the test results. It has no use to show the results now while we are still testing.
The legs swing from underneath the bridge deck 120 degrees down in to the water and because of the props being out of the water most of the time are we able to use large efficient props.
Gideon

Gideon

'Steve C' also asked you about Barnacle and Butterfly but you have not responded. Could I also ask you for a response? The reason I ask is because I am currently at the research stage and I have read quite a lot about your company. To be honest I would be wary of dealing with you because you appear to have unhappy customers with outstanding issues. Your response would be useful.

[fastcat435]

Hallo Cold Fusion

All outstanding warranty issues are being taken care of.
That has always been the one and only solution
They are by the way the only unhappy customers we have.
If you read the blogs of other customers you will see a complete different view on how we handle service.

Gideon

[ColdFusion]

Originally Posted by fastcat435

Hallo Cold Fusion

All outstanding warranty issues are being taken care of.
That has always been the one and only solution
They are by the way the only unhappy customers we have.
If you read the blogs of other customers you will see a complete different view on how we handle service.

Gideon

Thank you for your response. However, what I have recently read is not in line with your statement that "all outstanding warranty issues are being taken care of" but I will continue to follow progress and hope that things are resolved. On a personal note, I think one unhappy customer is one too many, especially in a close-knit community of cruisers where word soon gets round.

With regard to "the blogs of other customers" would it be possible for you to provide any links?

[avril25]

I think that electric powered boats will come to the masses some day, but for my money and there is not a lot of it, the 9 horse honda outboard is it for me. I recently had to motor home from Cutty Hunk Island a 12 mile trip to New Bedford. against a 25 - 30 knot winds and a two knot current. 4 - 6 ft seas. Motored and sailed, but as the day wore on, ended up motoring most of the way. Total time to get home 11 hours. I used probably 3 gallons maybe four. I really don't see an electric system beating that. cost wise. Imagin the amount of electric power you would need.

[Steve_C]

Hi Gideon,

How many other FastCats are out there? I would also like to see the blogs as I really enjoy reading about peoples experiences. I originally read the Barnacle & Butterfly blog because of a link you provided. Do they have any major issues???

Are you testing the new drive on a cat yet? or just the Mono-hull? Is it living up to your expectations so far?

Thanks,

[George Wade]

Originally Posted by jkd

Steve,

Good luck in your search. Unlike the stock market.....
I would advise anyone jumping into this market to reasearch, reasearch, reasearch the history of those they are dealing with.

Again, good luck in your search.

John

'Research' seems to mean 'Read about it, exhaustively and thoroughly'. A good start. I'd carry my research on into working models at dinghy level; then at power for the main batteries level; finally at trials for one of the engines for a catamaran. Research is only a starting point if it is reading. Real research is duplicating the working model and going on to put it into service: without going bankrupt.

[ColdFusion]

Originally Posted by fastcat435

Hallo Cold Fusion

All outstanding warranty issues are being taken care of.
That has always been the one and only solution
They are by the way the only unhappy customers we have.
If you read the blogs of other customers you will see a complete different view on how we handle service.

Gideon

Originally Posted by ColdFusion

Thank you for your response. However, what I have recently read is not in line with your statement that "all outstanding warranty issues are being taken care of" but I will continue to follow progress and hope that things are resolved. On a personal note, I think one unhappy customer is one too many, especially in a close-knit community of cruisers where word soon gets round.

With regard to "the blogs of other customers" would it be possible for you to provide any links?

Hi Gideon

Just in case you missed my post I'm bumping this to the top. I would really be interested in the blogs of other FastCat customers that you referred to in your post, above. Could you let me know where I can find them?

Regards

Keith

[fastcat435]

Hallo Keith just landed back in Durban from my holiday in Europe after a 24 hour trip.
Coming Monday the factory is opening again after holiday and we will install the last version of the electronic controllers for the green motion system.
Another blog of a Fastcat is Nieuwe pagina 1

this Fastcat 435 is the first one we launched with electric motors made by Solomon Tech.
Another blog by Andreas Julseth the owner of african innovation
Sailing around the World.

Greetings

Gideon

[Steve_C]

Hello Gideon,

Thanks for the links.

Just in case you missed my question, how many FastCats have been launched?