Watt & Sea Hydrogenerators

[YourOldNemesis]

On closer examination, the rubber seal is actually *glued* to the bearing!

I have peeled it off, but I can't see where it failed to allow water ingress/oil exit. Perhaps I should just re-glue...

[markiobe]

I posted: https://www.cruisersforum.com/forums...ms-268980.html and got exactly zero comments! Maybe someone here will have an opinion based on 2022 W&S units...

To summarise, My plan, in a new build, performance liveaboard catamaran is to have:
- electric motor in 1 hull
- ICE engine in the other hull
- big solar array
- big lithium battery bank
- hydrogenerator(s)

I'm planning all electric cooking but no diesel generator (no A/C).

The aim is to build a hybrid system but without the cost, weight and complexity of the hybrids that are being installed on HH, MaxCruise and Balance boats amongst others.

As relates to this thread, what is the collective opinion on Watt and Sea (or other brand) generators nowadays? There is another brand, Remoran, that I've seen no opinions on, maybe there are others?

Based on the output charts on their websites the W&S appears better but I have no idea how realistic these output numbers are.

Any up-to-date opinions gratefully accepted, I appreciate that W&S had some issues some years ago.

[SV Tom Crean]

I have a Watt & Sea on my 50' mono- A POD 600 which is built into the hull and fixed in place. Get about 310-340W from it average cruising speeds @7kts+ which is 7KW over 24 hours. It's a nice top up to the solar (1200W) and help during the night when the solar is acting like a paperweight.

[El Pinguino]

You can't go past the Aquagen which it seems is still available https://www.atmbmarine.com/fr/hydro-...-85030099.html
The price is a bit eyewatering compared with what it was and I am wondering if these are new old stock.
I would match it with one of these https://www.ecopowershop.com/dl300-w...rge-controller rather than the LVM regulator which I have.

Absolute simplicity and on my mono gives a steady 5 amps at 5 knots.
No - sharks dont eat the turbine at least they haven't eaten mine after 20 years and maybe 30,000 miles of ocean passages. I'm still on the original rope.
Maintenance, freshen the nip on the rope after ever 10,000 miles or so.
Change the two bearings and the seal on average every 7 years.
I just had to replace a few inches of corroded wiring between rectifier and plug.

More tech specs here
http://www.fujiyachts.net/manuals/Aq...s%20Manual.pdf

[YourOldNemesis]

I got rid of our aquagen (towed impeller with a rope behind the boat) because:
a) retrieval underway was terrifying
b) the impeller would kill or seriously injure a man overboard

[toolbar]

If you take an electric engine in one hull, why don't you go for one that has a regen feature? I wouldn't bother with a separate hydrogen.

Paul

[dial_amonkey]

Hi OldNemesis, it's called a "Mechanical Oil Seal" - Seal innovations in Christchurch NZ can supply it - you can call them +64 03 341 8043 - and give them the measurements - They should be able to send you the correct part to Fiji.

[YourOldNemesis]

Originally Posted by dial_amonkey

Hi OldNemesis, it's called a "Mechanical Oil Seal" - Seal innovations in Christchurch NZ can supply it - you can call them +64 03 341 8043 - and give them the measurements - They should be able to send you the correct part to Fiji.

I am grateful, thank you!

[YourOldNemesis]

Originally Posted by toolbar

If you take an electric engine in one hull, why don't you go for one that has a regen feature? I wouldn't bother with a separate hydrogen.

Paul

I don't think that a propeller optimised for propulsion makes a good impeller.

[El Pinguino]

Originally Posted by YourOldNemesis

I got rid of our aquagen (towed impeller with a rope behind the boat) because:
a) retrieval underway was terrifying
b) the impeller would kill or seriously injure a man overboard

On the rare occasions when I have had to retrieve it at sea it is a bit daunting - best brace your self well and move fast. Worst part is 'de-hockling' the rope.

Risk of killing some one who has fallen in? Pretty remote I would reckon but once , in the Tuomotas, mine took two bites out of a young fin whale that got too close.

[YourOldNemesis]

I lost fingers from gloves, retrieving mine across the atlantic, nearly actual fingers. MOB is a rare occurrence. If I were to experience it, it would be either my wife or one of my children, if they were then maimed or killed by the impeller, I would have to live with that responsibility.

[Rumrace]

I made 2 they both sucked. The little one would charge a phone just floating in the river. It’s cute.
I believe only a rigid mount works and it’s still a dumb idea compared to other option. That said Toyota has a Tesla water generator which is brilliant and they have a salt water generator producing 5,000 psi hydrogen fuel for the boats motors. So two ways to get power from slow motion on water without using some fragile paddle wheel or prop yanking on hardware.

[markiobe]

Originally Posted by toolbar

If you take an electric engine in one hull, why don't you go for one that has a regen feature? I wouldn't bother with a separate hydrogen.

Paul

Originally Posted by YourOldNemesis

I don't think that a propeller optimised for propulsion makes a good impeller.

That's one reason, I have a couple of others:

- the ICE motor will be an outboard which has a clever mechanism for completely retracting into the hull and closing the hole leaving a completely smooth underwater surface. I'm pondering having an electric outboard in the other hull on the same retracting mechanism.

- the boat has a focus on simplicity, with as few systems as possible and those being as simple as possible. The hybrid idea is great until it doesn't work in some remote place. I like the idea of having the drive and generator systems completely separate so if one fails the whole thing isn't screwed. Also, not being an engineering genius, I have more chance of being able to fix something simple

[markiobe]

Originally Posted by toolbar

If you take an electric engine in one hull, why don't you go for one that has a regen feature? I wouldn't bother with a separate hydrogen.

Paul

Originally Posted by YourOldNemesis

I don't think that a propeller optimised for propulsion makes a good impeller.

That's one reason, I have a couple of others:

- the motors will be outboards on a clever mechanism to lift them upon into the hulls and leave a smooth underwater surface. I'm thinking of having one of them be an electric.

- The boat has as few systems as possible and each is as simple as possible. I like the functionality of what a hybrid can offer but when it goes wrong in a remote place....? If each part of the system is separate the whole thing doesn't go down when one part does and each is relatively simple so I can troubleshoot and hopefully fix much more easily

- Hybrid systems are silly expensive!

[SailFastTri]

Originally Posted by markiobe

That's one reason, I have a couple of others:

- the ICE motor will be an outboard which has a clever mechanism for completely retracting into the hull and closing the hole leaving a completely smooth underwater surface. I'm pondering having an electric outboard in the other hull on the same retracting mechanism.

- the boat has a focus on simplicity, with as few systems as possible and those being as simple as possible. The hybrid idea is great until it doesn't work in some remote place. I like the idea of having the drive and generator systems completely separate so if one fails the whole thing isn't screwed. Also, not being an engineering genius, I have more chance of being able to fix something simple

I understand your thinking and it sounds like an exciting project. Definitely some pluses, but consider the following:

Retractable outboards sounds pretty cool for a race boat, but a cruiser is better with props under the hull. Outboards will aerate frequently in big seas and are not as efficient, especially going to windward (when you’re more likely to need them).

A friend owns a Seawind cat equipped with outboards, and I know his next boat will have inboards. I’ve owned a trimaran that had a Yamaha 4-stroke auxiliary outboard, and it aerated constantly between large seas. More noisy than inboards, too. Yes, there are cost and weight savings and servicing advantages, but the absence of drag retracted doesn’t make a big difference compared with folding or feathering props.

Apologies to all for the thread drift.