i started watching your videos during the lockdown, and to this day, every single one of them brings me great peace and calm, as well as entertainment. Thanks for that.
@Stefano1475
4 ай бұрын
Ditto!!
@floydbertagnolli944
4 ай бұрын
Do any of the boats with solar panels have fold out panels used only when they’re mowed up to get extra solar input?
@seamus9305
4 ай бұрын
Interesting Dave, but I'm a bit jealous. Here in New England all the canals have grown over. When I go hiking I sometimes find myself on the old horse-paths that pulled the canal boats. The canals themselves are celebrated by the beavers.
@TheRealBelisariusCawl
4 ай бұрын
Yes, but we have the intercostal waterway. One of the greatest river systems in the world.
@terryhoath1983
4 ай бұрын
The only reason that the British canal system is as extensive as it is today is because enthusiasts have given selflessly of their time to halt the shrinkage of the canal system and restore canals that fell into disuse. Imagine yourself in your waders up to your waist in stinking mud filling buckets being hauled up by other volunteers on the bank on frosty February Sunday mornings. The sulphurous stench from rotted vegetation is something ...... like that trip to Hawaii ...... that should be experienced at least once in your life.
@normanboyes4983
4 ай бұрын
David -you really make such excellent videos.👍
@CruisingTheCut
4 ай бұрын
Many thanks!
@baitcommajail
4 ай бұрын
@Nex5Network mentions that one can't put roof boxes, decor, barge poles, etc. when the roof is covered in solar. I see the biggest problem is that there are times when you HAVE to walk on the roof, ignoring the times you want to do so. There are lock ladders that aren't accessible if you don't have the roof available.
@CruisingTheCut
4 ай бұрын
A lot of those curved flat panels are (supposedly) walkable on unlike rigid glass panels. The all-electric boat absolutely covered with solar is not suitable for solo operation, as Iain said in his interview.
@jordandavies2528
4 ай бұрын
I'm amazed narrow boats haven't adopted wet ufh as a heat emitter as it's more efficient than rads.
@CruisingTheCut
4 ай бұрын
A few have it but if ever there's a problem you've got to take everything up!!
@jordandavies2528
4 ай бұрын
@@CruisingTheCut never really an issue, they are run in one continuous loop and should be pressure tested. If it passes that then you should never have any problems.
@theotherstevesteve
3 ай бұрын
@@jordandavies2528he means a problem with the boat where yd need to get to the bilges. You can't seal the floor of a boat. That said, perhaps some kind of hinged system might work.
@Simonsboxster
4 ай бұрын
what a beautiful dog! I wonder what he is? A boxer cross rottie maybe - mad boxer lover here :)
@helengreen6373
4 ай бұрын
She is an Old English Bulldog, and loves boat life ❤
@andrewbounds8672
4 ай бұрын
Sorry to bother you but do you know who is the narrow boats are that sell maps of the inland water ways
@CruisingTheCut
4 ай бұрын
www.minimallist.co.uk/
@sailboatbob3969
4 ай бұрын
Why is it "reverse" layout if the galley is in the stern? I would think if you wanted to pop down grab a drink it's right there, or if it rains most times the galley doesn't have carpet and anyone coming on board isn't walking straight into your bedroom. I' make more use of the well deck and the one way in would be the stern, with maybe a side door/window....again Fantastic video Dave, keep them coming. And the progress on your boat is?????
@CruisingTheCut
4 ай бұрын
Progress is ... slow. Update in the next video!
@bobm2331
4 ай бұрын
Has anyone investigated recovering hydro power while cruising? Small turbine placed in the water while moving. Same principle as airliners activate if they lose power or hydraulics where a small turbine drops down. APU. Thoughts anyone??
@CruisingTheCut
4 ай бұрын
You’re suggesting that the movement of the boat creates its own power to move the boat to create power … an infinite loop of energy! The energy gained from the turbine would go into the batteries which would power the motor that turns the propellor to move the boat which gives the movement to turn the turbine so you’re suggesting a device that creates its own power out of nowhere. If this was physically possible, the world would have no energy problems ever!
@for.tax.reasons
4 ай бұрын
I love the map in the shower!! You can ponder where to go next while you scrub a dub dub
@derniederrheiner4518
3 ай бұрын
The idea is nice. But as I shower without (!) glasses it's no use to me :-D
@natehill8069
2 ай бұрын
@@derniederrheiner4518 Thats my excuse why my bathroom isnt as clean as it should be!
@zapfanzapfan
4 ай бұрын
So the fuel cell gives you electricity costing 12 £/kWh in fuel cost alone... thanks but no thanks... just run the regular generator on HVO instead. Do they usually sell HVO at fueling stations/gas stations in the UK? Here it's about 2.5 £/liter at the pump for 100% HVO. Triple glazing, 3 inch spray foam, mechanical ventilation with heat exchanger is like a passive house on the canal, awesome boat! Very well built, sir! Excellent little exhibition, thanks for taking us along!
@blackmore_s
4 ай бұрын
Yes. the only people pushing hydrogen are the fossil fuel companies as the hydrogen we get now is produced exclusively from methane. The processing losses in changing methane into hydrogen are such that you would be better burning the methane to get a lower carbon footprint. The massive costs are unlikely to come down as the hydrogen fuel cell uses exotic metals in manufacture of its catalyst. These metals are very rare and very expensive. You would be better doing the triple glazing, heat recovery and extra insulation with heat pumps and as a emergency standby a small petrol generator. The £7000 cost of the fuel cell would easily convert a narrow boat to fully electric. the heat pump and high insulation would mean very low kWhs used even in winter. great channel btw. love the videos 👍
@petesandberg3957
Ай бұрын
@@blackmore_snot entirely true. Plug Power produces green H2 from electrolyzing water using renewable energy.
@slartybartfast6868
4 ай бұрын
What an informative vlog, Thanks David. Also, I think you should cut Twiggy in half and add about 40 ft of hull. :)
@familyw5661
4 ай бұрын
You are like a wild mix of Reporter/ DIY/ Explorer/ videographer and influencer. the amount of time it must take to make each video look this professional has to be crazy.
@dougle03
4 ай бұрын
He does it professionally, but yes, it takes a lot of skill, experience and time.
@CruisingTheCut
4 ай бұрын
Thank you ☺️
@rannyacernese6627
4 ай бұрын
The trend in North America is campers(caravans) being all electric doing away with gas appliances.
@Bigrignohio
4 ай бұрын
Oh, that is a NICE map. Wish there were more EV conversion options for small cabin cruisers. There are a fair number of "Sound hull but bad engine" cruisers for sale in the US.
@Shrouded_reaper
4 ай бұрын
There are but you won't like the price...
@sectokia1909
4 ай бұрын
Hydrogen is 77 pounds for 6.5kwhr... that is absolutely insane. It would be cheaper to just have a battery swap system.
@robsin2810
4 ай бұрын
Loved the dog. Good one David. Hope we get an update on the Yellow Peril, soon.👍🙏🇦🇺
@peterhirt991
4 ай бұрын
Hydrogene. Expensive as the efficiency is so low. See also the 77£ price of a bottle with 7kWh of content. Forget about it!
@pearsonhenry2
4 ай бұрын
All very good until the comment of “we used premium products … Fischer panda generator”. If you want a reliable generator certainly don’t get a Fischer panda!
@malcolmbridge3289
4 ай бұрын
The only component of our 9 year old boat to have given any problems. Their control systems are just too complex for their own good.
@tweaker1968
4 ай бұрын
I just wanted to comment on how much I love that dog.... Keep up the good work David!
@for.tax.reasons
4 ай бұрын
It's exciting to see how quickly tech has changed, I remember you telling us about the pros and cons of solar a few short years ago!
@mitchwarren1600
4 ай бұрын
His dog ! And full electric matey sounded like he was describing the starship enterprise.
@trep53
4 ай бұрын
Great job covering this event. The conversion to electric drives is moving forward. We truly do not know what it will look like a few years from now due to the research and development in technology that occur. I don’t understand the opposition to electric propulsion other than it will be a change and some folks just don’t like to change.
@stephenpegum9776
4 ай бұрын
Fascinating stuff as always David. Some of the woodwork on those boats you looked round was simply stunning ! 😎
@CruisingTheCut
4 ай бұрын
Glad you enjoyed it
@sysbofh
4 ай бұрын
2,4 kW installed is really impressive. I live on an apartment, and use about 380kW on winter and 650 kW on summer (Brazil here, so a satisfied sight on winter an air con on summer). At peak power usage, that would be about 0,9 kW/h 24/7. No, 2,4kW/h installation wouldn't quite do it - especially on winter. But it's remarkably close. Maybe a top up charge every 3 nights? Anyway, I do believe that electric canal boats are the future. Cleaner, quieter, easier to maintain. The only drawback are the batteries. Even charging is easy to solve. The batteries are (at the moment) their weak spot.
@BarneyLeith
4 ай бұрын
Brinklow is where close friends of ours keep their boat. We crew for them from time to time,, so have been in and out of Brinklow several times. Fascinating developments in the electrification of narrow boats. Another good video, David. Many thanks.
@Paul-yh8km
4 ай бұрын
The hydrogen guy is over stating the relevance of hydrogen in transport. The vast majority of buses are going electric and for very good reasons. He doesn't say how his hydrogen is produced, given it's BOC, you have to assume it's a fossil fuel byproduct. Apart from that, it's generally well known that Green hydrogen will be needed for essential high temperature industry such as steel production, not transport.
@TheRealBelisariusCawl
4 ай бұрын
The future of the canals is *not* solar.. It’s jet skis!!!!!! Hundreds of young people zooming around the canals at great speed enjoying themselves. Inexpensive easily accessible fun for whole families. With the incoming budget cuts, our solicitors assure us that the Canal & River Trust will license at least a dozen rental sites for a regular donation of a certain size. See y’all soon 👍
@puppet-head
4 ай бұрын
Hydrogen is a dead duck, all the filling station have now closed, bus’s are being sent back as electric is much cheaper. What you need really is 300kwh of recycled car batteries, that would run for ever.
@t1n4444
4 ай бұрын
😂😂😂😂 Oh dear, not another one! Yet another history lesson from someone who failed History. Why not Google up EHB (European Hydrogen Backbone) and go from there? It's the battery buses which were withdrawn in London because they self ignited, three in two weeks. Some authorities claim it was the A/C units ... yes well ... let's wait for the official report.
@AnthonyJEgan-zv1ky
4 ай бұрын
Puppet indeed
@t1n4444
4 ай бұрын
😂😂😂😂 Are you sure about that?
@zapfanzapfan
4 ай бұрын
I haven't seen anyone do a conversion of a narrow boat using for example Nissan Leaf parts. Maybe someone out there has?
@watcher24601
4 ай бұрын
Had to laugh at it being in early stages, it has been at that stage for past 20 years and yet to move out of the concept stage. Economics are not there, 200w is nothing, can a portable battery bank with 2kWh for less than £1k if you anxious about power after forgetting to look at the fuel gauge. Sales pitch was just making up problems, this wouldn't have the output to solve anyway.
@helicopter12345678
4 ай бұрын
Nice vlog David we are speaking with Ortomarine and maybe we will part of the show next year 🙂🤔 Arthur Narrowboat Tranquility
@CruisingTheCut
4 ай бұрын
That would be cool!
@paulwaldrop2262
4 ай бұрын
Good video David, wife/I are still planning on retiring on a narrow boat. Love the videos.
@CruisingTheCut
4 ай бұрын
Thank you.
@scottgordon1781
4 ай бұрын
Quite some battery bank @ 16:31 . I have 2 of the same , another on the way . A 1000 each over here in sunny SA . 5 days of very cloudy conditions has recently pushed the batteries to the limit . Must look at his panels , have 12 450 w , adding 4 more to max out my invertor . Gas hob and water heater . Am not on a narrow boat , yet is nice to see solar applications . we complain about fuel prices here , about 50% cheaper here . Wonder what the cost savings would be on a narrowboat . Yes , when it shines , the sun is free :-) You need kit to convert it to power . Break even for me is about 5 years and no power cuts .
@rickkearn7100
4 ай бұрын
Another top-shelf CTC production, David! Nobody presents a story better than you. It occurred to me that despite the unspoken (or widely ignored) impractical aspects of solar it definitely forces one to think and rethink their power consumption, thereby slowly, inexorably changing the way people behave with regard to power consumption. One could say also that this is a major component in solar's continued development and refinement and burgeoning deployment. Thanks for doing what you do, old chap, these are stories that must be told. Cheers!
@CruisingTheCut
4 ай бұрын
Yes indeed. The best thing everyone could actually do is reduce their power use.
@robinblackmoor8732
4 ай бұрын
Battery technology, solar panels, efficiency of electric devices will continue to get better and better. Combustion engines are about as good as they will ever get. This will be the future.
@shirleylynch7529
4 ай бұрын
Well documented. Loved the dog at the end. Technology getting better. Bit pricey but will come down. Great informative video. Thank you.
@DaveAppleton
4 ай бұрын
I always thought that hydrogen fuel cells would be the future of all power for cars, boats and homes etc until I realised that you have to generate energy(usually electric) to split off the hydrogen. This electricity can be generated with renewable energy but it's just simpler and much more energy efficient to just use the clean electric. Solar efficiency and battery chemistry are developing at such a pace that in a few short years(relatively) everyone will want electric everything.
@danielkarmy4893
4 ай бұрын
Lovely to see a Falklands veteran proudly wearing his scarf! It's a poignant time for us relatives of veterans - my grandad was on HMS Coventry, and I grew up listening to his stories both from that experience and a long Naval career - but we can't have any idea how those who were there feel, each time the anniversary of the war comes around. I know just how modest they are about what they did, but the Falkland Islanders would want the message to be passed on regardless: thank you, Iain. And thank you as ever David for the informative video - it's surprising just how quickly technology moves! I wonder just how many boats will be powered this way in, say, five years' time...
@iaincatt57
4 ай бұрын
Thank you for your kind words
@petesandberg3957
Ай бұрын
I know this is very British, so they would feel weird without one, but with an induction hob, you don’t need an electric kettle. The stove will heat water just as fast, and space is limited.
@TheDervMan
4 ай бұрын
Absolutely fascinating, especially the hydrogen unit. 👍🏻
@davidsneddon8508
4 ай бұрын
The first lady makes a lot of sense in regards to electric propulsion.
@graham6229
4 ай бұрын
For 45 to 50 thousand pounds for one boat conversion I guess she does. I'll keep a diesel engine thanks
@dhutch2000
4 ай бұрын
Ofcause if building new, you off set that against the cost of the conventional installation.
@gregbolitho9775
4 ай бұрын
Nice 1 David, that lady [missed her name], from Ortomarine knew her stuff [Comin from an ye olde Batman], started 1982 retired 2017. Hydrogens comin, but I never seen a pump or a servo down this advertising it. Not sure Lithium, has made it, yet. But another 2 or 3 years. Nice goin young fella, keep up the good work.
@dhutch2000
4 ай бұрын
Lithium is definitely here already. And the lady is called Caroline.
@gafrers
4 ай бұрын
Very nice and realistic. Narrowboating is Perfect for Serial Hybrid and well suited for full EV. Miss Badger worded it wonderfully, without sounding like a sales pitch. While H2 is Idiotic
@RickBeton
4 ай бұрын
That's putting it a bit strongly but I generally agree. The H2 man forgot to mention that BOC is probably selling him hydrogen made from fossil fuels (no better than diesel). Hydrogen made from renewables will always be a premium expensive product due to inefficiencies. It will be cheaper to use the electrons directly. So canalside charging points should be being thought out.
@philallen7626
4 ай бұрын
Hydrogen is likely to be part of the energy mix in the future, so more readily available, and cheaper, but I wouldn't touch it with a 60ft pole right now. In 10 years, it might be worth considering. I can't see charging infrastructure being rolled out across the canal network, CRT aren't exactly over funded right now. And some mooring spots are really remote, making getting power out there difficult and expensive.
@brushlessmotoring
4 ай бұрын
@@philallen7626 remote sites are ripe for solar and battery storage, a swappable battery is also an interesting approach, rent the battery and buy the energy, Gogoro scooters in Taiwan is one example. Whatever the difficulties of bringing power to a remote site, getting hydrogen there is 10 times harder / 10 times more expensive. Hydrogen should be considered the "Champagne of Energy" - very expensive, and only used for special occasions, like hard or impossible to abate sectors such as steel, glass, or to make ammonia for fertilizer - but for transportation or backup power? There are much cheaper, much simpler alternatives already available. Hydrogen has no magic wand to bring the prices down, despite what proponents say, scale won't solve this. Hydrogen vehicle filling stations are being closed (Shell exited the UK), more are not being built, and they could not fill that bottle anyway (it's not 10,000 psi like the carbon fibre tanks in a hydrogen car). It's an industrial gas derived from fossil fuels, and all that effort, expense and inconvenience for 6.5kWh at 200W output.
@markelkins150
4 ай бұрын
Loved that! (I'm an electrician, everything should be electric, but we still have a way to go for that). I wonder how much of that hydrogen is "green" produced. How does the pollution output to produce the hydrogen compare to using diesel? Around here we call electric cars "coal powered" since most of our power is from coal or natural gas. It will be a while before cars can fully switch, but if I was getting a canal boat I would go electric. Then all I would need is a canal to put it in.
@mish28282
4 ай бұрын
Fun to see the developments in electric propulsion. When are we going to see the little yellow girl again?
@CruisingTheCut
4 ай бұрын
In the fullness of time...
@googleboughtmee
4 ай бұрын
@@CruisingTheCut Twiggy or we riot
@McRocket
4 ай бұрын
Between this and your eariler video on electric narrow boats - I am convinced this is the future (barring something unforeseen). I like that resting dog touch at the end - btw. FWIW - I now own an EV (Chevy Bolt). ☮
@henkcoenen6264
4 ай бұрын
Using a generator to fill the batteries will always be cheaper than using a diesel engine as propulsion. or am I wrong.
@macmcelroy6165
4 ай бұрын
another sterling production David
@barbarataylor1535
4 ай бұрын
Very interesting David, thank you for bringing the information to us.
@CruisingTheCut
4 ай бұрын
Glad you enjoyed it
@DudePowers
4 ай бұрын
That guy with the fully electric boat can almost pass as your evil twin.
@iaincatt57
4 ай бұрын
Thank you kindly 😂
@brushlessmotoring
4 ай бұрын
@@iaincatt57 Do you have any public info about your build? I'm also curious if heat pumps were considered for water / domestic heating?
@ZDProds-c8p
4 ай бұрын
Could listen to Ian narrate audiobooks, great voice and wasn’t much umming and erring during the interview
@BenjaminHeyser
4 ай бұрын
16:30 they're server rack style batteries. They've becoming quite common.
@henryostman5740
4 ай бұрын
The portable inverter/generator is widely available at low prices, these generally run on gasoline, are both efficient and very quiet. they are quite light and can be stored in a locker and brought out on deck when needed for use. electric boats are not new, they had them 100 years ago as launches on lakes and rivers for recreational purposes. my late grandfather used electric trucks for deliveries in his bakery business also a 100 years ago. they were very successful.
@t1n4444
4 ай бұрын
Petrol generators are available of course, however, you might like to read up on the BSS rules and regs ref storing petrol generators and the petrol itself on a boat.
@dhutch2000
4 ай бұрын
Very interesting, a lot be said for a stack of solar as and LiFE batteries.
@meinkamph5327
4 ай бұрын
Covering the roof with solar panels is one third of the boats paint scheme. Just cover the whole dame thing, just go for it !!!!
@ElementofKindness
4 ай бұрын
Definitely not a fan of the Mothership Marine mansion-like sterile interior design.
@johnclapperton5556
4 ай бұрын
Found this very interesting. Good job.
@CruisingTheCut
4 ай бұрын
Thank you!
@MrSychnant
4 ай бұрын
Having the solar panels helps to balance the amount extra charge needed to keep the batteries topped up although it should never be forgotten that batteries have a shelf life and although many people get confused about it , rememberwhether in a car or a boat the electric motor is just the engine and the electricity is the fuel but the batteries are really only the fuel tank and if you own a car would you like to pay up to £10,000 to replace your fuel tank every ten years? The same applies to boats, the more batteries the bigger the fuel tank but remember they have a limited shelf life and dont come cheap.
@CruisingTheCut
4 ай бұрын
The tech is improving in leaps and bounds, in ten years suitable capacity batteries will either be much cheaper or there'll be an alternative. Also, given the use in narrowboats, I think the batteries will last much longer.
@stephenmccarthy6892
4 ай бұрын
20:05 the number of cycles that modern lithium batteries will tolerate, especially the lithium iron phosphate batteries. It's quite likely they will have 90% of nominal capacity still after 10 years and not need replacement. The charging regimen that narrow boats would experience (not having superchargers) is ideally suited to a very long life and furthermore motoring at 2-4 knots really doesn't impose great demands unlike blasting along the motorway at 70mph. The biggest issue for live aboards is domestic heating.
@brushlessmotoring
4 ай бұрын
@@stephenmccarthy6892 Are heat pumps making their way onto boats? They can multiply the kW in by 2 to 4 times heat out.
@wonderingworld119
4 ай бұрын
bring back the osses
@douglasengle2704
4 ай бұрын
I so much enjoy Cruising TheCut! It makes me want the US to have small navigation canals for boating. The C&O Canal between Washington DC and Cumberland MD could be modernized for such a purpose with new marinas and short access canals to new communities of canal boaters.
@Omri.Collects
4 ай бұрын
Brilliant vlog, interested in seeing more content on hybrids and full electric narrow boats. cheers
@doctorpc4x4
4 ай бұрын
Map in the shower is a cracker. Nice to see the new tech
@judithmatthews8460
4 ай бұрын
It seems to me that living on a narrow boat so much time is spent on obsessing about how much power you have in your battery. It seems to mean you are balancing anything you choose to do based on how much power it’s going to use. Must have taken some time to get used to moving into a house. 🤔 shall I watch tv this lunchtime or will I save power so I can cook a roast in the oven for dinner.
@MotownJT
4 ай бұрын
Fascinating information on solar power for boats. That dog though captured my heart. ❤❤❤❤
@bobn2805
4 ай бұрын
I build electric remote control speed boats and it's crazy how similar the motors are to these electric narrowboats 😂.
@omvaren
4 ай бұрын
As always... tremendously interesting and very well made! Thanks!
@malibugrove
4 ай бұрын
Knots from watts! Fascinating video David. Excited to see further developments of this technology and an increasing number of available options through this series on your channel. Running a washing machine and oven without shore hookup or a generator is impressive. Are triple-glazed windows, better insulated walls and heat exchangers found in modern diesel boats too?
@CruisingTheCut
4 ай бұрын
Double glazing, yes, triple seems to be rare. Most narrowboats have maybe 2 inches of insulation rather than 3. Heat exchangers are rare.
@travellingDAS
4 ай бұрын
£40k for a conversion with ‘premium’ products, surely the use case described for a hire boat would be similar for a constant cruiser where there’s a need for reliable propulsion charged from a generator and solar? Who’s got 40k ‘spare’? That’s more than many have as a budget for their whole boat. The costs need to come down dramatically to make a conversion economically viable.
@watcher24601
4 ай бұрын
A boat is a hole you throw money in to. Even replacing a diesel engine is not cheap most boaters I have spoken to said they keep a separate "sinking fund" for it
@malcolmbridge3289
4 ай бұрын
What are often sold as premium products are often no better than, if as good as, their cheaper alternatives. For example, most motors on the market run about 50% too fast to drive an optimum-sized propeller directly. The problem is that most boat builders want to buy from a single supplier so pay over the odds. Look again at the interview with Tim Knox (Mothership) where he talks about a 15kW motor swinging a 20" prop. That is the ball-park in which all builders should be operating. As I have pointed out elsewhere, a small industrial generator should be entirely adequate for a canal boat - at half the cost of a marine one.
@MyNameIsPetch
4 ай бұрын
The hydrogen is interesting but I think you'll struggle with some bridges with that on your roof...
@CruisingTheCut
4 ай бұрын
Ah, it does detach when required!
@danieltaylor5231
4 ай бұрын
Another great video David. I really appreciate how you take a very balanced approach to topics like this. I really liked the layout on the first boat you showed. Have events like these changed what your "if I won the lottery" narrowboat would look like?
@CruisingTheCut
4 ай бұрын
I'd definitely have electric drive of some sort, certainly.
@rollandjoeseph
4 ай бұрын
Cool stuff..You're so good at your narrative approach...well done pal🙂👌
@CruisingTheCut
4 ай бұрын
Thank you kindly
@lvthud
4 ай бұрын
For those not so sunny days, a small wind turbine that mounts on the well deck and that can be quickly lowered for tunnels or safe keeping ? It's not going to provide the output of a bank of solar panels, but it could help trickle charge.
@CruisingTheCut
4 ай бұрын
Wind power is virtually useless on the canals, see the last bit of this page on my website: cruisingthecut.co.uk/2024/01/23/electricity-on-canal-boats-the-basics/
@timothybearne147
4 ай бұрын
I can't help but think that metered charge points should be part of the solution, on 24 hour and winter moorings, either provided by CRT/EA or marinas.
@t1n4444
4 ай бұрын
Somehow I can't see CRT stumping up for an electrical charging system. Their budget has been cut to the bone already. And can't see HMG changing their mind anytime soon about increasing the canals' funding seeing as the last funding round made it clear that "the narrowboat community" were supposed to be more independent ref cash. In short CRT will be obliged to raise the licence fees whether "we" like it or not. It does come across as a bit silly to expect our costs to be paid out of general taxation. Doubtless we/CRT shall get grants now and again but you can't rely on this. Electrically powered freight might be an answer to help decarbonise our atmosphere and get road surface wrecking trucks off the road. We might even see freight move to canal side distribution centres and transferred to customers by "the last mile" type electric vans. Knowing David he will be planning an episode or three on the reintroduction of freight on the canals even as we type. Electrically powered boats would certainly be a way of running freight 24/7 without disturbing the neighbours.
@watcher24601
4 ай бұрын
Makes sense, all Marinas that I have seen already have electric hooks up at every mooring. An overnight stay in a marina Vs stopping at a marina for diesel during cruising time.
@jimhshull
4 ай бұрын
19:56 As always you have produced another creative and information video. Although I don’t intend to go electric in my vehicle choice it’s still good to learn about the various options. Thanks again.
@Sylvan_dB
4 ай бұрын
I've often thought canal boats were ideal for electrification, except for the potential need to recharge. It is encouraging that solar can be effective for large parts of the year.
@Lordlindef
4 ай бұрын
Light days produs anof for hold ur good lithium anyway
@Lordlindef
4 ай бұрын
Ore as I want to. Have my diesel for rivers and fast charge and in need of only
@nbflyingfox4672
4 ай бұрын
Thank you David, for yet another informative look on boat electrification. Somehow though it think I would miss the purr of the engine sound when cruising..🤗
@Warntator
4 ай бұрын
it's neat and all but I just don't see the need for electric. gas and diesel could be insanely cheap if it wasn't for the myth of scarcity and all the politics that surround it. It could also be just as green if the governments subsidized its innovation as much as it does solar. making diesel cheaper and more green will always be the better option. batteries will always be an environmental destroying manufacturing process.
@gregdixon5848
4 ай бұрын
Are your friends that you cruised with 5 years ago still going with their electric?
@CruisingTheCut
4 ай бұрын
You'll have to remind me which friends you mean
@scottgordon1781
4 ай бұрын
OMW , 40 k for just a boat , FMG :-) Shivering in my timbers ! Am all in for just 10 k , about what I paid for my house , 28 years ago ! Thanks for the eye opener :-)
@AnneOrrells
4 ай бұрын
Another great Vlog, and lovely to meet you. I don't know what my partner is talking about you look so young in person :)) Love the Canal Map shower wall - any idea where can we get one?
@CruisingTheCut
4 ай бұрын
🤣🤣 the map is copyright Jo and Michael of the "MinimalList" KZitem channel; the owner of that boat requested special permission to have it printed onto the plastic wall for the shower. See Minimal List's shop for smaller versions!
@floatingonairandwater
4 ай бұрын
A really interesting video David, well done.
@RandomGreymane
4 ай бұрын
Now I have to wonder if you could take all the ballast out of a 65’er and replace it all with LifePo4 batteries. Put the aforementioned 3kw solar on top of it then do a full charge at a marina then see how often the solar tops everything up. Certainly range at full charge would be comparatively large but also the entire assembly would likely cost an insane amount to put together.
@RandomGreymane
4 ай бұрын
Also you know there will be some absolute nut who puts a Tesla motor in one to see how fast they can make a narrowboat go. XD
@stephanweinberger
4 ай бұрын
LiFePo batteries can currently store about 160-180 Wh/kg, with the next generation it will be about 200 Wh/kg. From what I can find online a typical amount of ballast for a 65 ft boat would be around 2.5-3 tonnes - so that would be equivalent to about 500 kWh of battery storage. That's enough to power a single-family house for two weeks straight (including cooking & heating), so with a narrowboat we're probably more in the range of months. The only problem is how to distribute the batteries over the whole length of the boat; that's not really feasible in practice.
@robertprice7246
4 ай бұрын
Electric stuff just doesn't have the range, utility, and ease of use as a diesel engine. 30 km or so and 8 hours recharge compared to 100 or so and 10 minutes tank up. My complaint on electric cars. No range and no chargers or I blow my batteries out on a fast charge
@malcolmbridge3289
4 ай бұрын
Cobblers! We need about 20 minutes to replenish an hour's cruising - and that's with relatively little solar.
@robertprice7246
4 ай бұрын
@@malcolmbridge3289 Around town that's cool. What if I want to take a real road trip of 3 or 4 hundred miles. I've got tons of logistics to work out schedule stops around where or if I can get a charger, etc. I hope in my Highlander and go 350 to 400 miles til I need gas, 10 minutes at a gas station and I'm good for another 350 or so miles, no long delays no struggles to find a charger I can use. I'm all about trying to clean up the environment, I'm an HVAC/R tech for God's sake so I know all about greenhouse gasses and global warming potential, but hydrogen fuel, or other forms of ICE engines are clean and don't have the drawbacks electric vehicles have. Show me an AFFORDABLE electric with at least 350 mile range, that will charge in under half hour, or a typical lunch or dinner stop, and that fast charge won't damage/diminish my batteries capabilities, I'll be all for it.
@OpticalMan
4 ай бұрын
I've been on just the one narrowboat holiday and I vowed that I wouldn't go on another until there was an electric boat available. I did most of the steering and the relentless chug of a 3 cylinder diesel spoilt the holiday. Making your way through picturesque fields should be done in peace and quiet to just the sound of the wildlife and now it looks like my wish is coming true.
@ThyCorylus
4 ай бұрын
Funny, I found the gentle ker'funk of the diesel charming. Each to their own of course.
@alandahlstrom7213
4 ай бұрын
Love your videos, but that dog stole the show. Those narrowboats were all beautiful. I would love to take a vacation to the UK and hire a narrowboat to cruise around for about a week.
@01cthompson
4 ай бұрын
I'm glad to hear that Hydrogen is being used and considered more and more. Conventional plug in EV charging is not practical for large vehicles.
@stephanweinberger
4 ай бұрын
The size of the vehicle is irrelevant, what counts is the energy usage. Also, the fuel cell/tank combo shown in the video provides just 6kWh (which would be significantly smaller when installed as batteries), and it takes about 18kWh to produce that hydrogen in the first place. Plus, since the fuel cell can only output 200W, but can not handle peak loads (like cooking or cruising), you need batteries anyways. And if those are empty you cannot continue cruising, as the FC will not be able to replenish them quickly enough.
@user-s1o3nr532
4 ай бұрын
I'm not convinced that the "hydrogen revolution is actually a thing
@watcher24601
4 ай бұрын
Hydrogen is just a gimmick and yet to move beyond the experimental phase. What do you consider to be a large vehicle? Largest operational EV I know of is a fleet of quarry trucks.
@janholland2224
4 ай бұрын
Good stuff David, thx. So, by the looks of it no electrical heating yet (?). In future you would expect to see some thermal batteries too ... (that technology is shaping up. Phase change material and all that. Somewhat similar to the Sunamp Thames project which you will hopefully cover sometime in the future.) Surprised by the lack of smaller wind turbines ... Cheers from The Netherlands.
@CruisingTheCut
4 ай бұрын
Heating would take enormous amounts of power, entirely impractical other than by burning things at present.
@janholland2224
4 ай бұрын
@@CruisingTheCut OK. In (regular) inland navigation electric heating has been employed for decennia. Brands like Speedheat. Hope you will monitor the situation for recreational use. Cheers.
@CruisingTheCut
4 ай бұрын
I'm willing to bet the power for that heating comes from a generator though. It's more efficient for a single long space (narrowboat) to get the heat directly from burning the diesel.
@marjoriejohnson6535
4 ай бұрын
My like isnt working for some odd reason. Another information packed vlog that we all find interestiing..thanks David.
@d14551
4 ай бұрын
I like these very informative videos.
@chemhawk1167
4 ай бұрын
Interesting information. A lot of this is helpful for those of us in the US who have RVs. I'm not sure how hydrogen could be used with RVs but there are occasional hydrogen refueling stations along the US west coast. Also, we call gatherings like this a 'rally.' The dog was so funny! Great video with clever boat designs.
@dougzirkle5951
4 ай бұрын
So happy to see the direction alternative power sources for boats, in general, is going. Thank you!
@dancostello6465
20 күн бұрын
Suggest u take a tour of Nile River boats and their propulsion systems. Change of pace.
@wendlong
4 ай бұрын
David David ! (Or anyone else reading this). Please settle an argument that myself and him indoors are having. Sorry it’s not canal related. A few minutes in you chat to a van in hi-vis with a dog. Is there any chance you know what breed the dog was? Random I know, but we’re arguing about it now. He says it was a bulldog, I claim it’s a Boxer. Thank you to anyone who can clarify. 😊
@grahamgresty8383
4 ай бұрын
Hydrogen is really not the future for boating. 98% of Hydrogen comes from oil & produces lots of Carbon Dioxide during the refining. It is very inefficient to produce Hydrogen from electrolysis (splitting water using electricity). The way forward is to have electric points on the river and canal sides (see Monmouth & Brecon canal).
@colingenge9999
4 ай бұрын
$12 per kWh when you can buy it for $0.20 from the utility. “but the price is coming down” - surely he knows its made from Fossil Fuels where less not more Hydrogen is being made available once governments realize they’ve been duped to supporting Hydrogen which is the most expensive energy you’ll ever buy with the most complex high maintenance infrastructure and high maintenance fuel cells. This is truly awful that these people have not looked at Hydrogen more closely. I have seen propane powered fuel cells that surely must be more economical or just buy more batteries. What about wind generators knowing that noise is a problem on boats?
@nekite1
4 ай бұрын
I was particularly interested the in section about hydrogen propulsion. Honda and Toyota have been researching this avenue for years. The only drawback currently is the cost of producing green hydrogen, but hopefully advances can be made on that front. Overall, a very informative video about the advantages of electric propulsion.
@puppet-head
4 ай бұрын
The boss of Toyota was put out to pasture for all the money he wasted trying to do hydrogen , it totally failed.
@stephanweinberger
4 ай бұрын
Hydrogen will never be cheaper than pure electric. Simply because it takes about 3x as much electricity to produce the hydrogen and additional equipment to convert it back into electricity.
@paulharrison2325
4 ай бұрын
Hydrogen isn’t going to be used for passenger cars due to the inefficiencies involved in making hydrogen.
@Lordlindef
4 ай бұрын
Awsome. Just whats i have locked for. Holland alsow has some. But expensive. How is the pricing on engine ?? I have lithium and solar and traveling around european waterways canals now in holland
@Pixelplanet5
4 ай бұрын
The electric options are certainly great for this kind of usage. just the hydrogen powered one needs to be seen for what it really is and what it is is not the future. Hydrogen is not going to get any cheaper ever, in fact its artificially cheap right now because 99% of the hydrogen we use comes from fossile fuels. in the future when this is produced by electrolysis the cost will only increase as you pay for all the energy + losses and on top of that you pay for the equipment needed to produce the hydrogen + taxes and profit as well as the transport cost. its never going to make financial sense to use hydrogen on any vehicle that could just use batteries instead. just as an example this hydrogen system for 7500 bucks only gives you a bit over 6kWh of energy storage in a hydrogen cylinder because the volumetric energy density of hydrogen is horrible. for about 6000€ i can get 3 rack mount LiFePO4 battery packs with 10kWh each shipped from China and simply integrate them into the existing system. hydrogen is a dead end for the majority of use cases and only industries that cant do without like steel production will continue using it in the future.
@mikebikekite1
4 ай бұрын
Are other types of battery on the horizon? I've heard about Vanadium flow batteries or even liquid air batteries and wondered if these might be suitable for narrow boats. Flexible perovskite solar panels give about 50% more energy and are fairly cheap now - do they change the equation at all?
@paulpalmer7353
4 ай бұрын
That was very interesting .
@Nex5Network
4 ай бұрын
Great episode! Seems like there's a lot of advantages to electric, except that boaters can't put flower bins on the roof because of the solar panels.
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