home made solar powered outrigger canoe

A 16ft packaway proa I designed and built . Made of very light okume 4mm plywood and epoxy glass and carbon at stress points.Powered by a Minn Kota 12volt outboard. 2 X 30watt unisolar pannels are lashed to the crossbeams.Can be assembled in 3mins.It glided along nicely on the Exe canal in Exeter, Devon today.

Category:

Autos & Vehicles

Tags:

• solar powered boats
• outrigger canoe
• proa
• exe canal
• electric outboards
• minn kota
• hawaian canoe
• canoes
• paddling

[rudamchu]

how long does it. run on a charge? Does it charge while running thereby extending run time? And last, how long does it take to recharge, such as while you're stopped fishing or having lunch?

[wheelnutt]

@rudamchu Your question is hard to answer fully. It charges all the time. Speed of charge varies with light level. How long a charge lasts will vary with what speed I do, windspeed and direction, payload etc. You can work things out approximately by the amp/hr capacity of your battery, the current draw of your motor (watts) and the rating of your solar pannel array. If I were contemplating long distance canal cruising I would increase battery capacity. Thanks for watching

[CTDesign77]

Are the panels hooked directly to the motor? Do you need ant special circuits or voltage regulators? Thanx

[wheelnutt]

@CTDesign77 No, the panels are wired to a 12v motorbike battery, so when I stop for lunch the voltage tops up. I would need bigger panels with no battery. No regulator is fitted.

[LOPEZdJUNGLIST]

really is god damn cool i have to make a pikey version of it

[wheelnutt]

@EastCoast515 Ahhhh, ive just realised, youre Mike the chippy from the boatyard. Sorry, wasnt thinking straight.

[EastCoast515]

@wheelnutt Hello sorry this is Mike's son (He isnt amazing with computers and didn't know he was logged into my account!). My dad's built several dingys over the years and sold them on and off, and he's done up a whaling skiff and built a cabin on it but sold that too. I'll let him know your reply.

[wheelnutt]

@EastCoast515 Hi Mike, glad liked it. thanks for watching. What boats you built?

[EastCoast515]

Hi Martin, it looks really great! Wife approves as is very quiet and economical. Thanks, Mike (the lunatic sailboat maker!!)

[EastCoast515]

Hi Martin, it looks really great! Wife approves as is very quiet and economical.