Solar powered Amp Eater

[vupilot]

Thanks Dave,

Ill try the old brush first and if that doesnt go well I may give one a try.

[CaptDave]

At long last I have been able to get back to working on the Amp Eater. The sad news of Glen's passing has given me encouragement to have the boat complete for this next gathering. I do not want to leave something so wonderfully designed left uncompleted for long. This past Saturday I screwed down the sole over top of the flotation foam. The middle section lifts off to get to the cabling and the bilge pump. Then I screwed down the battery racks which also keeps more flotation foam in place. I am ready to put in the battery boxes and batteries so that I can begin running the 4 ga. welding cable. This will easily handle the max 200 amps that my motor will draw with minimal IR drop.

Battery Boxes - out of the house and into the boat

This evening I installed my 12 volt DC distribution panel to control power for lights, GPS, Bilge Pump etc...

Power Panel under left rear seat

[vupilot]

Keep at it, cant wait to see it.

[Scot2640]

Very unique build, the electric motor concept is very intriguing. Keep up the great work.

[EnsWayne]

The tan carpet on the sole boards looks pretty good!

[Ranny]

Captain Dave, good selection on the batteries. I replaced my Interstates with new ones last year, after 9 years and hundreds of runs. My Duffy 21 is a 48 volt, so, I got to buy 8 new ones. Fortunately, COSTCO had a really good price on them. Hope to have my boat built before I ever have to buy batteries again.

[CaptDave]

Ranny,

Thanks for the input. I hope my Interstate batteries will last a good long while as well. And I hope you get that Malahini? in the water long before the Costco batteries die.

And Yes Ens.Wayne, you and your sister did a good job on the carpet!

[CaptDave]

We made good progress over the holiday. Wayne and I completed the cabling , and installed the motor controller, relays, solenoids. It won't be long now before the launching and sea trials.

Motor control board ready to install

Installing the motor control board

[mrintense]

It's times like this that I wish my boat had a displacement hull. I would very much like my boat to be electric powered, but alas high powered outboards are just too expensive and still not really practical.Your installation looks very good. Nice work.

[CaptDave]

Thanks Carl. It is not so much the cost of the motor as it is the cost of the battery pack you would need to make it practical. In a few years we may be able to pick up a used 10 or 12 year old Tesla battery pack for a couple of grand. My wife wants my next boat to look like Ray Macke's True Grit. A boat similar to that would do well with an electric motor and a 60 KW battery pack. Probably could run all weekend on a charge at 7 knots with that much juice and it could handle the extra 1000 lbs or so.

Well, I guess that I better get this boat done before I make too many plans about the next one.

[CaptDave]

Finally got the carlings in. Now work on the deck can begin.

Fitting the carlings before staining and install

The carlings are in!

If I wasn't so tired I would celebrate.
The console, sheer, coaming and raised cowl will be stained to match.
I am getting just about close enough to set a date for the splash party.

[CaptDave]

After torrential rains earlier in the week we have had beautiful boat building weather this week end. Installed bilge pump and ran wiring forward for nav lights and horn. All wiring tucked up under sole battens.

Bilge area showing pump and wiring.

Built flat floor under the forward seat storage area and carpeted with leftover carpet.

Forward storage compartment

Forward rear facing seat.

[vupilot]

Looking really good Dave, nice progress. I missed your post last monday.

[CaptDave]

Also installed flax packing in rudder packing box. Cut 2 flax rings with 45 degree cuts to fit tightly. Installed with cuts 180 degrees apart to minimize leakage if any. I shouldn't have any anyway since the top of the packing box is above the design water line by a couple of inches.

Flax packing cut 45 degrees

Installing packing

notice mark on packing nut to be sure second seal was installed 180 degrees from first.

Any of you who saw my postings in the painting section will see that with some help from my friends in the forum that I got the tiller console varnished and ready to install. This will be a major step because I will be able to complete the wiring of the key switch, forward and reverse switch, speed control, horn button and multi-display screen, not to to mention the tiller linkage. After that is done I could launch and do "sea trials" and finish the deck and cowling later. I plan to call Monday and schedule my inspection with the Ohio Division of Watercraft hopefully for the following week.

[CaptDave]

Melissa has designed the lettering for the transom of the Amp Eater