How can yacht owners move away from the rising oil prices?? Any suitable solution or any engines available?
Hi, the million dollar question..! As far as I know, diesel is still the best option for larger motor yachts. Biodiesel is under debate as it is just moving the (environment) problem and will not be cheaper. For smaller boats, biogas may be available and also electric power. Personally I have moved to a motor sailer...
The answer is blowing in the wind Here's a wise man speaking. Back to the roots of yachting; just sticks and sheets. I second this opinion: sailing is the answer.(or rowing, if you prefer so)
Air, just air! Maybe it's time to re-activate the air-power solution (see my separate thread air-electric drive). We have (that's our company, not me) developed an engine that runs (very well, thank you) on air (plenty available, not prone to taxes). With a modified thermo-dynamic cycle we can now take-in air, compress it with a crankshaft driven device (ok, we lose some energy here), then heat it with an external heater (think of a gas boiler) to 800°C (so no NOX'es) and drive the pistons via a 2-piston per bearing system (sounds complicated, it's not - it's pure, plain genius) and exhaust clean air. We use approx 0.3L of ANY fuel per 10KW per hour. A genset with this technology is already running at 12KVA, 65 KGS (including sound-shield) whereby the revs are automatically adapted to the power-demand, from 25 RPM to some 4000 RPM. The initial announcement on this forum gave quite some reactions from the techies, nontheless it works and it will be presented to the yachting market "very soon".
Kites....? http://www.skysails.info/fileadmin/user_upload/Pressedownload/Dokumente/Brochure_Humphreys.pdf Cheers.
Similiar Subject Thread Actually it was Guilly (Guillermo) who brought this technology to my attention with emphasis on possible combining it with my 'sportfishing under sail' concept: subject thread: New Age Trawler/Motorsailer; Kite assisted PowerYacht ...excerpt... I’ve come to a realization in this current age of escalating fuel prices, that there are two forms of pleasure yachts that are likely to survive the energy crunch, and even possibly flourish…the motorsailer and the kite-assisted power vessel.