Houseboating Adventures - Issue 18 - (Page 13)

barrels on the way back home. Before the boat gets launched, the boat gets fueled in the yard and is topped off and ready for us when we arrive. I believe when production quantities of bio-diesel grow, the fuel will displace petroleum diesel down on the lake at the pumps in the marina. HBA: What about costs? SH: The costs are the same and I'm not sure why. I would think the government would want people buying bio-diesel. If ever there was a good time to give a tax credit it would be for people who buy biodiesel. We could go from dependence on foreign oil to dependence on the growth of green algae. HBA: Are alternative or supplemental energy sources such as solar panels something that should be also included on a boat like yours? It seems like a natural fit. SH: We considered solar panels for Desert Ritual and it did not work. I have solar panels on my property for my house. On land they need to be set at an optimum angle relative to the suns position in the southern sky during the winter. Then, a fairly large area needs to be dedicated to place enough panels to make the whole thing worth while. I live in a place they call "the Persian Gulf of the sun" because the sun always shines there. I decided that burning a green fuel, bio-diesel, to charge my inverter bank to run most of my boat on electricity for a long time was a better way to go. Solar panels could not consistently charge my batteries at a high enough rate. I think the technology has a way to go before solar array’s become an effective method to charge battery storage systems. HBA: How important will fuel and energy economy be to houseboats in the next decade in your opinion? SH: As a nation I think it's very important to begin the process of weaning ourselves off of petroleum in each and every way can. Sadly, I don't think houseboat owners are too concerned about what fuel powers their boat. Many houseboats only rarely leave their marina. Houseboats are slip queens plugged into shore power. )6B@" A05("%C&5AB9&@ The upgrade to diesel is a tough sell on the new boats. Putting bio-diesel in the tank may be the right thing to do but still it's hard to justify when you know your boat is just going to sit there, plugged in. My situation is different. Our boat is launched and retrieved by UHS Services. I chose diesel because we run long distances, sometimes 40 and 50 miles, to get way up lake where it is remote and extremely beautiful. Diesel is very efficient and so, for me, the higher cost of diesel machinery was justified. HBA: Is there a downside to bio-diesel? SH: In cold weather bio-diesel gels at around 38 degrees. But it can be treated for cold weather usage like any other fuel. The only real downside is the hassle factor of getting the fuel to the boat. HBA: Let’s talk a little bit about houseboating on Lake Powell. You’re a Lake Powell regular and you spend a lot of time cruising this big lake. What do you like about it best? SH: The thing I always like most about Lake Powell is how every trip up lake feels like an adventure. It can get remote out there when you are on your own. You can choose locations where you have plenty of other houseboats for company or you can get into locations where you don't see other people at all. We like to get into locations just off the main body of the lake where we can watch other boats go by from a distance. I love to watch boats underway. HBA: How has houseboating on the lake changed over the years? SH: The boats themselves are the biggest change. I know of the 140 footers on some southeastern lakes, but on Lake Powell the length is limited to 75 feet. Most of these are 22 feet wide. To compensate for length limits, the new boats are also triple-deckers. These boats are huge. But they are also much safer boats. Ten years ago a good size houseboat was 65 feet long and 16 feet wide. Houseboating is still about getting the family together and having fun in the sun. That part hasn't changed. So with bigger boats we can take more family and friends. HBA: There is always a lot of talk about the water level at Powell, is it really an issue for houseboaters? SH: Sure. We all want to see the lake back to full pool. But 100 feet low doesn't really limit where you go or what you do out on the lake. Actually there are many more beaches for mooring. The water is still very clear and on a sunny day you can easily see the shallows and pinnacles from a distance. HBA: What has been your most memorable weather moment at Powell?…the lake is known for its quick changing weather. SH: I would have to say that of all the weather related

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Houseboating Adventures - Issue 18

Houseboating Adventures - Issue 18 Editor's Desk Desert Ritual River Dream Boatel 2007 Top Houseboating Accessories 2007 Impact Design of the Year 2007 Comeback Company of the Year Florida A-Z The Perfect Florida Houseboat Under Thirty Feet? Adventure Guide

Houseboating Adventures - Issue 18

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