Boat U.S. - September 2008 - (Page 38)

without worrying that the holes you are drilling will allow water to penetrate a carefully laid up fiberglass part. There is no such thing as osmotic blistering on an aluminum hull, so buying a used boat doesn’t require moisture tests or core sampling. There is also no gel coat that requires waxing or that can wear off over time. Whether or not economic realities will push boatbuilders to aluminum in the future remains to be seen, but you can have an aluminum cruising boat now if you desire. Options are limited to semi-custom builders like Coastal Craft or you can look on the used market. The most prominent aluminum cruiser on the used market is the Marinette, built from the mid-‘50s until 1994 by Aluminum Cruisers, Inc. of Kentucky. They range in size from 26 to 44 feet and were offered in a variety of styles from sedan cruisers to aft cabin layouts. Approximately 1,800 32-footers were built, the most popular size. I’ve spent the past six seasons cruising the Chesapeake Bay on mine, and I don’t think you can find a more spacious and economical 32-foot cruising boat. — By Michael Vatalaro Soaking in the Sun Aluminum is the hull material of choice for Independence Green Yachts, a company trying to bring a zero emissions yacht to market. The Independence 60, conceptualized by Fred Berry and John Mann and designed by Robb Ladd Yacht Design, is devised to cruise completely independently from the fuel dock. Powered by solar energy stored in the form of hydrogen gas, the yacht has a theoretical range of 1,200 nautical miles at six knots. Berry and Mann claim the yacht will be able to make six knots on solar power alone without tapping into the hydrogen powered fuel cells for extra juice. “Most yachts sit around during the week doing nothing but collecting sunshine,” says Mann. “We thought it would be useful to capture that energy so the owners could then use it to power the boat on weekends.” The solar array on the flybridge and aft cabin hardtops powers a hydrogen generator, that uses electrolysis to break down water into hydrogen and oxygen. Berry and Mann plan to store the hydrogen at nearatmospheric pressure in a metal hydride container. Metal hydrides absorb hydrogen under certain conditions, and can release hydrogen if the conditions are changed. The hydrogen can then power a fuel cell to provide electricity for the yacht, either at night, or whenever demand for power dictates. An experimental metal hydride storage container is in use to power a home on the campus of the Merchant Marine Academy in Kings Point, NY. By combining power from the solar array and from the fuel cells using stored hydrogen, the yacht has a predicted top speed of 13 knots, pushed along by twin 100-hp electric motors. Our technology columnist, Chuck Husick, while intrigued by the concept of the Independence 60, is skeptical of some of the predicted performance data. He believes the amount of energy needed to push the 61,000pound displacement hull through the water will prove to be significantly higher what is called for in the designs. At press time, the yachting public appears to share some of that skepticism as no orders have yet been placed for the futuristic, multi-million-dollar vessel.

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Boat U.S. - September 2008

Boat U.S. - September 2008 Contents Behind The Buoy BoatU.S. Reports Member Forum List Locker Aluminum Can Do Cruising in Crossovers Second Guessing Seasonal Forecasts A Cradle for Your Baby Badlands Boating The Inns and Outs of Penobscot Bay All in the Family: The Butler Did It Stealing Back Peace of Mind DIY Boat Owner Files Good Foundations Boat Smart 2nd Time Around Hot Tips Tangled Line Seaworthy Ask Chuck At Your Service BoatU.S. Exchange Behind the Boat Where Our Flags Fly

Boat U.S. - September 2008

For optimal viewing of this digital publication, please enable JavaScript and then refresh the page. If you would like to try to load the digital publication without using Flash Player detection, please click here.