Electrical systems

[Dennis]

Hello Michiel

Congratulations on Nemo. I am sure you are going to enjoy it!

With regard to my 5 watt solar panel: As it only gives out a max of 0.4 amps in bright sunlight and I use a 26 AH battery, there is no problem, this the equivilent of a mainainance trickle charge. In reality the charge is rarely over 0.2 amps due to shading from the boom etc.

Hope this helps

Dennis

CC19 #100 Mary Ann

[Michiel]

Dennis,

So you reckon your avg. trickle charge of .2Ah maintains the battery ok for avg. usage of once per week, without a charge controller?

Just thinking though, the idea is to berth Nemo in the Med. from June till September.
I was thinking of either a 28 or a 35Ah battery. With the high irradiation there, would I be safer with a controller?

[Dennis]

Hello Michiel

You will always be safer with a controller.

However, with a 5 watt panel and a 35 AH battery you probably do not need a controller. Check the technical information for the solar panel, it should tell you what capacity battery does/does not require a controller.

Cheers

Dennis

[Michiel]

Hi,

I collected Nemo last weekend, and towed her back to Perthshire.
Must say, she sits lovely on the trailer, and at 55m/h you hardly realise you are towing!

Compliments to HM, for the way they have refurbed Nemo, she looks like new!

Have been playing about on the drive and have her rigged up now.
What a beauty!

It is tanking it down just now, so will get the sails out later and have a go setting them.

Some of my previous posts, ref. batteries and pv have been proven unnesesary, as to my delight I found Nemo fully wired up, with 2x 85Ah Numax batteries (still fully charged), a fixed Icon vhf, masthead tricolor/anchor light etc.
Under the forward bed cushions, there was even a flexable 14W pv panel, wired to go into the deck light fitting!

Great, saved a few 100£ there!

Dennis, I will contact you, ref. a first sail, and general tips etc.

I was also wondering, for towing short distances, can I just lower the mast, being left hinged in the tabernacle, and support her and the boom/gaff at the rear in a wooden support?
With a marker at the end of the mast, is this legal, or advisable?

[Dennis]

Hello Michiel

Sounds like you have a well equipped boat. Well done!

I do tow to and from my home and Kielder Yacht Club (25 miles) with the mast lowered in the tabernacle. I have a red reflective triangle which I attach to the end of the mast.

The only thing you have to be carefull of is ensuring that you still have sufficient noseweight on the trailer to maintain stability. The mast weighs about 28 Kg and its centre of gravity is well aft when it is lowered in the tabernacle. This combined with 27 Kg of outboard can make the nose weight virtually non existant in my case. I counter this by empying the cockpit lockers and moving everything forward in the boat. I do intend (sometime) to move the axle rearward on the trailer, as far as it will go, I think there is about 2" movement available on the U bolts.

Ideally the noseweight should be 7% of the total mass being towed for good stability. However that figure is probably in excess of the maximum allowable on the trailer coupling (which is 100Kg). In any case you must not exceed the maximum noseweight figure for your towing vehicle. Not too confusing I hope.

Looking forward to hearing from you.

Cheers

Dennis

[oak]

Wow,I am completely blown away with this thread.Never got further than lamp oil,knotted cord with bungee,.the only annoying thing with the boat is that it is jolly difficult to fit my Walker
"Merlin"

[Michiel]

Dennis,

When I towed Nemo from HM to Scotland, she was perfectly balanced, with the mast, boom and gaff strapped on the deck.
The difference now would be that the boom, gaff and half the mast would be partially behind the axle.
I estimate the combined weight of this about 30kg??
If I put the outboard (25kg, right from the back of the boat) in the boot of the car, surely this would be fine.

Better stil, tomorrow, with the mast lowered, and engine in place I will simply weigh the nose weight on my wife's scales (I gave up on them long ago!), and I'll know!!

[David Hudson]

Re towing and weight distribution:

If this is an issue, and I am only preparing for my first tow with a new vehicle:
how about removing the rudder and stowing it in the tow vehicle?

David
Tokoloshe111

[David Peck]

Hi David,

Yes this will make a big difference. I have posted a reply under the "trailers and towing" section.

Regards

David Peck
CC19 Whistling Rufus

[Michiel]

Hi all,

Just realised I was going a bit 'off topic' in this tread.
Should also have moved over to "trailers and towing".

Still getting to grips with using the forum. sorry.