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New to kayaks, need some input on long range cruising.
http://www.hobie.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=11&t=44420
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Author:  deckofficer [ Sat Aug 18, 2012 3:33 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: New to kayaks, need some input on long range cruising.

Below is what I posted to my forum and will copy and paste here. I'll keep both forums up to date with my yak cruising.

As I mentioned in another topic, I will no longer commit my short vacation time to trailering the T back to the Midwest for the NATS or the Bash. What I intend to do instead is to return to cruising, but in a way that fits my time constraints of caring for dad. I have cruised in the past using my sailboat's dinghy and have covered the length of Lake Chelan, the San Juan Islands (both Washington State), the Valdez Narrows and Colombian Glacier, and 850 miles of the Yukon River in Alaska. This is camping in the traditional sense, no RVs, just my 15 hp powered inflatable dinghy and whatever shoreline I pitch my camp. This dinghy was a conventional hull, so at cruising speed would get around 10~12 mpg, (2) 6 gallon tanks giving me 120+ mile range before needing to find more fuel.

Next dinghy will be a much more efficient cat hull, and electric powered. But for now, going with the extreme hull efficiencies of a Hobie Oasis kayak. This is so efficient that at 3.7 mph, will only consume 21 watt/hours per mile. By comparison, my home built electric scooter would consume 120 w/hr/mile at 30 mph as a wheeled conveyance.
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Next Friday I'll pick up the Kayak from the dealer and a lady friend and I will pedal propel it on Lake Natomas, Rancho Cardova, up river (American River) through Orangevale then Folsom before turning around to return to Nimbus Dam where we launched. Stay tuned for how that turns out.

Now back to efficiencies, with the Torqeedo evolve electric drive in one of the two Hobie drive wells and my battery design, this kayak will cruise with no pedal assist for 73 miles, which will make a nice overnight trip following the 75 mile shoreline of Lake Tahoe. For really serious long range cruising, I'll be outfitting it with 136 watts of light, flexible, thin film solar panels. This is how the range will break down with solar, Engel marine freezer, and electric cooking.

1/2 power throttle setting 3.7 mph

For a 2 day trip

Range with solar, 157 miles ......solar and fridge, 146 miles......solar and freezer, 107 miles.......solar, freezer, and electric cooking, 83 miles


Above is a 2 day trip
Below is a 10 day trip

Range with solar 493 miles,........solar and fridge 438 miles,......solar and freezer 243 miles,....solar, freezer and electric cooking 123 miles.

So as you can see, if I want to cover more than just 12.3 miles per day on a 10 day trip, I'll have to pedal some to add to the propulsion equation, and that is the whole idea. Since caring for dad I have lost a lot of conditioning that I used to get playing tennis everyday. With this setup I'll be able to see via digital readout just how much in watts my muscles are working, and slowly get back into shape at the same time getting my cruising fix.

That is why here in the Cruising Forum I've added this topic, to document the build and future trips. Of course there will be a lot of pictures as I plan to circle the shoreline of Lake Tahoe, Folsom Lake, Lake Powell, and maybe if I feel it is stable enough, Catalina Island, Sea of Cortez, and the Florida Keys.

Stay tuned for next Friday's posting.

Author:  trainsktg [ Sun Aug 19, 2012 7:00 am ]
Post subject:  Re: New to kayaks, need some input on long range cruising.

There's some good reading here :!:

Keith

Author:  deckofficer [ Wed Aug 22, 2012 1:44 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: New to kayaks, need some input on long range cruising.

As much as I wanted to go with the Hobie, it appears the Torqeedo evolve electric drive unit is back ordered. Combine this with the fact that Torqeedo won't allow user configured lithium batteries or solar charging other than their 45 watt $945 thin film flexible panel, just killed the sale. $4860 for the Oasis with evolve vs $2000 for the Ocean Torque with MinnKota drive. It is hard to beat the engineering, efficiency, and features of the Torqeedo evolve, but for the added $2860, a bit too much. Of course this includes the Mirage drives also, which I liked the idea of using my leg muscles for propulsion, but the ambiguous "3~4 week" back order on the evolve, it just won't fly.

I understand that in a down economy, inventory is a costly luxury, but lack of it will cause sales to go elsewhere. If I'm still invited to post to this forum after I get the Ocean Torque set up and cruising, I will.

Author:  deckofficer [ Sat Nov 03, 2012 10:01 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: New to kayaks, need some input on long range cruising.

Well folks, if I'm still allowed on the forum with my non-Hobie Ocean Torque, I'll post future modifications. Didn't get the new kayak in the water till 4:00 PM, because didn't leave the dealer's business till 3:15 PM. No sweat, a couple hours till dark and I'm only running (2) small AGM batteries, one pulled from the T, and the 17 year old one from the T and now in the garden tractor. Video coming later.

The 2 AGM batteries. Use the 17 year old one upriver so that I would have plenty of reserve to get back.
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Heading out for 1st cruise upstream on the American River, putting in at Nimbus Dam.
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VOM and tools
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Heading back after 3 nm up river on that 17 year old battery.
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Author:  deckofficer [ Sat Nov 03, 2012 11:09 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: New to kayaks, need some input on long range cruising.

Those fickle winds. Glad I had flowing electrons.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HrOO1PyqmbA[/youtube]

Author:  deckofficer [ Mon Nov 05, 2012 10:19 am ]
Post subject:  Re: New to kayaks, need some input on long range cruising.

By the lack of response, I guess I'll have to return to this forum when I have a Hobie product. If others are into kayak camping I'll leave a link as to where I'll be posting.

Author:  deckofficer [ Sat Jan 05, 2013 11:39 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: New to kayaks, need some input on long range cruising.

Balancing the lithium cells. Total is 200 a-hr at 13.2 volts. Should be good for 75 nm.
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Runs this 30 watt load for 96 hours.
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