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Running Generators at Anchor

Discussion in 'Generators' started by Norseman, Jul 14, 2011.

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  1. Yachtjocky

    Yachtjocky Senior Member

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    If only that was true, the majority of "powerboats" do come with sound shields and I have struggled to work on these units with these shields in place until I give up and remove the whole thing.

    Alot of sail boats that do actually come with generators try and save space and use units that run at 3600 RPM and are either installed low down in a bilge / keel area or because of the high RPM's would be impossible to have running while on board without some kind of shield.

    Large motor yachts have units that run slower at 1200 RPM and come with various water traps / seperators / under water gas outlets etc etc that are not seen on sail boats.

    How much noise do you hear from freighter generators but then again how often do you see one of them anchored next to a blow boat, they now better and stay away from those halyards.

    Its funny how a blow boater loves the wind in their sails cruising along at a ridiculous angle and then complain very loudly when they get rocked a bit by a passing power boat. It is a bit like a dog loves to stick its head out the window of a speeding car but goes crazy when you blow in its face.

    Bamboo, maybe you could tell me what you mean by Irish drinking music as I am Gaelic and we just drink without the need for any music.

    ....and I thought you were a skipper, must be the only one working at Sailfish as I only see mates and boat washers working there plus the valet's.

    There are a lot of boat owners and potential boat owners who walk those docks and I find it costs nothing to be courteous especialy if you may be looking for a new job in the future.
  2. RER

    RER Senior Member

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    The reason you have never had to relocate due to a sailboat's genset noise is because they don't run them. The reason they don't run them is because it costs money.
  3. Capt J

    Capt J Senior Member

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    I loaded a very nice Bennettau 48' onto a freighter for a shipping company, the boat was about 5 years old. The main engine had around 1100 hours on it, the generator had 81 hours. I started and ran the generator to run it to the freighter, it vibrated the entire cockpit seat so much, women would've loved it. It was also twice as loud as the main engine.

    Every yacht I've been on, the generators were muffled greatly and you mainly hear the raw water coming out of the exhaust over the actual exhaust sound.
  4. Norseman

    Norseman Senior Member

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    Can't speak for anybody but myself here:

    1) I have never owned a sailboat with a gen-set.
    2) Never anchored close to a stinky and noisy powerboat.
    3) Never rowed or motored over to a powerboat to ask for ice or anything else :rolleyes:
    4) Been rocked numerous times by rude powerboats, never seem 'em slow down or attempt comm on the radio. (Don't do long Intercoastal journeys however, out and back to the Bahamas usually)
    5) Ignorant powerboaters have anchored on top on my anchor more than a few times, then run their gen-set all night with fumes and noise deliverd to my bedroom.
    6) I don 't hate stinkpotters, only the rude and ignorant ones and they seem to be in abundance in South Florida and the Bahamas.
    7) I have earned my bread as a Captain on the same boat Mr. Pascal drives for a living and am quite familiar with the power requirements and the lay-out.
    8) This discussion started with a video of a rude and ignorant powerboater and I can only confirm they are out there based on the above. No offence to the considerate and intelligent powerboaters.
    9) There is idiot sailboaters out there too.
  5. Bamboo

    Bamboo Senior Member

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    I put on some Drop Kick Murphys or old traditional Irish pub songs. My great grandfather who's name I carry brought us to the USA from Galway.
    Plenty of captains still at their boats here, but you are correct- people walking the docks do not see them.
    Not a practice at Sailfish as I already have people on the boat that can answer all the questions already. It's not discourteous- I don't play it loud enough to disrupt others at their boats- just loud enough so that people walking the docks understand it's too loud for casual conversation from the dock to my boat. I've had compliments on the tactic by several boat owners and have never had an issue getting a job. It's not meant to be rude- just a hint that I'm busy.
  6. travler

    travler Senior Member

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    all this gen noise reminds me of many years ago we were in an anchorage in alaska salmon tendering we had been up for a few days we were waiting to take fish with all the deck lights on and the 8v71 gen set screaming and a guy and his wife row over and ask if we could stop making so much noise and turn off all those lights , my deck hands reply was wright us a check for about a million and a half and we would be glad to


    travler
  7. Pascal

    Pascal Senior Member

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    "Its funny how a blow boater loves the wind in their sails cruising along at a ridiculous angle and then complain very loudly when they get rocked a bit by a passing power boat. "

    You really don't undestand the difference between heeling and rocking back and forth???
  8. Capt J

    Capt J Senior Member

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    I ran a 42' Sailboat the other day from Palm Beach to Fort Lauderdale. I got rocked by a 55' coming out of the inlet on plane. The wake hit us right on the beam. It was nothing to be worried about and it wouldn't have even knocked a can of soda over. I don't he boat rocked a heck of a lot more when the jib loaded and unloaded.

    I went 10 years with only running 1 sailboat. Somehow I've gotten stuck running 10 different ones in the last year. Not because I have to take the job, but because they're coming from companies I've been doing business with for 10 years and have to do them also. Anyways........can someone please enlighten me on this.

    Why is it that 9 out of 10 Sailboats won't reach hull speed on the engine? Are they too CHEAP to pay for a diesel that has 5-10 more horsepower? I know it's not a weight issue. If you're going to motor (which I have always seen 80% of them doing), why shouldn't the thing cruise at hull speed or near it? The fuel burn would be linear to the speed of the vessel for the extra 5hp or 10hp of motor. This one did 5.2-5.5 knots at cruise, when the wind kicked up to 10 knots in the afternoon I put the jib up and was getting 6.8 knots.......... Piss poor engineering.
  9. AMG

    AMG YF Moderator

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    "Hull speed" on a monohull is normally when heeling, so running the engine will never be faster than sailing in the right conditions.
  10. Yachtjocky

    Yachtjocky Senior Member

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    Why do you not include my whole note instead of quoting parts to make you look good.

    It may surprise you you to know I have rocked and rolled on bits of stuff that somehow floated on every ocean in the world and just about every sea. :cool:
  11. Pascal

    Pascal Senior Member

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    make myself look good? lighten up will you I was just pointing out the fact that heeling under sail and rolling in a wake are two very different type of motion...
  12. Yachtjocky

    Yachtjocky Senior Member

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    No, it is you that needs to lighten up, if one was to read my whole post when I go on about dogs sticking their heads out of the car window a reader could see I was writing completely tongue in cheek. :mad:
  13. Marmot

    Marmot Senior Member

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    My vision of that is tongue flapping in breeze and dog spit blowing in the wind. :D
  14. dennismc

    dennismc Senior Member

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    and not following behind in a convertible !!!
  15. Capt J

    Capt J Senior Member

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    Yeah but they won't even cruise at their normal "unheeled" hull speed. For example the one I ran the other day did 5.2-5.5 knots at cruise but would do over 7 knots at full throttle. This being said, if it had an additional 20% more power, it should cruise at 7 knots anyways, which is a huge difference over the course of a day.
  16. AMG

    AMG YF Moderator

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    OK, my boat is cruising nicely at 5,5 knots and can do 7 as well, but then it sits deep at the stern and revs like you were running your car at full throttle in first gear. Probably triples the fuel consumption, and the wake...