[Rhodes22-list] Battery and motor causes boat to lean portside

[Allyn Baskerville]

We're still tossing around boat names. I like this. 

I've spent time trying to figure out where to put larger solar cells, but there isn't much room - maybe on the pop top, but I can't quite figure out how to get the wires run. One of the cleats on the boom will scrape across the pop top, so that might damage the solar cell. I've thought about drilling a hole in my mast, so that I can raise the boom up a few more inches, but I've not done that yet. The clear protective covering on the surface of the solar cells looks pretty bad - cracked, etc. But I'm still getting 13.5-13.6V on a sunny day.

The solar and batteries don't seem to be setup properly - both house batteries and both solar cells are wired in parallel. I'd expect one to be run back to the starter battery. I've presumed the motor has an alternator to charge the battery, but I should check this out. I believe the starter battery is about 9 years old, and I only charged it once about 1.5 years ago when I bought the boat.

My outbound doesn't have pull start - I wish it did. 

-----Original Message-----
From: Rhodes22-list <rhodes22-list-bounces at rhodes22.org> On Behalf Of Chris Geankoplis
Sent: Thursday, June 3, 2021 11:30 PM
To: The Rhodes 22 Email List <rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org>
Subject: Re: [Rhodes22-list] Battery and motor causes boat to lean portside

Hey Allyn,
                I’m surprised that your boat has 3 batteries. I have 2 size 28’s on Enosis and we have lived and cruised on it for 3 months at a time.
An outboard doesn’t really need a dedicated battery as it can always be pull started and your electric start will charge it and your house batteries. If you use a lot of watt hours perhaps an up grade on the solar will take care of your needs and you can get rid of one battery to balance the boat. Just say’n. Glad you love your boat, a common affliction amongst us Rhodies. Ever thought of renaming your boat “the House”. That way you could spend every day working on “The House”
Chris Geankoplis
Enosis

On Thu, Jun 3, 2021 at 10:41 PM Allyn Baskerville <allynb at adsne.com> wrote:

> My slip is right outside the clubhouse, and I get *lots* of comments 
> such as, "What's wrong with your boat? It doesn't sit straight in the water."
> The boat has two house batteries and the starter battery on the port 
> side, and the motor is portside. The starter batter would be easy to 
> relocate starboard, but the other two won't be that easy. What have 
> you all done, if anything?
>
> I love looking at the pictures that have been posted of the boat remodels.
> Some are simply amazing, and I've downloaded many pictures since 
> joining this list. Overall, the layout works well for me with what I 
> have, and my wife says I have to get her house done before I even 
> think about doing anything else.
>
> This list has been so incredibly educational and enlightening.
>
> Allyn
>