Hi Steve, is your Port-Potty the 135 model?

Thanks,

Donnie George # 221

Forgot to mention that we have a small Thetford porta-potty forward of the mast, under the "V-berth," to use the term generously.  It fits perfectly there. To keep it from sliding aft, I fastened a length of 1"x1" at its base.



Steve Mohr, #220
Too Too Oh!

I meant that the pump will easily keep up with any rain that makes its way to the bilge when we're not aboard, same with any water we take on while sailing Lake Erie.  I glassed in two stringers running across the bilge, with a piece of marine plywood painted with bilge coat screwed to the stringers, and the battery box/battery sitting on the ply, secured by a strap.  The top of the battery box sits a couple of inches below the bilge hatch, and the bottom of it is well above the bottom of the bilge. The bilge would need to be filled nearly to the underside of the cockpit floor before the battery would be submerged.

Hope that helps,



Steve Mohr, #220
Too Too Oh!

Hah! Great minds think...... 
I just ordered a 6HP SailPro - Tohastu and recommend this blog for a good review.   https://backbeatsailing.wordpress.com/2013/05/28/tohatsu-6-hp-sail-pro-review/

I am planning to several camping excursions and the charging option is attractive.

On the battery, interesting you've put in the bilge. I was thinking the same, until I swamped my boat.  Also we get a lot of chop in Galveston bay and the bilge can fill up quickly.  I think I''m sticking with lashing it to the starboard bunk and be done with it.
When you say 'no problem...submerged', do you mean you do not mind or it will keep working?

We have our battery where Vic's was on his old boat, just under the bilge hatch and a little aft of the main bulkhead  I like it there because the access is easy and it keeps the weight centered and low.  Since we run a bilge pump off of it, as well as the nav lights, there's not a problem with the battery being submerged.  I'd be happy to send a picture if you'd like.

I know of one outboard that is a pull start and will charge a battery: a 6hp Tohatsu UltraSail.  It would take forever and a day to charge a flat battery with it; in fact, I don't know that it ever would.  But it will keep a battery that is undergoing standard use topped off.  They're heavy, a little over 60 pounds, but they do the job well, are quite reliable, and not as heavy as an electric start would be.  They also have a separate fuel talk (standard with the motor is a 3gal), which may suit your intended purposes better than a small internal tank. We keep the tank under the port bench.  It's a four stroke engine, so it would probably run for a week on 3gal at six knots, which is about half throttle or a tad more.  We've never used a full tank in an entire 6 month season, which involves mostly just out and back in from the marina, with a few considerably longer evening motors from time to time when the wind dies on Lake Erie.

The only thing I don't like about the motor is the weight, which the charging capability doesn't offset for us because we typically don't run the motor long enough to take advantage of it.  I'm considering an electric, but it's an expensive experiment.



Steve Mohr, #220
Too Too Oh!

Interesting. I didn't know these small add-on alternators existed.

Vic Roberts
#2032 - Journey

-----Original Message-----
From: mailer@mail2.clubexpress.com [mailto:mailer@mail2.clubexpress.com] On Behalf Of Ensign Sailing Forum
Sent: Monday, January 1, 2018 3:28 PM
To: vic@victorroberts.com
Subject: re: [Ensign Sailing] Battery Placement / Usage + Outboard Type <<$187420268354$>>




Thanks Vic,
See link to alternator idea
https://starmarineinc.com/tohatsu-nissan-alternator-kits/

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B017K6PH1S/ref=oh_aui_bia_detailpage_o02_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1
I also have a solar battery charger..its been working well for the battery. I don't use shore power

It may be enough to do an overnight sail...but any longer and I think I'll need more charging capacity for running lights, cell phone charging, beer cooling. 

Thanks Vic,
See link to alternator idea
https://starmarineinc.com/tohatsu-nissan-alternator-kits/

There is an error in my previous message. The solar cell I use is rated for 7 Watts, not 15 Watts. I've attached the datasheet.

Vic Roberts
#2032 - Journey

-----Original Message-----
From: mailer@mail2.clubexpress.com [mailto:mailer@mail2.clubexpress.com] On Behalf Of Ensign Sailing Forum
Sent: Sunday, December 31, 2017 12:53 PM
To: vic@victorroberts.com
Subject: re: [Ensign Sailing] Battery Placement / Usage + Outboard Type <<$187381856436$>>




You can purchase straps to secure your battery. I replaced my 45 lb battery with a smaller, 22 lb. one that has a handle. Much easier to get in and out of the under cabin bench storage area. My older boat had the battery secured in the forward part of the bilge, under the hatch in the floor.

I suspect that only electric start outboards will have battery chargers, and the combination of starter and charge would add significant weight. I use the Honda 2.3 HP on my boat.

I use a small, 15 watt, flexible solar cell to recharge my battery, which is used only for the bilge pump and occasional lights. Since the cell is flexible it sits on the rear deck and I can walk on it when necessary. (I can slip, but the solar cell will not break.) A flexible cell is much more convenient than a rigid one, even if you do not plan to walk on it.

Vic Roberts
#2032 - Journey

-----Original Message-----
From: mailer@mail2.clubexpress.com [mailto:mailer@mail2.clubexpress.com] On Behalf Of Ensign Sailing Forum
Sent: Sunday, December 31, 2017 12:07 PM
To: vic@victorroberts.com
Subject: [Ensign Sailing] Battery Placement / Usage + Outboard Type <<$187379781424$>>




Happy New Year All

#1
I'm fitting out my #1539 Black Opal for more 'adventure cruising'. The battery is going to see a lot more use. My battery weighs 45lbs and was stored on the starboard cabin bench. It needs to be more securely fastened and noticed that some boats have the battery stored forward of the mast in the cabin floor. This seems a better approach for weight and space distribution. Other than the risk of the boat swamping , I can see no other disadvantage. Agree? Please share your battery fastening ideas

#2
Does anyone have experience using their outboard to charge the battery? If so is it effective?

#3
What is the optimum cost / HP outboard motor to use with the Ensign? Not electric, Max 6HP?

You can purchase straps to secure your battery. I replaced my 45 lb battery with a smaller, 22 lb. one that has a handle. Much easier to get in and out of the under cabin bench storage area. My older boat had the battery secured in the forward part of the bilge, under the hatch in the floor.

I suspect that only electric start outboards will have battery chargers, and the combination of starter and charge would add significant weight. I use the Honda 2.3 HP on my boat.

I use a small, 15 watt, flexible solar cell to recharge my battery, which is used only for the bilge pump and occasional lights. Since the cell is flexible it sits on the rear deck and I can walk on it when necessary. (I can slip, but the solar cell will not break.) A flexible cell is much more convenient than a rigid one, even if you do not plan to walk on it.

Vic Roberts
#2032 - Journey

-----Original Message-----
From: mailer@mail2.clubexpress.com [mailto:mailer@mail2.clubexpress.com] On Behalf Of Ensign Sailing Forum
Sent: Sunday, December 31, 2017 12:07 PM
To: vic@victorroberts.com
Subject: [Ensign Sailing] Battery Placement / Usage + Outboard Type <<$187379781424$>>




Happy New Year All

#1
I'm fitting out my #1539 Black Opal for more 'adventure cruising'. The battery is going to see a lot more use. My battery weighs 45lbs and was stored on the starboard cabin bench. It needs to be more securely fastened and noticed that some boats have the battery stored forward of the mast in the cabin floor. This seems a better approach for weight and space distribution. Other than the risk of the boat swamping , I can see no other disadvantage. Agree? Please share your battery fastening ideas

#2
Does anyone have experience using their outboard to charge the battery? If so is it effective?

#3
What is the optimum cost / HP outboard motor to use with the Ensign? Not electric, Max 6HP?

Happy New Year All

#1
I'm fitting out my #1539 Black Opal for more 'adventure cruising'. The battery is going to see a lot more use. My battery weighs 45lbs and was stored on the starboard cabin bench. It needs to be more securely fastened and noticed that some boats have the battery stored forward of the mast in the cabin floor.  This seems a better approach for weight and space distribution. Other than the risk of the boat swamping , I can see no other disadvantage.  Agree?  Please share your battery fastening ideas

#2
Does anyone have experience using their outboard to charge the battery?  If so is it effective?

#3
What is the optimum cost / HP outboard motor to use with the Ensign? Not electric, Max 6HP?