Recent content by tomcat58

That is a separate hitch from my normal boat trailer. I used that a few times to launch and take out the canoe on remote beaches and to get around a dam. I use a fold up hand truck with a ball mounted on it and a canoe carrier on the rear of the canoe like this one...

Life sometimes side tracks me and my solar canoe project but I always seem to come back to this canoe and try something new. I did not want to lose cargo and passenger space in my solar canoe but wanted more solar panels to create more amps. Mostly to deal with using the canoe in cloudy weather...

I am trying to understand why your going through your batteries in less then a year ? Not knowing what battery your using and how much you draw it down it's not possible to understand the problem..... As far as a PWM controller I have the Minn Kota 45 Endura max which has a PWM controller in it...

Eclectic: Your comments about PVC becoming brittle is a good point. From my research PVC can handle many years of use but as your stated it can weaken. The main reason this happens is UV Rays. Painting the PVC eliminate the UV rays. The other option I have is to replace the struts ever few...

Eclectic: Yes the struts are 2" PVC but they are reinforced inside with 1 1/2 inch electrical PVC conduit and tucked in tight. The end joints are automotive exhaust pipe custom fit and angle for the application. The boat ends of the struts are still inserted 16 inch so that's good to go to. I...

I will also be using this guys excel spread sheet this spring to document amps used to achieve what speeds and distance. There is a spread sheet you can download half way down the page for your own testing...

Good Question 8) Yes and I will post some picture and video snorkeling off the boat and getting back on the boat this spring. Also I have plans to complete at least 75 more miles of the Columbia River this spring and hope to get some high wind conditions the Columbia is known for on video...

The outriggers are 4 inch dia, and 10 feet long, There filled with a special closed cell foam and weigh under 5 pounds each. I have never figured out there buoyancy but the farther there extended from the boat the less buoyancy is needed to stabilize the canoe. In redneck terms... I weight 210...

Thanks Eclectic .....Actually I have not figured out the "post a picture" function yet so yeah post whatever you want to :-) Yes a multi day trip is what I designed the canoe for. As long as the Sun is above you and you have Water below you.... it just keeps on going and going and going. Or is...

I read most of the solar canoe post here and I always pickup some nice ideas from the other canoe projects. So I will share my solar canoe project also and get some feed back Good, Bad or ugly feed back it doesn't matter just fire away :-) A brief description would be a 3 seat KL plastic...