Austerity Measures

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Austerity Measures
Austerity Measures

Video: Austerity Measures

Video: Austerity Measures
Video: What Is Austerity? | The Breakdown By HuffPost 2024, March
Anonim

ARC blog No. 10

As on all blue water yachts, energy management and water balance are among the most important issues for us. We actually had an energy problem the first week. At the moment it's more of a water problem. But from the beginning:

During the refit of "Mona" I installed a new charger, a new inverter, some new batteries and a new solar system, among other things. The alternators are generously dimensioned with 120 amperes per motor. And normally the solar cells can replenish the withdrawal quite well.

A science in itself

Now, however, it was quite overcast for the first few days, and I added the alternators to generate energy a little too late. In addition, the otherwise little-used freezer used a lot of electricity. As a result, the batteries were already used a little after two days.

Despite my mediocre electrical knowledge, I also know that the charge voltage and, above all, the display are a science in themselves and that what the display says is not necessarily decisive. The applied voltage was always in the green area.

It is not so easy to make up for what has been missed with the alternator, because the charging curve is sometimes rapidly falling. So in order to get back to a stable battery level, you have to Long getting charged. But will the diesel be enough to guarantee the required charging times?

Eating up helps save electricity

So we spared no effort to empty the freezer and finally switch it off. A gain of almost 7 amps! Add to that a longer solar period, and now the batteries are shining again. Now I can get there again with about an hour a day recharging with the alternator.

But the water tanks are now empty. That was also foreseeable - 900 liters of water won't last forever. At first everyone was very disciplined, and the consumption was 50 to 70 liters a day. Washing dishes and pots in particular consumes a lot and was trained to save water. But then you had to take a shower, one or the other T-shirt wanted to be washed, and the idea that 900 liters is a lot got stuck. Until they were gone.

Then came the great moment of the newly installed watermaker, a desalination plant that produces 60 liters of fresh water per hour, but of course also consumes a lot of energy. So now the machine runs at least an hour a day to take care of us. Nevertheless, I woke up yesterday from the continuous running of the water pump and found an empty tank again. So switch off the pump and produce water. After an hour turn on the water pump again and the water rushes through again immediately.

Where's all the water?

Is anyone taking a shower here? No, everyone was comfortable on deck or in the cockpit. Nobody took water. What is dlos? Water pump off again, check bilges for leaks in the system. Nothing … brooding … questioning the water meter, calculating how much theoretically there should still be. Actually 150 liters!

Until one of the crew cautiously asks whether it might have something to do with the stern shower. Yeah It had been used a few hours ago to rinse off feet that were chilled in the Atlantic. After a brief check at the stern, it is clear: it has not been switched off properly. The precious water ran freely. A classic killer. However, this mishap is more likely to occur on swimming trips, so I didn't have it on my screen.

Everything is now back to normal, but the crew's learning curve is positive, because an empty tank and life only from emergency ration bottles quickly shows how important it is to continue to be economical.

The skipper

Moan on ARC course
Moan on ARC course

Mareike Guhr on course for the Caribbean

Mareike Guhr, sailing journalist, book author and circumnavigator, has started on her next big trip. This summer she crossed the Mediterranean with her catamaran "Moana" and made her way to the Canary Islands. The Hamburg native is currently sailing from Las Palmas di Gran Canariaus with guests on board as part of the Atlantic Rally for Cruisers (ARC) over her "home ocean", as she calls the Atlantic.

And not just for fun, but also to take care of your aid project. With her association "Island Child Care", Guhr cares for children on islands in third world countries that are best reached by ship.

More information about the trip and the boat can be found on Guhr's website.

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