Electric boat launched

Joe Fenech

Oct 25th 2009, 13:32

Graham Crocker

What a whole load of nonsense!!! Electric energy is no solid alternative to the energies we have as it is still depends on electricity.

Graham Crocker

Oct 25th 2009, 11:58

Joe Fenech, With that attitude we would still be using oil lamps, fireplaces and smoke signals.
Your light bulbs, heater/ air conditioner and telephone/mobile use electricity so why aren't you biased against them?

mario vella

Oct 25th 2009, 10:48

WELL DONE WORK. I HAD BEEN USING ELECTRIC POWER OUTBOARD SINCE 1990, VERY SILENT AND CLEAN AND VERY LIGHT OUTBOARD TO CARRY, JUST THE PROBLEM WAS THE BATTERY TO TAKE CHARGE AFTER A LONG PERIOD USE. I USED IT FOR NIGHT FISHING, TROLLING FOR CATTLEFISH AND SQUID. GOODLUCK.

Joseph Ellul - Sydney

Oct 25th 2009, 10:21

Years ago , before tourism took over the boats at Wied-iz-Zurrieq, the boats used to be taken out by oars up to " il-ponot". This was done both as respect for the locals throwing in a line to pass the time with the small fish and also not to contaminate the water 'fil-majna". I guess the new generation got lazy and disrespectful apart from greedy. Good luck with the electric motor. I can tell you now that unless given for free , you will not get one electric motor on those boats. Too slow and heavy and the technology is too advanced with too much servicing by a third party required. I would rather go for a solar panel type: this can also serve as a sun cover for the travellers on the boat. These do not need recharge from diesel generated electricity like the battery ones. By the way, some trivia: When I was a kid we told an old fisherman that a man had landed on the moon. His reply: Yep, on the other side of Filfla.
Good luck!!!

Joe Fenech

Oct 25th 2009, 10:00

Why this fuss about electric cars/boats etc? They still need electricity to charge them!

Ludwig Flask

Oct 25th 2009, 09:21

@ Philip Sultana and others with similar comments: I agree!

@ the others: Where is the creativity or originality? 4 years of study (or research) for what? Waste of money and resources! Even a search through humble www will give you all the necessary plans or data, or better directly purchasing...

Philip Sultana

Oct 24th 2009, 10:22

Hardly newsworthy in an internatinal context ... risking making fools of ourselves for the umpteenth time!

Daniel Vella

Oct 24th 2009, 09:16

Very well done, interesting and usefull. Hope that this technology will continue to evolve and be used wider in transport not only at see but also on our roads. Hope that the government invest in these technologies and minds. Will surely help in decreasing pollution and having cleaner air to breath. I fully agree with the comments about the Zurrieq Blue Grotto boat tours upgrading.

leanardo vince

Oct 24th 2009, 09:06

to t. mifsud

If this project took 4 years to realise, then the pyramids should have taken half a million years. Thank God they did not take that long. It is positive to learn that the Egyptians were that efficient.

T Mifsud

Oct 24th 2009, 07:52

@Michael Fenech
Is that possibly all you have to say on this project?
Say something positive on such a project that took 4 years to complete!

No wonder ....!

Well done guys!

Albert Bonnici

Oct 24th 2009, 06:18

Known technology put together. Electric noiseless outboards and engines have long been on the market to say the least. Position information do you mean a GPS? Cannot understand what all the fuss is about. What about open waters?

Dave Alan Caruana

Oct 24th 2009, 01:42

seems a nice & interesting project, especially the 3 phase motor control which is the way forward as things are. As an engineer I'm wondering about a few aspects of the project - what's the battery life like? A round trip of Malta would be, I estimate, about 80km, is the range good for that much? I notice the focus on lead acid batteries - does the charge controller help protect against sulphation, what is the expected life of the batteries, and what waste is generated when they are recycled? Is it really an outboard motor? (could this be developed into a commercial product for small boats?).

Jesmond Micallef mentioned the boats that do the trips to the caves in Zurrieq - I think this would be an ideal application as the trips are actually quite short, and there would be time for a quick charge between each trip - the boats there do produce significant noise and pollution!

Good work, and keep it up!

Charles DeMicoli

Oct 24th 2009, 00:49

Well done to Joe Cilia and his team.

C.Carabott

Oct 24th 2009, 00:32

@Jesmond Micallef

That's a " frejgatina " not a " kajjik ".

John Micallef

Oct 23rd 2009, 21:09

I'm seeing we are paying MMa for nothing with so many experts on the street!!

carnel callus

Oct 23rd 2009, 20:39

@Michael Fenech

They are in inland water...if you know the place.

MICHAEL FENECH

Oct 23rd 2009, 18:35

HOW COME NO ONE ON THAT BOAT HAVE A LIFE JACKET ON.

Jesmond Micallef

Oct 23rd 2009, 18:25

Execellent !!!

Very good work indeed..........indeed, indeed.

May I suggest the use of such boat propulsion technology on the Zurrieq Blue Grotto boat tours. I have been there on various occasions and could'nt help notice the stench of the two stroke oil and exhaust in one of the caves the boaters usually take visitors in. Two stroke outboard motors channel their exhaust through the propellor, thus contaminating the seawater with two stroke oil and the other by-products of combustion. The Blue Grotto caves are full of corals and such en-closed environments could be very very sensitive to such contamination.

Well done University of Malta and all involved. Such research projects may very well and in real terms contribute to the survival of the Maltese sea water environment and hence the tourist opportunities it offers.

Additionally, good to see an electric powered "Kajjik", it just could not be better presented to the public. Simply "Icing on the Cake"