Hey, there! Log in / Register

The solar-powered lobster-pot hauler

By adamg on Sun, 07/21/2013 - 8:56am

Kids in Gloucester are hauling 50 lobster traps a day with their solar-powered hauler.

Neighborhoods: 
Gloucester
Free tagging: 
Lobster


Ad:


Like the job UHub is doing? Consider a contribution. Thanks!

Comments

By anon on Sun, 07/21/2013 - 1:28pm.

...is a winch. The boat is still "powered" by the 90HP motor. It's all a bit silly, as they probably could've just charged the battery off the outboard instead of wasting that solar panel on something like this.

This is like saying your car is "solar powered" because it's got a widget that runs the fresh air fan off some solar panels in the sunroof.

up
Voting closed 0

By BlackKat on Sun, 07/21/2013 - 4:23pm.

Thanks for pooping all over some kids trying to be innovative and do something good for the planet.

up
Voting closed 0

By anon on Sun, 07/21/2013 - 11:54pm.

Thanks for rewarding some kids for doing something that is not innovative, nor good for the planet.

It's important that we teach kids about effective environmentalism....not greenwashing and token efforts that waste valuable resources and are done entirely for show or frivolity. That solar panel could've been doing something useful.

Talk to people who work in the 'green' field. Everyone pesters them about recycling and composting...which isn't anywhere near as effective as people think it is. Meanwhile they're trying to do something about the massive power usage in the company, but they can't, because everyone keeps pestering them about recycling (and now composting...)

up
Voting closed 0

By anon on Sun, 07/21/2013 - 7:18pm.

Let us think about that one for a moment.

Good thing we have a troller here and not a trawler, because the coast guard would be busy.

up
Voting closed 0

By anon_33 on Sun, 07/21/2013 - 8:07pm.

An awful lot of boats have outboards with a key start that starts the motor from the battery, in much the same way as a car. Those types of outboards certainly charge the battery as they are used.

But troll on .....

up
Voting closed 0

By anon on Sun, 07/21/2013 - 9:17pm.

Please calculate the necessary battery power to run a motor of sufficient torque and charge to pull traps up.

Hint: it is a hell of a lot more power than necessary to charge the starter and your fish finder.

Let me guess: you are one of those people who can't figure out why you can't run anything on the same circuit as your AC. Gee - there's another plug in! It should work!

up
Voting closed 0

By anon on Sun, 07/21/2013 - 11:39pm.

Hint: it is a hell of a lot more power than necessary to charge the starter and your fish finder.

90HP outboards typically have a ~50A alternator. So which do you think is more effective? Charging the battery using a tiny solar panel? Or charging the battery via an alternator on a motor that has to be running anyway?

up
Voting closed 0

By Joey C on Tue, 07/23/2013 - 5:51am.

Most Lobster Boats Have Hydraulic Pot Haulers this one is an electric solar powered Pot Hauler.
The Boat Is powered by a gas engine the Pot Hauler Is Powered by Solar.

See-
http://goodmorninggloucester.wordpress.com/?s=Pot+Hauler

The title is correct and no one on the waterfront calls their pot hauler a winch. Winches are used mainly on the docks and on trawlers-

up
Voting closed 0

By merlinmurph on Tue, 07/23/2013 - 8:07am.

...but in generic terms, it's a winch. The drum turns, a line is wrapped two or three turns around the drum, and when the line is tightened, it draws whatever is on the other end of the line. That's a winch.

This winch hauls pots, so the guys call it a pot hauler. Fine. If you take that pot hauler off the boat and put it anywhere else, people call it a winch.

Anyways, good on the kids. Sounds like a great project.
And a big Fuck You to the naysayers who think they wasted their time.

up
Voting closed 0