The Houseboat Centre has already completed four Solar Power projects and is currently preparing for the fifth.
- The Houseboat Centre’s second home was a wooden Chalet built beside a lake where research into houseboat style plumbing, rainwater collection and solar power generation was undertaken.
- Moving to it’s third home on the shore of Lake Colibita The next project was a Self-driving solar powered boat with remote digital controls. This was successfully completed. The research boat has now been sold and you can buy car-toppable self-driving solar boat kits and parts resulting from that research at e-marine.uk .
- The next project was a small (7 metre = 21′ )all-electric solar powered houseboat for canals lakes and slower rivers. You can see what happened on https://www.facebook.com/marextouringsport/ .
4. the next progression was among other things, to try using a catamaran hull to see how that helped the low powered electric motors. Trials have been concluded . The cathedral hull did help a little and made the boat very stable. Not a major difference though. See the boat here. https://www.facebook.com/RekopR600
5. We are currently seeking the next project boat
no more than 2.6 metres beam, GRP (fiberglass), 7 to 9 metres long. full headroom, cooker sink toilet cubicle
prefer outboard version but inboard is OK, don’t want an engine, but can remove one or two.
Not essential but useful, road trailer, full cockpit canopy, rigid cockpit roof
Age not a problem, hull and topside must be in good condition.
We will need to organise transport to Lake Colibita in Romania
Currently considering a Rocca Panthera.