History of the MOG 40'

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The MOG Canal Boat is a SOLAR POWERED yacht and electromotive yacht system. The initial concept was in 1986 when George McNeir wanted an enclosed boat that could ply the estuaries.

After a year of technical considerations and deliberations of final use and application of a craft, George settled upon a fundamental change in the design criteria. Since the yacht would be solar electric, the roof (solar collection area) would have the greatest impact on the way the hull and superstructure were designed.

Hulls of different types and interior arrangements were placed on a CAD (computer aided design) system where the different elements of a boat could be seen to interact in three dimensional space. This new technique of solid models viewed on a computer was one of the breakthroughs for the design of boats and their cousins, aircraft.

Between 1987 and the laying of the keel in 1989, a tremendous amount of visualizations were made and evaluated. The result was a stubby thirty foot boat with a flat bow at both ends. Of course one end was the bow and the other end the stern.

The roof was very simply, flat. However, if one looked at the roof closely, the roof camber became apparent to the observer as did the fine detail of the roof edges, overhang and closed, rolled, edge treatment.

The boat, by virtue of its fine arrangements, became a yacht by the writtings of many magazines in science and yacht circles.

This historic photo from the original MOG brochure published in 1990, shows the yacht in its infancy, at 30 feet long.

It was not viewed by the writers as a luxury yacht but instead, a most innovative departure and a most positive yachting retreat on the water.

Between 1987 and the laying of the keel in 1989, a tremendous amount of visualizations were made and evaluated. The result was a stubby thirty foot boat with a flat bow at both ends. Of course one end was the bow and the other end the stern. The roof was very simply, flat. However, if one looked at the roof closely, the roof camber became apparent to the observer as did the fine detail of the roof edges, overhang and closed, rolled, edge treatment.

The boat, by virtue of its fine arrangements, became a yacht by the writings of many magazines in science and yacht circles. It was not viewed by the writers as a luxury yacht but instead, a most innovative departure and a most positive yachting retreat on the water.

After over ten years on the salt waters of the mid Atlantic area and a seasoned veteran of more than five hurricanes at anchor, the thirty foot yacht was retired (in excellent condition) and reworked into a forty foot yacht. All the power systems have been upgraded to the latest art of 2008. Special motors are used that weigh one seventh the original propulsion motors, with efficiency increased from 80% to 97%. There are no through hulls below the water line. New windows now open all around the deck-house (with screens too). Products used aboard have been carefully modified and custom created for the MOG to improve performance and dependability.

The MOG yacht and power system is different now in the overall look and inner workings.  The MOG now exceeds the original criteria which originally dictated her existence. Someday such a yacht may be sold to private individuals, commercial businesses, and to government agencies requiring a marine transport with a silent, renewable energy source.

The future success of the MOG Canal Boat can be attributed to the following:

1.   Affordability of solar power as the premier alternative to non-renewable fossil based fuels.

2.   Clean and silent motive power source for leisurely paced boating, allowing close observation of nature.

3.   Excellent cost of operation predictions because of the non volatility of the Sun’s energy as a power source.

4.   Power costs are a portion of the initial purchase price.

5.   Long lasting solar panels can have their active life amortized over the twenty year warranty period yielding a fuel cost payback compared  to ever increasing fossil fuel prices.

6.   Simple maintenance with electric motors as opposed to gas/diesel engines having many more parts, higher rpm, heat, noise, vibration, fuel/oil filters and periodic tune ups.

7.   Greater safety without the amount of highly flammable fuel. Fossil fuel is reduced to cooking or auxiliary power generation. Primary electric power is from the sun.

8.   More speed reductions are being enacted for inland waters and water ways, due to destructive wakes and propeller harm. Such low speeds stress petroleum base engines.

9.   Electric motors permit more precise methods of control, allowing the integration of marine oriented computer applications and global positioning system navigation.

10. The MOG Canal Boat can maneuver in only 20 inches of water. This permits close scrutiny of shallow’s marine life, as well as non-intrusive study of coastal flora and fauna.

11. The power of solar modules will increase as the price per watt falls because the technology is increasingly employed.

The above listed are some of the benefits of the MOG Canal Boat. Such a solar powered yacht, 40′ long and 11′ wide, can accommodate up to four adults on extended cruises without need for refueling stops, a mobile health clinic on a trailer or in the water at a disaster site or a border/security enforcement unit with long term loitering capability.

The MOG Canal Boat is fueled by powerful photovoltaic (solar) modules atop the roof of the cabin. Electricity from  the modules (or panels) is wired to a battery storage area under the floor and sole of the yacht. The batteries store electric energy for periods of motive power in severely overcast or evening conditions. Electric motors turn propellers that power the boat in a conventional inboard or outboard marine drive system. The electric motors are inherently balanced and create no discernible noise or vibration. Stored power is also used for air conditioning, refrigeration, computers and lighting.

The solar powered MOG Canal Boat may some day be for sale to the consumer, commercial, and government markets. The yachts would be sold and distributed at first from Wilmington, NC.

PROCESS PLAN

Principal Methodology and Processes that will be used to Manufacture Mog Canal Boats.

There are two basic methods by which the MOG Canal Boats may be produced, PLANKED and MOLDED. Initial production will be based upon the planked technology. This entails the use of a special type of plywood called marine plywood. The plywood will not delaminate under direct immersion in fresh or salt water, cold or boiling!

All plans, templates and design models have been created on computer aided design systems. These systems create design information which can quickly and accurately be updated. The updated information can be used to update projections for business analysis as well as create drawings, 3D renderings, and full size plots for templates. The CAD system may also  be used to directly drive automated tooling to produce exact patterns rapidly and with virtually no waste. This means that large sheets up to 40′ long will be cut out using templates and electric tools (all of which may be automated later).      These shaped planks can then cover a whole boat side, bottom or roof in one or two plank layings. Joints are reduced by up to 90% speeding assembly and minimizing steps that might produce errors. The planking operations take form over a  permanent, reusable frame. The hull is built upside down to permit gravity to aid in assembly.

After positioning, the plank edges are joined together in a process called taping. Epoxy resin, known for its incredible strength, is coated onto the edges only, then taped with 6″ to 12″ widths of fiberglass cloth impregnated with epoxy. As the layers of cloth build up they are also made wider and feathered onto the plywood planking. After curing, the edges and corners may be sanded to a smooth, undetectable and  strong joint. The process is repeated for the superstructure.

When both hull and super structure are removed from their frames, they are taped inside as well. The two parts are then ready to be trimmed and placed so that the super structure is located correctly onto the hull. Additional framing is installed along with deck planking and all parts are then fastened securely and taped. The outside of the hull is fiberglassed and epoxied as well as the superstructure to form a permanent weather proof seal against the elements.

At this point the yacht’s interior work proceeds. Interior work includes placement of drive motors, steering, electrical layout, piping, air conditioning, sewage, walls, floors and cabinetry. The interior work proceeds nearly the same in  either the planked or molded construction.

The molded structure employs many of the same methods as the planked structure, the difference being the amount and ratio of materials used.

Epoxy resin is made from oil and is therefore subject to wide swings in price should the oil spot market increase in price. Most of the mass of a molded fiberglass boat comes from the resin used to soak the fiberglass matting. Resin and cloth in molding a boat needs to have stiffening added if plywood is not to be used. Resins are not renewable and may frustrate disposal in an ecologically responsible manner. Molded fiberglass boats use more nonrenewable resources than a fiberglass/plywood boat with no gain in flexural strength. However, with a concentrated program of materials conservation, a zero waste program and good environmental practices, a strong, well finished yacht may be built with the lowest impact to the environment. Additionally, the yacht can be lighter with foam cores and composites thereby consuming less power over the yachts long life. The economy of power usage has a long term, net, positive effect on the environment.

These facts should be well considered before utilizing the fiberglass reinforced plastic (resin) process.

Similar to the permanent frame for the planked process, a female mold of the hull and superstructure is created. Once created, the mold is finished inside to a high gloss and coated with a type of wax to allow release of the parts to be molded within. Usually a finish or gel coat is sprayed into the mold to provide what will become the highly polished outside surface of the part. Atop this gel coat, alternating layers of resin and fiberglass cloth are laid and squeezed together. When the desired part thickness is obtained, the part is lifted from the mold, trimmed, framed and then mated to the superstructure to be mechanically and resin fastened.

Both PLANK and MOLDED operations are much more sophisticated than just described but with current machinery can yield very high rates of production, as, higher production becomes warranted. Recent glutting of the boat market by mass production may in fact be exacerbated by high volume production, creating lower margins on increased inventory and buyer disgust with things plastic. Boaters still appreciate wood and are indicating a move from the all plastic fad to wood/fiberglass in boat construction, especially as a premium yacht. A combination of the above two methods, cold molding, substitutes thin wood veneers for the fiberglass cloth, which in turn is coated with the resin. High strength and light weight are the result of such a method.

After the mating and finishing of the major yacht parts, the solar modules are secured to the rooftop and their conductors routed down to the battery area. As the photovoltaic module technology goes forward, thickness will decrease and power will increase. Future modules may be embedded directly into the rooftop and allow for increased deck space utilization.

The controls of the photovoltaics, charging system, battery monitoring, electric drive motors, and power conditioning are all the latest state of the art. A number of parts of the power system are of a proprietary nature and therefore not covered in this document.

A patent covers the design and esthetics of the MOG Canal Boat. The basis for this patent is the relationship between the roof area needed for photovoltaic module and the type or size of hull employed to functionally and aesthetically carry the photovoltaics. Key to this patent is the need for the hull to be efficient at speeds of under 7 mph while providing a stable platform for a large volumetric living area. Therefore, the design of the MOG Canal Boat lends itself not only to private consumer use but also commercial use as a passenger, research, inspection or freight boat.