does anyone have experience with an electric outboard? I have an 8' walker bay RIB and am looking for easy/inexpensive. am thinking an electric with a solar charging unit. no gas needs, no power from 'mother ship' required.
Best outboard under $1200
- Thread starter Mougly
- Start date
- Status
I think a used small gas outboard would be easier and less expensive.
You might get 30 minutes run time a day with a trolling motor having a 40 watt panel recharging the battery, but that panel will be a little larger than 2 feet by 2 feet....
http://purplesagetradingpost.com/sumner/macgregor/outside-22.html
...so not very feasible to have in the RIB. Then besides the motor you have the battery which there again will have to be sized according to your needs.
If all you wanted to do was run from a mooring to shore then mount the panel on the "mother ship", have a small battery that you can take from the RIB to the boat for charging and you might be in business, but still all of this costs. About $160 for the panel and charge controller and then whatever for the battery and trolling motor.
If you wanted to use the RIB much at all then everything would change,
Sum
Our Trips to Lake Powell, UT - Kootenay Lake, Canada - Priest Lake, ID
Our Mac Pages
MacGregor/Venture Links
I've been using Minn Kota electric motors for years now. I had a Max40T on my Walker Bay, and it's a Match Made In Heaven. I had a 55lb-er on the 9.5ft inflatable, but I went back to the 40 for my 8.5ft. They pretty much run the dinghy at hull speed, so there's not much more speed with an outboard unless you get up on plane. You can run about an hr or so nearly full-throttle, or putt along all afternoon on a small Group 24 battery.
I just charge the battery off the main engine, or from shore power. I also have a 50W solar panel, and often use it when I'm camping/fishing (I use the same motor on my flyfishing dinghy). It's about 4:1 or so: 4hrs of sunshine gives you 1 hr full-power (or one afternoon trolling).
Advantages of electric include lower cost, no need to store gasoline onboard, QUIET, can store the motor anywhere, in any position, QUIET, less pollution...
Did I mention quiet?
druid
New Motor
Im sure the 5 is the right choice for you. Todays new 4 cycle engines have more power than
the old 2 cycle engines. I bought a new 8hp tohatsu for my 5200 lb pearson 26w. Last season. It replaced an 8hp 20 year old 2 cycle Merc. the merc needed 3/4 throttle for hull speed. The tohatsu makes hull speed at less than 1/2 throttle. much more powerful. If I had it to do over again I would get a 6hp because of the lighter weight. One more thing. These motors dont like ethanol or old gas. If I have any gas left in my tank after 30 days I dump it in my car and buy fresh gas Good luck with your new motor
Im sure the 5 is the right choice for you. Todays new 4 cycle engines have more power than
the old 2 cycle engines. I bought a new 8hp tohatsu for my 5200 lb pearson 26w. Last season. It replaced an 8hp 20 year old 2 cycle Merc. the merc needed 3/4 throttle for hull speed. The tohatsu makes hull speed at less than 1/2 throttle. much more powerful. If I had it to do over again I would get a 6hp because of the lighter weight. One more thing. These motors dont like ethanol or old gas. If I have any gas left in my tank after 30 days I dump it in my car and buy fresh gas Good luck with your new motor
I'm now leaning towards the 4hp/4Stroke 20" shaft for my O23. We're on an inland lake- no currents, little possibility of having to motor through swells. I like the integrated tank, even though it's a relatively small motor, and I can just keep a gallon of fresh gas in the tank locker in case. In the end, I figure I'm not pulling skiers, I'm sailing. And if I need to motor from one end to the other, I'll pop a beverage and enjoy the slower (leisurely) ride.
I just got one last week. It looks really nice and for $650 I'll put up with the odd glances people give me...
I have a Mac V222 and this has more than enough power to push it.
If you want to check it out go to eBay. B & S has an outlet store on eBay that beats other places by as much as $100.
OK, now I have the motor and I have to swap it out for the old one. I'm not a big guy and I'll be working on this with my son. We were thinking of using the main halyard as a way to help lift the motor off the bracket. Anyone done that? Getting the old one off sure seems like it will be harder than lowering the new (and lighter) one down to the bracket.
- Status