I've been thinking about switching to an electric outboard for my '85 Hunter 22. Has anyone out there ever used one? Any comments, pro or con, would be appreciated.
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Chuck
Nah..
Seems to me an electric would really hit on your limited battery power, and if you're dismasted or something I think I would much rather have a full tank and plenty of extra power the gas gives you. I run a evinrude 7.5 and it's got plenty. The boat can keep going full ahead in 4' seas and 40k winds with no trouble. If you're on the ocean or extremely large lakes stick with the gas. If you plan to buy a new gasser, be sure to get the gen package I wish mine had a generator. Happy sailin'.
Seems to me an electric would really hit on your limited battery power, and if you're dismasted or something I think I would much rather have a full tank and plenty of extra power the gas gives you. I run a evinrude 7.5 and it's got plenty. The boat can keep going full ahead in 4' seas and 40k winds with no trouble. If you're on the ocean or extremely large lakes stick with the gas. If you plan to buy a new gasser, be sure to get the gen package I wish mine had a generator. Happy sailin'.
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Jon Bastien
I considered it...
Hello Peter, I considered putting an electric motor on my 23, but haven't done it (yet). I like the idea because the electric would run more quietly, wouldn't vibrate as much, wouldn't produce smoke or fumes, and be relatively easy to secure inside the boat when trailering (without fear of fuel leaks). I asked for opinions in this forum about a year ago, and most of them came back negative- Seems people don't think the electrics are quite powerful enough to drive a heavy boat. You may want to check the archives for my older post... I haven't made the switch, but I remember the results of my research: When shopping for an electric, the 'thrust' is measured in pounds, though on a gas motor it's in Horsepower. It takes about 15 pounds of thrust to equal one horsepower. In order to match my current 5 HP Nissan motor, I would need a 75-lb thrust electric (with fully charged batteries). To have an electric that powerful on board requires at least two batteries to drive it. I would consider adding a third battery, just for the reserve power (in addition to the house battery). This produces some heavy charging requirements, if you motor a lot. 4 batteries, however, is quite a bit of ballast! ;o) The only research I haven't looked into is the run-time available with an electric- With a gas outboard, you can run as long as you have a fuel supply (6 gallons can move me along for an entire day), but with an electric, you're limited by the batteries (Can 2 batteries last an entire afternoon?). Another piece of research I didn't do was the cost of ownership- maintenance and fuel costs for the outboard may be cheaper than replacing batteries for the electric every few seasons (though I'm not sure about that- My outboard has cost me quite a chunk in the last year). Good luck, and let us know what you decide! --Jon Bastien H23 '2 Sheets to the Wind'
Hello Peter, I considered putting an electric motor on my 23, but haven't done it (yet). I like the idea because the electric would run more quietly, wouldn't vibrate as much, wouldn't produce smoke or fumes, and be relatively easy to secure inside the boat when trailering (without fear of fuel leaks). I asked for opinions in this forum about a year ago, and most of them came back negative- Seems people don't think the electrics are quite powerful enough to drive a heavy boat. You may want to check the archives for my older post... I haven't made the switch, but I remember the results of my research: When shopping for an electric, the 'thrust' is measured in pounds, though on a gas motor it's in Horsepower. It takes about 15 pounds of thrust to equal one horsepower. In order to match my current 5 HP Nissan motor, I would need a 75-lb thrust electric (with fully charged batteries). To have an electric that powerful on board requires at least two batteries to drive it. I would consider adding a third battery, just for the reserve power (in addition to the house battery). This produces some heavy charging requirements, if you motor a lot. 4 batteries, however, is quite a bit of ballast! ;o) The only research I haven't looked into is the run-time available with an electric- With a gas outboard, you can run as long as you have a fuel supply (6 gallons can move me along for an entire day), but with an electric, you're limited by the batteries (Can 2 batteries last an entire afternoon?). Another piece of research I didn't do was the cost of ownership- maintenance and fuel costs for the outboard may be cheaper than replacing batteries for the electric every few seasons (though I'm not sure about that- My outboard has cost me quite a chunk in the last year). Good luck, and let us know what you decide! --Jon Bastien H23 '2 Sheets to the Wind'
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Chris
15 lbs = 1 hp??
This doesn't sound right. I have a feeling that you need a lot more than that. They sell 200 lbs & up electric trolling motors, which would be over 13 hp! 13 hp would be 10KW which would draw over 800 amps @ 12 V. I DON'T THINK SO!!!!!!! I think you'll find that you will need a large trolling motor 200-300 lbs to equal 5 hp. Talk to some of the bass fishing folks, they'll tell you more about it. Just remember that when they say " it lasts all day" that they don't actually run it full bore that long. Anyway, I think to get in and out of the slip electric would be OK (better than no motor). To rely on it in emergency etc, I don't think so. Take Care, Chris
This doesn't sound right. I have a feeling that you need a lot more than that. They sell 200 lbs & up electric trolling motors, which would be over 13 hp! 13 hp would be 10KW which would draw over 800 amps @ 12 V. I DON'T THINK SO!!!!!!! I think you'll find that you will need a large trolling motor 200-300 lbs to equal 5 hp. Talk to some of the bass fishing folks, they'll tell you more about it. Just remember that when they say " it lasts all day" that they don't actually run it full bore that long. Anyway, I think to get in and out of the slip electric would be OK (better than no motor). To rely on it in emergency etc, I don't think so. Take Care, Chris
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Jon Bastien
200 lb trolling motor?
That seems a little large- I've never seen one in a standard marine store or catalog that was rated at more than 75 lbs... Where would you find such a beast? --Jon
That seems a little large- I've never seen one in a standard marine store or catalog that was rated at more than 75 lbs... Where would you find such a beast? --Jon
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Bill Welsch
Conditions?
Peter We looked into the electric motor issue as well but the weather on the lake where we sail can be pretty capricious. (and the wind is always coming right at us as we head to the Marina!) I would hate to not have some horsepower in such a situation. My point is that the conditions in which you use your boat are a key factor in making your decision. Good luck Bill Welsch St Louis
Peter We looked into the electric motor issue as well but the weather on the lake where we sail can be pretty capricious. (and the wind is always coming right at us as we head to the Marina!) I would hate to not have some horsepower in such a situation. My point is that the conditions in which you use your boat are a key factor in making your decision. Good luck Bill Welsch St Louis
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Rick Webb
Too Conservative?
I sailed a Cal 20 in Hawaii for six years with no engine at all. An electric motor to help ease it into and out of the slip sounds absolutely feasible to me. It would not have helped me much as I had no battery or electrics either.
I sailed a Cal 20 in Hawaii for six years with no engine at all. An electric motor to help ease it into and out of the slip sounds absolutely feasible to me. It would not have helped me much as I had no battery or electrics either.
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Michael O'Hara
Eco-Power
This thread has come up before - you might want to check the archives. I'm not at my usual computer, so can't provide the websites, but if you'll search the internet you'll find an electric boat association page, plus lots of other similar links. I was most impressed by an article in Sail or Cruising World (Oct or Nov 97?) about a 32 foot steel boat with a very small, very powerful electric motor. Seems it was manufactured by a Swiss company called Eco-power (they have a website, also) that manufactures an electric inboard sail-drive as well as an electric outboard. Good luck with the info search! Michael O'
This thread has come up before - you might want to check the archives. I'm not at my usual computer, so can't provide the websites, but if you'll search the internet you'll find an electric boat association page, plus lots of other similar links. I was most impressed by an article in Sail or Cruising World (Oct or Nov 97?) about a 32 foot steel boat with a very small, very powerful electric motor. Seems it was manufactured by a Swiss company called Eco-power (they have a website, also) that manufactures an electric inboard sail-drive as well as an electric outboard. Good luck with the info search! Michael O'
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Jeff Davis
on a 240
The lake we use most often doesn't allow any gas powered vehicles, so electric all you can have. We have a 70 lb 24volt motor. We used to have a 44 lb and it was too small in windy conditions. The 70 lb seems adequate so far. It's the largest one I could find. We added 2 batteries and 2 solar panels wired appropriately to get 24 volts.
The lake we use most often doesn't allow any gas powered vehicles, so electric all you can have. We have a 70 lb 24volt motor. We used to have a 44 lb and it was too small in windy conditions. The 70 lb seems adequate so far. It's the largest one I could find. We added 2 batteries and 2 solar panels wired appropriately to get 24 volts.
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Chris
Ooops, Jon....
I screwed up. You're right, 200 lbs would have been a monster. I should have said 70-100 lbs, those really DO exist. (shows you how much I know about fishing...<G>) BTW, a 70 lbs Minkota draws 45 amps at *24* V, so you can see you won't get very far with electric..... Take Care. Chris
I screwed up. You're right, 200 lbs would have been a monster. I should have said 70-100 lbs, those really DO exist. (shows you how much I know about fishing...<G>) BTW, a 70 lbs Minkota draws 45 amps at *24* V, so you can see you won't get very far with electric..... Take Care. Chris
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