What about an electric motor?

[Richard Laribee]

I have the original 4 HP 2-stroke outboard on my `83 Hunter 25. The boat's in great shape, but the outboard is getting a little long in the tooth. At least one local shop won't take it in for work, because of it's age.I'm considering replacing it with an electric motor. I love the idea of getting rid of the noise, not to mention the gas and oil mess, smell, and pollution. ("Save the Bay!!")As electric motors are designed for hull speed, as I usually don't use it for more than a half hour total, round trip, as I sometimes don't use my motor at all, as I've fallen in love with my solar panel for the rest of my electical needs... I can't think of any draw backs. When there isn't any wind, we generally don't go puttering anyway.Does anybody have any experience here? What do you think?Cheers,Rick

 

[Ed Schenck]

Great idea!

Last year at the Annapolis show there was an excellent display of electrics for sailing. Wish I could remember the name of the company. For bay sailing where you very seldom need to motor it would be perfect. The display that I saw was inboard and I do not recall if they had an outboard model. The inboard option is not cheap but much less than a diesel for those who need to repower. And for those of us who sometimes have to motor long distances you would probably have to add the cost of a diesel generator. Now where to put that and the extra batteries?

 

[Mac Lindsay]

Electric

Richard;go to> www.solomontechnologies.com >www.electriclaunch.comIf you go that route let us know and post pictures of the installation. Regards, Mac

 

[Dave Snyder]

Heavy Weather

I sail on the finger lakes with my hunter 25 and a electric motor wouldn't cut it on windy days going in and out of the marina with 4 foot waves and 30 knot winds