Gas to Electric Outboard for dinghy

[dan104]

I have the 1103, it is light weight, the battery comes off as well as the control arm, when I am ashore I that one or both. I moves me along nicely (some times when I power up too fast it is crazy fast).
It charges off my house bank which is supported by solar.


I am in the process of buying a new boat with bigger dingy and Gas powered outboard. Now I figure I have the best of both world (I can run out of gas and still get around with sunlight.

[captqrunch]

Of course, the choice depends on the anticipated time and distance of dinghy travel. ... The Kiwis are generating some interesting electric dinghies:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U_ayeunqGmA

[Juice13]

"A simple trolling motor and battery will work great if you just need to get a couple hundred yards from boat to shore."

This was the best choice for us as we are (very) occasional weekend cruisers always anchored close to shore or at a marina.

Walker Bay 10 with the tubes, a $200 55 lb Newport Vessels trolling motor (I'll get the kayak short shaft next time), and a $100 35ah agm in a box I built. Pushes the WB with two adults and two kids at four knots for three hours.

I even have a 50W solar panel and waterproof PWM solar controller that we leave in the dinghy to trickle charge all day.

This was really just a fun project to have a (slow) runabout in the creeks of Eastern NC and to have something faster than rowing on the tender when coastal weekend cruising for 1/4mile trips with the family to shore.

Would I choose this as a primary propulsion if living aboard or cruising for months at new locations? Absolutely not! but small and easy to have as a backup even if we had the typical cruising setup of a 10ft RIB and 15HP 4 stroke.

[ChirpyBird]

We use a Yamaha 2.5hp outboard. We had problems starting it and somtimes it would quit for seemingly no reason.
Then we switched to premium, non-ethanol gasoline and have never had a problem since. No starting problems, no quitting problems. It has been 100% reliable since the switch to non-ethanol, premium gas. Just wanted to share this in case it helps someone.

[Happ]

Originally Posted by duetto

8 hp gas outboard for 10' RIB dingy quit out of the blue and need another outboard..

Who has switched from a gas outboard to an electric outboard for their dinghy?
What brand and size did you go with?
Likes and dislikes of the change?

Thank you!

Torqueedo 1003 (3 hp). It’s #31 and breaks into 3 components. Shaft, tiller, and battery. It’s easy to put on and take off. I have the 2 cases so its easy to sore below for security reasons. It run full power for about 30 min. Fact is you gain very little speed over 1/2 power. The newer model, the 1103 has a better battery. 50 minutes at full power. Either model are easy to pickup with maximum weight of a component no more 11-12 kilos. No messing with gas cans filling and storage.

There is the E Propulsion which has a battery that has 50% more capacity or 1h 15min t full power. The battery weighs about 8 kilos more (41lbs). The battery actually floats if it happens to fall in the water while mounting it. It breaks down into only 2 components the motor and battery. It is also about $500 US dollars less then the Torqueedo.

If I was buying today I would give the Epropulsion a good look.

[Shaneesprit]

Originally Posted by wingssail

The basic fact is that there is a whole lot more energy in a gallon of gasoline than in a battery of the same weight.

We are (most of us) addicted to fossil fuel.

I am not really a fan of any outboards I have 2 both out of action, but then I never used them anyway. Yes Petrol ones.
I am certainly no advocate of using batteries where it’s not practical - an EV car is a no go for me doubt i will ever buy one - Think they are great if you can live with the range, but I cannot.
Same with a dingy motor however I am seriously considering going Battery powered for my outboard, it makes sense as long as you can live with a 2 or 3hp petrol / Gas unit. But also done my research and you need to buy a good one.

[TPG]

I had a cruiser tell me once that he used a Torqueedo on a very small dingy, but would only use it in protected waters and never use it for crossing an area where there was a lot of current.

That being said, I think evolving battery technology will continue to improve the performance of these electric outboards and we'll be seeing more of them.

[seandepagnier]

Originally Posted by wingssail

To me efficiency under power (or rowing) depends on hull shape, wetted surface, and weight.

A well designed RIB will have very good performance and efficiency under power once planing speed is achieved. It needs a bigger motor in my view. (9.9 or 15)

I dont have experience at high speeds and consider this basically irrelevant as at those higher speeds you are using exorbitant amounts of energy to power with a motor regardless of the hull form.

At slower speeds I have tried rowing other people's RIB style dingy and its very difficult compared to hard dingy or kayak. It is the worst kind of boat to row, especially through breakers, or against strong wind.

The RIB is worse than a simple plywood box. It takes too much energy to move these: they are simply not a practical design unless you are of the entitled mindset that you can simply spew whatever pollution either from fuel, or excessively large batteries in a world where its mathematically impossible for the vast majority to have. planing dinghys for your yacht are a manifestation of western entitlement.

At 750 watts per horse power a three horse electric will need over 2000watthours of power per day for each hour of use. Unless you have a big solar farm or a genset or shore power it is not practical in my view.

1) the electric outboards you can buy like epropulsion etc that push the same as 3hp gas only use about 800 watts.

2) You spend 2.5 hours a day motoring the dingy at full speed?? Who does that? Most dingy rides are only 5-10 minutes, or less than a 50 watt panel produces in a day.

[seandepagnier]

If RIBs were more efficient you would often see sailing rigs on them.

Instead anyone who is seriously trying to sail (or row) a dinghy generally realizes not to use a RIB and so for the most part sailing dinghys are not RIB style which use more energy.

RIB are very wide and not long enough. This is an obvious reason they are less efficient (at reasonable speeds) there are many other reasons they are not a good fit for a dinghy. Anyone considering electric should be concerned with this.

[seandepagnier]

Check out the incredible amount of turbulence and wake the electric motor must produce here to go at comparatively slow speed.

Consider an outrigger canoe powered by same motor instead.

[andrzej0nl1ne]

Sean, journal wrote that you you experimented with a diy ebike hub motor. Can you share some details and do you think an electric skateboard motor might work?

[wingssail]

Originally Posted by seandepagnier

I dont have experience at high speeds and consider this basically irrelevant as at those higher speeds you are using exorbitant amounts of energy to power with a motor regardless of the hull form.

At slower speeds I have tried rowing other people's RIB style dingy and its very difficult compared to hard dingy or kayak. It is the worst kind of boat to row, especially through breakers, or against strong wind.

Well Sean, as usual you've totally lost the plot. No body but a fool would think that a RIB is a good rowing boat. Save your breath on that one. Yes, going at those higher speeds is a waste of fuel, but if you do, a RIB is more efficient than most other common dingy types and you can carry more than one person and a week's or month's worth of provisions. Try that in your Kayak. A good rowboat could be a good dingy, for shorter distances, but, again, either it would not hold much or it would have to be very long and would not fit on our yachts. Maybe you think we should tow them everywhere?

The RIB is worse than a simple plywood box.
Really? Worse than a plywood box? How so, Sean?

It takes too much energy to move these: they are simply not a practical design unless you are of the entitled mindset that you can simply spew whatever pollution either from fuel, or excessively large batteries in a world where its mathematically impossible for the vast majority to have. planing dinghys for your yacht are a manifestation of western entitlement.

1) the electric outboards you can buy like epropulsion etc that push the same as 3hp gas only use about 800 watts.

Oh WOW, now you have invented a new process where a horsepower is only 266watts. Care to prove that wild claim? Or maybe the electric motor is not subject to the laws of physics? Which is it Sean? The electric motor produces horsepower at 266watts or the dingy is easier to push if the power plant is electric?

2) You spend 2.5 hours a day motoring the dingy at full speed?? Who does that? Most dingy rides are only 5-10 minutes, or less than a 50 watt panel produces in a day.

Sean, learn to improve your reading skills. Nobody says they do that.

It is fine to rail against western civilization. But when it comes to changing the world you are shooting blanks. Your suggestions for a dingy are not just impractical, but stupid. You propose trimaran dingies or kayaks? THAT is what you think people ought to use as shore transportation on cruising yachts?

The idea of a sailing dingy that can be rowed has merit, I'd like one, but such a boat would have to be long and, as far as I know, hard. Do you have a solution as to where people would carry such a boat on their cruising yachts?

And your preference for electric power is fine as long as one is using it in the glass calm mill pond where you demonstrate the prowess of your Mickey Mouse home built electric setup. But it does not begin to match the real world.

[newhaul]

Originally Posted by seandepagnier

I dont have experience at high speeds and consider this basically irrelevant as at those higher speeds you are using exorbitant amounts of energy to power with a motor regardless of the hull form.

At slower speeds I have tried rowing other people's RIB style dingy and its very difficult compared to hard dingy or kayak. It is the worst kind of boat to row, especially through breakers, or against strong wind.

The RIB is worse than a simple plywood box. It takes too much energy to move these: they are simply not a practical design unless you are of the entitled mindset that you can simply spew whatever pollution either from fuel, or excessively large batteries in a world where its mathematically impossible for the vast majority to have. planing dinghys for your yacht are a manifestation of western entitlement.

1) the electric outboards you can buy like epropulsion etc that push the same as 3hp gas only use about 800 watts.

2) You spend 2.5 hours a day motoring the dingy at full speed?? Who does that? Most dingy rides are only 5-10 minutes, or less than a 50 watt panel produces in a day.

Sean you have made your opinion well known about dino juice in all its forms . if we want a rib or even a less efficient rollup dingy and an outboard gasoline engine well it's not your choice but it is mine stop pushing your opinions so hard perhaps you may convert a few to all human powered . BTDT and wish I had power many times in bad winds and or seas . and no you dont sail a dingy into a 30+ knot wind

[newhaul]

Originally Posted by seandepagnier

Check out the incredible amount of turbulence and wake the electric motor must produce here to go at comparatively slow speed.

Consider an outrigger canoe powered by same motor instead.

looks to me like a semi planing situation but the electric outboard is not deep enough in the water. Lots of surface cavitation any motor will do that if it's to shallow mounted

[Franziska]

Originally Posted by wingssail

It is fine to rail against western civilization. But when it comes to changing the world you are shooting blanks. Your suggestions for a dingy are not just impractical, but stupid. You propose trimaran dingies or kayaks? THAT is what you think people ought to use as shore transportation on cruising yachts?



The idea of a sailing dingy that can be rowed has merit, I'd like one, but such a boat would have to be long and, as far as I know, hard. Do you have a solution as to where people would carry such a boat on their cruising yachts?



And your preference for electric power is fine as long as one is using it in the glass calm mill pond where you demonstrate the prowess of your Mickey Mouse home built electric setup. But it does not begin to match the real world.

Regarding the hard dinghy, ours is 11ft long has a slightly shortened Laser deck and Laser Radial rigging, can be rowed and motored with 4-6hp.
Added benefit there is a huge watertight trunk in the bow to carry stuff to the boat.
Stores under the solar arch.

So it does not need to be long. Numerous others have nesting dinghies which can be rowed and sailed comfortably too.