Are Electric Outboards Any Good ?

[Curmudgeon]

Originally Posted by KenBartline

I have a Torqeedo 801 traveler. I bought 2 battery packs for it. I thought it would be good on my Portland Pudgy. It has enough pushing power, but runs out of power within about 1 to 2 nautical miles depending on the speed. I also found after 1 season that it was unreliable and the connections really do not like salt water. It is hard to maintain the batteries and the storage of them as recommended was not good on them. Not something I would repeat buying. I am giving it to a friend to play with on the lake. I would rather row than mess with them. I bought a 2HP 4 cycle Honda to replace it.

LOL, I had a very similar experience with an 801 and also bought a Honda 2hp. Great little motor.

I was fortunate that someone wanted to buy my Torquedo to use on a canoe. The Torquedo was an expensive mistake.

[Juniper]

I picked up a little 2HP 4 stroke from a company called Florida Light Outbourd for a bit over $500 new. Air cooled (no impeller) light wieght (~20 lbs) not all that fancy(hope won't grow legs), seems to work well, it's more or less a slightly marinized weed wacker with a prop and mount, Close to a modern Seagull.

[Cacique]

Well For information
I have bought a seagull outboard with electronic ignition and have been using it only occasionally for the last year and all has been well (and not too noisy Rick). However I am still really interested in an electric outboard, onboard Cacique we have a second alternator so have the extra amps to charge a battery for the outboard and the fact that they are allmost silent really appeal. I have also read that Tom Cunliffe has one and he really knows his stuff. So I think I will give one a try, the only thing is no one seems to have one you can try to see if they are any good.

[centaur]

I bought a very cheap Bison electric outboard trolling motor for getting in and out to my mooring, about a quarter of a mile. Have it and the 32 amp hour sealed lead acid battery for 4 years. It has proven reliable against wind and tide. It even saved the day when I and my very fit but inexperienced son were hit by a sudden squall and were lucky to grab the lea rail of a boat while I fitted the outboard that we,d put in the dingy for getting back.
Centaur

[HopCar]

I've got a little cheap Minnkota 30 pound thrust trolling motor I use to power my Avon, a canoe and various other small boats. I use a couple of small jet ski batteries. When the first one dies I know it's time to head home on the second. It isn't even a salt water version. I just rinse it with fresh water each time I use it and it's several years old now with no corrosion. It would probably be a little weak to buck a strong current or wind. Of course they make 40 and 50 pound thrust motors as well.

[osirissail]

Originally Posted by Cacique

. . So I think I will give one a try, the only thing is no one seems to have one you can try to see if they are any good.

Thing is they are good and do work just fine. The weak link is the power supply limits the thrust/horsepower that they can practically put out. That is, the higher output units require some serious battery storage which means serious extra weight in the dinghy.

Just like an electric lawn mower, which can perform as well as a similar sized gasoline powered lawn mower, there is the problem of getting enough electricity to the unit and how far you can operate on that stored or corded power source.

So trying one out is not really necessary - they work - they are quiet which is why serious gill fishing folks use them on their bass boats, etc.

The decision you need to make is can you handle the extra weight of the batteries in your dinghy and can you put enough batteries in the dinghy to get you where you want to go and back. It is tough to beat a 3 gallon can of gasoline on a little 5hp outboard that can run you around for a week or more before needing refilling. In order words, the miles per unit of stored power on electric outboards, sucks, as Jeff Foxworthy would have said.

[centaur]

Originally Posted by David M

The only real downside to electric outboards is that batteries do not have the same energy density (stored energy per amount of weight) as gasoline. Also, a typical tank of gas you can lift can store more energy than a battery you could lift.

The upside of course is no gas fumes.

And oh so quiet.

[deepthought]

We use a torqeedo 1003 and are very happy with it. The range works for us and we have plenty of solar on our boat to keep it always charged. Compared against a 4hp gas its not as fast but seems to have more thrust if under more load. The other advantage is that it breaks down easy and is easy to move around. No need to carry extra gas tanks and just turn the handle and your off moving silently. Range depends on how much throttle your giving it but we have not ran out of battery yet under our normal usage. We spend most of are time at anchor.

[Cacique]

Thanks for all the input.
The torqueedo sound great but wow expensive.
I am still thinking of one of the cheaper units maybe 50 thrust. I think I would like to try one.

[bryguy67]

We use a Minn Kota 55lb thrust with a 92 AH AGM gel battery. I had a custom made bracket made to hold a used solar panel I bought. The panel is way too big...75 watt. But we go and go and go. 3 hours is our longest trip on the dinghy. Our "gas tank" refills itself in the sun as we go. Top speed is a bit over 3 knots but we have bucked 1 1/2 foot waves head into strong winds with 5 people on board and got back to the boat safely.

[micah719]

That photo is a keeper, as is the idea.....thank you!

[bryguy67]

Also, we don't lift the battery in/out. I have it in a battery case that is tied to the stearn. With a proper strap across the top it could flip over and spill no battery acid (AGM gel cell). If the motor was on it (which we do remove when not in use) that would not fare as well. That motor needed a new mother board after a few years of use; about $225.
On our next boat I want a similar set up on the dinghy but want to beef it up; more thrust. May have to go 24 volts to accomplish that but I don't like the weight of that. Lithium too much $.

[Cacique]

OK I'm still not converted, I think electric may well be the way ahead but the torquedo seems way too expensive.

[svmariane]

I'm agreeing with "deepthought" up there. We purchased a Torqeedo 1003 and are really, really happy with it. Slapped it on an 8 foot Carib RIB and now my wife is finally independent. We also anchor out -- haven't tied up to a dock in 18 months. There's enough "umph" in our Torqeedo to go against 20, 25 knot gusts with one-to-two foot chop here in Pago Pago harbour. Range suits us. Plenty of solar/wind power on the mother ship to keep batteries charged. Takes only a few moments to bring the battery aboard.

Next plan: make up a retractable power cable so when the dingy is tied alongside we can just plug her in. Although.... Now that I've seen what "brguy67" did with a dedicated solar panel I'm needing a rethink.

[bryguy67]

RE:
"Next plan: make up a retractable power cable so when the dingy is tied alongside we can just plug her in. Although.... Now that I've seen what "brguy67" did with a dedicated solar panel I'm needing a rethink."

We never charge the dinghy battery from land or from the boat; 100% charged from solar panel located on the dinghy.