Forget Electric or Junk Gasoline - Here Is The Way . . .

[Cheechako]

on propane the engine should last forever. Carring a propane cyl around in the dingy doesnt sound like fun though... and propane is usually alot more work to get filled than getting gasoline. When I was just out of high school i worked as a mechanic for a time. The local cabs used propane. The conversions were really simple. Those engines were clean as a pin inside even after 100k miles. Bright shiny silver heads and piston tops...

[deckofficer]

This is still my choice of propulsion. Your able to produce the fuel yourself (solar panels, regen), no pollution, and a recent breakthrough has the power density of 400 w/hr per kg. Of course not available yet, but will be. This sort of increased energy density if applied to my electric scooter that currently has a range of 6.5 miles on 60 lbs of lead acid AGM batteries, would for the same weight give me a range of over 90 miles.

[Celestialsailor]

Originally Posted by Sailmonkey

Well, most engines are from China.

Just built to someones specs.

Is that documented? I'd certainly like to know.
UNCLE BOB: Cynical?...not really...just getting super tired of paying for a product that breaks down due to inferior materials and workmanship.

[HopCar]

The engines are assembled in China with parts coming from several different countries. They didn't say so but I think the lower unit is made by Yamaha.

Yes I wouldn't be surprised to see cheap propane conversion kits but without increasing the compression ratio you can't take advantage of the higher octane of propane. If you change the compression ratio, the conversion gets expensive.

The fiberglass or aluminum LPG tanks are not much heavier than the same size gasoline tank. They do cost a lot more than a typical plastic gasoline tank. The steel LPG tanks would be heavy but cheap.

I would expect a propane fueled engine to require less maintenance than a gasoline engine.

Propane has unlimited shelf life so it is easy to store long term. Gasoline will certainly be easier to get, but propane is pretty available as well.

The little one pound disposable cans will not be the primary way to fuel these motors. That would drive the fuel cost through the roof. I think people will primarily use larger bulk tanks with these engines. When they start selling the refillable one pound cans, that might be practical to run the little 2.5 on. When I get mine, I plan to get a 10 pound fiberglass tank but I'll keep a one pound can aboard as a reserve fuel supply.

The next engine they are planning to release will be in the ten HP range. It will not be equiped to run on the one pound cans.

[osirissail]

As mentioned by others, propane is and has been used in the automobile world for quite a number of years and in some Caribbean Island countries is the primary choice of fuel for automobiles. As mentioned normal gasoline engines can run on propane with only a carburetor modification. If these engines are optimized for propane so much the better.

The engines according to the spec's put out can run on either the 1 lb BBQ cylinder - or - a larger separate propane tank attached to the front of the motor in a similar way to the the gasoline outboard's fuel connection - but modified for propane. All the stuff looks very "off the shelf" just like the stuff you would buy to hook up your small BBQ to a larger tank.

With the composite (FRG) propane tanks now available and being used on boats for supplying fuel to the stove/oven, they should be very easily adapted to use in a dinghy.

The 10 lb capacity composite propane tank has a tare weight of about 9.6 lb. so total weight filled would be under 20 lbs.

Gasoline weighs about 8.3 lbs/gallon so a plastic 6 gallon tank full would weigh in at about 50 lbs.

Weight in a dinghy is especially a problem since now 4-cycle engines are the "norm" and they weigh considerably more than 2-cycle engines.

Ecologically and safety wise I think the propane has it all over gasoline. Swamping a dinghy and/or losing the gasoline tank over the side can most probably result in a gasoline spill on the surface of the water - which could be hazardous when that good samaritan in his cigarette boat comes over to help you out of the water and leans over with a lit cigar in his mouth.

[denverd0n]

Originally Posted by Lagoon4us

I was thinking lighter than air would have been preferable?

In an open dinghy I don't see it really mattering.

[Geoduck]

I'm wouldnt be surprised if Tahatsu didnt make it - they make every thing else- Merc, Nisson, Coleman, etc, etc. I bought a new 6hp last year - good motor but too heavy! At least now I can plane the dingy. The old 2cyc 2hp wont die - over 20 years old but it's slow going but I can load/unload with one hand - I think I'll keep it and get rid of the 4stroke!

[Celestialsailor]

Originally Posted by Geoduck

I'm wouldnt be surprised if Tahatsu didnt make it - they make every thing else- Merc, Nisson, Coleman, etc, etc. I bought a new 6hp last year - good motor but too heavy! At least now I can plane the dingy. The old 2cyc 2hp wont die - over 20 years old but it's slow going but I can load/unload with one hand - I think I'll keep it and get rid of the 4stroke!

It would be nice if it was a Tohatsu. I love my 6hp. Now someone will tell me they're made in China!...

[mbianka]

Well nice to have choices. But, in my experience propane refilling locations have been hard to find sometimes. Though the small containers would probably be easier to find and make this less of an issue. Still I think gas is more widely available than propane in almost all locations. I usually row my Porta Boat dingy but, if my 2 HP Honda BP-2 outboard ever dies I might look into something like the Electric Paddle for a rowing assisted soultion:
THE BIANKA LOG BLOG: ELECTRIC PADDLE
Seems a much lighter choice for those of us who do not need the hefty horsepower of a gas or propane outboard.

[Celestialsailor]

Originally Posted by mbianka

Well nice to have choices. But, in my experience propane refilling locations have been hard to find sometimes. Though the small containers would probably be easier to find and make this less of an issue. Still I think gas is more widely available than propane in almost all locations. I usually row my Porta Boat dingy but, if my 2 HP Honda BP-2 outboard ever dies I might look into something like the Electric Paddle for a rowing assisted soultion:
THE BIANKA LOG BLOG: ELECTRIC PADDLE
Seems a much lighter choice for those of us who do not need the hefty horsepower of a gas or propane outboard.

I just looked at the site...$1000 for the set up. Thought that was a little steep.

[stevensuf]

now if you were really clever , you could make a large supercapacitor and run an electric outboard using unlimited energy created from quantuum vacuum fluctuations ,capturing it using the casmir effect.

You did know any capacitor will self charge over time?

[Lagoon4us]

Originally Posted by Sailmonkey

and the fuel we use now is??
at least with propane you can get it most anywhere.

Here in Australia the refineries are being shut down, propane/lpg will be imported.
CNG LNG is the future we have oodles of it.

In this area of the woods the shift for refining is going to Asia LPG is almost as expensive as petrol, won't be long now.

T'was only my opinion ....
Cheers

[44'cruisingcat]

Originally Posted by osirissail

The 10 lb capacity composite propane tank has a tare weight of about 9.6 lb. so total weight filled would be under 20 lbs.

Gasoline weighs about 8.3 lbs/gallon so a plastic 6 gallon tank full would weigh in at about 50 lbs.

Huge difference in the range though. Also, you can get 10 litre (2 1/2 gallon) plasic fuel tanks, which would be more the normal size for a small 4 stroke outboard.

As for safety, a propane leak can be disastrous if there are lit cigars around. Propane will form an explosive fuel/air cloud far more readily than petrol will.

[mbianka]

Originally Posted by Celestialsailor

I just looked at the site...$1000 for the set up. Thought that was a little steep.

Yeah I agree the price point is a little higher than a new BP2. But, it smaller and lighter plus you won't be buying oil and gas for it. Plus you probably could use solar power to help charge that battery too. One thing I like is you can also use it on a Kayak or a small sailing dingy too. If my Honda BP-2 dies I'm going to take a closer look at it.

[sailorboy1]

hell my Honda 2HP dies more than it runs!