Advice re electric outboard

[Daydream believer]

I have an Avon Redcrest with the round stern. That is fitted with the removable outboard bracket. I use it for getting to & from my launch when laying moorings. That can be quite intense for 5-6 weeks every 3 years & then only light use in the interveneing years.
Normally I just row back & forth the 200 yds because I cannot be bothered to get my Seagull 40+ out & go through the starting hassle which always happens when left for long periods. ( starts great if used a lot though)
So I thought about an electric outboard. But it has to be cheap because I never take the dinghy on my yacht so servicing my launch is the only use it will get.The water can be quite rough & the Avon would not go very quick, but that is not so bad provided I can handle the tide, wind & current & the weight of 2 people in the dinghy plus battery etc.
If I bought a trolling one the battery is heavy, but could come in handy to jump start the launch in an emergency. However a combined one is much easier& less hassle. Trouble is , they seem to be pricy
So I was looking at cheepo Chinese ones . They range from £115 Plus battery for one with 40 ft lbs of thrust, or a Bison with 55 lbs of thrust which comes out at £269.98 inc £80 for the battery
Has anyone any experience of these I am not looking to go miles in them. I just want to run back & forth a few times a day without any hassle
Any recomendations for something cheaper? I would like to order & get it for the weekend if poss as I have lots of moorings to lay

 

[oldgit]

Just bought a chinese knock off electric outboard secondhand, probably cost about £180 new ?
Alleged 55W motor.
It is powered by a large heavy 90AH battery probably too big/heavy for the job really.
It is attached to a small Honwave inflatable.
It will push me and that big battery at around 4- 5 knots against a 2 knot tide. Flat out.
Have no idea yet on the endurance of that battery.

 

[fredrussell]

The trolling motors work ok but I couldn’t face the effort of loading/unloading a lead acid battery each time I used it. My friend has the Bison 55 paired with a lithium battery, fraction of the weight for a greater range. Despite Bison’s claims of it being saltwater ready, so to speak, his is rusting, but working fine still after two or three years.

 

[Daydream believer]

The trolling motors work ok but I couldn’t face the effort of loading/unloading a lead acid battery each time I used it. My friend has the Bison 55 paired with a lithium battery, fraction of the weight for a greater range. Despite Bison’s claims of it being saltwater ready, so to speak, his is rusting, but working fine still after two or three years.

Trouble is that the battery is between 3 & 4 hundred squids so it just makes it silly money.
Do you know what one he bought? size, type ? Presumably as one can run it right down it does not have to be 85 amp

 

[Tranona]

Trouble is that the battery is between 3 & 4 hundred squids so it just makes it silly money.
Do you know what one he bought? size, type ? Presumably as one can run it right down it does not have to be 85 amp

Unfortunately you are chasing moonbeams here. What you want (cheap and light) is simply impossible - if it was somebody would have done it years ago and made a killing. Bisons are OK if you can handle the battery and commonly used on hard tenders used just to get from the hard to the mooring with a means to charge the battery close to hand. Even though the Bison will power the boat OK as already said the weight of a FLA battery does not bear thinking about in a floppy Redcrest floor. However if you go the lithium route with, say a Sterling 60ah (8kgs) then you can get a reasonable compromise for around £650.

 

[Farmer Piles]

I have just been through the same dilemma. Ended up buying a very tidy secondhand Yamaha 2.5, it's four stroke so not light but it's a good engine and only cost £330

 

[Daydream believer]

I have just been through the same dilemma. Ended up buying a very tidy secondhand Yamaha 2.5, it's four stroke so not light but it's a good engine and only cost £330

In which case I may as well stick with my seagull. It is reliable if used often. Trouble is there are long layups in between. I suspect lots of outboards will suffer the same & need full fuel drain , water drain( more so than my seagull possibly) so just as much work

 

[fredrussell]

Trouble is that the battery is between 3 & 4 hundred squids so it just makes it silly money.
Do you know what one he bought? size, type ? Presumably as one can run it right down it does not have to be 85 amp

His battery was circa 100a/h as it’s a fair old trek from the slip to his mooring and he uses battery for a starter battery once on his boat. For your needs a 40a/h lithium would provide similar range to an 85a/h lead acid battery I would have thought.
I don’t know what your budget is but 40a/h lithium batteries on eBay for £190, or a 50 a/h Renology (trusted brand) is £250.

 

[Daydream believer]

His battery was circa 100a/h as it’s a fair old trek from the slip to his mooring and he uses battery for a starter battery once on his boat. For your needs a 40a/h lithium would provide similar range to an 85a/h lead acid battery I would have thought.
I don’t know what your budget is but 40a/h lithium batteries on eBay for £190, or a 50 a/h Renology (trusted brand) is £250.

Thanks for that info. I think that tomorrow I will get the seagull out of storage, drain out the old fuel, Clean the carb & see how it runs. If it wants to go I will live with it for no cost. If not I will have a word with Bison & see what min size motor I need & then look at the lithium battery that you suggest above. That is cheaper than I have seen in the past & might still give my launch a start if it needs it. I do have a ply floor for the rear half of the redcrest so a battery could sit there.
It is all complicated because I have just had a split in the seam of the seat so that needs repair before I can row it. I doubt that Seats are obtainable for redcrests any more.
Anyone know who took over Avon dinghies, or if they just went out of existence altogether. I have a smaller Wetline but that is simply dangerous & totally impossible to row.

 

[CAPTAIN FANTASTIC]

Unfortunately, the electric outboards with lightweight lithium batteries are expensive. However, you can buy a second hand four stroke outboard such as Suzuki 2.5 or Honda 2.3 that are very light and being four stroke are reliable and easy to start even if are left unused for long periods.

 

[oldgit]

Perhaps all my petrol outboards simply did not get enough use.
Eventually you do get fed up with the pervading stink of petrol in the car/boat with the Seagull .
The faffing around with 2 stroke oil , the internal cooling clogging up with salt and corrosion , the reluctance to start , plus having to carry spare a spark plug (and spanner) when the thing dies on you with those little Suzukis or a Yamahas.
Did try a four stroke Honda

 

[Boathook]

What about running the seagull on aspen fuel? They do a 2 stroke mix at 40 to 1. This may get over some of the problems though aspen isn't cheap.

 

[AntarcticPilot]

What about running the seagull on aspen fuel? They do a 2 stroke mix at 40 to 1. This may get over some of the problems though aspen isn't cheap.

Seagulls won't run on 40:1. Really old ones run on 10:1; newer or adapted ones run on 25:1. There are stories of them running on leaner mixtures, but it isn't good for them.

 

[LONG_KEELER]

How about a nice hard streamlined skiff tender that rows well .

Good for both you and the planet.

That bloke over on Scuttlebutt is doing the Atlantic on his.

 

[oldgit]

Seagulls won't run on 40:1. Really old ones run on 10:1; newer or adapted ones run on 25:1. There are stories of them running on leaner mixtures, but it isn't good for them.

Dad used to run a seagull on whatever oil was lying around including used engine oil. The mixture was whatever it turned out to be .
I never quite got the hang of shutting off the fuel pre arrival in order that the carb emptied and the engine died just before arriving at the pier.

The trail of greasy smoke gently rising into the air from the seagull could be seen from at least half a mile away,.
Have a collection of new prop shock springs in the kitchen draw to this day and the scars from the exhaust as well.

 

[Blueboatman]

Dad used to run a seagull on whatever oil was lying around including used engine oil. The mixture was whatever it turned out to be .
I never quite got the hang of shutting off the fuel pre arrival in order that the carb emptied and the engine died just before arriving at the pier.

The trail of greasy smoke gently rising into the air from the seagull could be seen from at least half a mile away,.
Have a collection of new prop shock springs in the kitchen draw to this day and the scars from the exhaust as well.

Ha ha
I used to do just that . A gallon of cheapest motor oil, a big rusty steel Seagull petrol tank, petrol stored in another metal can , amazing it went at all really .
Once I discovered the 40 with electronic ignition and a clutch ( and a brass tank) and swapped over the battery charging coil from a stupid sodding Seagull inboard , I was a confident seagull owner.
Let’s face it, which one would you nick, the nifty electric or the oily black beast??

 

[MADRIGAL]

I have just been through the same dilemma. Ended up buying a very tidy secondhand Yamaha 2.5, it's four stroke so not light but it's a good engine and only cost £330

Great little motor. True, 4-stroke engines are a little heavier, but this one uses very little fuel, is quieter than a 2-stroke, and has been absolutely dependable for 6 years, even with only occasional use.

 

[Kelpie]

I use a Bison 68 (£100 secondhand) with a Sterling lithium battery, 60Ah (£280). Have used it on my Redcrest, an Avon RIB, and my nesting dinghy.

Pros- it always starts, it's exceptionally civilised to use, it's faster and easier than rowing, it can be stored anywhere, I can recharge it on the boat using solar power, the two individual pieces are light and easy to carry.

Cons- it's not really built for saltwater use with lots of rust now showing. One of the clamps stripped its thread and I had to replace it with an M12 bolt. The clamps fouled the tube on the Redcrest and needed cut down (easy to do, they're just plastic). The connections to the battery can get corroded badly which affects performance- I've cut off and replaced the terminals twice now.