Electric Outboards

[donjohnson]

Hi,

I have got a Quicksilver 460 Cruiser with a Mercury 30hp outboard but would like a back up engine. Coming from a yacht where you can always raise the sails, relying totally on one engine seems a bit risky. I have seen quite a few electric outboards and they seem to be light and compact as well as pretty cost effective. I know the battery is about 100ah but I wonder what size I would need to make any progress and how long it would last on the battery.

It's mainly to get me out of trouble if the engine fails. I mostly cruise around Solent.

Any advice would be appreciated.

 

[MarkJohnson12345]

Bought a small electric motor, supposed to be the equivalent of a 2.2hp.

Very efficient, plenty of gears two reverse and four forward.

Swift to respond to power settings.

OK for what its designed for, but has no real umph above the norm.

Took the beast onto a river recently, a river I had worked on during the summer. The winter flow was too much for it, I had to replace it with the petrol 2,2 hp 2 stroke.

Have to sa the 2.2 hp struggles against the flow.

During the summer work, the 80a/h battery gradually lost its power, and the electric motor responded by going slower and slower.

Good motors as long as you are aware of their power reserve, and response to the dwindling battery power.

Mj

 

[VicS]

I don't think an electric outboard will come not even close to doing what you want.

They are low powered and the electrical power consumption is large Remember that 1hp is equal to 746 watts so for every 1hp you will be drawing a current of over 60 amps That does not give you a very long running time for a 2hp motor on a 100 Ah battery. Realistically probably only about half an hour and you will only be travelling slowly.

For a boat of that size I would be wanting an absolute minimum of a 4hp engine and preferably somewhat more if it is to be able to get you home in an emergency against the tide and a stiff breeze.

A decent second engine will always be useful when trolling anyway and the 30HP normally used to get you out to your fishing grounds and back again.

I'd really be looking at 6 or 8 hp even more maybe.

 

[Clyde_Wanderer]

I have a Minn Kota 44lb thrust motor which I used on grp fishing boats from 12-17ft, and found it great, brilliant for moving towards a shoal of trout without spooking them.
I tried it on my 2.7mtr inflatable, and was very dissapointed at how it performed, went and bought a new Yamaha outboard for it.
I wouldent recomend it for your size of boat, better with a petrol machine.
Infact I have mine for sale, as I dont use it anymore. /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif
Merry Christmas. C_W

 

[donjohnson]

Thanks for the replies, it kind of confirmed what I thought about the battery power required.

I guess I will have to buy a 5hp outboard as a back up.

To be honest we mostly use it as a family boat for going up and down the Hamble and across to the Isle of Wight. But having our 4 year old son on board, I wouldn't want to get stuck in the middle of the Solent for too long. It happened once on our yacht, the engine oil line burst and there was absolutely no wind to sail. Fortunately I managed to contact another yacht going past who gave us a tow back into the Hamble.