Small electric outboards for tenders?

[NealB]

Yesterday, we had a very pleasant outdoor lunch, right next to the River Crouch, at The Anchor in Hullbridge.

Anyway ..... as we ate, a couple came ashore in their grp tender, powered by a tiny looking electric outboard.

It was about an hour after high water, so the ebb tide was just starting to make its presence felt.

They made excellent progress.

I'd be interested to hear any views, as it looked way, way, lighter than our (already fairly light) 2.5 hp Suzuki.

Any recommendations, or thoughts on ones to avoid?

Thanks!!

 

[Tranona]

This comes up regularly with people seduced by electric "trolling" motors that can be bought for a couple of hundred £'s. Given that a proper electric outboard costs over £1500 suggests the cheap one might have drawbacks - and that is indeed the case. Four main issues, first low power, second need for a battery in the boat, third range which is in part linked to the type (size, weight etc of battery) lastly they are not made for salt water use so potentially have a short life. Background is that they were designed (over 40 years ago) for use on fishing skiffs on US freshwater lakes where the main outboard was used to get to the chosen fishing grounds and the electric motor (connected to the main battery) used for low speed work.

The situation you described is one where they can be made to work -short runs, for example to and from a mooring with a solid dinghy that can tolerate the battery on board. Probably motor and battery are taken home for washing down and charging. However once you expect to use one as a general purpose tender use when cruising the disadvantages listed above come into play - the main being lack of real power, dealing with a heavy lead acid battery in an inflatable and charging the battery on board. Most people find these issues too restrictive compared with a small outboard either petrol or proper electric like a Torqeedo

Given that they have been on the market for such a long time, one would think they would be very popular IF they were any good for the job - but how many have you actually seen in use?

 

[NealB]

This comes up regularly with people seduced by electric "trolling" motors that can be bought for a couple of hundred £'s. Given that a proper electric outboard costs over £1500 suggests the cheap one might have drawbacks - and that is indeed the case. Four main issues, first low power, second need for a battery in the boat, third range which is in part linked to the type (size, weight etc of battery) lastly they are not made for salt water use so potentially have a short life. Background is that they were designed (over 40 years ago) for use on fishing skiffs on US freshwater lakes where the main outboard was used to get to the chosen fishing grounds and the electric motor (connected to the main battery) used for low speed work.

The situation you described is one where they can be made to work -short runs, for example to and from a mooring with a solid dinghy that can tolerate the battery on board. Probably motor and battery are taken home for washing down and charging. However once you expect to use one as a general purpose tender use when cruising the disadvantages listed above come into play - the main being lack of real power, dealing with a heavy lead acid battery in an inflatable and charging the battery on board. Most people find these issues too restrictive compared with a small outboard either petrol or proper electric like a Torqeedo

Given that they have been on the market for such a long time, one would think they would be very popular IF they were any good for the job - but how many have you actually seen in use?

Thanks for your insights Tranona: very useful.

(I did search the forum for 'electric outboards', but gave up after the first results page: perhaps that was a bit 'previous'!)

 

[MoodySabre]

Here you go Neal Best trolling motors: 8 electric outboard alternatives that pack a punch

You can try my Torqeedo if you were thinking of being extravagant.

 

[NealB]

MoodySabre

Thanks for the link: food for thought.

And even deeper thanks for the offer of a try out: I think I'd better opt of that one, at least for now (but if our paths cross, up some quiet east coast creek later in the season, I might be tempted!).

 

[thinwater]

They (Toquedo) are becoming more polpular in the US. A few other similar brands. Also saltwater trolling motors.

If the dinghy is kept on davits, you just plug in.

A buddy of mine had one. He liked it, but it sold with the boat.

I think if you asked other family members, who may not like pull starting outboards, you would get a different answer. But the manly man of the house generally makes those buying decisions. In the US stupidly big ( 15hp is the new 6 hp) outboards are becomeing more popular, with electric start. It is the US, after all.

I keep thinking I will go electric one day, but I always seem to get a new-to-me boat before the old outboard dies.

 

[fredrussell]

My friend has a Bison 68lb thrust trolling motor on his tender, coupled with a 60a/h lithium phosphate battery. It’s lovely to use, he reckons about 3 or 4 knots on top setting. Heavy though. I’d guess at 15kg including the li-po battery. Bison claim this motor to be saltwater ready, but his has a spot or two of rust on it after a season’s use. That said, gliding about absolutely silently on the Walton Backwaters the other day in his tender was pretty amazing.
A work boat I used had a Torqueedo- the whine during operation would get on my nerves - quite surprised me for such an expensive item. This was a while back, I have a feeling the newer ones are quieter.

 

[Kelpie]

I also have a Bison 68. I use it with an old car battery which is far from ideal but I'm still in the experimental phase. I will probably buy a 60-80Ah LiFePo4 battery at some point. That should give me an hour's range, which I don't really need, but a smaller battery wouldn't have the discharge capacity.
I can do about 4kt in my Avon 310 RIB which lives on a pontoon and has a weedy bottom... it's also very heavy, at about 70kg.
I think it's a successful replacement for oars, but I will not get rid of my 2 stroke just yet. However I do absolutely love the silence and complete reliability of it, so for shorter journeys it is a joy.

 

[JumbleDuck]

This comes up regularly with people seduced by electric "trolling" motors that can be bought for a couple of hundred £'s. Given that a proper electric outboard costs over £1500 suggests the cheap one might have drawbacks - and that is indeed the case. Four main issues, first low power, second need for a battery in the boat, third range which is in part linked to the type (size, weight etc of battery) lastly they are not made for salt water use so potentially have a short life. Background is that they were designed (over 40 years ago) for use on fishing skiffs on US freshwater lakes where the main outboard was used to get to the chosen fishing grounds and the electric motor (connected to the main battery) used for low speed work.

Tranona's answer is, likewise, an old friend. My crew has a 52 lb (I think) Bison which, in conjunction with a relatively small 36 Ah AGM battery gives a good hour of whizzing around in our rigid tender The power is more than adequate (1), the need for a battery is a tiny inconvenience (2), range is fine (3) and salt water versions are available (4). So I think that covers that.

Given that they have been on the market for such a long time, one would think they would be very popular IF they were any good for the job - but how many have you actually seen in use?

Three, including my crew's. And I have never actually seen a Torqeedo in use or even on a boat. So that proves nobody has one.

As an aside, although Torqueedo batteries are stupidly expensive, at £500+ for 500Wh, that's about the same as an equivalent e-bike battery from a decent manufacturer (eg Bosch). What's harder to understand is a thousand wquid for a plastic leg, a plastic propeller and an electric motor of resolutely unspecified power, though of course it's the market which sets the price, not the maker.