Hi John
6 hp outboard is adequate for my boat. A range 10 miles should be enough. (Not full power)
There should be some reserve power. I was thinking 3.5 to 5hp?
I like the idea of having the power when needed (High wind and waves) and I sometimes sail Single-handed.
It would be nice to have a way to get the prop out of water. (Racing)
An outboard hanging on the back of the boat is not ideal when there is a problem.
I wonder is there is big weight deference? The batteries could place where the weight is need.
I haven't thought this out completely.
In my area the marinas do not charge for electricity (Except for live aboard) and gas prices are higher at marinas.
Regards
Roger Russelburg
Thanks everyone for the responses.
--- In electricboats@yahoogroups.com, "John Green" <v_2jgree@...> wrote:
>
> I am interested by the focus of this subject in the responses. Having the advantage of getting the emails as a digest, I am probably able to instantly generalise a bit better.
> Seems that the bottom line is that all power generation has hidden losses. Even windpower uses fossil fuels to make the parts, no doubt. And how about the fossil fuels used to make batteries that have working lives shorter than an ICE, I suspect?
>
> I believe that electric power stands on it's own merit. This is because of solar panels and windpower being more acceptable/obtainable in recent times. I am really regretting purchasing a 'spares engine' for my fixer-upper boat, - the money could have been better spent in the electric direction.
>
> For myself, although I totally disagree that there is 'never a reason to repower a boat with ICE', as a good example would be a marina 8 miles up a river, with the cruising/fishing/whatever grounds being along the adjacent sea coast area. Easy to do with ICE, less so with electric. The reasons are convenience, and possibly safety, if the need to travel at a specific time is compelling.
> I would say that electric power has advantages that are nothing to do with 'being green'. My own thinking is, bear with me, not to initially consider the environment, but to see what I want. This is how the ICE gained popularity. By this thinking, a proper comparison can be made, and later, when the result is the electric as a choice, the green advantages happen anyway as a side effect.
> Probably 90% of all 'second cars' could be replaced by electric plug-ins that could also be solar charged. But to do so, would mean that the auto industry collapses, as most dealerships run on 'servicing' as well as sales. So there is a political 'need ' to perpetuate complicated automobiles. This in turn holds back investment to get better batteries, slowing it up. But it will happen anyway.
> Same with boats. Once there are more used units available, comfort levels due to failiarity increase, and more electric drives are purchased. And probably, guessing, 80 - 90% or more of sailboats only need the engine for docking situations, and typically not often on weekdays.
> Getting back on topic, it seems that the main comparison must be the capability for the power source to drive the boat at speeds, and in conditions, in a similar manner to what an ICE does. The whole thing is a balancing act. It will surely vary with the use intended. And the comparison must be one that is not between a 30 HP diesel and a 5 "HP" electric, because with the diesel, most of the rated power is never needed.
> I think maybe the hull speed is the figure to use, changing the question from one of comparison between ICE and Electric to one of whether electric will fulfill the needs. The true needs, not the boat salemans idea of the needs.
> Surely the most green situation would be an electric drive that charges a rather small (cheap) battery bank, and is used only a few minutes at a time, and is always solely solar charged. And that description fits a whole load of weekend sailing situations.
> The cheapest way to test it all might be to buy an electric trolling motor, and see how it moves a sailboat, then work from there.
> I believe from memory that the original post was regarding an ICE engine that was toast anyway. I would say, bite the bullet, get the best info you can, and then try the electric, remembering that it can be initially tested without a massive expensive battery bank.
>
> John
>
>
> --
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