Looking at “conversion costs” vs replacing with another ICE plant paints an unfairly negative picture.
You need also to compare the longer term costs including fuel costs and maintenance.
And in just my case, this cost savings amounts to some $300/yr or so in fuel, oil and maintenance costs (damn carburetor, filters, priming bulb, etc.).
In the 8 years now since converting my boat to electric, the conversion cost of about $2k has been more than paid for by this $2400+ in cumulative savings.
And I still haven’t sold the original power head for my outboard. J
-Myles Twete, Portland, Or.
From: electricboats@yahoogroups.com [mailto:electricboats@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of Eric
Sent: Tuesday, August 16, 2011 4:52 PM
To: electricboats@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [Electric Boats] Re: Valiant 40 purposely under powered hybrid.
Hi Mark,
I know that you and I agree on this point. I included this comment farther down in my post "Personally, I didn't save any money on my electric conversion compared to a DIY repower with a diesel Beta 16. But for the way that I use my boat, I believe that I came out way ahead". There, I was referring specifically to the comfort and quality of life aspects of my conversion.
However the quote that you pulled was specifically addressing the concept that an electric conversion might be cheaper than an ICE re-power. Financial considerations only, no other justifications, focusing on only what it takes to make the boat move.
One can evaluate drive choices by a number of criteria, choosing which drive might be: quieter, smoother, more powerful, faster, lighter, simpler, cheaper, more reliable, more readily available, greater range, faster refueling, renewable "fuel" etc. etc. Everyone needs to set their own priorities, to pick which attributes are most important to them. Some people start and end their list with cheaper, for them, the rest is unimportant. All I was saying is that electric doesn't necessarily win as cheaper even though sometimes it looks like it might.
But I know that you know all this already. ;)
Fair winds,
Eric
--- In electricboats@yahoogroups.com, "acsarfkram" <acsarfkram@...> wrote:
>
> Hi Eric,
>
> You wrote, " I'm pretty sure that I could outperform almost every
> electric coversion here for less money with an ICE drive. "
>
> I know what you are saying and I know that you understand what I'm about to say... Apples to Oranges. There is no way an ICE will outperform the comfort while motoring and quality of life aboard an EP sailboat.
>
> Just had to say it ;-)
>
> Mark
> Santa Cruz
>
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