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Electric Boats

Butch

Butch

poseur
Staff member
Super Moderator
Joined
Apr 5, 2002
Location
San Jose, bottom of dirty 130
Moto(s)
‘18 Alta EX006, ‘17 Alta MX019, 06R6, 05TM530, 01TM250 2T, ‘24 Yam Tenere 700, Lightning Spark
Name
Butch
BARF perks
AMA #: 1093637
“Promoting Electric Propulsion (PEP) for Small Craft is an educational and competitive program to foster the development of electric boats in the United States. College teams are granted up to $7,000…”

My friend’s kid is involved in this.
Pretty cool. If you are a boat kinda person.
Electric Jet Ski?

http://www.navalengineers.org/education/Promoting-Electric-Propulsion-PEP
 
Sooooo....BRP bought Alta's tech/ leftovers. I suspect they're looking to use it for their Seadoo products and other power sports. I suspect watercraft first as they've got such an extensive lineup and would be arable to adapt technology pretty quickly.
 
Holeshot said:
Sooooo....BRP bought Alta's tech/ leftovers. I suspect they're looking to use it for their Seadoo products and other power sports. I suspect watercraft first as they've got such an extensive lineup and would be arable to adapt technology pretty quickly.
Click to expand...

My thoughts exactly. Plus you can be charging batteries on the houseboat while you rail your PWC for an hour...
 
Butch said:
My thoughts exactly. Plus you can be charging batteries on the houseboat while you rail your PWC for an hour...
Click to expand...

Totally! The battery/ PWC tech has good military use as well.
 
"Electric boats" just sounds wrong......Hey hair dryer, bathtub is on line 1.
Sail boats are the original green solution. :cool
 
Electric outboards already exist for small boats. Like everything EV, the battery tech isn’t there for a lot of applications. My boat has a 70gal tank for 150-200mi with 150HP. The battery to do that prob weighs far more than the boat lol.
 
What's the engine weight, though?

One thing about more weight in a boat: positive buoyancy and better handling, but more wake. For a wakeboard boat: awesome. For water skiing: horrible.
 
Know of a couple of 30+ foot sailboats that have electric motors with large banks of batteries as their 'auxiliary power'. Solar panels can't keep up with discharge during any real forward headway, but can trickle in enough to be worth their install.

Normally, a feathering prop better when under sail power, but if the screw turning while sails are aloft, could add addition current through an alternator/generator back to the batteries.

At every recent boat show, there have been conversion packages for moving from diesel to electric.
 
Sailboats need a lot of weight in their keel anyways, nice fit for a battery.
How long before solar elements could be made that could double as a sail?
 
blue_v2_01.png


https://taigamotors.ca/watercraft/

I'd probably not have named it "orca". Gnarwhal, maybe...

https://taigamotors.ca/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Orca_bg_video_relaunch_v4.mp4
 
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Holeshot said:
What's the engine weight, though?

One thing about more weight in a boat: positive buoyancy and better handling, but more wake. For a wakeboard boat: awesome. For water skiing: horrible.
Click to expand...

I wonder if there is any vehicle applications where an electric motor is heavier than an ICE when matching torque. Maybe high performance 2 strokes can get close.

Of course the energy storage weight comparison heavily favors the ICE.
 
ctwo said:
solar panels run the trolling motor all day.

4052Uie.jpg
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I actually have a q about this setup.

Currently, I have a Saturn rigid inflatable, similar to a Zodiac, with a 15hp two smoke motor.

I want to switch it for a transom-mounted trolling motor + battery setup. The two stroke is great but it's loud at high speeds and can be smelly at slow speeds so it's not ideal for family outings.

I'm thinking of getting this short shaft trolling motor: 55 lb thrust but I am confused on what battery to get. Any ideas?
 
mrzuzzo said:
I actually have a q about this setup.

Currently, I have a Saturn rigid inflatable, similar to a Zodiac, with a 15hp two smoke motor.

I want to switch it for a transom-mounted trolling motor + battery setup. The two stroke is great but it's loud at high speeds and can be smelly at slow speeds so it's not ideal for family outings.

I'm thinking of getting this short shaft trolling motor: 55 lb thrust but I am confused on what battery to get. Any ideas?
Click to expand...

That 55lb thrust motor specs 52 amp draw. They recommend at least a 50Ah battery, but I'd go at least 100Ah if you can handle the weight. It's easier to go with a typical deep-cycle lead-acid marine battery. I think I'd rather go with a LiFePO4 battery because they are so much lighter, can discharge more of the energy (80% vs. 50%), and have many more cycle times, but can be expensive and require a bit more careful charging and discharging monitoring. You can buy packaged cells like this one, or I'd look for loose cells and a BMS and build my own pack for about half the price.

BTW, how does your motor run? It ,must rip on that inflatable... I've been wanting to get a 15HP motor as the 5HP I have is worn out and just too small anyway.
 
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