electric outboard for cs17

[Randy Jones]

Is anyone using an electric outboard on a CS17? My ideal motor would be small enough to store out of the way when not needed. I would be happy with 3 knots top speed and I realize that range is always limited relative to gas.

The ElectricPaddle electricpaddle.com looks intresting but a little small, Torqeedo looks too large, and the typical electric trolling motors maybe a little inefficient.

If you've got something that is working for you - please share.

[PAR]

As always, your needs have to be balanced with range and weight. A Torqeedo (the small one) would be fine on a CS-17. Electric Paddle seems to suggest they'll get a lot better range then the usual math attests too. Prices for both are considerable.

Ultimately, it depends on how far you need to go and how much weight you can tolerate. Couple this with speed and cost and you'll see why these types of arrangements aren't taking the small boat world by storm.

I reviewed two small sailboats recently, both updated with full up electric propulsion. One was just barely 17', but a heavy, fat boat by B&B standards with a displacement of 1,500 pounds. It had a 3 HP electric motor, controller, charger, batteries and monitoring gauges, control panel, installed professionally. It really could have used a 5 - 6 HP engine, but the 3 was selected. The resulting installation required it's beautiful sitka mast be replaced with carbon fiber and the furniture inside the boat replaced with foam cored composite. The batteries where placed on one side of the forward end of the cockpit with some ballast in the same position on the other side (why they couldn't have split up the batteries I don't know). The range is 2 hours, the weight (350 pounds) required removal and replacement of some really pretty stuff and the cost was just shy of 16K which is a quite bit more then a 5 HP diesel setup.

Back to your CS-17. A 35 to 55 pounds of thrust 12 VDC trolling motor will be your best and most economical bet. Use a real deep cycle battery, so you'll get some life out of it. Yep, it'll weigh more then a 2 HP outboard, fuel and all, but it's less fuss. Maybe two batteries, each placed under the thwart on either side of the mast. Run as long as you want on the first battery and when you've eaten into it pretty good, switch batteries and head home. Of course two deep cycles is like having another crew member aboard, which is why under the thwart is a good location for "him". Consider "him" the designated driver when the wind dies.

[Randy Jones]

Thanks - I've received an offer to test drive a prototype of a smaller high effeciency electric outboard when it becomes available in a few weeks. It sounds like it may what I'm looking for. I'll also try a 36lb thrust 12V trolling motor suggested by PAR and capture some amps vs boat speed data for comparison. I will post again in about a month when I have something to report.

[rbappelbaum]

I have recently added a 55 lb thrust trolling motor on my Lapwing 16 with a single battery in the bow. It has work out so far.

Robert