Epropulsion outboard

John Svahn

Steelhead
Forum Supporter
I would love to go electric for sure. No exhaust into the water and (hopefully) I could have a motor that both planes out my boat and can run at 1-1.5 mph. Now I need a trolling motor or I use a drogue. The drogue works but it, with the outboard running, kinda harshes the trolling mellow
 

skyriver

Life of the Party
Forum Supporter
I dunno man-5 years is a lifetime in the electronics market. If the push to get petroleum pollution off of lakes takes hold things will happen fast. Remember a few decades back when they started talking about unleaded gas and people thought it was quaint but didn't take it seriously.

One of the big advantages of electric on lakes is that there is a finite perimeter so getting back to your start point shouldn't be too difficult. Not so true on huge reservoirs but we have to assume some planning skills on the part of the operator. Having had gas powered outboards before I like the idea of quiet non-smelly electric power. I also like all of the battery powered stuff like weed whackers, chain saws, leaf blowers, lawn mowers, camping stoves and will be adding a battery powered snow blower before winter. It all improves every year. Yeah, early adapters are paying through the nose right now as the development curve is in the steepest part of it's ascent but that will level out when the product becomes mainstream.

Before I saw this thread this morning I was wondering what will be done with millions of vehicles on this planet when gas is no longer available. What is your guess? Perhaps all of the cute utes and SUV's would make good greenhouses with all of their windows, doors and hatches. Fill them with dirt and plant crops and since they have wheels tow them around to be in the best sunlight. But how do we tow them-a brace of oxen?
I'm really digging my Ryobi 40v self-propelled mower. I had a big 6.5 HP B&S mower that was awesome, but it was 18 years old and NOT self-propelled. My front lawn is on a decent hill and I'm 18 years older! ;) Finally got tired of getting gas, gassing it up and pushing it.

The Ryobi doesn't have the suction of the 6.5 HP, but I was only about $100 more that a new self-propelled gas mower and it came with 2 batteries and a charger. And it cuts really well. Just doesn't pick up stuff like wet leaves as well. It was basically this package-
1714441091275.png

I can easily mow our place with 1 battery while the other is charging. So no more trips with the can to get more gas, that I will spill or get on my finger at least a few times per can. Just swap the old battery with the charged one and mow. I can also lift it in the back of my truck easier.
And one thing it does do that I didn't realize is if the grass gets really thick and nasty the thing revs up. It has a torque or speed sensor evidently. It's not perfect, but once you get used to it it's pretty cool. It will bog at first so you just stop, it revs higher and then you go for it. Obviously, it will use more battery this way, but I mowed my friends 2500 sq foot yard that was severely overgrown from March in about 45 minutes and only used 1 battery. It was upping the revs constantly. I was impressed.

I highly recommend!
 

Irafly

Life of the Party
Forum Supporter
About 37 years ago, I fished a lake in Maryland with my brother in laws brother. The reservoir that he liked to fish was no gas motors but that didn’t stop the bass guys from running big boats with big electric motors run on a bank of batteries in the back. That boat hauled ass, and to this day I don't understand why we are still so behind when the technology already existed to make it happen. This guy was not a millionaire or anything and neither were the other boat owners puttering around doing the same thing.
 

John Svahn

Steelhead
Forum Supporter
About 37 years ago, I fished a lake in Maryland with my brother in laws brother. The reservoir that he liked to fish was no gas motors but that didn’t stop the bass guys from running big boats with big electric motors run on a bank of batteries in the back. That boat hauled ass, and to this day I don't understand why we are still so behind when the technology already existed to make it happen. This guy was not a millionaire or anything and neither were the other boat owners puttering around doing the same thing.
Liberty, Loch Raven or Prettyboy? My wife lived in B more off of Hartford road so loch raven was a local
 

SurfnFish

Legend
Forum Supporter
we're likely just a few years out from the next leap in batteries that will replace lithium with significant more power, lot of major world wide companies chasing next generation solutions.
  • Organosilicon electrolyte batteries
    These batteries use organosilicon (OS) based liquid solvents, which are safer than the carbonate based solvent system in Li-ion batteries.
  • Gold nanowire gel electrolyte batteries
    These batteries use gels, which are not as combustible as liquids.
  • TankTwo String CellTM batteries
    These batteries are modular and contain a collection of small independent self-organizing cells.
  • Graphene batteries
    These batteries have the potential to charge much faster and store more energy compared to lithium-ion batteries.
 

ifsteve

Steelhead
Forum Supporter
Just do your due diligence. Know all the factors behind your decision, especially look into the process to obtain the materials to make the batteries in the first place. Cradle to grave.
 

Chucker

Steelhead
we're likely just a few years out from the next leap in batteries that will replace lithium with significant more power, lot of major world wide companies chasing next generation solutions.
  • Organosilicon electrolyte batteries
    These batteries use organosilicon (OS) based liquid solvents, which are safer than the carbonate based solvent system in Li-ion batteries.
  • Gold nanowire gel electrolyte batteries
    These batteries use gels, which are not as combustible as liquids.
  • TankTwo String CellTM batteries
    These batteries are modular and contain a collection of small independent self-organizing cells.
  • Graphene batteries
    These batteries have the potential to charge much faster and store more energy compared to lithium-ion batteries.

We seem to have been just a few years out from the next leap for quite a few years!
 

SurfnFish

Legend
Forum Supporter
Former neighbor was a QC engineer who spent a lot of time in China as a consultant ...said the core problem across their industries was once a product was approved for production, there was continual quality slippage as factory managers pressed workers for shorter production cycles and vendors for less expensive materials = products which did not meet initial approval standards. Stated their Li-io batteries, which comprise 75% of the worlds production, were especially susceptible to QC issues.
Cannot think of two industries more critical to home base in the US than chip and battery manufacturing. The discovery of the McDermitt Caldera straddling Oregon/Nevada, which is now thought to be the single largest lithium deposit on earth, should make this an essential priority.
 
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Irafly

Life of the Party
Forum Supporter
Liberty, Loch Raven or Prettyboy? My wife lived in B more off of Hartford road so loch raven was a local
Did you see the part about 37 years ago? 😁. I wish I could remember, but I have no clue now. Somewhere somewhat close to Baltimore?
 

Kado

Steelhead
Thanks for input everyone. The cost is a definite cause for hesitation. The simplicity is seductive. It'd be on some kind of two person lake Jon boat. I'm also looking at a Seaeagle 16 ft inflatable. Soooo many options! My ignorance of boating is causing a deer in the headlights reaction.

And now the Kokanee thread has me wondering.....
 
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