Long, skinny, slippery hulls - like a multihull sailboat? I've been camp cruising a tiny Windrider 16 trimaran with solar-electric auxiliary for two summers. For fair weather cruising in company with other small sailboats (i.e. Scamp, Siren), it's great. I added solid decks over the trampolines, to support solar panels, and/or a small tent. Because the hulls are so easily driven, I can cruise at 2-3 knots using solar alone, or up to 4.5 knots drawing the max 480W from the battery and panels. Or 7-8 knots sailing (and charging) in ideal conditions. I've managed to put several hundred miles under the hulls without running out of charge.
Curtis, you are right! Multi-hulls are the slipperiest, most efficient hulls -- and look at those length-to-beam ratios! Long have I dreamed about and designed models with two and three hulls (and I even built a small Seaclipper). But...it seems like most of the small boats that get built -- and used for cruising -- are monohulls.
I'm still waiting for someone to market a simple 10-15lb electric outboard using commonly available Li-on batteries like DeWalt, or Milwaukee. Carry a couple of batteries for weekend "messing about" and use the same batteries during the work week with your tools. The "motor head" of such an outboard would be very inexpensive. Thanks for this article. Electric boats are coming along...but not quite yet I believe. I guess that was also said about electric cars circa 1910!
Sounds good till you do the math... Mercury's new electric outboard is 1hp. 750W at the prop. 916w from the battery. Dewalt's 20v battery is 5AH or 100 WH. That means best case a Dewalt battery gets you 6.5 mins of run time with 1hp.
Thanks for the comments. I've seen some attempts to modify a weed wacker (and even drills) for use as a "mud motor" type of propulsion. Reminds me of the early, early days of outboards -- lots of "experiments" (and weird looking motors) until Ole Evinrude hit the jackpot. Mercury has something coming -- next year???
Interesting! Thanks! Also, you might want to check the latest issue of WoodenBoat Magazine for a thorough update on Nigel Items’ high efficiency, low displacement power boats. 👍
Long, skinny, slippery hulls - like a multihull sailboat? I've been camp cruising a tiny Windrider 16 trimaran with solar-electric auxiliary for two summers. For fair weather cruising in company with other small sailboats (i.e. Scamp, Siren), it's great. I added solid decks over the trampolines, to support solar panels, and/or a small tent. Because the hulls are so easily driven, I can cruise at 2-3 knots using solar alone, or up to 4.5 knots drawing the max 480W from the battery and panels. Or 7-8 knots sailing (and charging) in ideal conditions. I've managed to put several hundred miles under the hulls without running out of charge.
Curtis, you are right! Multi-hulls are the slipperiest, most efficient hulls -- and look at those length-to-beam ratios! Long have I dreamed about and designed models with two and three hulls (and I even built a small Seaclipper). But...it seems like most of the small boats that get built -- and used for cruising -- are monohulls.
True, Jerry. Monohulls are easier - to build, to trailer, to store. Funny how I forget about all that when I'm sailing or motoring my tri...
I'm still waiting for someone to market a simple 10-15lb electric outboard using commonly available Li-on batteries like DeWalt, or Milwaukee. Carry a couple of batteries for weekend "messing about" and use the same batteries during the work week with your tools. The "motor head" of such an outboard would be very inexpensive. Thanks for this article. Electric boats are coming along...but not quite yet I believe. I guess that was also said about electric cars circa 1910!
Sounds good till you do the math... Mercury's new electric outboard is 1hp. 750W at the prop. 916w from the battery. Dewalt's 20v battery is 5AH or 100 WH. That means best case a Dewalt battery gets you 6.5 mins of run time with 1hp.
Thanks for the comments. I've seen some attempts to modify a weed wacker (and even drills) for use as a "mud motor" type of propulsion. Reminds me of the early, early days of outboards -- lots of "experiments" (and weird looking motors) until Ole Evinrude hit the jackpot. Mercury has something coming -- next year???
Interesting! Thanks! Also, you might want to check the latest issue of WoodenBoat Magazine for a thorough update on Nigel Items’ high efficiency, low displacement power boats. 👍