Mal and I began our day over coffee and a hot chocolate in a solar powered fish and chip shop. Mal drove there in his Mitsubishi Outlander plug in hybrid (PHEV) and I got there in my Tesla Model 3 SR +.
He is an early adopter coming from an electrical and refrigeration mechanic background, and a boatie from birth, so he knows his knots and volts.
In 2016, after a long history of general marine wiring on ICE (internal combustion engine) propelled boats, he fully electrified his own catamaran with an electric motor and realised that that was the way to go.
Tied up next to the catamaran at a berth in the Newport canals was a dinghy with an electric outboard motor. We climbed aboard – he was nimble and I was clumsy – and set out for a leisurely (and very quiet) cruise up the canal.
Mal demonstrated the ease with which he could control the speed and the fact that the boat could be put in reverse without spinning the entire motor around.
Mal is enthusiastic about the use of electric motors on the water. The spirit 1 plus (equivalent to 3 HP) pushed us along – quietly and with no smell of two stroke.
It was a very pleasant experience. What’s more, you can put it in your car boot at the end of the day without worrying about spilling petrol or putting grease everywhere.
And when you get it home, you don’t have to run it for hours, flushing the motor and annoying the neighbours.
Those of us who have had to start a two stroke outboard (or lawnmower for that matter) will appreciate the easy push button start on an electric. No back problems coming from this one. One of his clients pointed out that the downside is that he can now hear the phone ring when his wife calls and he is out on the water.
Mal has been a dealer in electric outboard motors for the past four years, selling a quality Chinese product – with a recall rate less than 5%.
The battery clips out from the motor and floats on the water. You won’t have to dive for this if it goes overboard! Although the Spirit 1 plus is about twice the price of its equivalent petrol model there is virtually no servicing and little cost for recharging.
The 1.2kWh battery can be charged by a 180W mains charger supplied. Solar. and 12Vdc charging options are also available. The battery range is greater than a petrol outboard with built in tank.
(Note: Car people always want to compare mileage. On water, actual mileage is hugely affected by sea conditions. Mileage in a flat calm is vastly different to motoring into a head wind so direct mileage comparisons are meaningless. This is difficult to get across to car people).
Like an EV, total cost of ownership is less than the fossil fueled equivalent and the experience is much better. https://www.bbelectricboat.com/
David Waterworth is a researcher and writer, a retired school teacher who continues to provoke thought through thedriven. He divides his time between looking after his grandchildren and trying to make sure they have a planet to live on. He owns 50 shares of Tesla.
David Waterworth is a researcher and writer, a retired school teacher who continues to provoke thought through his writing. He divides his time between looking after his grandchildren and trying to make sure they have a planet to live on. He is long on Tesla.