[Rhodes22-list] Reply to Lou on Motors

[Bill Effros]

Luis,

Thanks for the links.  Since I'm just following my mail in chronological 
order I didn't see this before sending my last reply.  I followed up the 
links.  Very interesting.  But I still think I'll stick with my original 
assessment.

The electric boat guys seem to be dancing around the issues.  They are 
powering lightweight boats with heavyweight equipment.  They talk about 
how light their engines are, without mentioning how heavy their 48 volt 
batteries are.  They never indicate for how long they can maintain their 
top speed with the batteries onboard.  They talk about how clean the 
engine is, without talking about how much oil has to be burned to 
generate the power to put back into the batteries.

Submarines run on batteries while submerged and the newer ones run on 
batteries all the time.  There's no question but that the technology can 
be made to work.  The problem is that it's very costly, and complex, and 
everyone has to figure out how to get the power used back into the 
batteries.  I'm sure, if you put your mind to it, you'll be able to 
build an electric outboard motor.  However, if you mount it on your 
Rhodes 22, and start to use it while sailing, I think you'll soon wish 
you had just bought a gasoline powered outboard instead.  That's what 
I'm going to do if I get a new engine.

Bill Effros

Luis Guzman wrote:

>Lou,
> 
>Here are some links that refer to electric outboards:
> 
>http://www.psnw.com/~jmrudholm/etekoutboard.html
> 
>http://www.mindspring.com/~jimkerr1/sebc&t.htm
> 
>http://ecyclemarine.com/
>
>http://www.electricboats.org/
> 
>I'm planning to start working on an electric outboard (I do not have enough to keep me busy right now: school, remodeling a home, restoring an R22) I think that I should have most of the parts I need by next week. 
> 
>In regards to the storm, we were very fortunate and only had a side fence come down during the storm. That and all the star fruit that was all over the back yard. What a waste. Right at the very beginning of the storm, we thought that it was going to be the night from hell. We lost power with the first lightning strike. Fortunately, the power company restored it in about 1 hour. 
> 
>Paradise was safe tied all by herself in an empty double slip, so there was plenty of room for it to move around without hitting anything. I removed all sails and the boom before the storm. 
> 
>We went to check on her at about 3 AM (Right before high tide and right before the storm hit land) and found that the cockpit had about 6 inches of water. I climbed aboard and found a bottle cap stuck upside down inside the drain. It was a perfect fit. It took me a while to get it out of there. Once I got it out, all the water drained out of the cockpit.
> 
>It sounds like your boat is going to be ready to hit the water pretty soon. I could not imagine doing the work that you have done inside the trunk of the centerboard.
> 
>Luis
>
>Lou Rosenberg <lsr3 at MAIL.nyu.edu> wrote:
>Luis,
>thanks I want to see the sites, but I think I will go with the 
>recommendations of an 8hp Tohatsu or Yamaha if I can find a dealer w 
>good prices within radar range.
>
>btw: I liked those pics you posted a while back of your family on 
>the boat taken from another vessel.
>hope all is well after the storms..
>sail safe
>Lou
>
>
>  
>
>>Lou,
>>
>>I think that you should consider an electric outboard.
>>
>>I'm having problems with my motor and I'm considering converting an 
>>old 10 hp to electric.
>>I found several sites on the internet with information on them. I'll 
>>send you some links later.
>>
>>Luis
>>
>>Jim White wrote:
>>Hey Lou
>>I have a 9.9 honda 4 stroke, and for what it's worth, love it. It's 
>>quiet, easily push button starts each and every time, and the best 
>>part is...in light air it makes great port side rail meat, due to 
>>it's ahhh, robust size. It has plenty of low end torque to handle 
>>current, wind and tide, I run a big moderate pitch 4 blade prop that 
>>handles low throttle well.
>>
>>On a down note, the extra weight of the engine with myself and 
>>another heavyweight in the stern, tends to push a little water up 
>>through the thru hull drain when moving slow...
>>
>>Hey we haven't had a good two stroke vs. four stroke knock down-drag 
>>out in a long time, and I have a new wireless connection on this 
>>high speed roadunner cable, so bing it on...(just kidding)
>>jw
>>
>>ed kroposki wrote:
>>Lou,
>>I had a clunker 8 hp on my boat and due to guest request got a new
>>motor several years ago. I got Rummy's recommended 2 stroke, 8 hp Tohatsu.
>>I choose the 8 hp from experience trying to go against current in the
>>Intracoastal Water Way along the Florida, Georgia coast. When you go
>>against the current on the ICW you need about 8 hp to make a headway that
>>keeps guest complaints to a minimum. The guest did not appreciate sailing
>>against the current and going backwards. Sometimes your choice is
>>determined by others.
>>Before you came on this list we had several knock down discussions
>>on 2 strokes versus 4 strokes. Your buddy Roger got pissed off at us two
>>strokers for environmental reasons. However, when you only use 3 gallons of
>>gas a year, I just do not buy the environmental arguments. The negligible
>>amount of oil put into the environment by sailboat 2 strokers does not
>>outweigh the benefits of less weight and reliability.
>>As Rummy pointed out the 8 hp 2 stroke Tohatsu weighs only 50
>>pounds. Your mother could lift it if you can not. You do not need a crane
>>for an 8 hp Tohatsu. Just do not upset you secret buddy, Roger. He goes
>>ballistic over 2 stroke engines. For sailboat use, his reasoning is too
>>extreme on the environmental side. What are the pollutants that come from
>>one of those 400 hp engines on a canoe, aka, cigarette boat?
>>
>>Ed K
>>Greenville, SC, USA
>>Addendum: "Reason can answer questions, but imagination has to ask them."
>>Dr. Ralph Gerard
>>
>>
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>>
>>Jim White
>>Le Menagerie
>>www.lemenagerie.blogspot.com
>>
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