[Rhodes22-list] Electric Dinghy Motor

[Bill Effros]

Richard,

I seldom use the electric because I prefer to row, however, sometimes 
you have too much stuff, or too many people to be able to efficiently 
row a small dinghy.  In those situations I use the electric.

I use a very small battery, because I don't plan to go great distances.  
My boat is moored a half-mile from shore.  I can do a half-dozen round 
trips on a single charge of a less than 10 pound battery.  I can easily 
store the whole shootin' match in my lazarette -- and that's the real 
point.  The only real problem is when the motor and spare battery are on 
board when I need them on land, and vice versa.

Some years I store it on the boat.  Other years I store it in the 
basement.  And somehow it seems always to be in the wrong place when I 
need it.

That's life, I suppose.

Bill Effros

Richard Smith wrote:
> Although I never ran an energy budget on a dinghy powered by a trolling
> electric I abandoned the idea for practical reasons, namely because of the
> mass of the battery.  If you are anchored out you are going to have major
> issues transferring a heavy lead acid battery from the Rhodes to the dink
> and back.
>
> Granted an electric is very appealing from an environmental standpoint but I
> would buy the smallest lightest outboard I could find and mount it on an 8
> foot inflatable with a slat floor.   A little Honda is quiet economical and
> easily moved about.
>
> Richard Smith
>
> __________________________________________________
> Use Rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org, Help? www.rhodes22.org/list
>
>