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Mercury has introduced a small electric outboard, the Avator 7.5e, which they claim is roughly the equivalent of a 3.5HP motor. One of the real nice things about these small electric outboards is that the removable lithium battery is small enough to be mounted where the powerhead would be in an ICE outboard - so the rigging is very simple and clean - no exposed hoses or wires, and the battery, typically a sealed unit with integral handle weighing about 20lb, can be easily carried inside the house for charging.
Electric outboards won't be challenging ICE outboards for some time in either price or power specs, and this is one of the smaller portable scale ones.
However, if you have a small, light boat - like a square stern canoe, or a small aluminum skiff, and you don't need to go more than a few miles from the launch ramp to your destination, you've got that capability. While of course that won't meet all needs, I've caught enough fish right off of boat ramps to know that in many waterways, you don't actually need to go far to catch fish :-).
The real advantages are that this produces zero-emissions - you're not pumping engine exhaust into the water or your own nostrils, and you get virtually silent operation that won't spoil the tranquility of a wild environment or spook fish and birds.
The real advantages are that this produces zero-emissions - you're not pumping engine exhaust into the water or your own nostrils, and you get virtually silent operation that won't spoil the tranquility of a wild environment or spook fish and birds.
I agree with you on these benefits. Also, there are many lakes don't allow gas powered engines (probably for the very same reasons that you listed). Perhaps these would be a good option for someone who wants to be able to get out on some of those lakes.
It's hard to get excited about something that's basically a slight redesign of a trolling motor though. Hopefully soon larger HP versions will become more popular.
I have an old beat up aluminum boat with a 40 horse 2 stroke on it. I like the boat but I hate the engine that's on it. It's so loud that I have to bring ear muffs with me for whenever I want to open it up.
I would love to be able to replace it with a similar horsepowered electric outboard if that were a thing (that didn't cost double the insane prices that normal outboards are going for).
Once you get into the larger horsepower that people need for things like water skiing and wake boarding I'm sure you'll start running into problems with size and weight and cost of the batteries, but hopefully they'll get it figured out.
A large V6 or V8 engine is heavy and expensive too, so perhaps these things will be able to compete someday.
I agree with you on these benefits. Also, there are many lakes don't allow gas powered engines (probably for the very same reasons that you listed). Perhaps these would be a good option for someone who wants to be able to get out on some of those lakes.
It's hard to get excited about something that's basically a slight redesign of a trolling motor though. Hopefully soon larger HP versions will become more popular.
I have an old beat up aluminum boat with a 40 horse 2 stroke on it. I like the boat but I hate the engine that's on it. It's so loud that I have to bring ear muffs with me for whenever I want to open it up.
I would love to be able to replace it with a similar horsepowered electric outboard if that were a thing (that didn't cost double the insane prices that normal outboards are going for).
Once you get into the larger horsepower that people need for things like water skiing and wake boarding I'm sure you'll start running into problems with size and weight and cost of the batteries, but hopefully they'll get it figured out.
A large V6 or V8 engine is heavy and expensive too, so perhaps these things will be able to compete someday.
You can get more powerful electric outboards, but they are quite expensive, and so are the big lithium batteries, which are no longer convenient - you're mounting them in the hull, with cables running between them and the motor, and you're not carrying them around because that's too heavy to be much fun.. Running in displacement mode (not up on plane) requires a lot less power, and for the time being, I think that's the application that is most attractive for these motors.
I believe this is what's called a "trolling motor" hearabouts I used to have a MinnKota rated at 45 pounds of thrust on a 14 foot aluminum v bow glorifed rowboat which was good enough for me. You couldn't go water skiing with it but it was powerful enough if there wasn't a hurry. I was just fishin'.
We have a Spirit 1.0 Plus on a Lowe 12-foot jon boat. They claim about 3 hp. On our small local lake gas motors are not allowed, that is why we got the Spirit. Top speed on a calm day is 5 mph, Garmin GPS verified. It weighs 40 lbs with the detachable battery, or 20+20. I love the light weight and the reliability. At top speed it offers maybe 80 minutes, but the way I run it at half throttle it might last 7 hours - I never tested it yet.
The same boat with a Honda BF5 - 5 hp gas motor, does 17 mph at full throttle. The Honda is sort of temperamental with hot starts so I must carry fresh plugs and tools at all time. Mounting the Honda is hard in my age, especially because it slips out of my hand when lifting it.
I prefer the Spirit 3:1, but I'm not fishing on big lakes in heavy weather.
We have a Spirit 1.0 Plus on a Lowe 12-foot jon boat. They claim about 3 hp. On our small local lake gas motors are not allowed, that is why we got the Spirit. Top speed on a calm day is 5 mph, Garmin GPS verified. It weighs 40 lbs with the detachable battery, or 20+20. I love the light weight and the reliability. At top speed it offers maybe 80 minutes, but the way I run it at half throttle it might last 7 hours - I never tested it yet.
The same boat with a Honda BF5 - 5 hp gas motor, does 17 mph at full throttle. The Honda is sort of temperamental with hot starts so I must carry fresh plugs and tools at all time. Mounting the Honda is hard in my age, especially because it slips out of my hand when lifting it.
I prefer the Spirit 3:1, but I'm not fishing on big lakes in heavy weather.
These seem to be a lot more economical when running on lower output settings. Ease and reliability of starting also seem a significant plus - don't need to wonder if it will start. I haven't used it yet, but I have the exact same motor (Spirit 1.0 Plus) to be used on a 17-ft Rangeley Boat - which is a 19th century rowboat - very tippy, but efficient - I think it will be perfect. I usually go out in reasonably calm rivers and estuaries, smaller salt water bays - similar places to where kayak fishermen go. You can catch monster striped bass within a mile of the ramp, so I really don't need to get up on plane - don't need to go more than 3 miles in any given direction anyway. Looking forward to trying the Spirit this spring :-).
With the Spirit, you must carry the owner guide, or a copy. They have a feature called "throttle calibration required." Only takes 40 seconds but if you don't remember the procedure you'll be rowing. It doesn't need to be done every time, but you better practice it out on dry ground. Keep a copy of all the potential error codes in a plastic bag on the boat. Mine has been very reliable and the range estimates are accurate. The first time I charged it to full the cost was $ 0.85 ( used a "Kill-a-Watt" meter) and took 5 hours, give and take. In the beginning it was charging at 200 watts? and as the battery gets near full the charger drops to 30 watts - something like that. I can troll at much slower speeds than with the Honda. You select forward, neutral or reverse with the throttle.
Last edited by mgforshort; 02-28-2023 at 12:16 PM..
With the Spirit, you must carry the owner guide, or a copy. They have a feature called "throttle calibration required." Only takes 40 seconds but if you don't remember the procedure you'll be rowing. It doesn't need to be done every time, but you better practice it out on dry ground. Keep a copy of all the potential error codes in a plastic bag on the boat. Mine has been very reliable and the range estimates are accurate. The first time I charged it to full the cost was $ 0.85 ( used a "Kill-a-Watt" meter) and took 5 hours, give and take. In the beginning it was charging at 200 watts? and as the battery gets near full the charger drops to 30 watts - something like that. I can troll at much slower speeds than with the Honda. You select forward, neutral or reverse with the throttle.
Thank you for the tips - much appreciated!
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