Petrol or electric outboard

roger352 · 09 June 2011, 12:53

Hi
Im getting my first SIB and im not sure about the engine petrol or electric. I will be using it for saltwater fly fishing, around creeks, tidal rivers, habours and hugging the coast line. Is there any table to compare the ouput of both engines. I know that electrics use thrust and petrol engine are measured in hp, but does a 30 lb thrust equal a 4 hp petrol? I dont know im hoping you might.
Roger

TIMO · 09 June 2011, 13:04

IMO , humbly,, you would be better off with petrol OB otherwise you have to worry about batteries charged ,extra weight involved bla,bla,bla i personall wouldnt want to rely on an electric ob except as an auxiliery motor .

Petrol OBs are more fun too

Markyboyo · 09 June 2011, 13:46

IMHO as soon as you mention "tidal rivers, habours and hugging the coast line" electric really isn't an option. Maybe on small lakes and canals/rivers or as a trolling motor but not in the sea as your main source of propulsion.

Nos4r2 · 09 June 2011, 14:12

Quote:

Originally Posted by roger352

does a 30 lb thrust equal a 4 hp petrol? I dont know im hoping you might.
Roger

Nowhere near. Petrol every time,unless you want to fork out quite a lot of money for a Torqueedo.

It's far easier to carry a spare sealed can of petrol than a spare battery in an inflatable and I guarantee it'll be less uncomfortable refilling an integral tank on a petrol outboard than it will be messing around changing batteries with wet salty hands.

azzurro · 09 June 2011, 14:44

I believe electric engines are used by fishermen on lakes, just to get to their final fishing point as noiselessly as possible, from a close distance point. Thus, many people has 90HP petrol engines plus a bow mounted electric one.

But they do not use it to get to the finish point from the starting point, by using the electric engine all the way.

You can get the same with a SIB by using your rows.

jyasaki · 09 June 2011, 16:24

I see small hard boats and cheesy little pool-type inflatables running on trolling motors in Monterey quite a bit. Way too often they are the ones paddling or being towed back to shore.

OTOH, I've also seen several kayaks with trolling motors, which seem to work pretty well. Go figure.

I'd go for internal combustion, especially if you're going where surf, wind, and tidal currents may be an issue.

jky

Bongy · 10 June 2011, 17:33

I took an small sib and electric motor (+2 batteries) to Lake Annecy last year and it was a disaster.

The slightest under current and it couldn't make any headway at all

Petrol every time

Seabay · 10 June 2011, 17:40

I used a 55lb electric on my avon sib on the canal, It worked fine, reasonale canal speed, 2hrs pottering per battery. Really wouldn't want to depend on it with waves or currents.

John Kennett · 10 June 2011, 23:02

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nos4r2

Nowhere near. Petrol every time,unless you want to fork out quite a lot of money for a Torqueedo.

And to be honest they're pretty disappointing too. I bought a top of the range Torqeedo last year, used it once then put it up for sale.

They're OK if you need an electric outboard, and certainly way ahead of the competition, but can't touch a proper outboard.

prairie tuber · 14 June 2011, 07:22

Quote:

Originally Posted by John Kennett

And to be honest they're pretty disappointing too. I bought a top of the range Torqeedo last year, used it once then put it up for sale.

They're OK if you need an electric outboard, and certainly way ahead of the competition, but can't touch a proper outboard.

That is good info. Would you consider it be worthwhile to bring a folded-in-bag Torqueedo along in the SIB as emergency propulsion in the case that the main outboard becomes inoperable? Would it have enough propulsion to get a SIB back to shore against a current from a mile or so out?

spartacus · 14 June 2011, 14:12

Quote:

Originally Posted by prairie tuber

That is good info. Would you consider it be worthwhile to bring a folded-in-bag Torqueedo along in the SIB as emergency propulsion in the case that the main outboard becomes inoperable? Would it have enough propulsion to get a SIB back to shore against a current from a mile or so out?

A small 4-stroke Honda 2.3hp (air-cooled) or 2-stroke Tohatsu 3.5hp auxilliary engine (both around 13kgs) would be the way to go. Forget electric, unless it was for use on a reservoir for example, where outboards wouldn't be permitted. For example: Reservoirs to Lease near Glasgow | Loch Arklet Reservoir | land agent in Glasgow

uncle al · 14 June 2011, 15:57

under no circumstances should electric obm(s) be used on any tidal waters that is a basic safety precaution.

Sharkbyte · 15 June 2011, 22:33

Strange, I have used a Minn Kota electric outboard countless times when out and about at sea, and always at night. Truly fantastic pieces of equipment.

uncle al · 16 June 2011, 09:45

sharkbyte yes i know there are some that would be ok on the sea close to shore but as safety issue the magority are not safe to use at sea, but as a bit of guidence/rule of thumb 17lbs/thrust is equall to 1hp (the actuall figure is 17.something recuring lbs/thrust to 1hp) any advice i give i try to go on the side of caution and hopefully no accidents.
regards
alan

Sharkbyte · 21 June 2011, 22:58

Sorry, Uncle Al, but I think that you are just speculating about something you have absolutely no first hand knowledge of whatsoever.

Your answer is no doubt considered 'textbook' by the H&S spoilsports and the 'RNLI wannabees' that hover around the forums, but it is simply without substance.

If the OP would like to know about the realities of safely using electric outboards at sea (mainly bass fishing in the Channel Islands and the estuaries of Essex, over many years), I'll quite happily correspond with him via pm.

9D280 · 22 June 2011, 15:43

Speaking form a purely theoretical viewpoint, the energy density of a (full) 5L fuel tank is substantially higher than that of a similar sized and far heavier battery.

Or, in practical terms, how much further could you go with 5L of petrol in a 2Hp outboard vs what Halfords & the like would call a "small car battery" (i.e 50-ish AH)

Sharkbyte · 22 June 2011, 16:14

Absolutely no idea, 'John'.

Tell you what, why don't you go away an work it all out, and come back with an accurate graphical representation of Kj/Nm plotted on the X axis, and bass / rod hours / engine decibels on the Y axis.............

Poly · 22 June 2011, 19:54

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sharkbyte

Absolutely no idea, 'John'.

Tell you what, why don't you go away an work it all out, and come back with an accurate graphical representation of Kj/Nm plotted on the X axis, and bass / rod hours / engine decibels on the Y axis.............

You seem to be getting a bit wound up. Bear in mind that everyone else has as much right to post their opposing view as you do.

Do you use electric power as your sole means of propulsion? I can see their use but I wouldn't want to be relying on one to get back ashore against wind and tide.

PS. Who's john?

uncle al · 22 June 2011, 20:15

sharkbyte unfortunutly i do have knowledge, please look through a lot of past replies as and when you are bored to see who i used to work for before i retired, and i stand by my safety advise

Sharkbyte · 15 July 2011, 08:36

Quote:

Originally Posted by uncle al

sharkbyte unfortunutly i do have knowledge, please look through a lot of past replies as and when you are bored to see who i used to work for before i retired, and i stand by my safety advise

I have had no inclination to find out what you did for a living, Uncle Al, besides, it wouldn't make a jot of difference. A decades worth of electric outboard experience, totally many hundreds of hours, isn't about to evaporate on your say so.

My rather blunt comments are purely as a result of having seen internet forums taken over by textbook fanatics, and those seeking some kind of prefect-like status.

A typical Google search these days brings up a thousand results written by odd bods and charlatans repeating the drivel of some 'well respected' know it all.