Petrol or electric outboard

[roger352]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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?