Dinghy & motor-gas or electric

[Shrew]

For something like a chainsaw, string trimmer, etc. I think the advantages of electric are even bigger. The smaller you make a gas engine, the more finicky it gets. And those are also equipment that tends to get used sporadically and spends a lot of time sitting. Electric stuff is much easier to keep working properly with infrequent use.

Agreed, electric is limited in its scalability. My postage stamp lot in Florida takes 15 minutes to mow. An electric mower will shine here. My 3/4 acre yard in New Hampshire would take me between 75 and 90 minutes. Even my gas mower would use an entire tank of gas to finish that job.

 

[backinblue]

For something like a chainsaw, string trimmer, etc. I think the advantages of electric are even bigger. The smaller you make a gas engine, the more finicky it gets. And those are also equipment that tends to get used sporadically and spends a lot of time sitting. Electric stuff is much easier to keep working properly with infrequent use.

Absolutely agree, and as my yard tools and hand tools die, they are getting replaced with electrics. Outboard motors also get finicky as the engines and carbs get very small.

 

[backinblue]

We use our dinghy way too much to go with electric. The last thing I want is to be sitting around waiting for the batteries to be recharged.

All depends on distance and speed. At half throttle my electric has a range of about 15-20 miles. I've never come close to running out of power for several days between charges but ymmv depnding on how you use it. But it's easy enough to top off the battery when your generator is running, or you can get a solar panel for it as well. A very small gas motor also has limited range between re-fuels. Just a matter of whether you want to deal with a gas can or an electric charger. There's also the option of carrying a spare battery just like you would a fuel can.

 

[ABfish]

For something like a chainsaw, string trimmer, etc. I think the advantages of electric are even bigger. The smaller you make a gas engine, the more finicky it gets. And those are also equipment that tends to get used sporadically and spends a lot of time sitting. Electric stuff is much easier to keep working properly with infrequent use.

My shop is next to a large landscaping company. Even they have started using battery-powered stuff on small commercial jobs. They've got a truck rigged up with an inverter system and several chargers. That's what convinced me to give a try to the battery-powered chainsaw.

 

[rslifkin]

My shop is next to a large landscaping company. Even they have started using battery-powered stuff on small commercial jobs. They've got a truck rigged up with an inverter system and several chargers. That's what convinced me to give a try to the battery-powered chainsaw.

I've gone almost all electric for landscaping tools as well. At this point, I only have a gas lawnmower and snowblower. Lawnmower is because I wasn't happy with any of the electric options available when I bought it a few years ago. Snowblower is because nobody makes a sufficiently powerful electric for the climate around here (I periodically wish for more power even with the 13hp gas engine on it).

 

[TBill36]

The chainsaw got me thinking of one other issue - noise and vibration. Probably all gasoline outboards up to 6hp are single cylinder. They may be a little quieter than a chainsaw, but the noise and vibration is unpleasant. An electric must be like riding on a cloud.

 

[backinblue]

Very true about noise. The electric OB is virtually silent. It's actually is something you need to get used to because you don't have the noise feedback to tell you how fast the motor is running. My wife is still getting used to that. The very small OBs (like 2.5 hp) are air cooled and are almost as loud as a chainsaw. Regarding lansdscapers, gas powered tools are becoming illegal in some states. Not that I agree with that, but some have no choice but to go electric.

 

[JLD]

When we moved to our last rental house, with a smaller yard, I went with an electric mower and trimming tools. We move into our newly built home next month with an almost one acre yard and I will be buying a gas ride-on mower. Looked at lithium powered electric ones. Besides costing more upfront, battery life (from reviews) seems limited to 3 or 4 years and replacement is $800 a pop.

Jim

 

[Lepke]

I've been using an electric outboard for several years. Over time it's much better that dealing with the problems of a gas outboard. If you're going far, take an extra battery. It easier to charge a battery than carrying gasoline. It always starts, and I never spend a half hour pulling a start cord.

 

[Delta Riverat]

I'm thinking a 10 foot inflatable with a 5 HP propane motor. One that can draw from a bulk tank as well as 1 pounders for backup

 

[koliver]

For something like a chainsaw, string trimmer, etc. I think the advantages of electric are even bigger. The smaller you make a gas engine, the more finicky it gets. And those are also equipment that tends to get used sporadically and spends a lot of time sitting. Electric stuff is much easier to keep working properly with infrequent use.

I used to think like that.
My string trimmer is now over 30 yrs old. It was finicky. I priced alternatives, including electric, but for way less money, got a pro tune up a few years ago, now it isn't finicky at all. I don't know what step I wasn't getting right, but it now continues to start on the first or second pull.
Other tools I have that have gone battery are a big PITA when the battery dies. There are so many brand names out there, and each shine in specific areas, so you need many different brands of chargers and batteries, none of which are inexpensive. If one brand shone above others for all garden tools, only one charger and a couple of batteries would do for the whole fleet. Just not there yet.
OBs still need to overcome similar obstacles in order to really catch on.

 

[backinblue]

I used to think like that.
My string trimmer is now over 30 yrs old. It was finicky. I priced alternatives, including electric, but for way less money, got a pro tune up a few years ago, now it isn't finicky at all. I don't know what step I wasn't getting right, but it now continues to start on the first or second pull.
Other tools I have that have gone battery are a big PITA when the battery dies. There are so many brand names out there, and each shine in specific areas, so you need many different brands of chargers and batteries, none of which are inexpensive. If one brand shone above others for all garden tools, only one charger and a couple of batteries would do for the whole fleet. Just not there yet.
OBs still need to overcome similar obstacles in order to really catch on.

Regarding small gas engines, outboards or lawn tools or whatever, my experience has been that they are normally set to run very lean at the factory. I assume due to emission standards. I've found that opening up the carb mixture screws a bit helps a lot with starting and running. Maybe that's what your Pro tune-up did. My small 4 cyl Mercury motor has the carb jets screwed all the way in and sealed. You need to drill through the seal to access. The Mercury dealer service guys showed me this, you can probably find something online about it.

Many of the tool manufacturers are now going to a single battery and charger than is interchangeable between many of their tools. Pick a good quality brand and I think you'll be ok for the most part.

I'm not sure how that translates to outboards though. You buy an electric outboard motor, battery, and charger of your choice. You don't need to swap the battery into other devices, so I don't know what obstacles you are talking about. Going from gas to electric outboard has pretty much removed any obstacles I used to deal with.

 

[battles2a5]

I would recommend you take a look at this instead of Torqeedo. Claimed 3 HP eduivalent at 44 lbs. But since the battery is 20 lbs, the heaviest piece you are dealing with is 22 lbs. A 3.5 Merc is 41 lbs.

https://www.epropulsion.com/spirit-evo/

Not to derail the gas vs. electric debate, but I own one of these. I currently have a grady 330 express which does not have provisions for a davit or a permanent tender. So I need to inflate/deflate once I get to the mooring or anchorage where I am staying. We have a BRIS 8'6" inflatable with inflatable keel and the epropulsion motor.

FWIW- we use our dinghy for ship to shore transport in protected harbors for the most part.

Pros:
- Everything packs into bags and you never have to worry about spilling gas/oil
- The motor and battery are both light and easy to transport
- The battery will last for hours at reasonable speeds. It comes with a smart charger but I haven't had to charge over a multi-day trip yet
- We travel with a couple that uses a 4hp motor on their dinghy. They will beat us in an outright drag race but not by much. Our dinghy's don't plane, so in reality we are operating at partial throttle and are usually neck and neck with cruising speed
- Battery floats; torqueedo does not. This was a big one for me, since I typically install the battery once the dinghy is launched from our cockpit

Cons:
- Don't have a great sense of durability yet. I have no reason to doubt but its a relatively new company
- Doesn't have the power to put a dinghy on plane, so I would not consider this for anything more than what we use it for
- Everybody will stop you at the dinghy dock to talk about it

 

[Marco Flamingo]

If you like electric chain saws, wait till you try an electric log splitter. Splits 18x24 fir bolts easy. It can't handle some really large knots, but I take those over to my neighbor. I can tell when he's splitting because I can hear his 20T gas splitter running 1/4 mile away. He wears ear plugs with ear muffs. He comes over to my place and finds me splitting in the garage, out of the rain, while listening to a ball game on the radio.

I've been perfectly happy with my cheap ($150) electric outboard. It pushes my 9' inflatable with two aboard at hull speed (1.5 hours) or a little slower at trolling speed (>4 hours), all that I require. The battery is good for 4-5 hours of silent poking around an anchorage. By then it's time for new scenery and charging the battery while motoring the mother ship.

I'll probably go with lithium (24 pounds) to replace the Group 27 lead acid (70 pounds), but more for ease of handling than amperage. The only problem is that the Group 27 LA can start my 80 hp Lehman in a pinch. Lithium that I've seen have a 200 Amp BMS cutoff, just under the momentary draw of my starter. Don't know if there is such a thing as a "slow blow" BMS.

 

[Iggy]

I'm thinking a 10 foot inflatable with a 5 HP propane motor. One that can draw from a bulk tank as well as 1 pounders for backup

Thats what I am thinking for my next motor. When I bought my trawler, it come with a 20hp eclectic start motor. I just love the "get up and go" of it! Anyways....

But I had 3HP and then went to a 6HP. I found the 3 on a 8ft inflatable was too small when the wind and the current picked up. The 6 seamed to be a lot better and running it more at half to 3/4 throttle were the 3hp I always had it opened up. I think that the 6hp would have less wear and last longer. Like a mid size car with a 4 cylinder vs one with a 6 cylinder. Less winding up the engine and burning less gas.

It just all depends what you want out of it!

 

[backinblue]

Not to derail the gas vs. electric debate, but I own one of these. I currently have a grady 330 express which does not have provisions for a davit or a permanent tender. So I need to inflate/deflate once I get to the mooring or anchorage where I am staying. We have a BRIS 8'6" inflatable with inflatable keel and the epropulsion motor.

FWIW- we use our dinghy for ship to shore transport in protected harbors for the most part.

Pros:
- Everything packs into bags and you never have to worry about spilling gas/oil
- The motor and battery are both light and easy to transport
- The battery will last for hours at reasonable speeds. It comes with a smart charger but I haven't had to charge over a multi-day trip yet
- We travel with a couple that uses a 4hp motor on their dinghy. They will beat us in an outright drag race but not by much. Our dinghy's don't plane, so in reality we are operating at partial throttle and are usually neck and neck with cruising speed
- Battery floats; torqueedo does not. This was a big one for me, since I typically install the battery once the dinghy is launched from our cockpit

Cons:
- Don't have a great sense of durability yet. I have no reason to doubt but its a relatively new company
- Doesn't have the power to put a dinghy on plane, so I would not consider this for anything more than what we use it for
- Everybody will stop you at the dinghy dock to talk about it

I am in the exact same situation. Aside from the floating battery, I like the eProp better than the Torqeedo for a few reasons. It's a little less $$$, looks better, little more range, and charges faster. I could add to your Pro list
- zero maintenance
- starts instantly and no stress that if my wife goes to shore alone she won't be able to start it.
- Has real reverse. Most gas motors under 4 HP require 180 degree pivot
- Not only does it store easiy with no gas/oil, but you can store it in any orientation or even toss it on a bed with no worries.
- Motor and battery are each much less weight than the smallest gas engine and can be installed one at a time.

As I said earlier, if you need planing power and speed, gas is still probably best, but not for much longer. But in comparison to a 2.5 - 4 HP gas for pushing a small inflatable, it's a no-brainer.

 

[Alisske]

Folks have had some good points. Ill keep mine simple:

DINGHY:

Seems like a relatively flat bottom dink with low lightweight HP 3.5-4 would work. In the 10 foot range.

Do you have to tow it? If so, them a dinghy with a keel would be helpful to track well. (A PSA here, never, never tow a dink with the engine mounted on it for any distance or in bad weather). You can also go 12 foot. If you have to drag onboard or tie on swim platform, you’ll have to measure. I find any dink under 10 foot to small

Get a good set of oars. Use the shaw and tenny measurement formula on their website. Folks always get oars that are too short


ENGINE:
Is you main boar a gasser? (Same gas a the outboard, so a pro for gas).

Are you good tinkering with gas engines? Any new small out board will become somewhat unreliable after a few years. (Even if treated well and run the gas out etc…). If you own one, get familiar with the carburetor). If you get a 9.9 with fuel injection, reliability goes way up (remember the oars)

Good luck

 

[bowball]

There are some serious lead times out there. I replaced my outboard but Mercury is now 28 to 42 plus weeks out (estimate), Yamaha worse, in my area.