Thanks for the comparison. I made the switch to a 62 lb electric trolling motor from a 4 hp gas outboard. Yes the trolling motor is much less powerful but Like you said if all you're using it for is to get in and out of a marina then the trolling motor is fine - even against a heavy tide. I have a Cape Dory Typhoon and the trolling motor works fine. The 4 hp was over kill for my needs. BTW I get two hours of full throttle on an 83 amp battery - perfect for me. And I LOVE-LOVE-LOVE the quietness and no messy gas.
*This makes my old motor look like a toy **enjoyable.fishing** recommend it's well built. I haven't had it on the water yet, but I'm very sure it will perform just fine.*
I have a pile of outboards for various small boats/jon boats etc. But, highly recommend the 30 lb minkota for a real small boat/canoe, and the newport 50 lb thrust for a little bigger boat. Just buy 2 of the 100 amp hour mini LiFeP04 batteries (I think they are down to 200-300 bucks now) and you can motor all day at comfortable speed, and talk to your wife. Electric is so much nicer for just cruising around. And, the 50 lb thrust pushes a 12' boat pretty decent (maybe 3 knots?). The 30 lb thrust motor is a bit lighter, so for the Walker Bay I think I'd stick with that (and the 2 batteries). The LiFeP04 batteries are really light, compared to a regular deep cycle. Yeah, they cost more. But, are so easy to throw in your pickup, and in the boat. Totally worth it.
I totally agree with you. I shot this video several years ago when LiFEPo batteries were still expensive. I am all electric now. Sold the gas motor about a year ago and haven't missed it.
Thanks for the overview, I'm making a hybrid setup for a small 18' sailboat. I'm using a small hand held generator and gives off less than 60db and hooking it up to a solar controller to charge 24v(two 12v) instead of 12v, so I can switch between charging modes(200w solar panels / gas 1000w). The electric trolling motor is a 89lbs Goplus. They also make my camping tent which I have used for a few years when I go on astronomy camp outs and love it. But I wanted this setup so I can convert my gas or sunlight to motor power or utility power. With a gas motor I presumed I would be stuck to only powering it and not utilities and batteries the utilities ,vice versa. I have not tested this setup yet and I'm just getting it all together and setup. But was wanting to see if anyone else was using a hybrid setup as well.
I bought mine 2nd hand 3 years or more ago, had no problems apart from I let couple of friends take my inflatable up the river and they went aground breaking the prop sheer pin
OK, listen up you guys. Dont nothing sarcastic here. You can run any trolling motor 12/24v as long as you want with the right set up. I do this to charge my batteries at my Off Grid cabin. Its simple. Get a 3hp-6.5hp tiller motor. Put a 1968 Chevy Alternater to it.Wala! you can charge your battery the whole time you run your trolling motor. If you have a 24v trolling motor, use a 24v alternator. thats it. I'll be adding two 55lb trolling motors to my john boat and will only use one12v 29 series marine battery from anywhere and running the gasoline tiller motor and alternator set up soon. IT WORKS and the tiller motor doesnt use much fuel
So here's my 2 cents worth on this subject: Having been a sailor for many years, owning trailer sailers like the Montgomery 17, Chrysler 20, (1700lbs and 2300lbs respectively, I have some experience with under-powered sailboats. Not to be a snark, but that's what I see here. I own the Honda 2hp and have for years, but I would never clamp it to a 21ft sailboat, nor would I expect any performance out of a 40lb electric. Both are way out of their class here. The electric is a troller by design. It's prop pitch is for slow speeds. it can only go so fast and does not have any reserve. The more you crank it, the faster the battery discharges. Against a current or a headwind, you must turn it up. Conversely, the Honda is a bit of an anomaly in the world of small outboards. It is not a troller at all, due to its centrifugal clutch, which can make it impossible to maintain slow enough speeds for many species of fish. It is super loud, and as a single cylinder, it vibrates badly, sending disturbing signals into the water. Nor is it capable of quick power thrusts that are vital in maneuvers. I relegate my Honda to pushing my canoe trimaran as a main drive when the wind fails and I can't sail. My 40lb electric is used as it is designed - behind my 14ft Smokercraft Voyager, next to a Johnson 7.5 main drive. As demonstrated here, the Honda does not produce any more speed at max throttle, just cavitation. It has a plastic prop with deeply pitched pointed blades - a sure cavitator at higher rpms. Not for trolling. The electric has a very large diameter 2-blade prop with very shallow pitch - perfect for low, low speed trolling and no cavitation. A comparison of performance can be made on the Walker Bay, but not on the sailboat. My experience is that many people go for the smallest kicker they can find for their trailerable sailboats. I believe this is not the wisest course. Let me explain: Sooner or later, a skipper is going to be attempting to dock the boat in a contrary wind or tidal currant. Sometimes it's a very bad situation. On my Montgomery, I used '92 Evinrude 8hp. Yes - an 8. I had a Tohatsu 6hp on the Chrysler 20. Why not the more typical 4? I believe that a motor should be capable of pushing the boat at hull speed, which on most small sailboats will be 6-8mph, or as fast as it is capable of sailing. You don't need to motor that fast, but if you are putting along at 5mph, that bigger engine is loving life and it's not breaking the decibel barrier either. Now comes the best part. Remember that tough docking situation? I sure do. See that idiot in the speed boat cutting you off? You better have the brakes to stop your boat. The bigger motor will do it right now. Which brings up another negative about tiny engines: They usually lack a gear shift to reverse. You have to spin the powerhead around and hope the boat stops before you smack the dock, the other boats, or into a deadhead. Remember that when you top out the throttle on those smaller motors, they don't grab any more water, they just cavitate and blow air bubbles. They can't slow the boat down fast enough in many cases. I've seen this a few times here in Puget Sound and in the river front marinas. Go for a bigger motor and you'll never look back. The guy who flew down from Alaska to buy my Montgomery totally understood this and that was the clincher for the deal.
I agree, the Honda is, kind of a so so motor, for most of the reasons you say, and it is bloody unreliable. Don't agree a bigger motor is required. Better solution is a smaller boat. And a paddle.
@@travelbywater9378 So far, so good with my Honda, but they do get mixed reactions. Good take on the larger motor, smaller boat view. ; ) Love your channel.
I had the same thoughts as you, but would never have so eloquently put it for a random stranger on the internet whos video i happened to see haha. You are 100% right about needing to have the right equipment for the task at hand, and i always had backup kickers that were a little bigger than standard in order to get a full 6kn no matter what the weather conditions. I live up in Alaska though so its a little more important having to deal with inclement weather. Safe travels.
@@bhhacker That was the situation with my Montgomery buyer up there. He wanted to be able to run in at hull speed with the throttle at 75% when the weather turned bad or the tide was ripping. I just wanted to be able to hit the binders and stop fast.
I have a 23 ft trailer sailer and run a 5hp 4 stroke mercury built for sailers. I think it has smaller prop pitch for more thrust. It's smooth and i never take it above 75% even cruising on the lake. It's often at half throttle or third going in and out of the marina. If I had to deal with strong winds and tide on bluewater, I would definitely go higher than 5 but Great Lakes don't have currents. No way a trolling motor is safe enough for such a big boat in any way shape or form. Who goes sailing when there's no wind anyway?
I've never owned a boat so forgive the ignorance but it looks like you are using a tiller to steer the boat while using the Honda motor. Most of the rowboats I've seen have a transom to which the Honda would be attached and the boat would be steered by pivoting the motor on the transom. What kind of a boat has a place to mount the Honda motor (what appears to be) "inside" the boat?
You are correct. Most small open boats have a transom that the outboard mounts to and you steer with the outboard. This boat is getting up in size, 21 feet. As boats get bigger the idea of an "outboard well" gets more prevalent because in waves longer boats will have a tendency to lift the outboard out on a transom out of the water. By moving the outboard forward into a well, it keeps the propeller in the water in rougher conditions. This boat type is a "sharpie" the model name us "Bay Hen".
@@travelbywater9378 Thanks. I Googled 21-foot Bay Hen sharpie. That pulled up some pictures. I think I understand the concept but the pictures didn't really show the outboard well. If you aren't too busy, can you recommend some pictures - even if they are of other boats that are equipped with that feature?
How much does the boat weigh? I just ordered the Minn Kota 55 lbs thrust for my Cal 20 sailboat. Only need it to motor 50 yard to mooring ball after we drop sails.
Hello, first of all thank you for your video. I bought a 2.8 inflatable boat and thinking about which motor to place on it. As I can see from this video the electric motor is much quieter but has much less power. Can you advice? Which motor will be more suitable for me? I need it for trolling, let's say for a 5 hours of sailing.
@@Johnny1.0 Of course, that's what he did, (miked it close) this "travel" ? dude changed his mind about everything a while back. His review is cancelled. No confidence on his part & is now useless.
great test. thanks for posting it. I was always curious about electric vs gas. I just about completed my 20 foot Aquarius sailboat that I intend to take all over the place. Its a retractable keel boat I rebuilt from the keel up. I will soon have a video about the rebuild, and I was thinking about adding an electric motor just to putt around silently.
Yes, it's a tough call. I think your Aquarius would be close to double the weight of my Bay Hen. I think you'd want a decent sized motor and a couple of batteries.
cheers mate , your video has made me make my mind up petrol ( gas to you yanks lol ) engine for my kayak , smallest one i can find , which at the moment is a 1.5 hp jackson engine ,
THERE is a formula, drawn up many years ago to compute the "natural"(NOT hull speed), speed of a boat, which I have forgotten and lost. It's purpose was to compute how fast a boat could go with the most minimal amount of needed energy ... to find the speed right before the boat started needing more and more energy to move). My Venture 25 came in at about 2 knots ... very light boat. Imagine if you would, that pushing a boat from the dock WITHOUT putting a lot of "umph", into the initial push and using the least amount of "umph", to keep the boat moving at THAT SLOW SPEED). The boat's friction against the water is not yet stopping the boat, although the boat might eventually stop. We're also not talking about external forces(nor wind or current), and we're looking at speeds of 2 or less knots ANYWAY, I computed quite a few different sailboats and almost all the boats compute to about 1 to 2.2 MPH( about what you saw on your lowest speed setting). Smaller boats generally had higher natural speeds. I'll guess what I think remember about the formula "length" times "width"(of the WL) times the depth of the hull(which might have included the full draft, including the keel), then the weight of the boat. I think there was a constant or two involved .... something like 2 for a displacement hull, maybe something like 3 for a planing hull and 1.5 for an in-between(such as the old Venture sailboats). I've looked for years for the formula, and I think it was from one of the many boat construction books. I remember my boat being about 2 MPH(1.7 kn?) ... your "heavier" boat would have computed less.
Interesting. I know the towing the little boat really slowed down the bigger boat. It almost seemed like bothboats were limited close to the smaller boats hull speed.
You are referring to the speed at which friction is at the minimum before it becomes drag. Yes, it only takes a very small amount of energy to cause glide. But sooner or later, you have to hit the brakes, and a tiny prop on a tiny motor won't do it. It'll just cavitate and you'll hit that other boat, log, or dock - or, you won't have enough way on for steerage. Still a fan of the bigger motor. Seen too much to go back now.
Hello. My 10 year old got a small 8 foot boat for christmas and I am trying to find a good option for him to play around our camp and have a good time. We have a 32lb min kota currently and it seems to be an ok speed for him to play but not get into trouble. Our problem is that he gets about 10-15 minutes of play then he is done. What do you suggest? We currently have it hooked to a deep cell battery with a solar trickle charger and it is not doing the trick. Do we find a different setup or should we look into a smaller gas motor? Thanks for your help and advice!
www.ebay.com/itm/New-4-HP-Outboard-Motor-4-Stroke-38CC-Outboard-Engine-With-Air-Cooling-System-/352200581956?_trksid=p2349526.m4383.l4275.c1#rwid would you consider this a good engine its not name branded but its either this or i purchase a battery for a trolling motor i already have
Good question. I was in slack water in both experiments. In the larger boat experiment, I had more head wind with the gas motor. In the Walker Bay experiment, it was hot and still with both motors.
And that's what' it's all about. With Electric, ? If you can clearly see the dock & are within yelling, horn, flare distance if weather comes up , then you might be fine ? ? If Calm flat water trolling (again flat water is the key condition) & (guaranteed good weather conditions) ? Then your good ") ---- However, & it's a Big "however" * If you want to take your boat a little further out & have the ability to get back to shore ? -- "Can troll all day long " -- Feel confident & relaxed , especially as your usually using this (gas Engine) not only as an all day troller, but also a "get home safe back-up" if your main outboard--- (big or small) --- has trouble . (electrics are useless in this situation ) Look, Electrics are great in limited fishing, trolling etc. but again, not in a back-up "motor safe & saved situation. " Also , small gas kickers are bullet proof, last as long as you want if have a small container of gas, they are a little noisy but steady, & I can never overstate the fact, "that they can get you home when an electric will leave you floundering in the wind" Anyway, Cheers ") *Ha, just now read your weak "change your mind" back -up ---? Nothing worse on the Tube like you Travel.
@@travelbywater9378 Wow, how do you expect to be taken seriously now. Read my comment recently posted. Unless your tied to the shore on a small lake with a good wind in your favor ? Then they are useless (of course , with a back-up , then it's different) but never ever be wish-washy, any respect is now gone, & no one will ever be genuinely interested in a/your post again.
Thanks for the comparison. I made the switch to a 62 lb electric trolling motor from a 4 hp gas outboard. Yes the trolling motor is much less powerful but Like you said if all you're using it for is to get in and out of a marina then the trolling motor is fine - even against a heavy tide. I have a Cape Dory Typhoon and the trolling motor works fine. The 4 hp was over kill for my needs. BTW I get two hours of full throttle on an 83 amp battery - perfect for me. And I LOVE-LOVE-LOVE the quietness and no messy gas.
Perfect. I still have my 2.3 hp outboard for longer trips, but have the trolling motor for short trips.
*This makes my old motor look like a toy **enjoyable.fishing** recommend it's well built. I haven't had it on the water yet, but I'm very sure it will perform just fine.*
Hey I know you did this in 2017. But thanks for doing it. Very helpful and insightful.
Was it that long ago? Still have and still use both motors.
I have a pile of outboards for various small boats/jon boats etc. But, highly recommend the 30 lb minkota for a real small boat/canoe, and the newport 50 lb thrust for a little bigger boat. Just buy 2 of the 100 amp hour mini LiFeP04 batteries (I think they are down to 200-300 bucks now) and you can motor all day at comfortable speed, and talk to your wife. Electric is so much nicer for just cruising around. And, the 50 lb thrust pushes a 12' boat pretty decent (maybe 3 knots?). The 30 lb thrust motor is a bit lighter, so for the Walker Bay I think I'd stick with that (and the 2 batteries). The LiFeP04 batteries are really light, compared to a regular deep cycle. Yeah, they cost more. But, are so easy to throw in your pickup, and in the boat. Totally worth it.
I totally agree with you. I shot this video several years ago when LiFEPo batteries were still expensive. I am all electric now. Sold the gas motor about a year ago and haven't missed it.
Thanks for the overview, I'm making a hybrid setup for a small 18' sailboat. I'm using a small hand held generator and gives off less than 60db and hooking it up to a solar controller to charge 24v(two 12v) instead of 12v, so I can switch between charging modes(200w solar panels / gas 1000w). The electric trolling motor is a 89lbs Goplus. They also make my camping tent which I have used for a few years when I go on astronomy camp outs and love it. But I wanted this setup so I can convert my gas or sunlight to motor power or utility power. With a gas motor I presumed I would be stuck to only powering it and not utilities and batteries the utilities ,vice versa. I have not tested this setup yet and I'm just getting it all together and setup. But was wanting to see if anyone else was using a hybrid setup as well.
Daniel Yount it’s a while on now. How did you hybrid work out?
Those 2.3 Hondas are noisy but what a great motor, I got one, air cooled a great idea.
Not bad if you can keep the carb clean.
I bought mine 2nd hand 3 years or more ago, had no problems apart from I let couple of friends take my inflatable up the river and they went aground breaking the prop sheer pin
Was thinking about getting an electric motor for my little boat, no way.
Im getting a petrol engine now, thank you for the video!
Lol, ya. I think for most people that will work better :)
Great review between electric and gas trolling motors thank you!
Thanks.
OK, listen up you guys. Dont nothing sarcastic here. You can run any trolling motor 12/24v as long as you want with the right set up. I do this to charge my batteries at my Off Grid cabin. Its simple. Get a 3hp-6.5hp tiller motor. Put a 1968 Chevy Alternater to it.Wala! you can charge your battery the whole time you run your trolling motor. If you have a 24v trolling motor, use a 24v alternator. thats it. I'll be adding two 55lb trolling motors to my john boat and will only use one12v 29 series marine battery from anywhere and running the gasoline tiller motor and alternator set up soon. IT WORKS and the tiller motor doesnt use much fuel
Why...use some jury-rig tiller motor/alternator rather than a small gasoline electric generator?
So here's my 2 cents worth on this subject:
Having been a sailor for many years, owning trailer sailers like the Montgomery 17, Chrysler 20, (1700lbs and 2300lbs respectively, I have some experience with under-powered sailboats. Not to be a snark, but that's what I see here. I own the Honda 2hp and have for years, but I would never clamp it to a 21ft sailboat, nor would I expect any performance out of a 40lb electric. Both are way out of their class here.
The electric is a troller by design. It's prop pitch is for slow speeds. it can only go so fast and does not have any reserve. The more you crank it, the faster the battery discharges. Against a current or a headwind, you must turn it up. Conversely, the Honda is a bit of an anomaly in the world of small outboards. It is not a troller at all, due to its centrifugal clutch, which can make it impossible to maintain slow enough speeds for many species of fish. It is super loud, and as a single cylinder, it vibrates badly, sending disturbing signals into the water. Nor is it capable of quick power thrusts that are vital in maneuvers.
I relegate my Honda to pushing my canoe trimaran as a main drive when the wind fails and I can't sail. My 40lb electric is used as it is designed - behind my 14ft Smokercraft Voyager, next to a Johnson 7.5 main drive.
As demonstrated here, the Honda does not produce any more speed at max throttle, just cavitation. It has a plastic prop with deeply pitched pointed blades - a sure cavitator at higher rpms. Not for trolling. The electric has a very large diameter 2-blade prop with very shallow pitch - perfect for low, low speed trolling and no cavitation.
A comparison of performance can be made on the Walker Bay, but not on the sailboat. My experience is that many people go for the smallest kicker they can find for their trailerable sailboats. I believe this is not the wisest course. Let me explain:
Sooner or later, a skipper is going to be attempting to dock the boat in a contrary wind or tidal currant. Sometimes it's a very bad situation. On my Montgomery, I used '92 Evinrude 8hp. Yes - an 8. I had a Tohatsu 6hp on the Chrysler 20. Why not the more typical 4? I believe that a motor should be capable of pushing the boat at hull speed, which on most small sailboats will be 6-8mph, or as fast as it is capable of sailing. You don't need to motor that fast, but if you are putting along at 5mph, that bigger engine is loving life and it's not breaking the decibel barrier either.
Now comes the best part. Remember that tough docking situation? I sure do. See that idiot in the speed boat cutting you off? You better have the brakes to stop your boat. The bigger motor will do it right now. Which brings up another negative about tiny engines: They usually lack a gear shift to reverse. You have to spin the powerhead around and hope the boat stops before you smack the dock, the other boats, or into a deadhead. Remember that when you top out the throttle on those smaller motors, they don't grab any more water, they just cavitate and blow air bubbles. They can't slow the boat down fast enough in many cases.
I've seen this a few times here in Puget Sound and in the river front marinas. Go for a bigger motor and you'll never look back. The guy who flew down from Alaska to buy my Montgomery totally understood this and that was the clincher for the deal.
I agree, the Honda is, kind of a so so motor, for most of the reasons you say, and it is bloody unreliable. Don't agree a bigger motor is required. Better solution is a smaller boat. And a paddle.
@@travelbywater9378 So far, so good with my Honda, but they do get mixed reactions. Good take on the larger motor, smaller boat view. ; ) Love your channel.
I had the same thoughts as you, but would never have so eloquently put it for a random stranger on the internet whos video i happened to see haha. You are 100% right about needing to have the right equipment for the task at hand, and i always had backup kickers that were a little bigger than standard in order to get a full 6kn no matter what the weather conditions. I live up in Alaska though so its a little more important having to deal with inclement weather. Safe travels.
@@bhhacker That was the situation with my Montgomery buyer up there. He wanted to be able to run in at hull speed with the throttle at 75% when the weather turned bad or the tide was ripping. I just wanted to be able to hit the binders and stop fast.
I have a 23 ft trailer sailer and run a 5hp 4 stroke mercury built for sailers. I think it has smaller prop pitch for more thrust. It's smooth and i never take it above 75% even cruising on the lake. It's often at half throttle or third going in and out of the marina. If I had to deal with strong winds and tide on bluewater, I would definitely go higher than 5 but Great Lakes don't have currents. No way a trolling motor is safe enough for such a big boat in any way shape or form. Who goes sailing when there's no wind anyway?
I've never owned a boat so forgive the ignorance but it looks like you are using a tiller to steer the boat while using the Honda motor. Most of the rowboats I've seen have a transom to which the Honda would be attached and the boat would be steered by pivoting the motor on the transom. What kind of a boat has a place to mount the Honda motor (what appears to be) "inside" the boat?
You are correct. Most small open boats have a transom that the outboard mounts to and you steer with the outboard. This boat is getting up in size, 21 feet. As boats get bigger the idea of an "outboard well" gets more prevalent because in waves longer boats will have a tendency to lift the outboard out on a transom out of the water. By moving the outboard forward into a well, it keeps the propeller in the water in rougher conditions. This boat type is a "sharpie" the model name us "Bay Hen".
@@travelbywater9378 Thanks. I Googled 21-foot Bay Hen sharpie. That pulled up some pictures. I think I understand the concept but the pictures didn't really show the outboard well. If you aren't too busy, can you recommend some pictures - even if they are of other boats that are equipped with that feature?
How much does the boat weigh? I just ordered the Minn Kota 55 lbs thrust for my Cal 20 sailboat. Only need it to motor 50 yard to mooring ball after we drop sails.
The boat weighs 900 pounds.
Beautiful weather.
Ya, that was a nice week end :)
Hello, first of all thank you for your video. I bought a 2.8 inflatable boat and thinking about which motor to place on it. As I can see from this video the electric motor is much quieter but has much less power. Can you advice? Which motor will be more suitable for me? I need it for trolling, let's say for a 5 hours of sailing.
I don't think you would get 5 hours run time out of a 12 volt motor. Sounds like gas might work for you.
@@travelbywater9378 I don't wanna know what your on but, I get a full day if not 2 days trolling with my 55lb thrust electric
12 volt 100 mah
Great video! I wish everyone was as thorough and practical on their reviews. But, holy smokes, that gas motor is loud!
+roadwarrior64 thank you for the comment. It really is a loud engine. But I'm generally happy with it. Not good for sneaking up on wildlife!
That Honda is air cooled, that's why its so noisy. Keeps it simple though, no water pump or impeller.
It's like having a lawnmower onboard :/
The camera mic probably makes it sound worse than it is.
@@Johnny1.0 Of course, that's what he did, (miked it close) this "travel" ? dude changed his mind about everything a while back. His review is cancelled. No confidence on his part & is now useless.
great test. thanks for posting it. I was always curious about electric vs gas. I just about completed my 20 foot Aquarius sailboat that I intend to take all over the place. Its a retractable keel boat I rebuilt from the keel up. I will soon have a video about the rebuild, and I was thinking about adding an electric motor just to putt around silently.
Yes, it's a tough call. I think your Aquarius would be close to double the weight of my Bay Hen. I think you'd want a decent sized motor and a couple of batteries.
I just got a hangkai electric outboard for my 22 ft sailboat , I can't wait to get a solar panel and batteries !
You'll never make it home.
What I really need to know about is that canopy bro
Ya, it's nice on a sunny day. Or rainy.
cheers mate , your video has made me make my mind up
petrol ( gas to you yanks lol ) engine for my kayak , smallest one i can find , which at the moment is a 1.5 hp jackson engine ,
Good, its a big engine for a kayak, but your range will be massive.
THERE is a formula, drawn up many years ago to compute the "natural"(NOT hull speed), speed of a boat, which I have forgotten and lost. It's purpose was to compute how fast a boat could go with the most minimal amount of needed energy ... to find the speed right before the boat started needing more and more energy to move). My Venture 25 came in at about 2 knots ... very light boat.
Imagine if you would, that pushing a boat from the dock WITHOUT putting a lot of "umph", into the initial push and using the least amount of "umph", to keep the boat moving at THAT SLOW SPEED). The boat's friction against the water is not yet stopping the boat, although the boat might eventually stop.
We're also not talking about external forces(nor wind or current), and we're looking at speeds of 2 or less knots
ANYWAY, I computed quite a few different sailboats and almost all the boats compute to about 1 to 2.2 MPH( about what you saw on your lowest speed setting). Smaller boats generally had higher natural speeds.
I'll guess what I think remember about the formula "length" times "width"(of the WL) times the depth of the hull(which might have included the full draft, including the keel), then the weight of the boat. I think there was a constant or two involved .... something like 2 for a displacement hull, maybe something like 3 for a planing hull and 1.5 for an in-between(such as the old Venture sailboats).
I've looked for years for the formula, and I think it was from one of the many boat construction books.
I remember my boat being about 2 MPH(1.7 kn?) ... your "heavier" boat would have computed less.
Interesting. I know the towing the little boat really slowed down the bigger boat. It almost seemed like bothboats were limited close to the smaller boats hull speed.
You are referring to the speed at which friction is at the minimum before it becomes drag. Yes, it only takes a very small amount of energy to cause glide. But sooner or later, you have to hit the brakes, and a tiny prop on a tiny motor won't do it. It'll just cavitate and you'll hit that other boat, log, or dock - or, you won't have enough way on for steerage. Still a fan of the bigger motor. Seen too much to go back now.
Hello. My 10 year old got a small 8 foot boat for christmas and I am trying to find a good option for him to play around our camp and have a good time. We have a 32lb min kota currently and it seems to be an ok speed for him to play but not get into trouble. Our problem is that he gets about 10-15 minutes of play then he is done. What do you suggest? We currently have it hooked to a deep cell battery with a solar trickle charger and it is not doing the trick. Do we find a different setup or should we look into a smaller gas motor? Thanks for your help and advice!
Hard to say. 10-15 minutes seems like a pretty short run time. Wonder if your battery is shot?
Excellent comparison, thanks.
+Hung Pham thanks, some people make do with the electric, but I prefer the gas.
www.ebay.com/itm/New-4-HP-Outboard-Motor-4-Stroke-38CC-Outboard-Engine-With-Air-Cooling-System-/352200581956?_trksid=p2349526.m4383.l4275.c1#rwid would you consider this a good engine its not name branded but its either this or i purchase a battery for a trolling motor i already have
were you against the current?
For motors, I always wonder how they perform in more adverse conditions
Good question. I was in slack water in both experiments. In the larger boat experiment, I had more head wind with the gas motor. In the Walker Bay experiment, it was hot and still with both motors.
real wind, or apparent wind?
Your leaves are about 9 days ahead of us.. well depending on when you shot this
Real wind. But its very minor, maybe 2 knots of real wind vs 4 or 5. Not a big factor.
I shot it on Monday, so 2 days ago.
Good test. Will help me decided on electric vs gas in my future sailboat.
+someonec86 I am glad you enjoyed it. It really comes down to intended usage and budget in my opinion.
Travel By Water agreed. Purpose of use is important.
How much does the sailboat weigh?
The sailboat is 900 pounds ~450 kilos. 21 feet long.
I BOUGHT A DINGHY AND JUST NOW BOUGHT A TROLLING MOTOR AND YAHAMA 25 OUTBOARD
Awesome.
The Honda 2,3 is meant to be a back up outboard if the main outboard breaks down.
It is my back up/auxiliary power. The boat's a sailboat, so the primary propulsion is the sail, the back up is the Honda 2.3.
How heavy is your boat?
900 pounds. 21 feet. Pretty quick hull.
I’d use a gas motor, but where I live, they only allow electric motor in the reservoirs.
We have reserves around here where gas is not allowed as well.
Petrol outboard made my ears bleed.
No doubt, the air cooled Honda is loud.
wear ear muffs.
And that's what' it's all about. With Electric, ? If you can clearly see the dock & are within yelling, horn, flare distance if weather comes up , then you might be fine ? ? If Calm flat water trolling (again flat water is the key condition) & (guaranteed good weather conditions) ? Then your good ") ---- However, & it's a Big "however" * If you want to take your boat a little further out & have the ability to get back to shore ? -- "Can troll all day long " -- Feel confident & relaxed , especially as your usually using this (gas Engine) not only as an all day troller, but also a "get home safe back-up" if your main outboard--- (big or small) --- has trouble . (electrics are useless in this situation ) Look, Electrics are great in limited fishing, trolling etc. but again, not in a back-up "motor safe & saved situation. " Also , small gas kickers are bullet proof, last as long as you want if have a small container of gas, they are a little noisy but steady, & I can never overstate the fact, "that they can get you home when an electric will leave you floundering in the wind" Anyway, Cheers ") *Ha, just now read your weak "change your mind" back -up ---? Nothing worse on the Tube like you Travel.
Decibel rating would have been nice.
Yep, the Honda is loud.
86 pound MinnKota trolling motor 100% power 21ft boat vs 2.5hp motor speed 100% power 21ft boat ?
Either a) the battery wouldn't last long or b) you would need lots of batteries I think. Still though, electric propulsion is cool.
thanks
Leoberto Fernandez no problem, it was fun.
Gas Motors: Noisy, Smelly, Dirty and don't even mention winterization.
Yes, in the years since I shot this video, I have come to the same conclusion the gas is gone.
@@travelbywater9378 Wow, how do you expect to be taken seriously now. Read my comment recently posted. Unless your tied to the shore on a small lake with a good wind in your favor ? Then they are useless (of course , with a back-up , then it's different) but never ever be wish-washy, any respect is now gone, & no one will ever be genuinely interested in a/your post again.
I'd rather go slower in peaceful silence :/
When practical for sure.
Thanks