An Electric Outboard Motor

If you liked the sun-powered cruiser featured on the current cover of WoodenBoat (July/August), you'll also like this site.  It shows how a fellow took an old 10-hp Johnson outboard motor, ditched the gasoline powerhead, and added an Etek constant-magnet motor--the same type used in the cruiser on our cover. He hung the modified unit on the transom of a Phil Bolger-designed Diablo, and, judging from the photo,  the little boat scoots along--silently and cleanly, we can assume, though it's hard to judge those qualities from a photo.

Comments

[Robb White]

Lordy, I wish this would work. It is funny about how horsepower is revealed. A one hp. three phase electric motor will pull a machine that will strangle a 5hp Briggs&Stratton lawn mower engine. The cursed two cycle 9.9 OMC on that wonderful Diablo would blow the doors off that 15 hp. electric rig.

That's the spirit, though. Lordy, I wish this would work.