Electric outboards.

[cgadeney]

I am hoping to buy a Winkle Brig. A the moment I use an Epropulsion Spirit plus on my current boat on inland waters. Does anyone know if this will fit on a WB and how it performs?

[John Burton]

Sorry, no idea if an Epropulsion fits, but a Torqeedo 1103 short shaft definitely fits, although only just and with the mounting bracket raised up about 110mm. There are detailed drawings and dimensions of the 1103 on the Torqeedo website, so you may be able to compare with the Epropulsion and see if it is compatible.

[John Burton]

I see on YouTube there is a video about WB 18, Sea Jade, in Cornwall 2021 and the description mentions it is equipped with an Epropulsion motor.

[Gerard Brown]

We love the Epropulsion motor, it?s a Spirit Plus Evo so  charges itself if you?re doing anything over 4.3 knots.

There?s loads of torque from this unit so it?ll punch along through some big seas and tide really well. It?s ideal for a displacement hull I?d say.

We haven?t measured things scientifically but, this summer we motored all the way from the Helford passage to Mylor at about 2.5 knots (around 9nm) and we still had about 20% left in the battery when we arrived.

At full power I think we can hit 4.5 knots but this will only give 75 mins runtime. Half power gives about 3 knots speed and perhaps three hours runtime.

We?re going to get a second battery next year but for a backup this year we had a Lifos 12v battery and solar panel. We never ran out of power but you do need to think about how you use it.

As for fitting, the motor sits in the outboard well perfectly but the battery is too big so you?ll need to put this in the rear locker and use a dedicated extension cable.
The short shaft is the right length for the boat but does protrude beneath the skeg by about 80mm so is a little vulnerable in the shallows.

To sum up, the ease of use is fantastic. I?d recommend it and say that the power is adequate. The range though might be an issue with just one battery in a strong tide / if there?s an emergency etc.

[Pat Arnold]

Hi,  I'm a bit late to the party but interested in getting an electric outboard for WB62.

Gerald, I'm a bit confused as to which Epropulsion you have.  Is it the 'Spirit 1.0 EVO' which has the recharging ability but appears to be 1kW only.  Is this really powerful enough for close offshore and tides, etc.?  Or have you used on inland waters only?  PS I liked the Youtube on Conniston.

Any others who have some thoughts, please don't hesitate to advise/comment!

[John Burton]

The Torqeedo CS 1103 is an excellent motor and has the advantage of a removable tiller. This frees up space in the cockpit when used with the optional remote control which has the same readout and GPS system as on the tiller. Two WBs on Coniston Water have Torqeedos,  I have nothing but praise for ours as it is nearly silent, there are no fumes and it is light to carry. If I was on a tidal estuary I might be a little concerned about power and range compared with a petrol outboard, I think Gerards idea of a second battery is very sensible.

[JOD]

Epropulsion comes our best in tests for power and quiet running. I have had a 1.0 Spirit for 3 yrs. not that you'd want to drop the removable battery but reassuring to know it floats.

[Gerard Brown]

Our motor is the 1kw Evo Plus. It?s very torquey and will push us along at 4.5 knots for 75 mins but at 1/3 power we?ve had more than 9nm from one battery across Falmouth Bay. With planning and care the range from two batteries is sufficient. Our petrol outboards were quite idiosyncratic to say the least. We know the electric motor will start first time every time.