[Rhodes22-list] Electric Outboards for R22, Merc 9.9 For Sale

[Tom Van Heule]

Well I know water is 7.4.... and fuel floats... But thanks for the
clarification!!!

On Tue, May 18, 2021, 1:40 PM Hank <hnw555 at gmail.com> wrote:

> Actually, 6 gals is about 36 lbs as gas is about 6 pounds per gallon.
>
> On Tue, May 18, 2021 at 2:24 PM Tom Van Heule <
> tom.vanheule at intrinsicprograms.com> wrote:
>
> > Thanks Reuben. Great write up/recount.
> > To add fwiw...  6gal of gas is also about 45lbs.    I'd prefer the gas be
> > opposite the engine for the balance. (8hp 4.strike.is about 89lbs?)
> >
> > I personally like low maintenance, a lot.
> > I am finding myself more energy/pollutant conscious as time goes on.  I
> > still grill steaks.
> >
> > Fair winds , all,
> >
> > On Mon, May 17, 2021, 3:09 PM Reuben Mezrich <reuben.mezrich at gmail.com>
> > wrote:
> >
> > > I apologize for the delay in responding to this thread, but I’ve been
> > > traveling (finally took advantage of being vaccinated and it's the
> first
> > > time we’ve seen the grandkids in over a year)
> > >
> > > As Stan indicated, I had an electric outboard installed on the Rhodes
> 22
> > > that he rebuilt for me and which was delivered on Dec 22 to me in
> > Sarasota
> > > by the team of Nick and Chris Geankoplis.
> > >
> > > I chose the ePropulsion Navy 3 engine, the E80 battery, a 20 amp
> charger,
> > > and a top mounted remote control (which Stan mounted on the port
> coming).
> > > The E80 battery (which weighs 100 lbs) was placed in the space normally
> > > occupied by the 15 gallon water tank and a smaller 5 gallon water tank
> > > shoehorned in next to the battery and its charger. This put the battery
> > low
> > > and amidships for good weight distribution. The engine, which weighs
> > about
> > > 54 lbs was mounted on the usual electric motor mount.
> > >
> > > I chose the ePropulsion over a Torqueedo because it had better specs
> at a
> > > lower cost for a more or less equivalent system.
> > >
> > > The ePropulsion Navy 3  is a 3kwatt engine, equivalent to a 6hp gas
> > engine.
> > > It weighs 54 lbs and I chose the short shaft version because the
> distance
> > > from the propeller hub to the transom clamp is the same as that
> distance
> > on
> > > a long shaft gasoline outboard. The battery stores ~4.1kwatt-hours and
> > as I
> > > mentioned weights 100 lbs. The 20Amp charges will bully charge the
> > battery
> > > in ~6 hours. They do sell a 40amp charger that will fully charge in 3
> > hours
> > >
> > > What follows are my thoughts after using the engine for about 4 months
> > >
> > > Pro’s
> > >
> > > There is little (actually so far no) maintenance. The unit has a
> > brushless
> > > DC motor mounted in the pod at the bottom of the shaft where the
> > propeller
> > > attaches so it is water cooled and there are no moving parts except the
> > > propeller.
> > >
> > > No fuel or oil is required. I keep the boat in a slip which has a 120
> > volt
> > > outlet nearby and so simply plug it in after each sail. You have to
> > > remember to unplug it before leaving the slip for a sail.
> > >
> > > There is good weight distribution with a 54 lb engine at the transom
> and
> > a
> > > 100 lb battery low and amidships
> > >
> > > The engine will push the boat at hull speed -~6knots -  at least in
> flat
> > > water without much wind.
> > >
> > > It seems to have reasonable range - about 5 hours at 4 knots. It will
> run
> > > longer at lower speeds or less at higher speed for an effective range
> of
> > > about 20 miles, about what you’d get with 3 gallons of gas on a
> gasoline
> > > outboard. But to be honest I have not actually tested the full range
> and
> > > I’m reporting what the computer in the remote throttle control reports
> I
> > > would get if I pushed it all the way.
> > >
> > > The remote throttle is a pleasure to use, nicely at hand and displays
> > speed
> > > and time/distance remaining at the current speed.
> > >
> > >
> > > Cons
> > >
> > > It is expensive compared to a gasoline outboard. My total coast was a
> bit
> > > under $5,000 and it would have been worse but Stan passed on to me what
> > the
> > > distributor charged him.
> > >
> > >
> > > The biggest problem is that service and support is non-existent. The
> > > company is based in China. There are no service personnel in the US.
> > There
> > > is no parts depot in the US. The East Coast distributor is Mack-Boring,
> > > whose main business is distributing and servicing Yanmar diesel
> engines.
> > I
> > > purchased my unit from Mastry, located in St. Petersburg, who also
> mostly
> > > deals in Yanmar engines but  also handles ePropulsion and Torqueedo
> > > engines. The salespeople at both Mastry and Mack-Boring have been very
> > nice
> > > and tried to answer some of my questions, but they are not service
> people
> > > and have no resources in terms of parts or engineering support. A few
> > > cables were missing in my original delivery and it took a month to have
> > it
> > > shipped to me from China. I expect that as the ePropulsion equipment
> > > becomes more popular in this country they will start stocking parts in
> > the
> > > US and perhaps even open a service office, but that's really just a
> hope
> > on
> > > my part.
> > >
> > > There is no equivalent of a friction control to keep the engine from
> > > turning. When I’m using the Rhodes tiller to steer the boat I’d like
> the
> > > engine direction to be fixed (with the prop pointing aft) but there is
> no
> > > mechanism to do that. They do sell a “locking arm” which is sort of a
> > > U-bolt, about 10” long that extends from the starboard side of the
> engine
> > > mount and does lock the engine but unfortunately it interferes with the
> > > rudder and limits its range….its a very kludgy design.
> > >
> > > There is a tiller that can be attached to the engine but it can only
> > angle
> > > up ~70 degrees from the horizontal and with the engine lowered it would
> > > have to angle up nearly 90 degrees to clear the transom. I plan to fix
> a
> > > tiller mount to the top of the engine, sort of how Stan affixes his
> > rudder
> > > to outboard engine coupling, to give me better control of the engine
> > > direction..It would be particularly useful when trying to steer in
> > reverse.
> > >
> > > The propeller has only two blades and there are no options for a 3 or 4
> > > blade propellor. From my meager understanding of propellers I would
> think
> > > that the efficiency of the engine could be improved by a better
> > propeller.
> > >
> > > The bottom line is that I don’t really think the company had sailboats
> in
> > > mind when they designed the engine.
> > >
> > > So...If I had it to do over again I don’t think I’d choose an electric
> > > outboard again. You can get a new 9.9hp gas outboard with electric
> start
> > > that weighs about 90 lbs for about $2,500 (e.g. Tohatsu). I would
> imagine
> > > the savings in the cost of the engine would pay for at least a few
> years
> > > worth of maintenance.
> > >
> > > Reuben Mezrich
> > > Pelican Cove in Sarasota
> > > Cell: 410-499-8922
> > >
> > >
> > > On Fri, May 14, 2021 at 8:48 PM stan <stan at generalboats.com> wrote:
> > >
> > > > Hi Peter, You remember Doc Reuben from Sarasota who tried to hitch a
> > > > test sail with you.  He ended up with an epropulsion outboard we
> > > > installed on his Rhodes.  I never got a chance to try it. But by now
> he
> > > > knows the good and the bad. You have his email address in your
> > > > computer.  Can't think of a better reviewer to send you to.  When I
> > told
> > > > him the best doctors I have run across got an engineering degree
> first,
> > > > he raised me by saying he got three engineering degrees before going
> > for
> > > > his MD. There may be some fodder there for a fresh poem if you are
> > still
> > > > at it.
> > > >
> > > > stan
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > On 5/14/21 4:54 PM, peter klappert wrote:
> > > > > I'd be glad to hear from R22 skippers who use electric outboards.
> > > > > Recommendations (pro & con) would be welcome.
> > > > >
> > > > > I'm also selling my Mercury 9.9 BigFoot. Very low hours, but it
> > needs a
> > > > > minor repair & professional tune-up. I'm in Palmetto, FL, and
> > reachable
> > > > at
> > > > > 202-821-2679.
> > > > >
> > > > > Peter Klappert
> > > > > s/v Aeolia  (2012)
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > > *>>>>>>>>>  *[image: Sailboat on Messenger]*  <<<<<<<<<*
> > > > >
> > > > > *Peter Klappert5012 Bay State Road Palmetto, FL 34221*
> > > >
> > > >
> > >
> >
>