Just hear me out...

[photonfanatic]

Weight and cost aren't much of a concern, but apparently they don't have the required energy density. That may change in the next few years though, according to the internetz

[TDJ2591]

The electric outboard may already exist.

http://youtu.be/CIJ8e56eEwM

[pond tuuunes]

I have to think a 90HP DC motor weighs as much as my Engine, not including the drive portion.

[BobG]

I have to think a 90HP DC motor weighs as much as my Engine, not including the drive portion.

By the time you make it fairly water resistant, and figure out how to mate it to a lower unit, it could be much heavier.

[photonfanatic]

Might be. The one they used on the boat in that video didn't seem like it was much heavier, given the size of that boat. No idea what motor they were using though. There are definitely some heavy electric motors out there.

[pond tuuunes]

I know I have seen a video of a dragbike with an electric motor, and it was bad fast, but could only make 1 or 2 passes on a charge. JT

[Luke]

Theres a guy on the Facebook Pontoon Owners forum who's building a setup to run 2 trolling motors on the back of his toon. There is also a video on YouTube of a big solar powered pontoon. I think we're going to start seeing more and more of this

[JBO]

There is also a video on YouTube of a big solar powered pontoon. I think we're going to start seeing more and more of this

Do you have a link? The pontoon would either have to be incredibly slow or have very little capacity in batteries. It would take days to charge a few depleted trolling motor batteries on solar power only, let alone a large primary propulsion battery bank. Solar tech right now is a pretty slow process to recharge and electric motors pushing a heavy boat use up juice exponentially faster than current solar panels could recharge them.

[photonfanatic]

There is also a video on YouTube of a big solar powered pontoon. I think we're going to start seeing more and more of this

Do you have a link? The pontoon would either have to be incredibly slow or have very little capacity in batteries. It would take days to charge a few depleted trolling motor batteries on solar power only, let alone a large primary propulsion battery bank. Solar tech right now is a pretty slow process to recharge and electric motors pushing a heavy boat use up juice exponentially faster than current solar panels could recharge them.

True, but it would depend on the size of the boat. For example, a solar bank for a house, is large enough that it charges plenty fast. After all, its got to run your hot water heater, any number of fridges and freezers, your central air in the summer, lights, appliances, etc etc. And it keeps up with that heavy load just fine. Granted, we're talking about different setups here, but if your boat was large with a large fixed solar top, and your motor wasn't big enough to be winning any races, then you'd probably be fine for the usage a pontoon boat sees.

Cost would be the problem there, I think. It would be much cheaper to just run gasoline, than pay for an $18k solar system just for a boat. Eventually, electrics are going to kick out nasty old inefficient internal combustion engines. As I said in an earlier post, there is a company working on a battery that they hope to release in late 2016, that they claim would make the tesla cars go from a 300 mile range (which is already more than my truck) to a 1,500 mile range. More than any gas or diesel vehicle on the road. And they're not the only ones working on it, many companies are scrambling to come up with better battery technology now. Its only a matter of time. Personally I can't wait. From an engineering standpoint, the internal combustion engine should have died of old age in about 1925. Tesla had it beat with his electricity that would beam straight to the electric motor, no battery necessary. But it was him vs a bunch of really rich people, and they won.

[playcat]

What is needed is to combine technologies, such as the advanced hull and foil designs from America's Cup catamarans (50 knots under sail) and hybrid/electric powerplants. We need to accept that such a toon would look a lot different from what we see now.

I can't wait!

[BobG]

I'm holding out for my newly patented MiLiFur* powerplant driving a steam turbine.

* MiLiFur - Micro Lithium Fusion Reactor - I just invented that term.

[margaritaman]

I'm holding out for my newly patented MiLiFur* powerplant driving a steam turbine.

* MiLiFur - Micro Lithium Fusion Reactor - I just invented that term.

MILF has been around for a while Bob you just added the extra letters.

[Luke]

https://youtu.be/NbOibu6XZhI

Here is the link to the solar powered boat. There are lots of them on YouTube. They probably aren't fast compared to gas but people are definitely boating by solar power.

[jrolin1]

Just put a sail on your pontoon and call it a day.

[ron nh]

I'm holding out for my newly patented MiLiFur* powerplant driving a steam turbine.

* MiLiFur - Micro Lithium Fusion Reactor - I just invented that term.

Now were talking milf's with fur? this post has really soured.