Rhino59
Newbie
I am in process of purchasing an electric outboard for my Gheenoe LT10. Wondering if the Navy 3.0 (6 hp) is worth the extra cost over the 1.0 (3 hp). ?
EPropusion 1.0 Spirit Plus vs Navy 3.0
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Mac2
Guru
I have the epropulsion 1.0 on my 10 ft inflatable Achilles. The weight of my dinghy is 80 lbs. Top end is adequate to get me and a passenger up to about 4-5 knots. I only need it to get me to shore from my anchored boat. I have a secondary dinghy for traveling distances. I think you will be happier with the larger 6hp motor on your 200 lb boat, which can handle up to 10 hp engine. I am not familiar with the performance of the Navy 3.0
O C Diver
Guru
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- End Of The Line
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- Trinka 10 Dinghy
I also have the 1.0 that works very well on my displacement hull dinghy with a speed between 3 and 4 knots. Because it's a displacement hull, using more than half the power is useless.
My friend had a Gheenoe. It has a signigicant portion of the bottom that is flat, giving it the ability to plane. So the Navy 3.0 would definitely be able to utilize the extra HP on FLAT water.
Keep in my, it takes a lot of HP to stay on plane. So how far you plan to cruise on plane will be a factor as far as battery capacity.
Ted
My friend had a Gheenoe. It has a signigicant portion of the bottom that is flat, giving it the ability to plane. So the Navy 3.0 would definitely be able to utilize the extra HP on FLAT water.
Keep in my, it takes a lot of HP to stay on plane. So how far you plan to cruise on plane will be a factor as far as battery capacity.
Ted
I have not experienced the Navy but have used the 1103, on our old 10' RIB and same experience as Mac2, it would go about 4 knots. We really liked it but did not trust it to go any farther than we could row back.
Whether the Navy will go much faster depends but I expect it would, with 1 modest load and a planing dinghy. It will also give substantially larger range.
OTOH the motor and batteries weigh FAR more.
For our new dinghy (11' carbon) I investigated the Navy but ultimately decided that the weight of the batteries would be prohibitive. We went with 15hp gas instead.
I do hope the battery options will continue to improve, diversify, and come down in price so I can get rid of the gas!
Whether the Navy will go much faster depends but I expect it would, with 1 modest load and a planing dinghy. It will also give substantially larger range.
OTOH the motor and batteries weigh FAR more.
For our new dinghy (11' carbon) I investigated the Navy but ultimately decided that the weight of the batteries would be prohibitive. We went with 15hp gas instead.
I do hope the battery options will continue to improve, diversify, and come down in price so I can get rid of the gas!
Mac2
Guru
Totally agree. Very uncomfortable to go any distance and worry about getting back. I wish a second battery was cheaper.
I have the Spirit on a Bullfrog, at least 220 lbs empty. It will push it 4.3 knots on the GPS with 2 aboard, leaving a pretty good wake. I usually run it at half power, about 3.8 knots, and it run 2 hours and will go 6 or 7 miles at that speed. I doubt that the Navy will make a boat of that displacement go much faster. Not enough power to plane, so maybe you get to 4.5 knots at the expense of weight and treasure.
BTW, the claims of 3hp for 1KW and 6hp for 3KW are a complete fantasy - but a common fantasy in the electric outboard business. By the standard definitions of power, 1 KW is 1.34hp, 3KW is 4.0hp. I think you'd need at least 10 hp to plane a 200 lb + load dinghy.
BTW, the claims of 3hp for 1KW and 6hp for 3KW are a complete fantasy - but a common fantasy in the electric outboard business. By the standard definitions of power, 1 KW is 1.34hp, 3KW is 4.0hp. I think you'd need at least 10 hp to plane a 200 lb + load dinghy.
Rhino59
Newbie
Thanks for the feedback. I grew up on old ski and Jon boats. Now I am retired ready to get back into the boat experience. My experience with outboards was allot of maintenance issues and cold starts which was along time ago. Of course my father always bought old clunker Johnson's. If we broke down someone would always give us a pull. I believe these new four strokes are very reliable and minimal maintenance.
I live in Memphis and will spend most of time on lakes, Mud Island harbor, and day trips to Ozark reservoirs. I literally live 2 blocks from MS river and 1/4 mile to several ramps. On occasion when weather conditions favorable (low water level and wind) I might zip across the MS and park the day on one of the sandbars. The extra power of 3.0 may be beneficial. If were being practical I would get a aluminum V hull with 9,9 HP. But I am doing this for the fun of it all. That is why I am going with Gheenoe. It just looks like a fun boat. Hoping to go electric but may be to much of a stretch. I may end up just getting a 9,9 outboard.
With these electric you have to look at things little different. You just can't go full throttle for long. I was thinking of Navy 3.0 because there may be times for extra power with with wind etc. I even created a spreadsheet based on EPropulsion's data. For a 21 mile range I will only get an extra 1 mph with Navy 3.0. Of course will have more power when I need it but not sure if worth cost which is about an additional $3k. I can easily increase my range on the 1.0 with an additional battery around 1K.
Thanks
Brian
I live in Memphis and will spend most of time on lakes, Mud Island harbor, and day trips to Ozark reservoirs. I literally live 2 blocks from MS river and 1/4 mile to several ramps. On occasion when weather conditions favorable (low water level and wind) I might zip across the MS and park the day on one of the sandbars. The extra power of 3.0 may be beneficial. If were being practical I would get a aluminum V hull with 9,9 HP. But I am doing this for the fun of it all. That is why I am going with Gheenoe. It just looks like a fun boat. Hoping to go electric but may be to much of a stretch. I may end up just getting a 9,9 outboard.
With these electric you have to look at things little different. You just can't go full throttle for long. I was thinking of Navy 3.0 because there may be times for extra power with with wind etc. I even created a spreadsheet based on EPropulsion's data. For a 21 mile range I will only get an extra 1 mph with Navy 3.0. Of course will have more power when I need it but not sure if worth cost which is about an additional $3k. I can easily increase my range on the 1.0 with an additional battery around 1K.
Thanks
Brian
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Mac2
Guru
Make sure you get the correct shaft length. I bought the short shaft and later found out they have an extra short shaft. I know im loosing some speed with all that shaft hanging below the boat.
If you are going long distances and want to go fast, gas is unbeatable. Electric marginally possible but very expensive. If you are willing to go slow then the electric is very nice - quiet, reliable, instant on, instant reverse. I have not found any conditions in which I wanted more power than the Spirit on my Bullfrog, unless it was enough to make it plane (and that is a lot more). I don't do very long distances with it but am not afraid to go a mile or two from the boat. The Spirit (and also probably the Navy) run on any 48V source, not just the built in battery. In fact you can buy the Spirit without the battery. If you are leaving the boat rigged all the time, you could build a larger capacity 48V supply pretty cheaply these days since LFP prices have fallen. $2000 buys you a 100AH 48V from Epoch for example, that would give 5 hours run time a full throttle, 10 hours at half. Or $1000 for 50AH, half those times. Long time to sit in a dinghy! You'd save a large part of that buying the motor without the battery. For the Spirit, they sell the cable necessary to connect an external battery, have to look for it a little but it is offered.
Mac2
Guru
Thanks. Didn't know that cable existed. A spare epropulsion battery is $1,100 (and is waterproof). I've been looking for a smaller (and cheaper) battery I could use as a "get home" and is waterproof.
Four of these would give you 48 V @ 100AH for under $700:
I would be OK with putting them in battery boxes. That's all I've ever used for starting batteries.
Mac2
Guru
I should have mentioned portability. The spare battery is going in a 10 foot inflatable dinghy. The electric bike batteries are appealing as they are 48 volts, small, but need to be re-wired with the battery cable for the epropulsion. With the epropulsion cable attached, I should be able to use the charger that came with the motor. Some of the bike batteries come with three wires, which I'm not understanding, but should be fairly easy to cut and measure with a ohm meter.
Mac2
Guru
I just ordered this along with the epropulsion battery cable. I will use this as a backup- the main reason was size and that it is supposed to be waterproof. I will start a new post after I have tested it. It is 48 volt 20 ah.
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Mac2
Guru
I did look at that, but I wanted something that was waterproof and designed to be exposed to the weather. It will be sitting on the floor of a 10 foot inflatable dinghy.
Mac2
Guru
It is 1500w and 40a max current. Not sure of continuous duty. It will be a get home battery. I will post results of performance. Hopefully I will also be able to use it on my future electric bike.
Mac2
Guru
Thank you!
twistedtree
Guru
And don’t charge them with anything g other than the charger that came with the bike.
Mac2
Guru
Thanks. Looks like they are different chemistries for sure.
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