Electric outboards for your boat.

How powerful should an electric outboard motor be?

The performance depends on the size and weight of your boat. As a rule of thumb, an electric outboard motor should have at least 50 lbs per 450 kg of boat weight.

The power that an electric outboard motor should have depends on various factors, such as the size and weight of the boat, very importantly the type of construction (displacement such as sailboats & sailing yachts or gliders such as motorboats), the type of activity (e.g. fishing, water sports, sailing), the weather conditions & area, and the desired speed.

For smaller boats such as inflatable boats or kayaks, engines with a power rating of 20-30 lbs may be sufficient. For larger boats such as sailboats or motorboats, motors with a power of at least 100 lbs or 1000 watts or more may be required to provide sufficient power and speed.

It's also important to note that electric outboards are generally quieter and more environmentally friendly than gasoline-powered outboards, but they typically have limited runtime and range, depending on the capacity of the battery. So if you want to travel longer distances, you should make sure that you have a sufficiently large battery(s) and a spare battery if necessary.

How fast can I go with an electric outboard motor?

The speed depends on the size and weight of the boat as well as the type (displacement such as sailing yacht or glider) and the power of the engine. A powerful electric outboard motor with 24V can bring a sailing yacht of 1.5t to a speed of about 4 knots.

How loud is an electric outboard motor?

Electric outboard motors are very quiet compared to gasoline engines. Expressed in db (decibels), we are in a range of about 30-40db for battery-powered electric motors and in the range of 40-60db for electric drives with an external battery.

What are the advantages of electric outboard motors?

Electric outboard motors are more environmentally friendly and quieter than gasoline engines. They also require less maintenance and are easier to use. Above all, gasoline outboards are prohibited in many inland waters.

What are the disadvantages of electric outboard motors?

Electric outboards have a limited battery life and cannot be as powerful as gasoline engines. They are also more expensive than gasoline engines.

How long does the battery of an electric outboard motor last?

Battery life depends on the capacity of the battery and the power of the motor. A typical battery can run for anywhere from 2 to 8 hours, depending on how much power is needed. It is advisable to always have sufficient reserves available. It should be borne in mind that, depending on the design, batteries should not exceed the threshold for deep discharge, as this can cause enormous damage to the battery.

Lead-acid batteries should not fall below 50% discharge to avoid over-discharge, AGM batteries should not fall below 70-80% discharge, and lithium batteries (LiFePO4) are usually designed to over-discharge about 80-95%. Always pay attention to the information provided by the respective manufacturer!

It's relatively easy to calculate this yourself: If an electric drive has a maximum power consumption of 50 amps and you use an AGM battery with 100Ah (ampere hours), then you can drive it for 1.5 hours without the risk of deep discharge. In practice, however, it is difficult to determine how much capacity a battery still has. Especially since the capacity can usually only be determined in V (volts).
The following are rough guidelines for AGM batteries:

100% 12.85V
50% 12.40V
20% 12.00V

It is therefore advisable to use an electric outboard with a battery indicator, i.e. voltmeter.

Be careful when determining the state of charge during operation! When charging or discharging boat batteries, the actual voltage differs from the quiescent voltage due to the internal resistance corresponding to the current. The more the battery is discharged, the lower the voltage. When the electric drive is switched off, the voltage rises slightly.

It can take up to 30 minutes for the quiescent voltage to be regained after a load. However, a halfway meaningful value can be determined after just 5 minutes.

How long does it take to charge a battery?

The charging time depends on the capacity of the battery and the charger (charging current). A typical charger can charge a battery in about 6 to 8 hours. You can easily calculate this: if you have a charger that has a charging current of 10A and 100Ah battery is 50% discharged, then the charging time would be 5 hours.

What should I consider when buying boat batteries?

Battery Type: There are different types of boat batteries, including lead-acid, AGM, and Li-ion batteries. Each type has its own advantages and disadvantages as well as significant price differences.

Capacity: The capacity of a battery is expressed in ampere-hours (Ah) and indicates how much electricity the battery can store. It is important to choose a battery with sufficient capacity to meet your needs.

Size: It is important to choose a battery that fits within the available space on the boat and is not too heavy for the boat on smaller boats.

Lifespan: The lifespan of a battery depends on the quality of the battery and the way it is used and maintained. A battery with a longer lifespan can be more cost-effective in the long run. The lifespan also depends on the charging cycles, which is almost directly proportional to the price: AGM batteries have significantly more charge cycles than lead-acid batteries, and lithium batteries even more.

Maintenance: Batteries should never be deeply discharged, either during operation or by downtime. As a result, boat battery chargers have a very useful function: trickle charging.

Safety: Batteries can be dangerous if not handled properly. It is important to plan all necessary safety precautions such as cabling (cable cross-section!), short-circuit protection and overload protection and, if necessary, to have them checked or installed by a boat electrician (mechatronics engineer).

Price: It is important to consider not only the price but also the quality, performance, and battery life to ensure that you get a product that meets your needs.

A boat engine is an important part of any boat and allows the boat to be moved and maneuvered. There are several types of boat motors, such as electric outboard motors, which attach to the outside of the boat, and inboard motors (usually on sailboats), which are installed in the middle of the boat.

If you are looking to buy an electric boat motor, you should consider what type of boat you have and what your requirements are for the motor. Also consider how often you use the electric drive and how long you plan to ride it. There are engines in different performance classes and price categories, so there is something for every budget and boat.

A not-so-important factor when buying an electric boat motor is the brand. There are also some lesser-known manufacturers of electric drives that are known for quality and reliability and some of them are test winners. No matter which boat electric motor you choose, you can be sure that you will get a high-quality product from us that will last.

If you have any questions about electric boat motors or need help choosing one, don't hesitate to contact us. We will be happy to provide you with advice and support, also regarding the dimensioning of the boat batteries.

Your personal advantage

In this online shop you will find all relevant offers for electric boat motors and lull valves. As well as batteries and rechargeable batteries, appropriate chargers, battery monitoring and tiller pilots for automatic navigation. We clearly focus on electric boat propulsion - and have the best offers in the shop, some of which have also been personally tested.

Johannes Vogelhuber – the operator of this online shop – is a passionate sailor himself. For many years he has been working on the optimization of his Falcon 24 (KS), built in 1983, displacement: 1,100 kg, at Lake Neusiedl in Burgenland. The prevailing wind conditions there – from absolute calm to sudden squalls – require a correspondingly powerful but also energy-efficient engine of the sailing yacht. Johannes Vogelhuber offers the result of his personal experiences as well as those of his sailing neighbours and the best solutions for electric propulsion, electrical supply and energy security on board here in the online shop. Outboard motor "insider tip"

More than "just" electric motors for boats

The range of the online shop goes far beyond "just" electric motors of various strengths for sailboats, inflatable boats and fishing boats. In the shop you will also find the matching batteries, rechargeable batteries, battery chargers, battery monitoring devices and autopilots. Of course, you can also buy the accessories for your lull slide and boat electric motor online here - all from a single source!

Pretty practical: In this online shop you will find the best brands – EcoPower, Minn Kota, Aquamot, Torqeedo, ePropulsion – and the latest electric drives for your yacht and boat at the click of a button. What's more, Johannes Vogelhuber repeatedly tests some of the top boat engines under real conditions on his sailing yacht and presents them to you under real conditions. Conditions Measured Data to some models. This saves you valuable time – and money.