Rick Rickoff
Cadet
- Joined
- Jun 21, 2016
- Messages
- 6
I must say that I'm surprised to see so many forum participants, including seasoned skippers and mechanics, referring to the powerplant utilized in or on a particular boat as an inboard or outboard "motor." If the powerplant you are referring to operates on the principles of internal combustion, it is an engine, not a motor. Here is the difference between an engine and motor, when correctly defined: engine = a device that uses combustion or heat to produce motion (examples: gas, diesel, and steam engines)
motor = a device that converts electric energy into motion (electric motor)
Thus, unless your boat's motive power source (if other than wind) is an electric motor, you have an engine and should refer to it as such. That's not to say that electric inboard and outboard motors don't exist, as they certainly do. Popular makes include Minn Kota, Torqeedo, Ray, Aquawatt, and Elco, among others.
Most boats nowadays do utilize one or more motors,such as a starter motor, power trim and tilt pump motor, bilge pump motor, or a blower motor, and these are all correctly defined as "motors" because they operate by converting electric energy into motion, whereas an "engine" does not.
The terms "motor boat," or "motor car" aren't considered to be inappropriate labels, as the word "motor" when used in these descriptions is an adjective with a meaning that relates to movement, just as the "motor skills" of humans relates to body movements. In other words, when used in this sense it indicates that the boat, or car, includes a built in or attached motive power source that allows self-propelled movement, and this could include either an electric motor, an internal combustion engine, a steam engine, or other motive power source.
motor = a device that converts electric energy into motion (electric motor)
Thus, unless your boat's motive power source (if other than wind) is an electric motor, you have an engine and should refer to it as such. That's not to say that electric inboard and outboard motors don't exist, as they certainly do. Popular makes include Minn Kota, Torqeedo, Ray, Aquawatt, and Elco, among others.
Most boats nowadays do utilize one or more motors,such as a starter motor, power trim and tilt pump motor, bilge pump motor, or a blower motor, and these are all correctly defined as "motors" because they operate by converting electric energy into motion, whereas an "engine" does not.
The terms "motor boat," or "motor car" aren't considered to be inappropriate labels, as the word "motor" when used in these descriptions is an adjective with a meaning that relates to movement, just as the "motor skills" of humans relates to body movements. In other words, when used in this sense it indicates that the boat, or car, includes a built in or attached motive power source that allows self-propelled movement, and this could include either an electric motor, an internal combustion engine, a steam engine, or other motive power source.