TreeHugger
Recruit
- Joined
- Sep 13, 2007
- Messages
- 2
Hi, I'm an intern at an environmental organization working with the native Waorani people of Ecuador. One of their biggest expenses is the cost of fuel to power the outboard motors on their "war canoes." They are currently using a Yamaha Enduro 40/75 outboard motor on journeys through the Amazon that can last for up to several days at a time between villages.
We are trying to find out if it would be possible to get them some sort of electric motor with a battery pack which could be charged for free from a solar set-up at the village (which *we* would pay for). The only problem is, I can't seem to find an electric motor powerful enough to match the Yamaha. Is such a thing even possible? And if it did exist, what kind of electric motor would it be, and how much power would it need? How much power would it need over time? And is there a way to calculate what such an engine would be like from existing information about their Yamaha? I have a few, more detailed questions, but I think I can save them for a little later.
I am doing what research I can, but as I really know nothing about boating or about motors, I am way over my head on this one, and I'm hoping you guys might be able to help me since the general level of knowledge on this forum seems pretty high.
Thanks a lot.
We are trying to find out if it would be possible to get them some sort of electric motor with a battery pack which could be charged for free from a solar set-up at the village (which *we* would pay for). The only problem is, I can't seem to find an electric motor powerful enough to match the Yamaha. Is such a thing even possible? And if it did exist, what kind of electric motor would it be, and how much power would it need? How much power would it need over time? And is there a way to calculate what such an engine would be like from existing information about their Yamaha? I have a few, more detailed questions, but I think I can save them for a little later.
I am doing what research I can, but as I really know nothing about boating or about motors, I am way over my head on this one, and I'm hoping you guys might be able to help me since the general level of knowledge on this forum seems pretty high.
Thanks a lot.