Restricted Lake: GAS or ELECTRIC motor?

[clayshooter555]

About to be first time owners so complete newbies and seeking advise from you. (BTW this is a great forum..so glad I found it.)

Anyway, we will be on a 10hp restricted lake. What are the pros and cons of choosing an elec powered motor over a 10hp gas engine. Do the elec motors live up to the claims in terms of speed, battery useage, charge time, etc etc.

Obviously have no experience here. Have seen some 'toons with a motor on each log...wondering about that as well.

We are looking at either a 16 footer or an 18.

Many thanks.

 

[Scott Danforth]

Re: Restricted Lake: GAS or ELECTRIC motor?

if there is a wind, I doubt if an electric motor will push a 16-18 foot toon. best to get a gas.

 

[mrbusdriver]

Re: Restricted Lake: GAS or ELECTRIC motor?

I have a 18 ft and for fishing I use a 54 lb. Minn Kota the biggest you can get in 12 volt is 55. It moves the boat just fine for fishing, but I would think for what you need I would go with a 70 lb or bigger. Mine moves the boat just fine for trolling and I have run it for hours at half speed. Plus side no gas or oil costs and it's very quite.

 

[newbie4life]

Re: Restricted Lake: GAS or ELECTRIC motor?

We have an 80 lb thrust on our 16' pontoon -- and 2 sets of 2 - 12 volt batteries. We can stay out all day long, come home, plug it in, and head out again the next am. Moves the pontoon with 5 of us on it around 4-5 mph... with a chunk out of the prop... (ordered a new one, but waiting for it to come in yet.) Does just fine in the wind, slows it down a little... worse if we have the bimini top up. But... it's so quiet.... no smell and cheap to run. It doesn't cost much to charge the batteries at all - to be honest, I don't even notice the cost on our electric bill.

 

[Georgesalmon]

Re: Restricted Lake: GAS or ELECTRIC motor?

If it were possible I would replace every smelly, noisy, maintenance hungry fossil fuel engine I have with electric. Sounds like it might be possible for you in this case. Go electric! (I have NO experience with electric motors on pontoon boats)

 

[Jeep Man]

Re: Restricted Lake: GAS or ELECTRIC motor?

Check out Torqueedo electric outboards.