These craft fall naturally into 3 groups, which in turn makes it easier to sort out just which motors, battery voltages and controllers are suitable for each group
Boat dimensions | 12 - 16 feet |
Unladen weight | 60 - 130 lbs |
Load | 250 - 600 lbs |
Battery weight | 60 - 120 lbs |
Motor type: | Trolling motor - outboard/submersible |
Motor horsepower | 1/2 - 1 hp |
Speed | 1 - 3 mph |
Range | 3 - 4 hours, depending on speed and current/wind |
Essentially this type of craft is the one- and two-man powered canoe. Small enough to be carried to the water's edge, but large and strong enough to support a trolling motor, one 12 volt battery and the picnic hamper.
Boat dimensions | 16 - 25 feet |
Unladen weight | 400 - 1000 lbs |
Load | 700 - 1500 lbs |
Battery weight | 120 - 240 lbs |
Motor type: | Permanent magnet - inboard |
Motor horsepower | 1 - 3 hp |
Speed | up to 6 mph |
Range | 6 - 8 hours, depending on speed and current/wind |
This is the two- to four-person launch. Heavy enough to need its own trailer (and a suitable launching site), but something in which you could comfortably take your family, or some friends, for a day's excursion.
Boat dimensions | 25 - 35 feet |
Unladen weight | 2000 - 3000 lbs |
Load | 1400 - 2400 lbs |
Battery weight | 240 - 480 lbs |
Motor type: | Series wound - inboard |
Motor horsepower | 5 - 10 hp |
Speed | up to 7 mph |
Range | 50 - 100 miles, depending on speed and current/wind |
This size of boat is going to carry 6 to 12 passengers in some comfort. More importantly, the batteries can be used as the boat's ballast and there is less penalty in having a 48 volt motor and sufficient energy reserve to travel a good distance.
All these manufacturers have web sites where you can further investigate the design types:
Black River Boats
Glen-L Marine
Cobalt Marine
Duffy Electric Boat Co.
Beckmann Boatshop Ltd
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