Boating the electric way!
Boating is… by boatguy Ed
Is there a plug-in-hybrid in your future? Within five years we will have cars that charge up overnight and will run us around town (up to 80 miles) without using any gasoline. Who would care if gas is $10 a gallon if we don’t need it? Wouldn’t it be wonderful to have power at our fingertips?
“You won’t EVER see me in no plug in car or boat,” scoffed Run-aground Ralph at the latest meeting of the “Dead End Canal Yacht Club” last night at Parrot Key Caribbean Grill.
“Of course, we understand Ralph. Anyone who is planning a 20 state road trip in their humongus motor home wouldn’t ever be so green as to own a hybrid car or boat,” answered Boston Bob. Instead of harumphing him as we have done so in the past our members are showing a surprising amount of sympathy to this tree hugger point of view.
“I won’t ever be caught dead in a sailboat either,” shouted Ralph. That sentiment was roundly cheered by our other stink-pot boaters. But I noticed a little less oomph in their voices.
“$4 a gallon highway fuel and $5 to $6 dollar waterway prices are starting to wear on them,” I said to Bob. “The head of the Russian Oil conglomerate was quoted in the Wall Street Journal Friday as predicting $250 barrel oil prices in 2009. I think most of us will be at Steve Colgate’s Offshore Sailing School by then.”
“It could go to a thousand before I step foot on a sailboat,” said Cincy Bob.
“What about electric motors? Remember way back when I used to do the TV show and I did a story on a local electric outboard manufacturer Named Ray Electric Outboards? They were very quiet and ran along on just batteries about the same speed as any 6 horse power gas motor could push the boat,” said I.
“That nut from Wisconsin has one over two canals. Nearly scared the shit out of me one day when he snuck up on me while I was fishing,” said Pensacola Slim.
“He’s had that motor some 10 years I think and he runs around in it like a nut,” said Run-aground Ralph. “It’s a gimmick, just okay for canal cruising but it won’t take you out to the Gulf of Mexico and back, will it?”
“It depends on the style of hull because a displacement hull is much more efficient than a planning hull. On the Ray Electric Outboard website (http://www.rayeo.com/) they show a 24 foot or larger displacement pontoon boat that will run along at 6-7 mph for 24 hours,” said I.
“That nut from Wisconsin has it on a regular 18 foot pontoon boat and I’ve seen him running around the river and the canals all day long. Maybe you can’t run offshore fishing but you might be able to have a combo, diesel engine for high speeds and electric for no-wake and idle speeds,” said Boston Bob.
“You guys are crazy! We’ve got plenty of oil in Alaska and offshore in the Gulf! There isn’t any reason to get drastic with electric motors or sailboats,” shouted Run-aground Ralph.
“Getting loud, keep it down,” said Jarrod the bartender. And so we did because we like meeting in the bar during off-season because there isn’t as many of us.
Plenty of the year around members come out when the tourists and snowbirds leave. Nice to see the Pymatuning Princess and her husband, trooper Tom and his wife, Mechanic Bob and the rest for these informal gatherings.
Boat safe and smart with the newest technology! Visit www.internetboatingshow.com often!
Is there a plug-in-hybrid in your future? Within five years we will have cars that charge up overnight and will run us around town (up to 80 miles) without using any gasoline. Who would care if gas is $10 a gallon if we don’t need it? Wouldn’t it be wonderful to have power at our fingertips?
“You won’t EVER see me in no plug in car or boat,” scoffed Run-aground Ralph at the latest meeting of the “Dead End Canal Yacht Club” last night at Parrot Key Caribbean Grill.
“Of course, we understand Ralph. Anyone who is planning a 20 state road trip in their humongus motor home wouldn’t ever be so green as to own a hybrid car or boat,” answered Boston Bob. Instead of harumphing him as we have done so in the past our members are showing a surprising amount of sympathy to this tree hugger point of view.
“I won’t ever be caught dead in a sailboat either,” shouted Ralph. That sentiment was roundly cheered by our other stink-pot boaters. But I noticed a little less oomph in their voices.
“$4 a gallon highway fuel and $5 to $6 dollar waterway prices are starting to wear on them,” I said to Bob. “The head of the Russian Oil conglomerate was quoted in the Wall Street Journal Friday as predicting $250 barrel oil prices in 2009. I think most of us will be at Steve Colgate’s Offshore Sailing School by then.”
“It could go to a thousand before I step foot on a sailboat,” said Cincy Bob.
“What about electric motors? Remember way back when I used to do the TV show and I did a story on a local electric outboard manufacturer Named Ray Electric Outboards? They were very quiet and ran along on just batteries about the same speed as any 6 horse power gas motor could push the boat,” said I.
“That nut from Wisconsin has one over two canals. Nearly scared the shit out of me one day when he snuck up on me while I was fishing,” said Pensacola Slim.
“He’s had that motor some 10 years I think and he runs around in it like a nut,” said Run-aground Ralph. “It’s a gimmick, just okay for canal cruising but it won’t take you out to the Gulf of Mexico and back, will it?”
“It depends on the style of hull because a displacement hull is much more efficient than a planning hull. On the Ray Electric Outboard website (http://www.rayeo.com/) they show a 24 foot or larger displacement pontoon boat that will run along at 6-7 mph for 24 hours,” said I.
“That nut from Wisconsin has it on a regular 18 foot pontoon boat and I’ve seen him running around the river and the canals all day long. Maybe you can’t run offshore fishing but you might be able to have a combo, diesel engine for high speeds and electric for no-wake and idle speeds,” said Boston Bob.
“You guys are crazy! We’ve got plenty of oil in Alaska and offshore in the Gulf! There isn’t any reason to get drastic with electric motors or sailboats,” shouted Run-aground Ralph.
“Getting loud, keep it down,” said Jarrod the bartender. And so we did because we like meeting in the bar during off-season because there isn’t as many of us.
Plenty of the year around members come out when the tourists and snowbirds leave. Nice to see the Pymatuning Princess and her husband, trooper Tom and his wife, Mechanic Bob and the rest for these informal gatherings.
Boat safe and smart with the newest technology! Visit www.internetboatingshow.com often!
Comments