I finished converting my 2016 Bayliner 175 Bowrider to All Electric.

oldjeep

oldjeep

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A hull that is an insulator vs a conductive hull ;) Tough choice for an electric boat
 
bajaunderground

bajaunderground

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Air Natique had (as an option) a 230e back 2012 that was all electric...I just looked on their website and it's no longer offered as a model? I wonder if there's a market for this? I'm doubtful you did this at all as a business endeavor, but I wonder if you could consult with some boat company (Bayliner, Four Winns, Chaparral, etc..)

A quick search yielded this...
http://www.alliancewake.com/wake/the-super-air-nautique-230e/
 
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smasterson2

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bajaunderground said:
Air Natique had (as an option) a 230e back 2012 that was all electric...I just looked on their website and it's no longer offered as a model? I wonder if there's a market for this? I'm doubtful you did this at all as a business endeavor, but I wonder if you could consult with some boat company (Bayliner, Four Winns, Chaparral, etc..)

A quick search yielded this...
http://www.alliancewake.com/wake/the-super-air-nautique-230e/
Click to expand...

Actually, I am thinking about this as a business venture. More along the line of providing a service to convert to electric vs partnering with a dealership or manufacturer. It is difficult to get the ear of the decision makers in these scenarios. If the individuals expectation with respect to range are reasonable, it's a pretty cool alternative. Thanks for the comments.
 
bajaunderground

bajaunderground

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smasterson2 said:
Actually, I am thinking about this as a business venture. More along the line of providing a service to convert to electric vs partnering with a dealership or manufacturer. It is difficult to get the ear of the decision makers in these scenarios. If the individuals expectation with respect to range are reasonable, it's a pretty cool alternative. Thanks for the comments.
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I would argue that offering a conversion would be more costly and more challenging than starting from a 'shell' from one of the manufacturers and installing. I could be wrong (ask my wife). I would entertain an electric with the stats you've posted, but to convert from gasoline to electric would defeat the purpose of buying a new boat...Maybe work both angles...conversion for existing boats and as a factory option (with a warranty)? I know, opinions are like chocolate starfish...yada, yada, yada.
 
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frantically relaxing

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oldjeep said:
A hull that is an insulator vs a conductive hull ;) Tough choice for an electric boat
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As a guy who owns a houseboat whose steel hull is riddled with holes caused by a small DC voltage leak-- yeah, I would keep it all in a glass boat... :)
 
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smasterson2

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bajaunderground said:
I would argue that offering a conversion would be more costly and more challenging than starting from a 'shell' from one of the manufacturers and installing. I could be wrong (ask my wife). I would entertain an electric with the stats you've posted, but to convert from gasoline to electric would defeat the purpose of buying a new boat...Maybe work both angles...conversion for existing boats and as a factory option (with a warranty)? I know, opinions are like chocolate starfish...yada, yada, yada.
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I agree. Once the adapters are designed, the layout and wiring, etc., are worked out for a particular model, there is definitely a cost savings. I guess my thoughts go toward the poor guy that had his engine blow up and is looking at thousands of dollars to get it back on the water. It would be great if a manufacturer would provide this conversion for a model that is best suited with respect to size and capacity. In my case, I have a 500 pound paperweight sitting on a pallet. That could have gone toward the cost of conversion. I think the problem would be no matter how you slice it, it will still cost twice as much as it's ICE counterpart due to the cost of the batteries. It is difficult for most people to get past paying twice as much for the boat and having only a quarter of the range with no quick way to recharge. Funny, buy I just got a craving for a chocolate starfish! Thanks for your time. I appreciate your viewpoint.
 
bajaunderground

bajaunderground

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Well...

The idea is awesome and given what we're (the world) is up against in the distant future, electrical operated cars, boats, trains...I'm doubtful on planes for obvious reasons!

Rig up a paddle-wheel off the back, solar panels on the t-top for a regenerative system that will recharge the batteries and your use will be extended. I know, there's no such thing a self-sustaining system...ENERGY CAN NEITHER BE CREATED NOR DESTROYED.

The batteries are from Tesla, have you seen their power-walls? Wow, we just need battery technology to catch-up with wants!!
 
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smasterson2

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I did see the Tesla power wall. Very cool. Maybe I'll build me one and get one of those "free nights" electric deals and charge all night long. I see a $20.00 electric bill in my future. I couldn't agree more about the battery technology needing to catch up. Imagine a battery with the same power density as petrol. Many things would change in our world pretty quick.
 
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Richmond2000

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Hello I have to say this is the BEST / most PRO EV conversion I have seen
IMHO the performance specs you are getting I would picture a 16 or so side console/centre console "fishing machine"
that would run a few MILES out to the fishing spot and then a day fishing and then a return trip home

as for maintenance free I assume you are using the cooling system from the out drive to pump water to you water to OIL heat exchanger and the in LEG water impeller will still need replacement + LEG oil changes + I would assume the ATF oil + filter once a year
so you would "save" the tune up portion of annual maintenance and would NEED some sort of corrosion mitigation routine on all the wiring busses ETC
(NOT NITPICKING just pointing out)
 
roffey

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The thread is to long for me to read all the way through so forgive me if I ask a question that has already been asked.

Why would you pick a brand new zero hour boat? why not a used boat off warrantee or even one with a blown motor or better yet buy a hull with no motor?
 
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smasterson2

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Richmond2000 said:
Hello I have to say this is the BEST / most PRO EV conversion I have seen
IMHO the performance specs you are getting I would picture a 16 or so side console/centre console "fishing machine"
that would run a few MILES out to the fishing spot and then a day fishing and then a return trip home

as for maintenance free I assume you are using the cooling system from the out drive to pump water to you water to OIL heat exchanger and the in LEG water impeller will still need replacement + LEG oil changes + I would assume the ATF oil + filter once a year
so you would "save" the tune up portion of annual maintenance and would NEED some sort of corrosion mitigation routine on all the wiring busses ETC
(NOT NITPICKING just pointing out)
Click to expand...

Thank you very much. I am using the cooling system from the outdrive to pump water through a marine heat exchanger to cool the transmission fluid used to cool the motors and controllers. I probably should have clarified that I was referring to the motor, not the outdrive. Yes, of course the usual maintenance that accompanies the outdrive will need to be performed. With respect to changing the oil and filter, I may change the filter once a year but I don't see changing the transmission fluid that I'm using to cool the motor near that often. It is full synthetic and I expect it to have a several year life. In cars, the transmission fluid is changed somewhere between 30,000 and 60,000 miles. It takes a bit to break down this stuff. I do intend to keep an eye on the electrical due to it being in a marine environment. I use it only in freshwater at this time and store it inside so it should hold up well. So far there has been no signs of corrosion. I also greased all connections with electrical grease and the connections are comprised of tin plated copper to maximize connectivity and minimize corrosion. Maybe I'll refer to the conversion as "Minimal Maintenance" in the future. I truly expect it to be but only time will tell.

Thanks a lot for your input and your enthusiasm.

Scott
 
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smasterson2

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roffey said:
The thread is to long for me to read all the way through so forgive me if I ask a question that has already been asked.

Why would you pick a brand new zero hour boat? why not a used boat off warrantee or even one with a blown motor or better yet buy a hull with no motor?
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That would have been a much cheaper way to go if you can source out a clean boat with a blown motor that someone would sell for a reasonable price. Usually when I found one with a blown motor, the rest of the boat was rough as a cob too. People selling clean boats usually have everything working and want a pretty penny for it. I just got frustrated and went new and financed everything. Money's cheap right now.

If someone had better luck than me and has some cash to work with. I would say that that's the ideal way to go. What a cool way to bring life back to a poor old boat that deserves it.

Scott.
 
Blind Date

Blind Date

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Very cool! Having picked up a used Chevy Volt this spring I can tell you electric is the way to go. The silent , buttery smooth, instant torque of electric drive is addicting in a car and I'm sure the same with a boat. I like to drive that car more for the way it drives than anything else. The efficiency is just icing on the cake.
 
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smasterson2

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Blind Date said:
Very cool! Having picked up a used Chevy Volt this spring I can tell you electric is the way to go. The silent , buttery smooth, instant torque of electric drive is addicting in a car and I'm sure the same with a boat. I like to drive that car more for the way it drives than anything else. The efficiency is just icing on the cake.
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Thanks! I have an all electric Coda car. I use it as my daily commuter and I'm spoiled by it. When I have to take my old ICE SUV, I can't stand the smell and noise. Funny thing is I had that truck for 12 years and never noticed it until I started driving electric cars. The boat is very quiet. It gets up plane very quickly. Thanks again.
Scott
 
Old Ironmaker

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I am very impressed with your conversion, especially for someone working out of his garage. The foresight to take on this project would be daunting to the most prolific handyman. I must ask and I apologize if I missed it. What if I may ask, was your total cost for conversion? I understand you still have a paper weight on a crate that you can sell to someone looking for a brand spanking new marine engine minus the outdrive I assume. Have you calculated your "re-charge" costs through your electrical provider long term? The price of Ontario Hydro here has and continues to sky rocket. I can't seem to find a Hydro bill to give the exact cents per KWH but it is ridiculously high, I'm guessing 25 to 30 cents per KWH all in. You are going to have many Solar panels or a Wind Turbine to off set electrical costs to charge your car and boat. That is if thNow you must know I am speaking in layman's here for self sufficient solar or wind power for a residential home because my electrical expertise ends at changing AA and AAA batteries. Out here rurally a roof full of solar panels at $20,000.00 on a average residential home or a small wind turbine at $75,000.00 if there is the space and it takes years to offset the initial install, solar arrays and wind turbine plus maintenance costs. I have looked at going off grid and it wasn't cost effective for us as we have cheaper Natural Gas available and only 2 of us in a small cottage.
 
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smasterson2

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bruceb58 said:
Wow...one of the few that made it into consumers hands. What do you do when you need to get parts for it?
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I bought this thing sooooo cheap that I can pull just the motor and controller out of it, sell it as used and get my money back. Then I can sell the batteries and call the junk yard and that money is all gravy. The guy I bought it from bought out the rest of the inventory and has enough parts for 2,000 cars. I have been driving this car every day for more than two years and have not had a single problem. Even if the guy decides to get out of the parts business, I already sourced places for the parts from others.
 
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