International Telstar Owners Association

Anyone have experience with electric outboards, especially on a Telstar? I’m considering making the conversion, but wonder if the advantages will outweigh the disadvantages and expense. I figure with a good LiPO battery bank, solar panels, a wind gen, a small propane generator and the ability to generate electricity by dragging the prop while under sail, I could go forever without being dead in the water.

Advantages as I see them:

Quiet
No flammable, smelly fuel
Green
Instant thrust
Lower weight with ability to distribute weight strategically
Little cost after initial outlay
Expandability
More robust battery bank to operate electronics
Little maintenance

Disadvantages:

High initial expense
Repair options limited
Less thrust
Need enough power to run windlass
Risk of being without power if battery bank is insufficient

I would love to hear ideas and, especially, experiences about electric outboards. Thanks.

Interesting concept Mangodoc. I have seen a couple of monohulls on Youtube that converted to electric. I believe the name of one of the is "Sailing Uma". It appears to work well most the time, but I have also seen videos where they strap there dinghy to the side of the boat so they can use that engine to push the boat along because of low power or other issues with the electric motor system. I would contact them....seem to be very knowledgeable and I am sure they would give you some good advice.

What kind of motor are you thinking of?

Randy

Last summer I did it. I ditched the two Mercury 25s that we’re a constant source of unreliable frustration, and converted to a single 20hp (equivalent) Elco electric motor https://www.elcomotoryachts.com/product ... -outboard/ with 220aH deep cycle battery pack (8x6V=48V golf cart batteries). In the very limited time I’ve had to try it, I’ve been very happy. It’s quiet and affords MUCH better control than the gas motors. I was in the process of putting it though sea trials when I broke an ama support (completely unrelated to the motor) requiring a lengthy and expensive repair. We are up and running again now, and I will resume the sea trial next month with the intent of gathering good data on battery life at different speeds and in different conditions, charging times on shore power, solar panel, and the little tailgating generator I bought. I will also post more specs about the setup and more pics.

Very interesting indeed! My guess the usability of such setup will strongly depend on where you sail. It is almost guaranteed to work on a relatively small lake, but anytime you are more than, say 10 miles away from shore and need to run for safety? Of course things will also depend on your risk tolerance! It would be interesting to see how much range do you get from the full charge. Good luck with testing and please post your observations!
Cheers,
Alex

Yes, it’s true that I don’t intend to take Trinity on any extended voyages, especially by motor power. She is for coastal cruising. I don’t know that I would be comfortable going offshore with my current setup; I would want a much more robust battery capacity than I have, and the would require LiPO ($$$$$$). For my purposes, she gets me in and out of the bay under power so I can sail, and gives me enough juice to get home if the wind dies. I learned a long time ago not to be in a rush on a boat (Here, time is slow and gracious, a companion, not a master). And if/when I get to cruise seriously, I would want something more robust than the Telstar. I love the boat, and I don’t doubt her seaworthiness, but comfort is also an issue, especially for the first mate

How did the electric motor perform through the season? Whats the good and bad? Speed?