Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/231507
{ IT'S ELECTRIC! } Gisborne launched his Rome, N.Y.-based business in 2005 to bring a non-polluting option to boaters. As a child, he never fully embraced boating because as an environmentalist he couldn't get past the pollution his parents' 43-foot diesel cruiser was producing. But after tinkering in other electric vehicles, he decided an electric solar-powered boat was needed in the industry. On a sunny day in relatively calm waters, Tamarack Lake's Loon can cruise at 4 knots solely on solar power, without any battery input. The boat's top speed is 8 knots. Gisborne said he built his pontoons with solar panels because it made sense for an outdoor vehicle to rely on the sun for power. "The sun adds two benefits to electric boats, in general," Gisborne said. "It increases autonomy and range by obviously providing free energy on the fly, but also the battery performs better. They actually act as if they're bigger if you have a solar array assisting." His customers, he says, use sun much in the way sail boaters use the wind. And, because the boat's batteries store energy, solar boating on the Loon can even be enjoyed on cloudy days. A solar panel is also newly available on Apex Marine's Paddle Qwest, an electric or pedal-driven compact pontoon. "Brand new for this year we've added the solar panel option, so the solar panel will recharge the battery bank, even while you're out there using it," said Bob Blum, director of sales at Apex marine. "We're not quite to perpetual motion, but the new 24-volt motor runs off of 6 amps, and the solar panel is producing 5.7 amps." Paddle Qwest users have two propulsion options, either one to two riders can pedal the boat, or a 24-volt electric motor can be deployed. Apex sees the Paddle Qwest as an alternative to traditional paddle boats or other small boats. "We're always trying to be innovative and come up with new ideas and new products that will help establish our dealer network, their uniqueness and diversity," Blum said. www.BoatingIndustry.com P40x43-BI14JAN-MarketFocus.indd 41 MARKET FOCUS SECTION Also playing in the electric boat market is Duffy, an Adelanto, Calif.-based manufacturer that has been producing electric bay boats since 1968. The 5 mph Duffys are run off golf cart engines. "Really our boat is just a golf cart, and that's the cool thing because it's just so darn reliable and easy to fix," said builder Duffy Duffield. Though electric boats are appealing because of their lack of air or water pollution and their quiet operation, electric boat builders are still finding a hard time breaking into many markets. Because of their low speed, electric boats are primarily used in areas where speed and noise restrictions are in effect. California's Newport Harbor is home to 3,000 Duffys, and many Tamarack Lake Loons reside on pristine lakes. Apex's Paddle Qwest can be found in coves and on small lakes. Paddle Qwest users vary from grandparents buying the boat for their grandkids to couples looking for a leisurely ride to fitness buffs seeking an alternative exercise source. The Loon appeals to Baby Boomers, and Duffys are owned mostly by affluent customers. "When you can only go 5 mph in your area, then you're OK, and it's cool," Duffield said. In a venture to appeal to more customers and increase its offerings, Duffy is developing a 25foot, 266 horsepower electric boat that will travel at 35 mph. The upcoming boat will run for one hour at 35 mph and longer at 25 mph, with 80 percent battery restoration after an hour-long charge. Included will be the woodcrafted body and luxurious features Duffy owners are accustomed to. Already in prototype, the boat is being developed for areas such as Lake Arrow- head east of Los Angeles, where there's a 35 mph speed limit and noise restrictions during certain hours. The development is something that Duffield expects will propel the company forward in the minds of more customers. "What's important for us is to not let the technology pass us by," he said. "I don't want Duffy to be sitting there at 5 mph when the world is going 30." ELECTRIC MOTORS For those looking to take electric energy and add it to the boats they already own and love, electric motors have pushed past technology of the future and have become a viable option for the modern day. Two leaders in the electric motor market are Torqeedo and Elco. Torqeedo produces a three-phase DC brushless outboard motor with a patented outrunner lined with rare earth magnets. Elco has a brushless AC dieselreplacement induction motor. Elco has six different motor sizes, ranging from 6 to 100 hp diesel equivalent, and they can be run in boats up to 80 feet. Torqeedo's line of motors are most commonly used on kayaks, cruisers, daysailers, dinghies, tenders, pontoons, small skips, fishing boats and more. Its latest model, the 55kw Deep Blue, is an 80 hp equivalent. "All of a sudden now we're playing with the big boys," said Steve Trkla, president of Torqeedo. "We've partnered with companies such as Zodiac and Edgewater and Apex Marine pontoon boats, Scarab, Calypso, which is an ocean skip out of Fort Lauderdale, and now you've got planing boats that also have range. And so it's really become kind of a game changer, if you will, and this is really the direction that Torqeedo is going into these larger horsepower classes." Elco is also in discussions with a pair of trawler manufacturers about supplying them with electric motors. January 2014 | Boating Industry | 41 12/18/13 10:07 AM