I'm always skeptical of new things until they've been out for at least a year. I haven't really read up on them much, but I thought it had the gas equivalent HP of about 3 or 3-1/2? If so, that would seem in line with the performance difference you got with a gas engine that has at least twice the HP?
Mercury Avator electric outboard
- Thread starter Blueone
- Start date
IMHO it's a marketing ploy. They say something like it has acceleration equivalent to a 3.5
So from 0 - 5 mph, it's on par with a 3.5 4-stroke gas
But the actual horsepower equivalent of the output power of the electric motor is about 1 hp
I was hoping to borrow a neighbor's 3.5 to do an actual comparison.
I bet top speed on my boat with a 3.5 is more than 5 mph
Also -- for the money -- a 3.5 4-stroke is around $1K new and the Avator is $3500
PlayDate
Well-Known Member
When does the Government start with the $5k tax credits for electric outboards or "Cash for Gas Outboards" program?
I own two Torqeedo's - very similar design - with composite props. So far, they're doing just fine... but I haven't hit anything, either...
Pricing... yup, we don't buy the electric stuff for the dollar savings, that's for sure. But the ability to just throw an easy to handle 30lb outboard in the midberth without worrying about leaking gas or oil on the bed is awful nice.
I'd definitely like to hear your comparison to a gas HP equivalent.
PlayDate
Well-Known Member
I believe what @ttmott said is spot on. I have a Mercury 280 RIB and have tried just about everything on it. Trolling motors, 6HP Mercury and the 2HP Honda.
Out of all of them......the Honda steals the show for how I use the dinghy. Dry, it weighs 27 pounds and with fuel .....probably 30. It goes forever on a tank of gas as long as you realize you go the same speed at half throttle as you do at full throttle.
It isn't built to plane the RIB just get it where you want to go at around maybe 8 knots top.
The crazy part is my Honda now is a 20 year old outboard and starts and runs like it did when I got it. They can be had new for less than $1,000 and have a few features I don't have on mine such as throttle control on the tiller and slightly more HP.
It takes a little to get used to with the centrifugal clutch and flipping the tiller around to go into reverse but being air cooled and it is a dream to operate.
It just comes down to your boating needs.
Out of all of them......the Honda steals the show for how I use the dinghy. Dry, it weighs 27 pounds and with fuel .....probably 30. It goes forever on a tank of gas as long as you realize you go the same speed at half throttle as you do at full throttle.
It isn't built to plane the RIB just get it where you want to go at around maybe 8 knots top.
The crazy part is my Honda now is a 20 year old outboard and starts and runs like it did when I got it. They can be had new for less than $1,000 and have a few features I don't have on mine such as throttle control on the tiller and slightly more HP.
It takes a little to get used to with the centrifugal clutch and flipping the tiller around to go into reverse but being air cooled and it is a dream to operate.
It just comes down to your boating needs.
I haven't tried it on a 280RIB, but if you want to get some nice performance out of a 6HP Merc (or Tohatsu or Nissan...they're all the same) then get the "mouse ears" prop. It's a 6 pitch prop but the blades are much larger than stock. It was like adding traction control to my dingy. It's what they use on the SailPro version.
With the smaller pitch it allows the engine to get up to RPMs where it actually develops the 6HP and with the big blades it pushes a lot of water. I had an 8'6" inflatable keel boat and it would get me on plane easily, and I could get two of us with some loads (cooler, dog, etc) up on plane (although not as easily). I'd bet it would work even better with a RIB.
Couldn't take it anymore! I went back to the 6hp Merc for the time being. Same weight, 15 mph vs 5 mph, and I can run for ever on a 6-gal tank. The avator battery lasts 1 hr
I did find a good use for the Avator battery: holding down the shelves in my new shed while I screw them in
I did find a good use for the Avator battery: holding down the shelves in my new shed while I screw them in
Do you have a link for this ?
Here's one listed:
I bought one a few years ago on sale for (IIRC) $67.
Below is what they look like in comparison. The "mouse ears" high thrust prop on the left and the stock one on the right. The stock ones are available in pitch sizes from 7 to 9 and varies with which model motor you purchased (the 4hp came with a 7, the 5hp an 8 and the 6hp a 9, I think). The 4, 5, and 6HP motors are identical except for the carb. The picture is a little deceiving as I think the "mouse ears" prop is just slightly less in diameter but looks larger in the pic. But you can see the blade area is clearly different.
