Electric Outboard on Quickstep 24

[MJC1968]

I am looking for a Quickstep 24 ( can't afford a Alerion 28) and I'm concerned about the outboard in the "well". Has anyone tried an Electric Outboard on a Quickstep or similar sailboat?

[tvbark]

I have such a boat and have thought long and hard about its auxiliary power. I put a 5 hp four-stroke outboard on the boat, and it worked quite well. Since the motor well does not allow for tilting the motor up, drag in the water is an issue. With a little motor like that in neutral, the prop spins and it works quite well. I looked at the torqueedo electric outboards, but between the motors and their expensive batteries, you are looking at a big cost to use them. Also, you need shore power and marina docking to charge them. If you have those things, it might work well. I don't so my other choice was to install an inboard, which I am actually doing at great trouble and expense. I don't recommend it unless you are willing to go to unreasonable lengths, but then, when has maintaining and paying for a sailboat been a reasonable thing to do?

[MJC1968]

I'm very interested in looking into putting an inboard in a Quickstep 24. Can you contact me to talk about your installation?
Regards,
Mike

[Quickstep192]

This is a little off topic, but may be of interest. On the Quickstep24, there is a hinged hatch above the motor. It's hinged on the aft side so that it can be raised to remove the motor. Unfortunately, when closed, the fumes from the motor have no where to go and gag the motor and the helsman. I removed the original hinges and put two strap hinges on the forward side of the hatch so the hatch opens the opposite way. I made the hinge pins removeable so the entire cover can come off to remove the motor. I also put a hatch support to keep it open a few inches while underway. This has been a big improvement. I would still prefer to have an inboard. I've posed on the Quickstep forum looking for an inboard to no avail. I'm not likely to tossmy Honda 8 for the electric motor, but at least the electric could be easily removed when not in use. I'm not crazy about dragging the prop through the water, but having trying to keep the barnacles off of it is a pain. I paint it each year with the special antifouling, but it doesn't last all year. I'd be interested in any reports of conversion to inboard.

[sailingdog]

The problem with an electric outboard on most boats is duration. Most aren't going to have enough running time to make a safe auxiliary engine. Unless you are planning to use it solely for maneuvering the boat in and out of the slip, you'll probably be much better off with a gasoline-powered outboard. Also, on a boat with only an electric outboard, how do you plan on recharging the batteries??? An electric outboard needs some significant battery power, and that means you need some serious re-charging of said batteries most of the time. Unless you only plan on daysailng, the electric outboard becomes a serious logistical problem. Most small boats need more electricity than they can generate, and this is even worse if the boat is powered by an electric outboard, since you can't even run an alternator off of it.

[MJC1968]

I'm unsure about electric power, but the "inboard" motors I looked at will give you 2 hours at full power. If you use 60% power, you get 6 to 8 hours. Possibly more if you power/sail. The advantage I see is installation. No fuel tanks, vents, thru hulls, etc. The weight of the motor will add ballast and with 4 12 volt batteries the weight is not much more than an outboard with electric start and fuel tank, plus the outboards weight is all aft.
Mike