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Electric Outboard, Rhino vx44 or Minn kota C2


brandenjg

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Hello again. After all the help i received on my last post i thought why not use everyone else to make my decision :)

Basically i've been offered a rhino vx44 trolling motor for a very cheap price off an old friend, but i've been saving for a minn kota c2. My issue is whether to buy the rhino or the minn kota because toll wise i can only afford one.

In the Norwich area everyone seems to use the minn kota and i cant find any descent reviews of rhino motors so im worried they might be a bit crappy.

If anyone has experience with either motor then your reviews would be extremely helpful.

Thanks Everyone in advance

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Without getting into the merits of one motor versus the other there is another serious consideration and that is service and spares back up, as you say the Min is popular in your area and likely to have good back up so my choice would be based on that alone and go for the MinKota.

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Question? were you not asking about a mud weight? if so what boat do you have? reason for asking is that in my experience for anything more than a little dingy a electric outboard is as much use as trying to mix concrete with a kitchen wisk! i would rather hang a petrol strimmer off the back! :Stinky

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Yes, good advice normally to have a backup battery if an electric outboard is the sole source of power, but the TM260 is listed as having a maximum capacity of 340kg, so your 2-3 people @ 300kg is already getting close. The maximum figure quoted for an inflatable's weight carrying capacity is usually in reference to their reserve buoyancy to remain floating, rather than maintaining their maneuverability.

Two leisure batteries, (even if just 85 amp) will use up a good part of the allowance as well as being a quite a loading on the slatted floor.

I think if it were me, I'd go for a secondhand 2hp 2 stroke outboard' like a Yamaha. Even with a spare gallon can of petrol, it would be more powerful and weigh a fraction of the Minn Kota and two batteries.

http://www.ashbysonline.co.uk/imagecach ... 20x480.jpg

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I guess to those who drive stinkies a petrol outboard makes you feel at home ...... noisy, stinky etc.

But for those who like to appreciate the Broads in it's true serenity ..... the next best thing to gliding along under sail is to purr along silently with the aid of an electric outboard.

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Yes SL, quite right, I've got both electric and petrol, and I'd never get rid of the electric one, as you say, it's beautifully silent.

The problem is range though. One battery doesn't last all day, whereas a gallon can of petrol does.

Not disastrous with a sailing dinghy, or even a rigid that rows well, but rowing for miles to get home in an inflatable can be a nightmare, especially a well loaded one, or in any sort of headwind.....

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A decsent solar panel will help the issue a little as you can be topping up the battery as you fish, but this will only help and not fix the range prob. however it doesnt change the fact that for the weight the origional poster wants to push through the water is going to be a bit much for an electric outboard.

Do those that love electric over petrol suggest that he clamps two on the back and only goes 10mins up the river?

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I hadn't even considered the weight of batteries. Could i not have a lighter weight car or motorbike battery as an emergency back up? Also something i was wondering is whether you could charge a battery anywhere along the broads, like at the various boat charging points. I'm really looking at electric over petrol ( although i see the advantages of petrol motors) I do prefer how quiet the electric motors are and i can't snuff the 30% reduction for a years toll.

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That's the downside of electric power.

The stored power of Lead Acid batteries is proportional to their weight.

An 85 amp weighs around 18 kg.

A 110 amp weighs around 30kg.

A 12 amp motorcycle battery weighs around 5kg.

Also, motor cycle batteries would not be "deep-cycle" rated like leisure batteries, so would soon deteriorate if regularly discharged below 50%.

On my Minn Kota, an 85 amp deep-cycle battery isn't sufficient for an "all day" run, whereas a gallon of petrol ( 4kg ) is.... :)

Yes, you could conceivably use a battery charger at a mooring, though you'd have to make that arrangement somehow weather tight and safe in an open boat. and it would take several hours to recharge a reasonable sized battery.

Many small petrol outboards were fairly quiet, being water cooled, especially if used at less than half throttle, which would still be faster than an electric.

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Charging on shore power is only a good idea if your going to stay there for hours. You cannot fast charge a lead acid (wet) battery you just boil the acid, warp the plate and kill the battery! you could use a gel battery it would stand the abuse but go and price one i dare you! :naughty:

Back to main prob your under powered to weight, and you have just added a charger and shore lead. imagine, your in motion and you come across the wind assisted ot tacking side ti side, what can you do, can you engage reverse to stop then punch fwd to take your chance? i doubt it and if you think they will just get of your way......THEY WONT!!!!!!

Next prob, you go out with wind/tide or both in your favour alls well but you might not have power to get back yes you could wait till tide changesbut the wind might not change!

Does electric work, yes it does but you need a large battery bank and a large inboard motor. or small tender/dingy with little weight, one battery for shot trips.

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In that case i think it'd be worth getting a decent petty motor. I've heard theres a place at ludham bridge that has some good 2nd hand ones. Ive got £250 max to spend so im not sure if thats enough but seeing as i'll be using it for days out and about it seems the best option. Id rather take the risk of petrol than the risk of sinking due to heavy batteries which i can only use for an hour :(

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In that case i think it'd be worth getting a decent petty motor. I've heard theres a place at ludham bridge that has some good 2nd hand ones. Ive got £250 max to spend so im not sure if thats enough but seeing as i'll be using it for days out and about it seems the best option. Id rather take the risk of petrol than the risk of sinking due to heavy batteries which i can only use for an hour :(

You will get alot more petrol outboard for your £250 than you would buyin electric outboard, batteries, shore lead and charger. plus if thats a peminant electrcal system, you need battery isoators, battery cableing and a Boat Safety certificate!

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I'd always buy a low value secondhand outboard privately, rather than through a dealer where the markup is often going to double the price.

£250 will buy a very nice outboard privately, such as on Ebay:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/Boat-Engines- ... &_udhi=250

Steer clear of the Seagulls though, they do make a terrible racket....

Although it may escape the BSS requirement, a powered tender, (electric or petrol) will require third party insurance, as well as the toll.

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I'd always buy a low value secondhand outboard privately, rather than through a dealer where the markup is often going to double the price.

£250 will buy a very nice outboard privately, such as on Ebay:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/Boat-Engines- ... &_udhi=250

Steer clear of the Seagulls though, they do make a terrible racket....

Although it may escape the BSS requirement, a powered tender, (electric or petrol) will require third party insurance, as well as the toll.

Avoid dealers yes, but i would be very warey of ebay, boat items tend to make alot of money on ebay and you can never be to sure what your getting, make sure you see it running. put a wanted ad on the forum, and look in boats and outboards.

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Yes, there's certainly a lot of cr*p on Ebay, some people see it as a way of off-loading their faulty items. Some people do bid far to high, but there's still good value to be had, especially off-season, like now.

The same is true of any private secondhand source though, boats and outboards, Adtrader, even forums, they all depend on the integrity of the seller. A lot of engines and equipment that changed hands at the old Woods Dyke Boat Auctions was shabby, but I would say most was very good.

Buying privately is usually much cheaper, as long as you can spot a lemon, or if you have a friend that does. If you never tinker with mechanical things, then you would be better buying new, or from someone you know well, and can trust.

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  • 2 weeks later...

I have an electric outboard with 30 lbs thrust, it's fine on my small bic dinghy but last week I tried it out on my 12 foot sailing dinghy on the Broads. It was next to useless, top speed was about 3mph and it was hard work into the wind. I get about 2 hours from an 85 ah battery. There was no power in reserve for emergencies and no bite in reverse for stopping.

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