Electric motor and what to do with it

Croolis · 16 July 2023, 11:09

Gather round children, get a hot drink, settle in, and let me tell you a story - how Croolis came to be a SIB owner:

I own a wooden sailing dinghy, an old 10ft Mirror. I bought a Minn Kota Endura Max 55lb electric motor for it on Black Friday last November or whenever it was, intending to do river cruising. Never even took it out of the box. I then was waiting for Spring to buy a battery for it (no point getting it before I was going to use it!).

During that time, I thought a lot about a petrol outboard because of the range thing on the electric, and so when Spring came, I pretty much impulsively one day bought the 2.5hp four stroke I have now.

I then was told that, because the bottom section of my Mirror's transom is 5mm ply, I could risk cracking it by mounting an 18.5kg outboard on it (most folks would use a 10kg two stroke).

So - that's how I wound up with an inflatable. Bought the boat to suit the motor.

I've never bought the battery for the Minn Kota (I figure I'd want to spend £300 to £400 on a gel ~100ah).

Now, this last couple weeks I've ended up spending a grand on my old Focus Mk2's power steering and I could do with getting some money back.

Considering I aim to buy that 10hp next year (that bloody date has gone back a few months now, sodding car!!) and take it coastal, I find myself wondering how I should justify keeping the Minn Kota and trying to find the money for the battery next year.

Scenarios:

Backup motor for river/other cruising in the sailing dinghy for when the wind won't play ball. Risk of capsize.
Motor for either sailing dinghy without the mast up or 3.2m SIB on rivers. Range not good - I reckon only an hour or hour and half upriver with a gel 100ah battery (you can run a gel down to about 20% I believe without hurting it). Anyone who knows, correct me on this if you can.
Backup motor for when doing coastal stuff in the SIB. I suspect it might be as much good as a chocolate teapot, even combined with vigorous rowing?

Anyone got any thoughts on this? I'm proper on the fence, I am. Just seems like a nice thing to have, and if I sell it, Lord knows when I'd be able to afford another. But I could with the money. La de da.

Pikey Dave · 16 July 2023, 11:26

Quote:

Originally Posted by Croolis

Gather round children, get a hot drink, settle in, and let me tell you a story - how Croolis came to be a SIB owner:

I own a wooden sailing dinghy, an old 10ft Mirror. I bought a Minn Kota Endura Max 55lb electric motor for it on Black Friday last November or whenever it was, intending to do river cruising. Never even took it out of the box. I then was waiting for Spring to buy a battery for it (no point getting it before I was going to use it!).

During that time, I thought a lot about a petrol outboard because of the range thing on the electric, and so when Spring came, I pretty much impulsively one day bought the 2.5hp four stroke I have now.

I then was told that, because the bottom section of my Mirror's transom is 5mm ply, I could risk cracking it by mounting an 18.5kg outboard on it (most folks would use a 10kg two stroke).

So - that's how I wound up with an inflatable. Bought the boat to suit the motor.

I've never bought the battery for the Minn Kota (I figure I'd want to spend £300 to £400 on a gel ~100ah).

Now, this last couple weeks I've ended up spending a grand on my old Focus Mk2's power steering and I could do with getting some money back.

Considering I aim to buy that 10hp next year (that bloody date has gone back a few months now, sodding car!!) and take it coastal, I find myself wondering how I should justify keeping the Minn Kota and trying to find the money for the battery next year.

Scenarios:

Backup motor for river/other cruising in the sailing dinghy for when the wind won't play ball. Risk of capsize.
Motor for either sailing dinghy without the mast up or 3.2m SIB on rivers. Range not good - I reckon only an hour or hour and half upriver with a gel 100ah battery (you can run a gel down to about 20% I believe without hurting it). Anyone who knows, correct me on this if you can.
Backup motor for when doing coastal stuff in the SIB. I suspect it might be as much good as a chocolate teapot, even combined with vigorous rowing?

Anyone got any thoughts on this? I'm proper on the fence, I am. Just seems like a nice thing to have, and if I sell it, Lord knows when I'd be able to afford another. But I could with the money. La de da.

I think you’ve answered your own question tbh. Flog it & get what you can back. Without a battery it’s a doorstop, and do you want to chuck more money at it? Plus, any meaningful size battery is going to be a heavy (lead acid), or expensive (Lithium) lump in what is already a small space.

Fenlander · 16 July 2023, 11:34

I agree with PD... money better put towards the proposed 10hp than a battery for the likely never to be used Minn Kota.