Electric trolling motors are practical if you choose the right boat. When we
are moored for the summer we often use a 15' Grumman canoe as a dinghy. Our
bottom of the line Minn Kota #35 with its overpowering 25 lbs. of thrust will
power the canoe to its hull speed of about 5 kts. and keep it at that speed
for about 4 hours with a Sears Diehard #27 battery. At lower speeds it will
last all day. The quiet propulsion is the closest thing to a marine "magic
carpet" I have ever experienced.

My back of the envelope calculations show that pushing the canoe at 5 kt.
with a total weight of 400 lbs should take about .5 hp. If Bob Austin used
that motor and battery in his single scull, he would be able to complete his
6 mile "row" in less 1 hour.

Incidentally the heavy battery is essential to balance the canoe for single
handing. When I used a 2 hp Evenrude I hade to scout around for a big rock to
put in the bow.

Larry Zeitlin

Thanks Larry,
You just answered my question by saying that a 25lbs MinnKota does
what your 2Hp outboard used to do. That's a good enough answer for
me. I shall get one of those 25 lbs e-motors for my dinghy now (I
have an old 2 Hp Yamaha on it that is very temperamental- probably
early senility, all that aluminium ;-).

Thanks again - George of Scaramouche