Last week(gas hose weekend) we bought a new dinghy with electric outboard motor. We had a very nice dinghy, only we only had it inflated for 3 weeks last year. It was too big to keep on the deck. That meant that in the harbor, the dinghy would have to be emptied each time and later inflated again when we went sailing for a weekend. So in practice we didn't do that. In the summer we towed the dinghy behind us but that's not really relaxing entering a lock. So we actually needed a just a little smaller boat. The question is, what do you choose. A small boat that has a hard polyester or aluminum bottom and is made of Hypalon is ideal for when you are on a long trip to sunny places. It is stable and the sun has "little" effect on the material and sailing up the beach is not a problem. But such a boat does not fold up small. Another alternative is a PVC dinghy that has an inflatable bottom. PVC is sensitive to sunlight so if you were to sail for weeks/months/years in sunny places, the dinghy will quickly break down. Our short-term goal is not those sunny places. Holland and north comes first. If the PVC lasts 5 to 10 years, that's great. An advantage of a boat that can be completely folded is that in the winter when we are not sailing, it can be completely stored in a dry environment. So we choose PVC. Maximum length should be 2.30 meters so that the little boat can be on the deck between the babystay and the anchor winch when we are sailing.
In addition, we actually want to get rid of using gasoline for the outboard motor for now. We often sail the boat for up to an hour to, for example, run errands, or look for a dumpster somewhere. It would be nice if we could do this with an electric outboard motor. Then we would not have to attach the gasoline engine to the outside of Linde when we are sailing. Last year, we often felt that the mooring pole was just barely touching the little motor. It would be a matter of time before the motor does get stuck behind the pole. In addition, it is also nice not to have a fuel supply in the boat. Last year, the port crates quickly reeked of gasoline through the jerry can.
We choose an ePropulsion Spirit motor. The battery capacity is more than enough for what we do with the little boat. You can't really sail fast, which the girls regret, but then again, we didn't do that often. It gives a nice feeling, no more pollution of air and water by us as far as the motor is concerned.
We did keep the gasoline outboard motor. If we ever leave the Netherlands in the future and go to Norway, for example, it would still be nice to have a more powerful motor to reach a beach or harbor. Even then, the electric motor will just keep up. The electric motor is not heavy and easy to store in Linde.
Why am I telling this? Oh well... now that we are in Jansleat in Friesland with Linde, it is a good time to pump up the new little boat for the first time and try out the little motor. We will immediately see if we can leave the boat on the deck while pumping it up. That way we know we can also do this when we are at anchor. That goes well and, I must say, also nice and fast. The boat fits perfectly on the deck. With the spider trap we lower the boat into the water. When I get in, I have to get used to the less stable characteristics. I was almost in the water.
Then it is the turn of the little engine, first the 8 kilograms of the little engine. How nice, and much lighter than the 25+ kilograms of the gasoline engine. Then the 10 kilogram battery and I'm done. Then it's testing. Deadpan places start and silence...I wait...and yes suddenly I sail away. That is very strange. You only hear the water, no noise from the engine. Wonderful! I am amazed at the power the engine has. Maneuvering is also very easy. And then I can get out because Froukje also wants to try. And as expected she likes the gasoline engine better. It goes faster, but yes this also goes quite well. Even with 2 people in the boat the engine has no problems moving forward. The boat is really smaller than the previous one. A maximum of 2 people can get in and because the tubes are not as thick, you have to watch out for waves when you are with 2 people in the boat. Wet pants are quickly arranged.
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