1.1 Engine types in boats

There are several types of engine of the boat and all have advantages and disadvantages. The engine depends mainly on your boat. Retrofit to the latest technology of an electric motor is almost always possible. We tell you what you need to pay attention, enjoy reading!

Outboard engine and the inboard engine are the most commonly used types of engines. Bow motors are often used by anglers for short distances. Sailboats and sailing yachts, on the other hand, are often powered by a flange motor, saildrive or underfloor motor.

You will need suitable equipment for mounting, depending on the size and weight of their engine. If you make gross mistakes during assembly, you risk severely damage their boat. Our tip: Find a boat builder in good time before the start of the season, so that you can quickly get the boat in the water already in the spring to drive the first electric tour.

Outboard motors are easy to (dis)assemble. They are much more flexible and can be dismantled after the trip or for winter storage. The disadvantage is that outboards are stolen more often. Do not worry: There are other ways to secure the engine from theft besides dismantling!

The mounting of an outboard motor is uncomplicated on the motor transom, which is located at the stern of the boat. The attachment is made by means of clamping screws or bolts. Depending on the weight of the engine, this is easy, especially for engines under 11kW (15hp), and can usually be done by the layman.

Size and weight vary depending on the outboard motor from 2.2kg to 470kg. For larger models, it is recommended to use lifting equipment such as a crane due to the higher weight. You can also hire a service provider for installation.

When purchasing an outboard motor, be sure to pay attention to the correct shaft length!

Bow motors are installed on the bow of the boat and pull the boat as the only one of the various types of engines. This provides better maneuverability. Bow motors are often used for fishing, because both hands are free thanks to a pedal control. Due to a lower thrust bow motors are not recommended for a heavier boat.

Sometimes there are autopilots for driving off routes or a GPS spotlock, where the bow motor automatically keeps the boat in the same place. For anglers, an integrated sonar transducer can be connected to an echo sounder. Automatic lowering and catching up of the motor at the push of a button is also possible.

Mounting is done directly on the boat or on a mounting plate, which is firmly connected to the boat. A mounting plate offers the advantage that you can quickly mount and dismount the engine. If you do not want to keep the engine permanently on the boat, this is very useful. The assembly is not complex and can be easily done yourself.

When purchasing a bow motor, you should in any case pay attention to the correct shaft length! In our article you will find the appropriate {%ckz2i50q400153q67oim13n4h___shaft length to your bow motor%}.

The drive consists of a compact and waterproof housing in which the motor is integrated. It is flanged to the underside of the boat and cannot be rotated. It is operated by remote throttle and steering is done by a rudder attached to the stern of the boat. A pod motor is controlled by means of a steering wheel and control electronics, as well as battery are located in the boat.

A flange motor requires very little space inside the boat, because the engine is completely housed in the pod housing and no engine components protrude into the interior of the boat. Flanged engines are commonly encountered on sailboats. A disadvantage can be the possibly limited maneuverability, since the engine is not directly rotatable.

The installation should be done by a professional on land, before that the boat must be lifted out of the water. The effort is less than with a Saildrive, because only a few smaller holes are needed for mounting on the hull and a larger one for the cable feed-through. Existing holes and pedestals can usually be reused. It is particularly important that the holes in the hull are well sealed.

A saildrive is similar to a pod motor, the components of the motor protrude into the boat compared to the flange motor. There are also rotary versions, but the standard is a fixed motor controlled by a rudder system. The pedestal is laminated to the hull of the boat and existing pedestals can usually be reused if an electric saildrive is procured.

The operation is carried out by remote gas. Rotary saildrives can still differ in the size of the maximum angle of rotation, as well as in the mechanical or electrical of the control. Saildrive motors are particularly popular for sailboats. The assembly is comparable to that of a pod motor.

An underfloor motor (tube motor) also consists of a waterproof housing with an integrated motor. The motor hangs on the rotatable henegate tube and goes through the hull of the boat. The design is similar to a flanged motor, except that the pod can be rotated, which improves maneuverability. When installing there are no differences compared to saildrives.

As you can see, even with an electric motor you can go faster than the police allow. For longer boat trips, however, a moderate speed is recommended. In addition, of course, still apply the speed limits on the waters, which we of course recommend to comply.

We support boat owners on the subject of e-mobility on the water. Do you have further questions about electric boat motors? Email us at mail@greenboatsolutions.de We'll get back to you as soon as possible!

Notes: We use approximate values for all information and calculations. Individual deviations are of course possible. Each boat has different characteristics and accordingly we can not give any guarantee on the information. It may be that your boat needs more or even less power than recommended.