Hobie Cat Forums

Hi
I am planning to add an outboard.

Either the smallest 4 stroke (Honda 2,3HP as an example) or an electric outboard.
The electric in the smallest size, driven by an litium-ion battery with 22 ampere hours should give me a couple of hours ride.
The battery weights just 1,5 pounds (3kg) and will be easy to install.

In the aft of the AI there will be a solar panel mounted on a tri pod above my neck (30watts, marina version,light weight)

Am I crazy?

(Do not worry, I am an electronic engineer, I think this works....)

So, petrol or electric?
Any out there one with experiences?

Thanks
Jan

Jan

You must be a pioneer and a rolemodel upthere in beautiful Norway!

You can`t turn that beautiful craft into a Stinkboat

If any, go electric.

the leccie motors come in sizes, the smallest can even be tilted through the Mirage Drive scupper

http://www.eastcoastkayakfishing.com/ho ... ayaks.html

But there must be more ways on the A1

PF

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hobie Quest

http://www.eastcoastkayakfishing.com/ho ... ayaks.html
Very neat - almost looks like it's meant to be
Now with all the propulsion options that the AI offers - including a motor - maybe I could transport myself to Tonga on it

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Mickey
2011 AI Golden Papaya
2011 TI Golden Papaya

Someone needs to get one of those suckers and compare its performance to the Mirage drive. If the motor is much better, it may be a useful bit of safety equipment, particularly for those who sail a long way offshore. Otherwise, why bother? (rhetorical question).

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Why bother? The Adventure Island is cool because of its two main modes of propulsion. Why splice on another one, when it has two perfectly good ones?

Careful Tom, someone might take you for a Luddite

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Paddle/Pedal/Wind/Electric...I wonder if a small rocket or
jet engine could be mounted on the stern...LOL.

I am amazed at the creativity of Hobie and AI owners,
not too many other means of propulsion are there?

So I am going to throw in my two cents worth...
Why not install an autopilot? I have an autopilot on
my sailboat but don't use it very often...I wonder if
it could be adapted to the AI?

I just thought of another use for the motor. It could be great for people who can't pedal due to a disability.

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I can see the value of having a powered option, but I have a few concerns about the 'thru the scupper' scheme ...

1) I don't like the idea of losing use of the mirage drive
2) There doesn't appear to be a way to handle beaching, very shallow water, or as is very common in my voyages - lots of seaweed.

So how about mounting it on one of the AKAs instead? Yeah, I get that it would be off center, but is that really a big problem? That way it could be easily tilted out of the water as needed, and wouldn't interfere with sailing or using the mirage drive.

Rudder issues - since we are talking about an electric motor near the center or front of the craft - would it work best in a fixed position with the rudder exclusively controlling direction (as is the case when using the mirage drive), or would it overpower the rudder?

If the motor is scupper mounted - it will be well forward of the center of the boat - pulling it through the water - so a steered motor will automatically have the boat turn into whatever direction it is pulled - would that make the rudder unneeded?

The pictures on the website seem to be showing a tiller attached to the motor, so I guess that's how you would steer. The motor is clearly less versatile than the Mirage drive, but it might have a role if it was much faster or more powerful against current or if you had a problem with pedalling. You could always swap it with the Mirage drive as required.

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I'm with you on this one Tom. KISS. If you want a powered solution, go buy a power boat.

How do these electric thingies handle being submerged or pounded with spray anyway?..Pirate

trolling motors can operate in a pretty harsh salt water environment around here, out on the front of a flats boat banging around at 40 knots. They're tough enough, but I can't see putting one on an AI. There are already kayaks on the market with trolling motors built into them. I have always wanted to make a kayak that had a trolling motor that could roll down out of the hull for use, then roll back inside flush and fair for paddling. Just not on an Adventure Island.

Short of custom molding your own hull, I'd guess that the Mirage Drive well is probably the closest you're likely to get to that. Maybe you can adjust the trolling motor such that the power head recesses up into the well. Of course, that leaves the control portion sticking up in the way above deck.

- Jim L

Wouldn't you just lift it out of the well when not in use? Same as removing the Mirage drive.

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And that is why I was wondering if it needed to be steerable or if you could just count on the rudder. If the motor works as a fixed thruster (like the mirage drive) you don't need the steering mechanism, just a throttle control - which you could wire at seat side.