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Portable Motors
for Portable Boats
By Richard Hazelton
5
The
Electric Paddle
Most electric outboard motors on portable craft like rowboats, canoes
the market are designed to replace and some kayaks. It is designed to
outboard motors. To do this they go propel these craft at typical sustainable
up against horsepower. Joe Grez has paddling speeds or to add thrust to a
1. Inventor Joe Grez holding The Electric
different idea. Instead of competing paddler’s efforts when required by
Paddle and case which weigh only
with horsepower, he’s substituting conditions. Therefore the output of the
6.2 lbs.
people power, or rather paddle power. Electric Paddle should approximate a
“It’s not supposed to replace the gas sustainable power output of a typical
2. Battery pack weighs 8 lbs. and comes
outboard which people use for running human paddler.”
with flotation. Battery is a “Memory
around in their dinghies. Rather, it’s People are used to outboards being
Free,” NiMH, same as used in the Prius
to augment rowing or paddling in a rated in horsepower so Grez has done
hybrids. Together, motor and battery
dinghy, kayak or canoe,” says Grez. many tests to establish his basis of
weigh 14 lbs.
Grez started this project when measurements for paddle power. With
he wanted power for his dinghy, but graphs and empirical data he examines
3. There are three power settings, 0 for
didn’t want the smell and noise of a paddle power on canoes and kayaks.
stop, 1 for low, and 2 for high.
gas engine. Being a project manager For those who would like to delve more
for, among other things, Sonicare into the numbers and graphs, visit his
4. Mount is easily adjusted for any transom
toothbrushes, Joe decided to take his website at
www.propelemarine.com
angle. There is a rubber pad everywhere
knowledge of battery power and apply This is all great info for canoes and
the mount touches the boat.
it to building a small, outboard motor kayaks but what about the average
for people powered craft. The result inflatable dinghy or rowboat we all use
5. Smart charger for the battery. Usual
is the Electric Paddle, whose official to get back and forth from the boat?
charge from low is 3 hours.
launch will be this March. Unfortunately, there is no empirical
As it says in his definition: “One data available for dinghies. “When
6. Author takes the Electric Paddle for a test
Paddle Power – the Electric Paddle is a rowing, there is not just the power of
run, pushing the Minto nicely at about
very light and portable thruster for small one person, but the leverage gained
3 knots in calm water.
48° No r t h , Fe b r u a r y 2010 Pa g e 52
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