Hi Tom, Here is an add for a Lehr 2.5HP propane outboard engine. It is also available in long shaft (20"), and 5hp: http://www.defender.com/product.jsp?path=-1|215570|1794283|1964825&id=1959942 It takes a good chunk of money, but I think it may be worth it to me. It is light weight, requires no winterizing. It has no carburetor, and the propane can't spill. I guess it could leak and explode if stored in a cabinet, but I think that is a low and manageable risk compared to flamable gasoline. I am not planning to but anything before spring though. Maybe a competitive model will show up, or a newer version, or a sale. I am thinking 2.5hp will be enough in normal conditions. But wondering about windy conditions. I am very interested in any thoughts or info about the propane engines. Thanks. Jim Dahlquist (M15) jim@dhlqst.com Palatine, IL ===== On Sun, Nov 25, 2012 at 4:36 PM, Tom Jenkins <tjenk@gte.net> wrote:
Jim,
Unless one frequents waters where the winds and currents require more than a few miles of motoring at speeds over 3 knots, I suspect that my Torqeedo Travel 1003 electric outboard is about as green and practical as you are going to get for at least several years. I carry an extra battery, plus a small inverter to run the unit off my main battery, but I have never not used either backup for lake or bay travel. A much cheaper solution is a regular trolling motor, but the lead-acid battery that powers them is much less efficient than my lithium-ion in terms of energy stored vs. weight.
As for the internal combustion engine, I hate the smell, noise, occasional unreliability, and the care one must use to avoid explosion, but, if one must have the extra energy stored onboard, propane holds little advantage over gasoline in carbon emissions (2.3 carbon atoms per hydrogen atom vs. about 2.6). Methane is a marginally better (4 H per C), but no one would contemplate bringing liquified natural gas aboard a small sailboat.
I know that a few other boaters use Torqeedos or trolling motors, so it would be nice to hear from you out there about your experiences so everyone could use the information. I generally sail when the slightest breeze is up, so I have not probed the distance limits of my gear, but someone might have better data that all of us could profit from.
As a final comment, I have noticed that sailboaters can run out of gas through miscalculation, and their motors can quit due to dirty fuel or the like, while electric motors can be recharged with a solar cell if one has the time--my point being that chosing one or the other for range vs reliability, etc., requires balancing a number of variables.
Tom Jenkins Montgomery 17 Scintilla
On Nov 24, 2012, at 9:08 PM, jimdahlquist@gmail.com wrote:
No question that is right. So I will suffer my present motor for another year. I have plenty more to do. I have noticed some small 4-cycles that weigh less than my 20 year old 60 pound 2-cycle. Maybe by then there will technology to enable me to forget about combustion altogether. Miracles have been alluded to.
JimD
Sent from Windows Mail
From: August Trometer Sent: November 24, 2012 4:09 PM To: For and about Montgomery Sailboats Subject: Re: M_Boats: Propane Conversion kits for Outboard outboards
The common generator for that is the Honda (4 stroke).
Sent from my iPhone August & Susan Trometer 239 849 4681 North Fort Myers, FL atrometer@gmail.com
On Nov 24, 2012, at 1:51 PM, Rik Sandberg <sanderico1@gmail.com> wrote:
Jim,
Don't think that's gonna work too well. On a two stroke, the fuel is also the lubricant (gas and oil mixed) I'm not sure how you would get the vaporous propane to carry the oil into the engine.
Every propane generator conversion I've seen has a 4 stroke engine. Lubricant is in the crankcase. Big difference.
I think if you want a propane outboard, the only way it's gonna work is to start with a 4 stroke. Hopefully somebody can prove me wrong.
Rik
On Sat, Nov 24, 2012 at 12:35 PM, Jim Dahlquist <jimdahlquist@gmail.com wrote:
I have seen a video on youtube showing how to convert a portable generator from gasoline to propane. Now I would like to explore the idea of converting my old Suzuki DT4 2-cycle outboard if I could find a compatible kit. I think this would be cleaner and would not require any winter maintenance. So far I haven't been able to find anything. Maybe because generators are way too popular right now. But I wanted to at least get this idea on the list.
BTW: It appears that searching the archives requires downloading the full data first. Is that correct?
Jim Dahlquist jimdahlquist@gmail.com
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"Since this is an era when many people are concerned about 'fairness' and 'social justice,' what is your 'fair share' of what someone else has worked for?" …. Thomas Sowell