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Richard Casady Richard Casady is offline
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First recorded activity by BoatBanter: May 2007
Posts: 2,587
Default Suzuki DF4 vs. DF6

On Sat, 12 Apr 2008 09:44:14 -0500, lid wrote:

On Fri, 11 Apr 08 Bruce in Bangkok
Mostly that a can of gas is a lot easier to wrestle down the dock and
into the boat then a truck battery.


Gas engines drink about 1/2 pound per HP per hour. One pound of gas
delivers as much energy as a 125 AH battery. A 5gal can of gas equals
more than` a ton of batteries.

Under most circumstances I would agree. But for his fairly specific
single purpose (small boat, small lake, prolly doesn't even HAVE a
dock), a small non-spill battery would suffice.


Maybe
I think you might be overestimating the energy content of batteries.

And it, plus a
trolling motor, would be easier to wrestle than an outboard, never
mind the gas tank.


A five horse gas engine weighs less than a useful size battery [50
lbs]

And for a lot less money to purchase AND maintain


This is likely true.

over the years. Btw, he could just leave the battery in the boat with
a $10 solar panel during the week.


You underestimate the size and cost of a useful size solar panel by a
large factor.

Maybe I've got the wrong picture of the situation though.


The trolling motor would not buck a headwind very well, or at all.
Range would be tiny.

I have the 'calculator that takes no prisoners' the HP 48. It is big
enough to fit a hand, and the keys are far enough apart. It has the
conversion from HP to watts, and lots more. Highly recommended if you
like to post on technical matters. [1 HP equals 745 watts]..

I have used a trolling motor, for trolling, with a 16 foot runabout.
It also had a 10 horse gas engine.

Casady