Ohm My! Watt Fun!


We like to consider ourselves forward thinkers, here in the Pacific Northwest.
We invented grunge rock. The national coffee craze, computer programming, and
the evolution of the aircraft industry are all closely associated with the
Puget Sound region.
In an area where boating is such an important activity, it's unusual for a
populace so avant garde to be well behind the general curve of a boating
industry development. A relatively high-volume boat builder, with 4000 vessels
built over the last 30 years, is now finally represented in the Northwest. The
Electric Boat Company, at 1001 Fairview Ave in Seattle, has been named the
regional dealer for Duffy Electric Boats.

Most of the Duffy Boats resemble a lifeboat, or captain's gig, with a colorful
surrey top.
Seats and accessory features line the gunwales, with a control pod and steering
wheel covering the DC motor well aft. A full enclosure of keeps wind and rain
out of the boat, (Barrett (tm) bonded windows are available as an optional
upgrade). The standard enclosure can be rolled up quickly to permit an open air
experience on the water. The colorful tops and jaunty lines are reminiscent of
small craft seen on "jungle boat" rides at theme parks, but don't be fooled by
the novelty appearance. Within the limitations of design and displacement, the
16-30 foot models of Duffy Boats are the genuine articles. Specifications, fit,
finish, and hardware are all first rate.

Like all boats, a Duffy Electric has specific applications where it will be
most appropriate. Need a boat to run from Olympia to Anacortes in a single
afternoon?
A Duffy wouldn't be your choice. Need to run at a good clip for more than 10 or
12 hours between moorages where AC power is available? Most Duffys would
disappoint you, (with the exception of the 30-foot Herreshoff/Duffy diesel
hybrid). Buying a boat for water skiing? Duffy won't do the job. Crossing the
Strait of Juan de Fuca in a near gale? You would certainly prefer a larger and
heavier boat, regardless of the manufacturer or the motive power.

However, any boater interested in motoring at up to seven knots for up to ten
hours in a day (and doing so in an almost silent, economical, environmentally
friendly manner) will also be very interested in discovering more about Duffy
Electric Boats. Waterways that are speed restricted, (such as Seattle's ship
canal, Lake Union, and Portage Bay), are no wake zones (like Gig Harbor), or
potable fresh water reservoirs with current or contemplated regulations barring
internal combustion power, (such as Lake Whatcom) are locations where electric
boats make a lot of sense.

As our public waterways become ever more congested, we can expect increasing
pressure to prohibit or restrict large power cruisers from certain areas. An
electric boat will allow its owner to recreate in some local waters without
resorting to rowing or sailing. Duffy Electrics are very easy to operate and
require little effort to get underway- ideal for owners of waterfront homes or
houseboats wanting to enjoy an impromptu
"dinner cruise" with a minimum of fuss and bother.

Environmental concerns are creating additional demand for electric boats in
many countries. When Venice, Italy became concerned that excessive wakes and
exhaust emissions from internal combustion powered vessels were spoiling the
traditionally placid environment, Duffy Electric Boat was enlisted to design
and provide low -wake, zero pollution water taxis for several of the major
hotels located on the famous canals.

We dropped by The Electric Boat Company recently, and enjoyed a demonstration
cruise in a Duffy 21 Electric Cruiser. Our hosts were Arne Thompson, president
of the Electric Boat Company, and his brother Ron. Ron specializes in graphic
design, and conceived the logo as well as the impressive interior decor of the
company offices. At this point, The Electric Boat Company is a family operated
enterprise. Every business card on the reception desk shares a common surname,
Thompson.

The Cruiser can legally accommodate 12 people. A fiberglass table, mounted on
the centerline with molded beverage holders in each corner, creates some
obvious dining and serving options. There are stowage lockers under the seats
and foredeck, while the battery charger and electric control module for the DC
motor are located on sliding pullouts under the aft deck.

The control and steering console is situated so the helmseat is against the aft
bulkhead.
The console tips up to expose the single moving part of the propulsion system,
a powerful DC motor built for Duffy by Advanced DC Motors, Inc. Features and
functions on the console include switches for bilge pumps, a control for an
electric cabin heater, a gooseneck chart lamp, and an AM/FM/CD player hooked to
four speakers.

We glided out into Lake Union, with next to zero propulsion noise. One would
normally expect to be shouting over the screaming of a small outboard or the
droning tenor of a chugging inboard when power cruising on the lake. You can
hear the waves lapping against the hull of a Duffy, and it would be possible to
converse in whispers. With the right companion, (sorry, Arne and Ron),
conversing in whispers while slipping silently across a moonlit lake might be
rich with intriguing possibilities. A loaf of bread, a jug of wine, and a
Duffy.

Arne explained that the Cruiser 21 is powered by a 48-volt battery bank,
created from
sixteen 6-Volt maintenance free, deep cycle, Trojan marine batteries. When the
battery bank becomes discharged, a simple connection to a common shore-power
circuit will recharge it over the course of several hours. Arne explained that
even a 15-amp circuit provides enough current to recharge a Duffy. The DC
motor, the variable speed controller, and the flexible, non-metallic prop are
warranted to the original owner for the life of the boat.

Newcomers to electric boating might tend to be nervous about depleting the
batteries underway before returning to a dock to recharge. A bright LED gauge
represents the state of battery discharge via a series of eight sequential
dots, and a digital readout continuously calculates the remaining number of
hours the batteries will power the boat at any given load level.

"We took one of these out last Saturday and did a circumnavigation of Mercer
Island," said Arne. "We stopped to do a little fishing here and there along the
way. We ran the boat for ten hours, at full speed between fishing holes and
then slowing down to troll.
When we got back to the dock, we still had four of the eight dots still showing
on the gauge. We had a rental customer take one out for an entire day, and
when he returned that evening he only had one dot left on the gauge but the
boat was still running as well as when it was fully charged. He was smiling
from ear to ear."

We observed the digital readout on our test cruise, and noted indications
between a 19-hour battery life with no "throttle", and a 6.5-hour life
expectancy at full power.

The Duffy Electric Cruiser is a lot of fun underway. Without the noise and
exhaust of a traditional engine, the experience is extremely relaxing. The
Duffy has twin rudders, and responds very nimbly to the helm. While kayakers
often demonstrate a lack of patience for many powerboats, everybody smiled and
waved as the Duffy Electric rippled past- including the kayakers.

While the Thompsons would be thrilled to sell a Duffy to everybody who ever
wanted to enjoy one, they have also established a rental business at their
Fairview office. Boaters who want to delve into the electric boating experience
prior to an actual purchase, or others who feel that a cruise around Seattle's
inland waters a few times a year would adequately scratch the boating itch can
rent a Duffy for a reasonable hourly rate.

"The boat is so easy to run," said Arne, "that we can let almost anyone take
one out after just a few minutes' instruction here at the dock. None of our
rental customers has ever encountered a problem or had a bad experience in the
boat."

The Electric Boat Company has already sold a number of boats in the Seattle
area, (the 21-foot Cruiser starts at around $31,000), but the market is likely
to grow substantially as more people become acquainted with Duffy Boats. This
"new idea" has only been around for the last 34 years in California. Arne
reports that there are hundreds upon hundreds of Duffys in use at Newport
Beach. As we returned to the dock at the Electric Boat Company, I almost
thought I caught a glimpse of a potential future for our network of lakes in
Seattle. My imagination's eye saw a warm spring day in 20XX, with bright
surrey-topped electric boats dotting the water in every direction- as
ubiquitous and charming as the gondolas of Venice.

"Gould 0738" wrote in message
...
Ohm My! Watt Fun!

snip

Way of the future....I hope. When I give up sailing these boats sound
about right. Lot of batteries to ship though.