"Ed" wrote in
:

Also, hybrid boats have been around a long time... they are called
bass boats... most have a 100-275 outboard and a trolling motor or 2
for slow/quiet operation. I saw one yesterday in a sensitive "no
combustible zone" yesterday in the keys... big engine up and off with
the trolling motor engaged....and the cops left him alone.




There was a pontoon boat going up the river last month that I thought was
perfect for today. Everyone on the pontoon boat was "in the shade" under a
HUGE solar array about 7' over the deck and extending out over the water
maybe another 18 inches. I don't know if it folded or came apart on the
trailer as I never saw them haul it out.

It cruised by so quiet I would have missed it had not one of the neighbor's
boys spotted it and dragged me out to have a look. IT WAS ELECTRIC! The
panels were HUGE!...bigger than the deck by 3' on all sides! I assumed the
large box in front of the "center console" was full of storage batteries,
not a beer cooler. I saw two rudders trailing the pontoons and it also
looked like that's where the propulsion motors were driving it from...TWIN
SCREWS! I couldn't see the controls "in the shade" on the console to see
if he had twin throttles, but I assume he did, making docking ops a pure
pleasure.

It was doing about 8-9 knots going upriver and I didn't see it when it came
back. There were about 7 people aboard totally disinterested in propulsion
systems. No wake and no noise. Amazing...

Run out of fuel? Let her float in the sun...IT'S PARTY TIME!