Scout 145 Hybrid Boat
A while back I blogged about the DSe Hybrid yacht, a cruising motor-boat that used electric motors coupled with a pair of small diesel generators and a bank of batteries and solar panel array. The boat could steam along under diesel or electric power alone and provide power indefinitely for living “on the hookâ€.
If you don’t have a need for a large cruising motor yacht but still want to feel like your doing your part for the environment – not to mention save a bundle on gas – the Scout 145 Hybrid has just hit the market. The small skiff uses a 20 hp outboard to run at planning speeds but it also has a pair of Lenco Marine 36-volt Troll’n Tab electric motors fed by a bank of three 30 Amp deep cycle batteries. The boat can reportedly scoot along at displacement speeds for up to 8 hours on a full charge and features joy stick steering for the electric drives which could greatly reduce stress during docking.
I guess any small sport fishing boat fitted with Troll’n Tabs would technically be a hybrid; however, this is the first time that such a boat has been sold as a package. Additionally, the Lenco system seems a lot more practical for use as auxiliary propulsion. With gas prices expected to continue to rise and environmental concerns looming large in the horizon, let’s hope that boat manufacturers come up with more innovative ideas like this that could keep boat enthusiast like us on the water while helping preserve out fragile and valuable resources.
