Going Green

I would like to have the option of either using a 40hp.gasoline outboard motor, or two 20hp.electric outboard motors, or the twin electrics in combination with the gasoline outboard.
I was wondering if the three outboards could be mounted and wired to the same console. I suppose the twin electrics would have separate ignition keys.

I would like to mount the outboards on a 31 ft. trailer-able Houseboat.

Has anyone seen this configuration?

Does anyone know a shop in Texas that could handle this work?

 

Goggle it and get ready to have a wallet wide open.

 

I do not see what is "green" about this configuration, massive battery banks to get only a hours of run time, for electricity that you have to buy from a fuel burning power plant located somewhere else. And than have a completely redundant gasoline system on top.

You might take the gasoline engine and convert to run on propane. Propane costs about half as much as gasoline, burns very clean and puts out about 20 percent less carbon, it will have lower maintenance, lower weight and total lower cost than you proposed duel redundant electric/gasoline set-up. It will save much weight and room in the boat, and be safer than either a large battery bank or a gasoline fuel tank.

 

Petros!

Thank you for your input. I know the Postal Service converted many of their trucks to propane. I'm sure it would work on a little houseboat. The next two concerns will be;
(1) gauging the size of a tank or tanks based on the projected range of the tank's capacity, and identifying sources of propane in the areas traveled.
(2) Finding qualified mechanics in Texas that can make the conversion.
Again, I really appreciate your ingenuity.

 

there are lots of places that will do a propane converion for you, try a google search, even the old fasioned yellow pages. If no luck than contact the local propane suppliers in your area (there will be quite a few since most rual housholds and all BBQ and campers, motorhoms,etc use them for heat and cooking), and ask them if they know who does vehchile and small engine conversions.

I did my own conversion on my 10 hp generator from a kit I bought mail order, not difficult but you need to know your way around an engine/carburator. the crappy federal ethnol/gasoline blend kept corroding my generator's carb so it would not run when the power is out (which is why I have the darn thing). We already have a 500 gal propane tank on our property (we live on acreage in a rural area), so I figured I would solve the corrosion problem by switching to propane, and have a lot of fuel avaialbe when I need it. It also will lower the maintenance on the engine, reduce pollution and as a bonus, we only pay about $1.60 a gallon to have the propane delivered in bulk qualities to our house. now I want to convert all our cars to run on it too!

the fuel has about 10 percent less energy by volume so you just size your tanks by the gallon and figure in the extra fuel needed. the easiest set up would be to use standard size tank as used on BBQ and campers, so you can remove them and swap them out at a convenience store if necessary (costly way to buy propane but simple) or take the tanks to a suppler and have them refilled.

 

Petro!

Thanks for pointing me in the right direction.