Plaka Boat with Torqeedo Electric Outboardby Rob Hills

Plaka Boat

Durability

Purchased March 2009 (now 5YO), hung on Davits for most of its life.

Positive:

Fishhook proofSharp rock proofMade in WA (so warranty issues easier?)

Negative:

Can go a little soft in heat (some buckling on davits - reversible)Sand abrasion on bottomFloor carpet has disintegrated over past 12 months or soAccess ports have cracked (UV) and been replaced once

Stowability

Positive:

Rigidity makes stowing on Davits possibleRigidity makes handling easier (eg lifting via halyard)

Negative:

Can't be folded or compacted in any way

Stability

Positive:

Extremely stable, can stand on pontoon while it is afloat

Negative:

None that I can think of

Rowability

Positive:

Quite easily rowed or paddled - we have short paddles that we use in preference to oarsFull-size, timber oars included (stowed within pontoon)

Negative:

Extracting oars can be tricky in any chop without flooding the pontoon!

Usability

Positive:

Rigidity + smooth plastic means it slides on sand more easily than inflatablesRigidity means it is more easily driven than inflatablesQuite good storage inside thwart - out of sight and quite well protected from moisture

Negative:

Heavier (Not on website, but 50-60kg from memory)Nowhere to store anchor for ready deployment (though after-market accessory available)

Affordability

Website price $2,200We expect it to last much longer than our Zodiac did

Torqeedo Electric OutboardWe bought ours from Eco Boats in NSW, no WA agent/distributor yet that I've heard of.

Durability

Positive:

Waterproof to 1m (IP67)!Propeller well protected by skegAll components seem good quality and relatively resistant to corrosionCan easily be stowed inboard (see below) to reduce salt/UV attackYou can quickly remove the tiller and take it with you (help reduce risk of theft).Clever electrics protect battery (charge/discharge) and propeller (stops motor if prop obstructed)Electric motor is not adversely affected by short trips/cold running like Internal Combustionengines are

Negative:

Plastic will deteriorate in WA's strong UV (some evidence already)We have broken one skeg (dropping leg sideways onto skeg) Replacement cost: $39.00 (+ $19p&p)

Stowability

Positive:

No petrol/oil smell so can stow in the cabin!Breaks down to 3 major components, (tiller: featherweight, Battery: 4.5kg, motor 9.5kg), eacheasily carried with one hand.

Negative:

Connecting main power wire (to battery) can be fiddly - easily cross-threaded

Stability

Positive:

Heaviest component is the motor which is in front of the propeller so acts like a keel weight!

Negative:

None that I can think of

Usability

Positive:

Equivalent power to 3hp petrol outboard - this is not a trolling motorEasy to start - push the button and twist the grip! Kaye only ever managed to start our Honda 5hponce despite many determined attempts.Easy transition from forward to reverse (twist right for forwards, left for backwards)Can run dead-slow or stop-start without fiddling with gears/stalling, meaning much simplerapproach to Mothership transomQuiet!Not smelly!No need for Outboard fuel/oil on your yacht!Easily charged from vessel's 12V systemTiller LCD display incorporates a GPS receiver and tells you current battery capacity, power usage,speed and remaining time at current speed and capacity.Charge management built in to the Lithium battery, so self-protecting and idiot-proof!Only "service" is a fresh-water hose down after use

Negative:

Range Anxiety! On our last cruise to Rockingham, we used it for 4 days without charging, tripsto/from shore and other boats, at the end, the battery was only 25% discharged (ie 75% capacityremaining). Tiller display makes power consumption simple to manage. Also, bigger batteriesand/or Solar panel available as options;Battery discipline - we usually pull the battery on board for top-up recharging between dinghy tripsto ensure it remains as close as possible to fully charged at all times;Motor management "smarts" mean you need to memorise your error codes so you can diagnosewhy the motor has stopped and fix the problem (eg rope/seaweed caught on propeller);You may have to beef up your house battery charging system if it is already marginal (depending onhow much you use your tender).

Affordability

$2595 + $49 delivery to WA (for higher-power Travel 1003, short shaft)

Expensive! Yes, but...

No annual servicing costsNo fuel costsI believe total cost over 10 years would probably work out similar to that of a good-quality 3HP

petrol Outboard

SummaryWould we buy this combination again?Plaka Boat: probably, but we'd likely look at other polyethylene designs as well.

Torqeedo: Absolutely.