Bill,<br>Elco is right, an electric motor
computed to be about 3 hp will give you about the same
propulsion as an gas outboard rated at 8 hp. But you can get
an electric motor as big as you like. One propels
the QEII and many other huge seagoing
vessels.Electric motors are never the problem, but batteries can
present problems since their storage capabilities are
limited.<br>You can power the electric motor directly from a
generator,but you would probably want to have some batteries on
board and re-charge them from time to time with the
generator in a hybrid system. It's simple.<br>The
propulsion batteries -- or one or two of them producing 12
volts -- can be used for lights and other accessories,
but it's better to do that separately since it is
useful to keep all the propulsion batteries at the same
level.<br>Electric refrigeration is installed on some manufactured
boats and works well, but these are mostly day boats
used for cocktail cruises in small areas.
Refrigeration on a seagoing vessel would use a lot of battery
power, but if you have a generator on board, I guess it
doesn't matter.<br>The Electric Boat Association
publishes a Buyers' Guide every year that provies names of
companies which make stuff for electric boats. Others are
linked to the EBAA
website:<br>www.electricboat.com<br><br>Hope this helps even though it's a tardy response to
your questions.<br><br>Ken Matthews<br>EBAA