Last Updated on June 8, 2025
This article explores a fun experiment: combining three electric outboard motors on a 17-foot Boston Whaler. The goal was to see if adding two 12-volt trolling motors to an ePropulsion Spirit 1.0 Plus would increase the boat's speed. It's not a typical setup, but it was an interesting test to see what would happen.
The Setup: Three Motors, One Boat
For this experiment, three different electric motors were used. Each motor had its own power source, making for a unique combination on the water.
- ePropulsion Spirit 1.0 Plus: This is a 3-horsepower electric outboard motor, powered by its own special battery.
- Minn Kota Riptide 55: A 55-pound thrust, 12-volt trolling motor, connected to a Redodo 12.8-volt 100 Ah lithium iron phosphate battery.
- Minn Kota Endura 30: A 30-pound thrust, 12-volt trolling motor, powered by an old 100 Ah lead-acid trolling motor battery.
It's important to note that the boat itself was an old, waterlogged 17-foot Boston Whaler, not exactly built for speed. Plus, the motors weren't set at their ideal depths, and the props were all facing the same direction, which isn't perfect for efficiency. But hey, it was all about having some fun and seeing what these motors could do together.
The Speed Test
The test started with just the ePropulsion motor running at full speed. The boat was going against the wind, and the other two trolling motors were dragging in the water, which probably slowed things down a bit. In this initial run, the boat reached about 3.8 miles per hour.
Then, the two Minn Kota trolling motors were turned on, one after the other, and cranked up to full power. With all three electric outboards running at top speed, the boat's speed increased. The final top speed achieved was 4.8 miles per hour.
Key Takeaways
- Adding the two trolling motors did increase the boat's speed, but not by a huge amount.
- The boat's condition and the motor setup weren't ideal for maximum speed.
- Even with three electric motors, the heavy boat didn't break any speed records.
Final Thoughts
While this experiment might seem a bit silly, it was a fun way to see what happens when you combine different electric motors on a boat. The increase in speed from 3.8 mph to 4.8 mph shows that the extra thrust did help, even if the setup wasn't perfect. It just goes to show that sometimes, it's fun to try things out, even if they're a bit unconventional.
