Scout Boats Launch Electric/Outboard Hybrid Boat

by www.boating-industry.com/Sail-World Cruising on 22 Oct 2007 The Race is on. Every week there is a new innovation by a commercial firm towards a greener and more environmentally friendly marine world. This week, Scout Boats Inc. have developed a fiberglass hybrid boat, the 145 Hybrid, which can function all day if starting with full batteries, and has a supporting outboard motor as well.

The company reported in a recent statement, 'Scout is an energy conscious company and we strive to create increased fuel efficiency with our model designs.' While this company concentrates on boats at the smaller end of the scale (14-29 feet), it is hopefully the sign of things to come.

Scout Boats President Steve Potts stated, 'We are also the first to market with many new innovations. The 145 Hybrid is no exception. It garnered rave reviews from not only our dealer network at its debut, but also from the editorial staff that attended our media day. We currently have a 16’ version in the works as well.'

Developed in conjunction with Lenco Marine, the 145 has a 20hp Yamaha outboard flanked by Lenco dual 36-volt drives. The drives are controlled with a joystick mounted at the helm, which ultimately replaces the steering wheel on this model, according to Scout. The model’s drives can run up to 8 hours on a full battery charge. The model has three 30-amp bank battery chargers for its deep cycle batteries.

The new 145 by Scout offers many of the same features as the original 145, such as a side console, bench cushion, thwart seat and bilge pump, the company pointed out. Options on the 145 Hybrid include side rails, tempress seats, aluminum bimini top and a stainless steel base plate.

 SPECIFICATIONS

Length Overall:…………………………………………… 14’5”
Beam:…………………………………………………….. 6’6”
Dry Weight w/o Engines (approx):……………………… ....730 lbs.
Deadrise:………………………………………………….. 11 degrees
Maximum Horsepower (Yamaha Outboard):…………......... 20 hp
Draft:………………………………………………………. 8”

For more information or to find a dealer near you, refer to the Scout Boats Website