Big News from Yeargin?

[ClemsonDave]

Let me share why I am so excited about this. We don't even have electricity at our private lake, but that does not matter.

This is an engineering/technical exercise! Try not to get caught up in the little details. Look a the big picture! I am FAR from the greenest person out there. I would never own an electric car at this point. However, look how far battery/motor technology has come in the past 10 years. Where do you think it will be in the next 10 years? What if they could make an electric boat last for a dozen sets? What if it was quick to recharge? What if the batteries were very light weight? I believe that is where the public demand is and thus that is where technology will push towards.

I also would not go assuming Nautique spent all their R&D dollars into this. I honestly have no clue, but if PCM develops a new motor, I doubt Nautique flips the bill. There is another company that developed the motors, trans, etc. I am just SUPER proud that CC stood up and wanted to be a big part in the process (no matter how involved).

Will an electric boat be for everyone? Nope. But if it does all the things I mentioned above, I sure would consider it.

[MattieK27]

My thoughts...

Hmmm, admittedly its easier to make an electric and/or hybrid wakeboard boat design because weight doesnt hurt performance like a ski specific boat, but to me Epic has a much better solution:

http://23e.epicboats.com/

The other point about the Epic 23e is it is currently available for purchase, not just a R&D pipe dream.

I wonder how they made that 196, seeing as how Bill said in his Q&A that the older boats were made differently and it wasnt possible to produce them on their current line...

At the end of the day maybe I'm just jaded with what has become Nautique after getting a ridiculous quote for a new boat, but this hardly qualifies as a "big anouncement" to me. Nice to see the 196 back from the dead though.

[CAN'TSKI]

The electric boat makes a lot more sense to me than one of those "Take a good look at me I will be dead soon!!" tiny little electric cars. My jet ski is bigger than those things. I'm driving down the road readin PlanetNautique in an F-250 with a deer launcher that weighs more than those cars, and they call it a "smart car"?

[swc5150]

Whoa, that Epic hybrid is slick. That was my guess for today's announcement. Anyone know what kind of scratch Epic dings you for that option?

[Plave]

- Based on the pics, call me crazy, but is that a v-drive of some kind? Can't understand how they have that setup, engines near the v-drive on current boats. I got some late-hour news about this that indicated a flat floor, no engine hump. I see they raised the floor way up toward the stern, I just expected it to be completely flat.

- Any ideas on weight? My guess is that CC engineering would insist it not be heavier than a 196 with a standard powerplant.

The weight with the current technology of batteries would be very similar to the weight of a gas powered 196 but the big different would be weight distribution.

All the weight wouldn't have to be in one place so while the actual motors may be in a V drive position the bulk of the weight could be spread through the floor and dispersed more.

[MattieK27]

Whoa, that Epic hybrid is slick. That was my guess for today's announcement. Anyone know what kind of scratch Epic dings you for that option?

For some reason I remember seeing a $12x,xxx msrp, but I cannot seem to find it now. You can always contact Billy at Smith's Enterprises (http://www.smithsenterprise.com/boats.html) for more info, they had a 23e.

[Shooter]

Not impressed. Epic's electric has been out for a few years. I heard it runs in the 140k range.

[Erik]

Not impressed. Epic's electric has been out for a few years. I heard it runs in the 140k range.

Not since their big change in manufacturer. It's 150k.

Whoa, that Epic hybrid is slick. That was my guess for today's announcement. Anyone know what kind of scratch Epic dings you for that option?

Very close to $150,000 with "pie in the sky" hopes to get it to 75 in 5 years.

[MARK-S]

Electric cars also

Have gas engines.

[east tx skier]

I can't tell if you're serious or not. Are you actually writing this off or are you kidding?
From my vantage point, it is a big deal. It's a first of its kind. No it isn't something more tangible *right now*, but writing this off, well I guess I just don't understand why one would do that. If you're serious.

I think it's cool, too. I'm sure there were plenty that scoffed at the fiberglass ski boat hull back in the 1960s. Kudos to CC for continuing to be industrious and innovative.

[SNMike]

I think it's cool, too. I'm sure there were plenty that scoffed at the fiberglass ski boat hull back in the 1960s. Kudos to CC for continuing to be industrious and innovative.

I concur! It's coming, sooner than later I would think...........and the best part is, for now, at least I pray God, this is still America, and if you don't want it, you don't have to buy it.

Congrats Bill and ALL at CC!! You too SR!! >;-)

Mikey

[swc5150]

Not impressed. Epic's electric has been out for a few years. I heard it runs in the 140k range.

Wow!! You'd have to own it a LONG time to make up the fuel savings. Even at $12k for the upgrade, that's 3,700 gallons of gas at our local price (for now). I didn't even go through 200 gallons last summer, but that's just me of course. I read somewhere that one would have to drive a Prius around 250,000 miles to break even on the additional cost / fuel savings?

At the end of the day, I guess I expected something one could purchase, with all the buzz the original announcement made. Heck, PN guys have been talking about Andy running shortline behind an electric 196 for a while now.

[maxpower220]

This isn't 1960, we have a lot of technology available so that companies don't waste a lot of R&D $$$ on full scale designs. Especially when those designs are not ready for sell. If you are showing what you plan to do in 5-7 years, as a business you really have to look at the market and the economy. This would have been totally awesome in 2006. R&D is paid now, not in the future.

I am all for out of the box thinking. I am not "green", but we do own a Fusion Hybrid. I do like getting 45-50 mpg around town: not to save the planet, but to save the my wallet.

Based on battery type and charge time, I would guess that time is based on 220, 110 will take longer. However, there may be fewer batteries and thus a shorter charge time.

[Shooter]

"when fully charged this is equivalent to eight gallons of gas accommodating up to four slalom skiers during a session"

I don't ski, how much time is four sessions? (2 hrs?)

Let's do the math (feel free to correct my numbers)

Normal fuel burn for the gas version= 4 gph
Fuel cost= $4 gal
Estimated price increase= $50k

You would need to put over 3,000
hours on the boat before you would make a savings and I didn't even factor in cost of power or additional required maintenance.

[CAN'TSKI]

First reaction: Big Whoop...Way to be politically correct. 30 minutes later I want one of these NOW!!! My son could practice on a lake in town that only allows electric boats. That would be incredible for us!
How dangerous is having an electric power plant in a boat? Seems like a lot of water around. I'm sure some of you technical guys can answer this.