Glen-L.com

I want to build an "electric powered" pontoon boat. I am considering using either Glen-l's "E Gato" or "La Chatte" sailboat plans as my base boat. I am leaning towards the E Gato as I am going to use a 5 x 10 Utility trailer equipped with a frame to hold the pontoons.

1- has anyone ever attempted this .
2- what would be your opinion of doing this
3-I plan to drive her at "hull speed" and would like your opinion of constructing the aft portion of the pontoons like the leading edges(ex make them pointy on both ends-trying to reduce drag).
4-mounting the motor centered on rear of deck- May use a Torqueedo - any comments on how this would be as far as turning/steering the boat using this configuration..
5-And extending the deck a little further forward. I do not know how this may effect her balance and how this may effect the trim.

I appreciate any assistance you may be able to offer to enlighten me with this idea.

Welcome brucet.

What do you want to do with the boat?

What I'm concerned with these designs is that they weren't meant to carry much weight, just the people and maybe a small cooler.

If you want seating,gear(cooler,grille,whatever else on a pontoon for enjoyment) and more than the 1-2 for the L Gato or 2-4 for the La Chatte, you will not have the carrying capacity.

How about the Huck Finn series?:
https://www.boatdesigns.com/16-28-Huck- ... ducts/169/

They have the capacity.

Gran Chillin is building one for possible electric use:

viewtopic.php?f=4&t=8750

_________________
Boat building can best be defined as an endless series of
tragedies obscured by the occasional miracle, followed by a good bottle of beer.

Don't Dream Your Life, Live Your Dream

I do not want to build a party barge,just something the wife and I can cruise around on protected water on. Maybe use it to wet a fishing line at times. I may model this crafts deck using some of the ideas that the Aston Boatworks have with their pontoon boat.

I want to build it in wood, not any type of metal. Would install some type of seating and maybe a cooler. Also I am intrigued by Torqeedo claim that you can run their 503 model outboard on a solar cell at approx 2.5 knots. See copied and pasted statement below.

"On the move - speed, range, run time
Using the solar charger, Travel and Ultralight models do not need a mains power outlet any longer – so you can be on the move all day long. The solar charger provides a power of 45 W. Due to the record-level efficiency of Torqeedo outboards this is sufficient to run continuously just from solar power. On a dinghy, you can expect a free-solar speed of about 2.2 mph, in a kayaks you can run even over 2.5 mph."

I may start calling of this a "slow speed solar power cat" rather than a pontoon boat.

Hope this may give folks a little better idea of what I am considering doing. I am a tinkerer of sorts. And I enjoy doing something differant.

The Torqeedo motor is very interesting....I've never seen one in use ,but been to their site and seen them in the stores.

Keep us posted on what you do!

_________________
Boat building can best be defined as an endless series of
tragedies obscured by the occasional miracle, followed by a good bottle of beer.

Don't Dream Your Life, Live Your Dream

brucet,

I'm sorry I'm late on this, but I think I know just what you are after. I have been thinking about a smaller toon also. I will share my thoughts later today.

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A secret to a good marriage is to have a quick mind and a slow mouth!!!

Bruce,

I don't see why the two sailboat plans wouldn't work for your needs, but if a smaller pontoon is what you are after I would suggest using the Huck Finn plans. They are all built the same way. You add one bulkhead per 4' or in the case of my center pontoon, you remove a bulkhead.



It is 12' long and ever sense I built it I have been thinking that two of them would make a great two person pontoon. The main deck would be 8' long and the width could be adjusted from 8' wide to say 6'. I'm thinking 7'. There again you could build the deck framing to 8' wide, float it and go from there.

I have read a little about the Torqeedo motor and it should do just fine on any of these hulls. Tell us more about what you had in mind about size, etc. What ever you decide to built keep us posted and remember pictures.

_________________
A secret to a good marriage is to have a quick mind and a slow mouth!!!

Grand Chillin,

Your idea has much promise. Thanks for the tip. The good folks at Glen -L say they would be concerned that my electric outboard may cavitate on the sailboat designs and also recommened the Huck Finn idea.

I want to have it be right around 12 feet long and from 6 to 7 feet wide. Want to use an existing trailer and these sizes would fit well. I am considering filling the pontoons with foam except for the storage area's. I want to use the Torqueedo because of the weight savings. May purchase a second battery pack and /or the solar panel to allow me extra range with a much lower weight than conventional battery's. Big speed not a concern for me.

I would like to design the seating(side by side or front to back not decided yet) and maybe a small "on deck" box for lines and other stuff. A small console next to seat(s) for controls,steering and depth sounder etc. The solar panel may just be installed on a bimini top. Parts of deck and hand rails may end up being made of some pretty wood. I may borrow the Adirondick chair idea from the Aston Boatworks pontoon. I know I could purchase one of the many "Mini Toons" that are for sale - but I like to build things myself. It has cost me a lot more at times, but I get some satisfation from doing with my own hands. And I end up with something no one else has that is the same as others. And I like WOOD.

Still all this stuff is in my head and now that you have shown me a pontoon configuration that seems to fit better than what I have been considering. I think I need to start to put together a more detailed plan, that includes some idea of cost etc. I am a retired Project Manager and have this "thing about having a plan..." to follow.

Thanks again,

Bruce in Va.

Bruce,

It sounds like you are on the same path I was a couple of years ago. I was thinking about buying a 14' x 7' aluminum bolt together pontoon kit. That is until I dicovered Glen-L. While the Ashton boat looks like a nice ride, it is still a nice wood deck on aluminum pontoons.

You also sound like me as far as wanting a plan to go by. The main deck is Rectangular so get some graph paper and start drawing.

_________________
A secret to a good marriage is to have a quick mind and a slow mouth!!!