Customer Reviews

Electric Boats: The Handbook of Clean, Quiet Boating

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Doug shows us how we can get involved with electric boating for about $500 and 60 hours investment! This is the third book about electric boating I have read, and I expect it will be the last. Doug covers it all and leaves the reader with enough flexability to suit their needs.

This book is an excellent primer on the joys of low impact boating but tends toward science fiction when discussing the physics of electric motors and the batteries that power them. Table 3-1, for example, is a good example of power calculations gone seriously wrong, and serves more to disinform and confuse the reader than explain the true relationships between motor voltages, current draw and thrust. The author's discussion of the calculations in the tables exposes his lack of fundamental understanding even further. Enjoy the book for the nice pictures and descriptions of boats suitable for electric power, but go elsewhere if you wish to understand how the whole system works.

This is a great introduction to the technical and aesthetic aspects of choosing / outfitting / building a quiet, clean boat. I've used the information to put together two electric boats, and have been delighted with the head start on information in one place on battery capacity, battery care, motors, power consumption, propeller and hull performance, etc... As an experienced electrical engineer, I have found some technical weakesses and typos, but overall, this is a great pioneering book that I hope has some worthy successors.

This book was not difficult to understand, provided nice plans for building your own electric boat, and is great when trying to find a means of enjoying the outdoors without destroying the outdoors. The author builds electric boats for a living and knows what he is talking about.

This book covers all the aspects of clean powerful and very much needed electrically powered boats. It is well writen and informative in all stages of building or if you are haveing someone else build it for you, it will help you find needed parts. In short it will leave you with a boat you will not only love, but others will envy.

After several years since its publication, Douglas Little's Handbook is still the best book of its kind. It is a great guide for anyone who wants to learn about electric boating and how to build one for very little money. Electric boats hve been around for 150 years. They are reliable, good for the environment, fun and cheap. They don't spook the animals and birds as they pass. Douglas Little tells us how to get more out of boating with less energy and no pollution. Ken Matthews Executive Director Electric Boat Association of the Americas

This is a great introduction to the technical and aesthetic aspects of choosing / outfitting / building a quiet, clean boat. I've used the information to put together two electric boats, and have been delighted with the head start on information in one place on battery capacity, battery care, motors, power consumption, propeller and hull performance, etc... As an experienced electrical engineer, I have found some technical weakesses and typos, but overall, this is a great pioneering book that I hope has some worthy successors.

This book has to be the best eye opener I've read in about 5 years. Immitation is the sincerest form of flatery. I all but gave up gasoline boating and have built my own electric kayak. (Complete for under 350.00 us dollars.)