u/lumpytrout

Is this 256 foot Douglas Fir located on camp that sold off their development rights so it will remain protected. It's amongst a group of other very big trees including a 240 foot cedar.

We have an unusual setup, which called for an unusual solution: electric boating turned out to be the perfect fit.

​Our waterfront property has a boat ramp, but no vehicle access for launching. That meant we needed a vessel with a specific set of tradeoffs:

​Big enough to take friends out, but light enough to launch with a hand cart.

​Sturdy enough to handle Puget Sound chop, but quiet enough for easy conversation while exploring coves.

​Fast enough for dinner runs and local errands, without needing a high-speed wave-pounder.

​Reliable and efficient, with practical, real-world range.

​We landed on a tough-as-nails 1955 DuraCraft 14-foot aluminum runabout, paired with a Torqeedo Cruise 3.0 (24V) and a 150Ah lithium battery. My initial instinct was to go with a 10hp-equivalent ePropulsion outboard, but I quickly realized the battery bank required for that output was completely impractical for a 14-foot boat.

​At first, I had major range anxiety. I was constantly checking state-of-charge and monitoring consumption. But I soon learned that cruising at a comfortable 4 knots gives us more range than we ever really need. As long as I plug it in overnight, range rarely enters my mind anymore unless we’re heading somewhere brand new.

​Now that our docking and charging setup is dialed in, we can go from the deck to cruising on the water in just a few minutes.

​Despite a few classic beginner mistakes this summer, we learned a ton and had a blast. My fall projects include continuing the DuraCraft’s cosmetic restoration, routine motor maintenance, and building a harness so I can use the 150Ah battery as back-up power for our cabin.

​I’m already counting down the days until next summer.

Hello from Puget Sound

Hairpin modern wire mesh patio set, early 60s? Late 50s?

Still trying to work all of the issues of mounting a new electric motor on a vintage aluminum boat but having a wonderful time figuring it out with perfect weather

A friend of mine posts photos of interesting trees in our area that he runs across. Somehow I thought ya'all treehouse folks would appreciate this one.

I'm in the process of restoring an old aluminum runabout and pairing it with a Torqeedo Cruise 3.0 and a 150amp SOK battery.

These boats became popular after WW2 as they were trying to figure out with to do with machines and materials that had been used for making bombers etc during the war. They are relatively light weight and built like bombers so they are a good choice for pairing with modern electric motors.

It doesn't fly with this setup but it's a lot fun to take a small group of friends out and arriving to a party in style! Hoping to eventually getting it on a solar hookup but it's working great for now.

As if we don't have any Douglas Firs

Im restoring this 1955 all aluminum Duracraft runabout and hooking it up to a 24v 6hp Torqueedo outboard. I will post more as im figuring it out but I wanted to introduce myself and say hi!