16 Great Small Boats With Electric Motors (With Examples)

Did you know you don’t have to choose a boat that relies on fossil fuels? That’s right.

You can go full electric, full solar, or a hybrid between the two!

Here are some great boats with electric motors to get you started!

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If you’re in the market for a small boat, there’s a whole ocean of choices out there for you.

1. Aquawatt 550 Elliniko

The Aquawatt 550 Elliniko isn’t the fastest boat on the planet, only reaching speeds up to 20 mph. This is the case with most electric boats, it seems, but it’s a small price to pay to save the environment (and your wallet, considering today’s gas prices).

Despite the slower speeds as compared with combustible motors, the Aquawatt 550 Elliniko is as reliable as a gasoline-powered vessel.

It’s an excellent choice for those looking for a day of leisure on the water.

The Elliniko also has plenty of storage and passenger space. The navigation co*ckpit boasts of a large center console for the captain and there’s a removable mattress in the bow area. There’s a self-draining anchor locker in this area as well. There are also four watertight lockers available for extra sleeping bags, first aid, or other provisions.

Considering Speed

Twenty miles per hour isn’t actually all that slow when compared to most electric boats on the market today, to be fair. Is it a lot slower than traditional combustible engines that use gasoline? Absolutely.

But the Elliniko is one of the fastest electric boats available to the public at the moment.

2. Aquawatt RIB

If you want to go a little faster than the last model’s 20 miles per hour, then take the Aquawatt RIB for a 30 miles per hour spin. It’s an inflatable electric boat with a stylish and durable fiberglass bottom. This means that transporting this boat from your home to the dock should be a lot easier on your back than a tradition non-inflatable vessel.

The Aquawatt RIB is an amazing electric boat for recreational days on the water, especially if you’re trying to reduce your carbon footprint! It can handle four to six adult passengers, so it’s perfect for family outings. There’s nothing quite like a picnic on the water to create some great memories with your children or spouse.

Of course, this is also a wonderful option for someone who likes to have the occasional co*cktail party with friends or coworkers out on the harbor.

This boat could quickly be a great opportunity to network with colleagues or clients, helping you to build working relationships steeped in fun memories!

There are three different models of the electric Aquawatt RIB.

You can buy them in 12-foot hulls, 14-foot hulls, or 16-foot hulls. Choose the model that best suits your needs. Are you thinking you might need less room, as it will usually only be you and/or your family on the boat? Or do you think you might want to bring a family friend or two?

Maybe you might want to host a small party every so often?

Passengers: 4-6 persons
Weight: Depending on model
Battery: Lithium ION 80 V 160 Ah

3. Duffy 18’ Snug Harbor

This electric-powered boat can seat a full eleven passengers, which means this is the electric boat you want to take out for a nice party on the water.

Its top speed is only 6 mph, however, so make sure if you go far, you allow yourself enough time to get back to shore if you have other appointments that day.

At cruising speed, this vessel’s battery will last a full seven and a half hours! At top speed, it dips to three and a half hours, however. Keep this in mind while you’re on the water and make sure to conserve your battery.

The total distance that you can travel on this battery power is about 17 miles.

Considering the battery life and the speed, this electric boat would probably be best used on a small lake or large pond on your property. Even using it in a harbor where the coast is never far from view would be advisable. This isn’t a boat you want to take on long, harrowing journeys to discover new worlds, but a boat to enjoy the sun reflecting off the water as you laugh and joke with friends and family.

It’s called “Snug Harbor” for more than one reason.

This vessel has a full enclosure of windows and a very small deck, so don’t think you’ll be using this for a lot of sunbathing (unless you want to try sunbathing through the windows). The good thing about this is that it makes it easy to enjoy your boat in the warmer or colder months, during rainy days or windy ways, because the elements can’t reach you with their full force anymore.

This is truly an all-seasons kind of vessel!

Length: 18′ – 5″
Passengers: 11 persons
Top Speed: 6.0 MPH
Running Time:
@Cruising Speed: 7.5 hours
@Top Speed: 3.5 hours

4. Duffy 22’ Bay Island

This model from Duffy has the most interior space than any of its other models, which means that it would be excellent for overnight camping trips on the water! Wonder why it’s called the Bay Island? Because it’s got a full window enclosure big enough for twelve people! This keeps you shielded from the weather while also giving you a full 360-degree visibility.

It’s exactly like having your very own island out on the water.

Unlike the previous Duffy model we discussed, the Bay Island has an even greater battery life! You not only get to take an extra passenger along for the ride if you like, but you also get almost double the battery life at cruising and top speeds!

You’ll be able to take this model out of view of the coastline without as many reservations or wariness as you had with the Snug Harbor.

Having a greater battery life also means you can go a little further from the coast without needing to worry too much about being stranded with a dead battery (although all Duffy models have a gauge at the navigation station to inform you of your fuel life).

So now you can take your party a step further – literally!

This model will also allow you to use a double battery system, which would enable you to achieve greater speeds. A single battery takes a full twelve hours to recharge, so a twin system would take double that. Keep this in mind when deciding what kind of battery system you’d like with this model.

Length: 22′ – 0″
Passengers: 12 persons
Top Speed: 6.0 MPH
Running Time:
@Cruising Speed: 12.5 hours
@Top Speed: 6.5 hours

5. Duffy 22’ Sun Cruiser

At first glance, this Sun Cruiser might look the same on paper to the Bay Island. It has almost all of the same features as the Bay Island, after all, right down to the hand-polished mahogany steering wheel!

However, this model actually gives you more of a deck! It’s like choosing a giant house with no yard or choosing a slightly smaller house with a patio area.

And just like when choosing a house, you have to ask yourself whether the patio is all that important to you or not. Would you rather have more house instead? Only you can answer that question.

This is a great choice for those boaters who would like to sun themselves while out on the water. Or for those who want to feel the cool sea breeze on their faces while toasting their beloved under the night stars.

Having a deck on your boat is a more pressing question than when you’re deliberating on whether to have an outdoor area in a house. After all, on land, you could just go to your local park to enjoy the open sky.

But on a boat, the only land you have is what you’ve brought along with you!

There’s also seating out on the deck, so you can move away from the rest of the party to have a private conversation if you desire. The Sun Cruiser is the place to be for romantic getaways or a full-on party. It’s all up to you!

Length: 22′ – 0″
Capacity: 12 Adults
Top Speed: 6.0 MPH
Running Time:
@Cruising Speed: 12.5 hours
@Top Speed: 6.5 hours

11 Other Models And Hybrids To Consider

Here are some other electric boats you should check out before you make up your mind:

Aquawatt inboard models with solar power
Nautic Expo center consoles
Nautic Expo runabout boats
Nautic Expo cabin boats
The Frauscher Mirage 740 Air
The Q Yachts Q30 tender
The X Shore Electric Boats (Called “The Tesla of the sea)
The Rand Picnic boats
The Rand Supreme boats
The Rand Leisure boats

Conclusion

There are plenty of electric boats to choose from on the market today, but the trade-off you encounter compared to gas-powered boats is speed.

In the not-so-far-off future, this issue looks as though it will be resolved, however, and boaters will no longer have to choose between speed and reducing their carbon footprint.

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