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NEW YORK - Retire the filthy two-stroke outboard motor hanging off the back of your boat and go green(er) with an electric motor so small it fits in a backpack.
The Torqeedo Base Travel 401 electric motor featured at the New York National Boat Show is just the thing for dinghies or small sailboats. The 12-volt motor uses a lithium-manganese battery that provides one hour of travel. When the battery dies, simply remove it from the motor for recharging or bring the whole motor with you - it weighs just 25 pounds.
West Marine is showing off the Torqeedo at the "Go Green" expo at the boat show, where guys like Brad Ries are offering tips and demonstrations on eco-friendlier boating.
"Today it's easy to minimize your impact on the environment while maximizing the performance of you boat," he says. Beyond switching to electric power, Ries says keeping your bilge clean, installing trim tabs, and using a prop with the right pitch can increase efficiency and minimize pollution.
POST UPDATED 12:10 p.m. PST.
Photos by Torqeedo.
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