Electric Paddle Boats
The best of both worlds
Doing the research before buying a paddle boat will perhaps reveal to you that they are good for a few things, in two different ways. The basic uses of a paddle boat break down to three general activities; casual fishing, lounging on the water, and getting a little exercise. However, for the first of these two, you may want to completely evade the third, but still retain the option from time to time. Enter the electric paddle boat, a sizeable step up from the easy living you already get from a standard paddle boat.
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Cost benefit analysis: The verdict Granted, the inclusion of a powerful and efficient electrical motor that operates underwater will increase the price of any paddle boat, all else equal, but so goes technological advancement. Would you like to deny the elderly or infirm members of your lake party the enjoyment of a trip on the paddle boat by citing an additional 200 dollars in cost? For early morning, casual fishing on the lake, it doesn't make a whole lot of sense to get out your small motorboat or even a canoe. Simply push the lightweight paddle boat in the water and hop in. For these purposes, you can focus on not spilling your coffee, catching breakfast, and enjoying the cool morning with your fishing partner. Plus, having contingent plans for getting yourself to shore in a motor boat require you to lug at least two huge oars everywhere you go. Should you run out of juice on the lake in an electric paddle boat, you just have to muster a little strength and pedal yourself home. Electricity to the rescue And who hasn't been completely done in by a headwind while trying to make it to shore in a paddle boat? Perhaps you think, "I'll just pedal a little harder," then are foiled by physics and the limitations of the size of your paddle boat's paddlewheel. All paddle boats have a top speed determined not by wattage input, but by the size and number of paddles in the water. With an electric paddle boat, this doesn't really change, but at least you aren't frantically attempting the impossible. Plus, often electric paddle boats are designed to have more paddles in the water at a time, giving you a power advantage when using the motor or your own efforts. |
Some may argue that an electric paddle boat takes some of the charm out of the classic paddle boating experience. We suppose they're right, and we will note that the same argument can question the value of calculators, gear differentials, mobile telephones, and the food processor. Much like crunching numbers, leveraging power, constant connectivity, and milling food, we'd prefer to have the option of whether to pedal or not.