Minnesota is widely known to be the Land of 10,000 Lakes, and there are probably just as many reasons why we love our amply shore-lined home, ranging from relaxing pleasure cruises to adrenaline-inducing waterskiing. What doesn’t make the list, though? The dirty, sputtering, unreliable boat motors that can quickly turn an enjoyable day at the lake into a down-right chore.
In 2005, Scott McMillan purchased one such equipped vessel, The Libertine—a gorgeous, 27-foot classic-American yacht… with a not-so-gorgeous, gasoline-guzzling engine. Fortunately, McMillan not only had a plan to spruce up the aging vessel but an electrical engineering degree and years of technical experience to help him along the way.
Working out of his home studio in Golden Valley, McMillan developed a prototype electric boat motor which was able to attach to an existing propeller shaft. Over the next couple of years, McMillan perfected his design, eventually outfitting The Libertine with a compact, fully-encased electric motor capable of leisurely jaunts around the lake during sunny afternoons as well as head-long bursts of speed should the unpredictable thunderstorm crop up.
The benefits of going electric were unmistakable to McMillan. Instead of yelling over the roar of an engine and peering through plumes of chemical-laced exhaust, his family was now able to appreciate the sights and sounds of the lake—the real reason that they were out there in the first place. Moreover, McMillan’s new “greener” motor was virtually maintenance free, recharged while under sail, and was cheaper than most gas or diesel alternatives.
With so many undeniable advantages, McMillan decided to share his design and officially incorporated Electric Yacht in 2007. He’s since developed three sizes of motors which range from 5kW to 20kW and cater to vessels spanning 25–40 feet in length, as well as two hybrid designs which serve to supplement existing gas-fueled engines. With three available battery types—including flooded, AGM and lithium options—Electric Yacht is able to cater to a variety of budgets, and offer earth-friendly ancillary charging units which can harness either solar or wind power for longer trips.
So what’s stopping consumers from making the big switch? Well, first of all, “no one wants to be the first guy on the block to do it,” surmises Bill Tomlinson, Electric Yacht’s marketing director. “They want to see how it goes for other people before getting their own feet wet,” he says. Fortunately for Tomlinson, the growing popularity of electric motors in the automobile industry has quelled much of that apprehension, raising hopes that this will ultimately translate into increased confidence in the marine market as well.
Another issue is the simple fact that the marine world is an admittedly niche market, with an even smaller inland clientele base. “Only about 10 percent of the boats out there [on Minnesota lakes] are large enough to be suitable for one of our replacements,” explains Tomlinson, “and you have to consider how many of those are needing replacement at any given time—then you get a better picture of what we’re dealing with.”
But although coastal markets do admittedly offer a larger target demographic and represent a good portion of their business, McMillan continues to focus on making our local lakes a greener place, too. Electric Yacht has received a warm welcome at local boat shops and marinas like Joe’s Marine Services and the Shorewood Yacht Club—both of whom offer product information and support, and even assist with installments.
Mike Maloney, club manager at the yacht club, sports an electric motor on his own personal vessel and has nothing but good things to say about his experiences. “It’s convenient, the ease of use is great,” details Maloney, “and the ecology of it… well, we sail because it’s quiet and it really lets us get back to that.”
And making the switch for any one of those reasons means great things not only for customers, but for Minnesota and the conservation of our infamous lakes. As McMillian and Tomlinson agree, you’ve just “yacht to be green.”
