A Clever Electric Gizmo Might Actually Get Me Back on a Boat
Image Credit: Remigo.
Today is a first for me - we are diving into waters I don't usually chart. You know me, I'm usually found tinkering with something that has two or four wheels and aspirations of silent, electric speed, or perhaps even wings. But an outboard motor? The last time I was on a small boat, it involved a very unfortunate incident with a rogue wave and my favorite sunglasses. Let's just say the ocean now has better eyewear than I do.
But when an electric outboard waltzes onto the scene, looking like it traveled from the future, and it's light enough that even I could probably lug it around without needing to call my chiropractor, well, my typing fingers get twitchy. So, let's talk about the RemigoOne, because apparently, making your dinghy an e-boat is the new black.
Image Credit: Remigo.
This sleek little number hails from Slovenia, which, if you didn't know, is a rather lovely spot. They launched this gadget back in 2021 and have been collecting awards like they're going out of style. And I can see why. It's got that all-in-one form factor that just screams "user-friendly." The RemigoOne isn't just another electric whirly thing you attach to your transom; it's designed to be elegant.
The RemigoOne tips the scales at about 32 pounds for the whole shebang. The dual-clamp transom mounting bracket, which sounds terribly technical but is basically the bit that hugs your boat, is designed to stay on the boat. This means the motor part, the bit you actually carry, is a more manageable 26.5 pounds. See? Almost gym-bag weight. Almost.
Image Credit: Remigo.
This electric contraption delivers 1,000 watts of power. For comparison, its pint-sized cousin, the ePropulsion eLite (which is admittedly lighter at 14.7 pounds without its bracket), offers 500 watts. So, the RemigoOne is basically the eLite's older, beefier sibling who hit the gym. This translates to spinning its propeller up to 1,200 rpm and potentially nudging your vessel to a blistering top speed of… wait for it… 5.8 mph! Okay, okay, it's not exactly going to win you any speedboat races, but for pottering about silently, that's rather lovely. Plus, its slim 2-inch housing is designed to slice through water with minimal drag.
The real magic, as with all things electric, is in the battery. The RemigoOne has a 1,085-Wh lithium-ion battery neatly tucked into its watertight, marine-grade aluminum body. Remigo estimates you can get up to 30 nautical miles (that's about 34.5 regular miles) if you're just moseying along in Eco mode at just over 2 mph. If you're feeling a bit more adventurous and bump it up to the 3.5-mph cruise speed, you're looking at about 14 nautical miles (around 16 miles). Go full throttle at nearly 6 mph, and you'll get about 5 nautical miles (5.75 miles) before you need to think about plugging it in. These are manufacturer estimates, of course, and your mileage will vary depending on whether your boat is a svelte little tender or if you've loaded it with a picnic basket the size of a small car. You know how it is.
Image Credit: Remigo.
Charging this aquatic marvel takes about six hours with the standard AC charger. If you're impatient, like yours truly, when waiting for a kettle to boil, there's a fast charger that halves that time, and a 12V DC charger will do the trick in 10 to 12 hours, sipping power from your car. Just don't blame me if you drain your car battery trying to charge your boat battery.
One rather neat feature is its height-adjustable shaft system. It can be tweaked between 15 and 23 inches, which Remigo says covers the gamut from small to extra-large shafts offered by competitors. So, it's a bit of a one-size-fits-most solution for boats up to 25 feet long. Starting it is as simple as pushing a button, and you can steer it manually with the tiller, which also has a four-position adjustable trim. Easy peasy.
Image Credit: Remigo.
As if it wasn't already trying to win a congeniality award, Remigo recently unveiled a remote control for this gizmo. Now, you can adjust the throttle from anywhere on your tiny vessel, feeling like a true captain, even if your kingdom is only 15 feet long. This clever clicker can be wrist-tethered or docked right into the tiller for one-handed steering and speed control. It connects wirelessly via WLAN, which is apparently more robust than Bluetooth, offering a range of up to 49 feet. That's plenty for the small boats this is designed for, unless you plan on steering from the dock while your boat makes a solo voyage. (Please don't.)
The remote also has a rather sensible Man Overboard (MOB) feature. If you happen to take an unscheduled dip with the remote in hand, it cuts the motor power. Thoughtful, isn't it? The remote itself is waterproof (obviously) and has its own rechargeable battery good for about 12 hours of use.
Image Credit: Remigo.
What's the damage for this slice of electric marine paradise? The RemigoOne outboard itself will set you back $2,999 in the US. The nifty new remote control is an extra $239. It's not pocket change, I know, but then again, silent, emission-free boating with a motor you can actually carry? That's got a certain appeal, even for a land-lover like me who usually prefers her electric power with at least two wheels. It's certainly a step up from oars, and a lot less shouty than a traditional two-stroke.
