Skip to content
Menu
Sustain Surf
  • Resources
  • Club Checklist
  • Health impacts
  • Coastal impacts
  • Contact Us
Sustain Surf

When will we have an electric IRB or jetski?

Posted on February 13, 2022 by admin

The inflatable rescue boat (IRB) has been the workhorse of rescuing and string-line setting work for since the 70’s and not a lot has changed recently. The two-stroke engines commonly used by SLSCs on their IRBs are now banned from sale in Australia, due to their polluting performance. SLS has an exemption of some sort (need a reference) which still allows clubs to have a motor compatible with life saving duties. 4 Stroke motors are typically too heavy to manually handle on and off the beach (the 2 strokes are heavy enough).

Avalon Beach SLSC was where the IRB was invented

Electrification of IRBs will make the motors simpler, and perhaps more resilient to the punishment they get from clubbies. The challenge will be around managing the battery pack. Typically fuel bladders are used in gas powered IRBs which reduces the risk of injury that a normal dingy fuel tank would cause. The same issues apply to the battery packs – currently housed in a hard box. Some clever packaging will be required to make them surf-friendly, or perhaps better integration with the hull. The other issue is weight, a 3kw battery weighs around 20kg, a 5kW battery weighs 35kg. These batteries would take 1.5-2.5hrs to charge off a normal power point, so clubs would likely need to ‘have a spare’ on charge during IRB operations. Much like we have a spare tank of fuel in the shed. One manufacturer has told us that one battery would ‘last all day’ on water safety activities since such driving does not require continuous full thrust for hours (lots of stop/start).

Torqeedo Cruise 10

Current electric outboards on sale in Australia

  • E Class Outboards: This group in Kiama, NSW have surf life saving in their blood. Their lead engineer has previously designed surf boats. They have a variety of outboards available, all housed in familiar two-stroke shells but with electric motors. There is a 20kW motor which would be equivalent
  • Torqeedo: This company makes a suite of outboards, including the Torqeedo Cruise 10 which is equivalent to a 25HP 2-stroke. It weighs 61kg, comes in short shaft with tiller but the only problem is that it costs $20k! The fully waterproof IP67 rating will make rollovers less of a concern though.

The company to watch out for is Mercury, they have announced electrification of outboards with products potentially available in 2022. Mercury has been a supplier of outboards to SLS in the past, although not currently. Mercury have recently teased their electric outboard on youtube, featuring hot-swappable batteries. It will be interesting to see these in production and work out the equivalent HP output.

What about the prop guard? Well one company is building outboards with a ‘rim drive’, where the motor spins the blades around a fixed circular ‘rim’. This technology is already used in military and drone applications. Perhaps we won’t need much of a propguard if we have a rim-drive electric motor? A 15kw (25hP) model already exists…

Dutch firm launching new 15kW RIM drive electric outboard

As for the electric jetski? They are already available and EClass Outboards is retrofitting combustion jetskis.

Narke electric jet ski

So when will these electric beasts be on patrol? It all hinges on SLSA assessing the equipment and putting it on the SLSA approved gear and equipment list. If you’re keen to seen an electric IRB or jetski on patrol soon, give SLSA a prod: on facebook or email

Have you found another electric outboard or jetski which might be suitable for SLS use? Let us know on facebook. To keep up to date with all the new electric outboards coming online – plugboats is a good resource

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

  • Electric ATV on patrol?
  • When will we have an electric IRB or jetski?
  • Line in the sand: No future for fossil fuel sponsors in surf lifesaving
  • Socials: Contact and collaborate with us

Sustain.Surf

6 days 13 hours ago

Time to get some electric ATVs on patrols. There are options but Surf Life Saving Australia needs to see if they stand up to testing

Electric ATV on patrol? - Sustain Surf

Electrification of mobility is a essential step in reduction of carbon emissions and will have benefits for surf life saving members and beachgoers. Electric vehicles have much fewer moving parts and less maintenance requirements. An electric ATV will simply be plugged in to a 10 amp power point ove...

View on Facebook
Share

Sustain.Surf

1 month 1 week ago

Over 10 years since Surf Life Saving Australia published a report outlining the risks to surf club infrastructure from climate change. A great report but

Surf clubs under threat from climate change

A report for Surf Lifesaving Australia shows more than half of country's surf lifesaving clubs are being threatened by extreme tides and weather conditions.

View on Facebook
Share

Sustain.Surf

1 month 2 weeks ago

Long time IRB motor supplier Mercury are teasing their new electric outboard. Hot swappable batteries IN the outboard. Wonder if we'll need a reconfigured Thundercat

Mercury Avator Electric Outboard Concept: Inspired Innovation

The Mercury Avator electric outboard concept represents our next step forward in marine innovation, as Mercury progresses toward the formal release of electr...

View on Facebook
Share

Sustain.Surf

1 month 3 weeks ago

This content isn't available right now

This gives some insights into why doing outside physical activity, like surf patrol or beach competition, is dangerous in extreme heat, something becoming more common

2
View on Facebook
Share

Sustain.Surf

1 month 4 weeks ago

E Class Outboards are making electric outboards and prototyping batteries which could be suitable for an inflatable rescue boat. Once they are ready for testing,

1
View on Facebook
Share

Sustain.Surf

2 months 4 days ago

NASA's 'climate spiral' shows how the Earth is warming

View on Facebook
Share

Sustain.Surf

2 months 2 weeks ago

Photos from The Climate Council's post

View on Facebook
Share

Sustain.Surf

2 months 2 weeks ago

‘Smouldering dumpster fire’: Literary giant Tim Winton pokes the oil and gas bear

Author and environmentalist Tim Winton has used his closing speech at the Perth Festival’s writers weekend to pillory the oil and gas industry for trying to expand instead of winding down.

1
View on Facebook
Share

Sustain.Surf

2 months 2 weeks ago

Stop Woodside’s Massive Toxic Gas Project Before It’s Too Late

How can we be proud to have this brand on our patrol uniforms and plastered all over our kids? Surf Life Saving WA?

View on Facebook
Share

Sustain.Surf

2 months 3 weeks ago

Photos from The Climate Council's post

Come on people. Let’s start taking this more seriously

1
View on Facebook
Share



-+-

©2022 Sustain Surf | WordPress Theme: EcoCoded