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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, 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 petrol 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 to 30hP 2-strokes. For the IRB tinkerers, they even have a DIY retrofit kit, which would suit most Yamaha, Mecury & Tohatsu IRB outboards. Let us know if you’ve had a crack at it!
  • 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.
  • Zerojet in New Zealand are making electric jet motors suitable for tenders with an equivalent 20HP system weighing 45kg. They are partnering with boat builders and have raised funds to commercialise and expand. Unclear if available in Australia in significant supply. One key benefit of this is being a jet system there is no prop. Would be interesting to see how it handles the surf on an IRB, presumably like a jet ski!
  • Mercury have announced that they are electrifying their line up. Currently they offer the Avator 7.5e which is only equivalent to a 3.5HP 4-stroke. Larger ones are in the works. Mercury has been a supplier of outboards to SLS in the past.

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

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  • 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

1 week 4 days ago

Power the Rainbow Warrior

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Sustain.Surf

3 weeks 5 days ago

www.abc.net.au/perth/programs/mornings/woodside-nippers-sponsorship/102040176

'Line in the sand': Nippers parents call for end to Woodside sponsorship - ABC Perth

Surf Life Saving WA is being asked to dump its partnership with Woodside as some parents argue their kids are being used as "walking billboards" for fossil fuels.

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Sustain.Surf

3 weeks 5 days ago

Thanks to Greenpeace for picking up on this important issue!

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Sustain.Surf

3 weeks 6 days ago

Opinion piece in WA today drawing link between health harms of tobacco and fossil fuels.

You wouldn’t put a cigarette company logo on your child’s uniform, so why is Woodside OK?

In the 1980s and 1990s we got tobacco advertising out of surf lifesaving, and now we need to do the same with fossil fuels.

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Sustain.Surf

3 weeks 6 days ago

Some activity today. If you want to add your name to our petition to get fossils fuel sponsorship off kids. Click below

Line in the sand: No future for fossil fuel sponsors in surf lifesaving - Sustain Surf

Endorsing fossil fuel companies will only harm the surf lifesaving movement in the long term, through damaging climate change.

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Sustain.Surf

Sustain.Surf

1 month 5 days ago

Greenpeace are helping rid nippers of fossil fuel sponsorship. We need to add some signatures to our new 'open letter' collaboration with Greenpeace. Have a

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Sustain.Surf

1 month 1 week ago

I wonder if this will tow an IRB off the beach (500kg tow capacity). Might need better tyres! lm.facebook.com/l.php?u=electrek.co/2023/02/16/tracker-unveils-new-60-mile-range-electric-utv-with-dumping-bed/?fbclid%3DIwAR2ort6X88avbExEtEbOYv6GGbkyp7aQtlvEmF8AaLpf3HcCIrMLlKjWxJ8&h=AT0JSG-lQ_Cto3ciR001c7WR_TpR0yPZnceAuZX1ZCNSuxBusUBPUps2fm4EFBZvsLaMNtejezT5ehLEdBFObBWJF9oxJqx2aL-X_oreSl02pylOUaNflCJF_Ead&s=1&mibextid=ncKXMA

Tracker unveils new 60-mile-range electric UTV with dumping bed

The new Tracker OX EV electric UTV has just been unveiled, showing off its long-range design that’s optimized for work...

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Sustain.Surf

1 month 2 weeks ago

Surf clubs need to understand how climate is effecting their beach and assets.

Millions of satellite images reveal how beaches vanish in La Niña years — and how they come back

During El Niño cycles, Australia's beaches recover from erosion while beaches from California to Chile erode. It's known as the El Niño Southern-Oscillation climate cycle. But as climate change ramps up the effects ENSO cycles may become more intense.

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Sustain.Surf

1 month 3 weeks ago

Photos from The Climate Council's post

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Sustain.Surf

1 month 3 weeks ago

feeds.lifehacker.com.au/~/726335486/0/lifehackeraustralia/

The Dirty Dozen: Climate Council Names and Shames Australia’s Biggest Polluters

The Climate Council has published a new report that names and shames Australia’s 'filthiest' fossil fuel polluters. We're not surprised, but we feel sick.

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