I use the word "sadly" because there is no reason whatsoever that electric propulsion and internal combustion systems should always be dealt with as a winner-take-all WWF smack down... I, for one, do not have any anti-diesel feelings and most of my fellow users of electric propulsion don't either. While I'll bet that there are many varied reasons why we adopted electric propulsion, no one I know went electric because they were of the "electric GOOD diesel BAD" mindset.
For me, the choice involved the WTF moment when I got a quote for a diesel Atomic 4 replacement for my well past its prime CAL 34 and saw that I could go electric and save about $8000... Truth be told, I was at the point of deciding to take out the Atomic 4 and just going engineless as dropping a $10,000 engine in a $3000 boat just did not make sense in my Mr Cheapseats view of the world. Putting together an electric drive for less than $1000 gives me the ability to maneuver into anchorages, etc. My other choice was an outboard so it was really quite an easy decision.
Once installed, the electric propulsion worked much better than I had ever expected it to and while my DIY approach and the then current state-of-the-art electric drives were still in the fishing with clubs point of its evolution, it was obvious from the get go that electric propulsion was something of a winner.
The simple fact that electric propulsion works does not negate the fact that diesel works as well and if done right, very well... For me and the way I sail, electric propulsion is a much better fit. Demonizing diesel would be akin to deciding since I like the Beatles then I must hate the Rolling Stones or Beach Boys.... Now wouldn't that be silly?
But in areas of nautical discussion, demonizing is sadly par for the course as my mailbag shows anytime I mention that I LOVE schooner rigs... What is worse, most of those telling me that schooner rigs or electric propulsion don't work and I'm stupid for suggesting they might, have never actually sailed a schooner rig or used electric propulsion... So it would seem to go!
Of course, If you really think that the Rolling Stones suck, it is never a bad thing to have come to that conclusion after listening to them as "Tumbling Dice" just might surprise you...
