Electric drives are now becoming much
more effi cient and affordable, so more
and more smaller vessels are using them.
Indeed new daysailer designs are now
more likely to have electric power than a
petrol or diesel engine.
Torqeedo has recently
developed an uprated version
of the popular 1103 Travel Motor which is
almost silent, even when run out of the
water, and has run time of up to 20 hours.
One of these will be gracing the stern of
Harvey, the PBO project boat.
Competing for market share is relative
newcomer E-propulsion, with a range of
submersible 1kW (equivalent to a 3hp
outboard) drives that are ideal for
powering daysailers of up to 20ft via a
dedicated lithium battery.
Prices: Torqeedo 1103 Travel
Motor £1,869;
1kW E-propulsion Spirit, from £1,529
■ torqeedo.com
■ epropulsion.uk
Electric propulsion
World Heritage
Canal:
Thomas Telford and the
Pontcysyllte Aqueduct
by Paul A Lynn
This book begins with
aqueducts from
around the world and
the reasons for the
Georgian canal-
building boom. Lynn
gives a biography of
Telford: his
apprenticeship as a
stonemason, his move
into engineering and his commission
to create the Ellesmere (Llangollen)
canal. The middle third of the book
takes us with the author and his wife
as they journey along the canal.
Finally we return to the challenges
Telford faced in creating the canal
and aqueduct. This section showed
the original plans and gave details of
the 2003-4 renovations which earned
Pontcysyllte Aqueduct World
Heritage status.
A fascinating account.
Whittles Publishing, £16.99.The Sea Journal:
Seafarers’
sketchbooks
by Huw Lewis-Jones
This gorgeously-
produced book
consists of short
accounts of 61
men and women,
followed by
sketches,
engravings,
photographs and paintings from their
voyages – famous seamen like
Drake, Chinese Admiral Zengh He,
Bligh, Nelson and Chichester, as well
as unknowns like Jeanne Barret, who
sailed disguised as her botanist
lover’s valet.
There are ships, whales, storms,
strange coasts, even stranger fi sh
and people of all nations. The book
allows double-notebook page
illustrations, faithfully reproduced in
colour. Each section is prefaced by a
short essay from a modern sea
legend, including Sir Robin Knox-
Johnston and Roz Savage. Pricey,
but a lovely present for anyone who’s
fascinated by exploration.
Thames & Hudson, £29.95.NEW GEAR
Book corner
Marsali Taylor reviews
the latest nautical booksBoat repair advice
Anyone with a forthcoming boat repair
project, however large or small, can get
advice from Wessex Resins and
Adhesives. Many of the company’s staff
have a boatbuilding background and
fi rst-hand experience of how to choose
and use the products for different
applications. The company will also have
its latest Entropy Resins, a new range of
plant-based epoxy resins made from
co-products or waste products from other
industrial processes, on show.
Entropy Resins start from £54.12 for a
1.5lt pack
■ wessexresins.co.ukThis company may be based deep in the
Midlands, among Warwickshire’s canals,
but has more knowledge of marine
plumbing – and stocks a wider range ofmarine parts – than any other. These are
the people to ask a wide range of
questions, from curing smelly toilets to
fi tting a holding tank. ■ leesan.comLee Sanitation
Battery technology
This has been moving on at a rapid pace
thanks to increasing production volumes
and colossal investment by the motor
industry. SM Group will be showing its
LiFOS 68Ah advanced lithium-ion
phosphate battery (pictured). This has a
lifecycle nine times greater than an
equivalent conventional lead acid battery,
which offsets the high purchase price –
and there’s a fi ve-year warranty.
See pbo.co.uk/lithium_batteries for the
full report from April 2019 issue.
Price: £699.
■ lifos.co.uk