Space Zoo Patrol – Future Boats

by Tom Hesselink, Pres, Electric Boat Association of America

What is it called?
- - Electric boats (boats with electric motors and sometimes solar panels)
What does it do?
- - An electric boat can be used for many things, and they come in all sizes. Some smaller boats are just for fun, for water skiing, for fishing or just exploring the lakes and rivers. Ferry boats are used to carry passengers from one spot to another. Other boats are made for cleaning up trash from the waters. Even some of the large container ships are now powered with electric.
How does it work?
- - Instead of the boat being powered by a gas or diesel motor, it uses an electric motor that gets its power from batteries that are recharged when the boat gets back to shore. If the boat has solar panels, then the energy comes from the sun and is stored in the batteries. This allows the boat to travel for longer periods of time before it needs to return to land.
How is it better than the older technology?
- - The biggest advantage for all size electric boats is they are much cleaner operating than gas or diesel powered boats and have no exhaust that pollutes the water. On smaller boats, electric motors run much quieter than gas motors, so the ride is much more enjoyable without all the extra noise. This makes them better for relaxing on the water or for bird watching.
What classes should I take in school to work on this?
- - Math, you can’t get anywhere if you don’t know how to count.
  - Science, especially environmental science and electrical theory.
  - Language, electric boats are used worldwide so speaking clearly and knowing some languages other than English helps a great deal.
  - Art, which helps in boat design.
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