In QLD, any boat with motor over 3 HP must be registered.
I have 3 HP, it's ok but stil not very practical to handle, bit heavy.

There's a world of difference between say a torpeedo electric outboard and an electric trolling motor. I have a 65lb thrust trolling motor that gets a 9'6" dingy along at rowing pace, OK for fishing but ....
My 2hp Honda ( that's heaps better than rowing ) gets left behind by the torpeedo number hands down but they don't come cheap.

Not knowing the type of sailing you do or intend to do, but consideration needs to be giving to the ability to recharge the battery. 1.5 hours of use is limited if you are ducking across the bay or running down the passage to do shopping or carting fuel and water to you boat.

I looked at the electric motors BCF sell a few years ago and decided against it for a small petrol outboard with an internal fuel tank. I can't honestly recall the pros and cons that made me go that way.

I have used a 2hp Honda, a higher powered trolling motor (both still in the shed) and currently a Torqeedo 1003. All have served their purpose well with perhaps the trolling motor the least effective. All 3 came in about the same weight with the their respectively battery or fuel. The Torqeedo has by far the most power and functionality but these are really expensive.
The Honda was by far the noisiest yet easiest to go really long distances with a spare fuel can.
The Torqeedo is powerful enough that I also use it to power my 28 foot yacht as its secondary auxiliary if wishing to motor quietly and has a torqeedo remote throttle, gps inbuilt and a link and an app to give positions, speed and remaining battery power and range on my iphone.
The trolling motor was used to push my light 20 foot cruising catamaran as well as demount for use on the inflatable canoe but was a bit stretched when I purchased a larger inflatable tender.
The 20 foot cruising cat ( Jarcat 6 ) created less water resistance than the dingy.
Regards Graeme

ReefMagnet said..

Seebreasy73 said..

Charriot said..
In QLD, any boat with motor over 3 HP must be registered.
I have 3 HP, it's ok but stil not very practical to handle, bit heavy.

it's 3 KW and above need rego and only if you use it beyond 2 miles from the yacht.

I used to have a 3.3 Hp until it got stolen but I would not go for a 4 or 5 HP though due to weight (and price) But I now very little about electric motors. The folks in BCF seem to think that I would be happy with one...

That was a few years back. You can now only be unregistered if transferring goods or passengers from boat to shore. Get caught fishing or sightseeing in an unregistered >4hp powered vessel and you can be fined for not being registered.

Yep, it sucks :(

not sure than, still on the QLD website
www.msq.qld.gov.au/-/media/MSQInternet/MSQFiles/Home/Publications/Marineinformationbulletins/mib_safety_equip_reg_req_tenders_qrs.pdf