1 NEWPORT NT300 3HP ELECTRIC OUTBOARD
If you’re looking to ditch the gas outboard on your dinghy or tender and go green, the NT300 electric outboard and one of Newport’s lithium batteries may be your ticket. The motor is available in two shaft lengths (24.6 inches or 29 inches) and puts out the equivalent of three near-silent horses that can easily push boats up to 12 feet. Combined with a Newport lightweight 36-volt 30Ah lithium battery, the whole ensemble weighs in at under 50 pounds. Soundings Executive Editor Pim Van Hemmen used it to propel an 11-foot, 7-inch rowboat and after an hour on the water, which included numerous high-speed runs, he returned to the dock with more than 95 percent of the battery charge remaining. That kind of performance lends credence to Newport’s claim that at slow speeds it can run for 30 hours and 66 miles. Although other battery brands can be used with the motor, Newport has a smartphone app that allows you to monitor the charge of their smart batteries via Bluetooth in real time. Motor: $1,199. Battery: $949
2 RUGGED ROAD COOLERS
Rotomolded coolers can weigh a ton, even empty. Spencer Sutlive thought so, too. The young inventor and entrepreneur set out to develop a new high-performance cooler that would surpass other brands in ice retention and ruggedness at about half the weight. Working with a blast-protective coating developed by the military for shielding troops from explosions, it took him several years to bring his initial Rugged Road models to market in 2021. This year he introduced the more refined V2 series in 45-, 65- and 85-quart models. They keep things cool, don’t give you a hernia
