 The first zero-emission, solar-electric boat to ply the historic Trent-Severn Waterway, called the Loon, has returned from its first major voyage, traveling 104 miles (170 kilometers) through the heart of Ontario’s best-known and longest recreational boating route, from Orillia to Bobcaygeon, return. The captain and his family crew set out on this 6-day recreational odyssey on Saturday, August 13th, leaving from the Lake Simcoe home of its inventor/builder Monte Gisborne, a self-proclaimed “technoenvironmentalist”. Not only was it the first solar-powered boat to travel the longest inland canal system in Canada – it’s the first electric boat of any description to attempt this route.
“With gas at marinas costing as much as $1.25 per litre for regular fuel, you can imagine that a crowd gathered wherever we went”, Mr. Gisborne reported. “Many of the larger boats are now being used more as stationary “floating cottages” rather than their intended use. People can’t afford or are unwilling to pay to throttle up. It amazed people that you could enjoy powerboating relying on the sun to get your fuel!” To augment the energy provided by el sol, the Loon can also recharge by plugging into the hydroelectric grid. Most electricity supplied to cottage country is “green power”, generated with little or no emissions. Marinas freely supply shorepower to boats which helps the Loon start the day with a fully-charged pack if the weather get a little cloudy.
“I built this boat to test out the viability of recreational solar boating and frankly, I couldn’t be more excited about it”, Mr. Gisborne added in a recent interview on Lake Simcoe with his newly-launched 20-foot pontoon-style boat. “The Trent-Severn represents the height of recreational boating in Ontario and for 100 years, gas boats have dominated. I’m hoping to change all that. We really don’t need to burn gasoline to enjoy the best recreation our province has to offer, nor do we benefit from the uncertainty and politics which comes with an oil-based economy”.
Above: The Loon’s inventor, Monte Gisborne (foreground) and wife and daughter Denise and Deanna at the beginning of their journey. The 6 solar panels can be seen above them.
The prototype solar-powered boat serves as a test platform for what will become a production boat, slated for launch prior to the 2006 boating season by Mr. Gisborne’s company, the Tamarack Lake Electric Boat Company, for direct sales and possibly to rent. It has 738 watts of solar power and 8 6-volt batteries (for a total system voltage of 48 volts) and can travel between 50 and 100 kilometers per day depending on sun conditions. It seats 8 people comfortably. The intended market is the inland lake cottage owners who typically use their boats to travel from marina to cottage as necessary and for trips around their lake area. Emissions from gas-powered boats have proven to be disastrous in some cases, destroying waterborne vegetation and wildlife. The turbulence often refered to as a "wake" which follows behind larger, faster boats can also damage the shoreline and create other problems. The Loon represents a paradigm shift in boating which potentially eliminates all of these problems.
The Loon will be displayed at the Toronto In-Water Boat Show, from September 15th to 18th at Ontario Place. For more information about the show, visit their website.
For more information, please contact:
Monte Gisborne, B.Tech.
Tamarack Lake Electric Boat Company
207 Bayshore Drive, Brechin, Ontario, Canada L0K 1B0
(705) 484-1559
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Wednesday, September 08, 2010 
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