Acorn To Arabellavideo
Trading the ePropulsion Electric Motor for a Loud, Smelly Gas Engine (But At Least It Works)
9 May 2025 · 17 min · 55K views · Key West, Florida
What this video covers
Persistent corrosion failures in the ePropulsion electric tender motor's factory plug drove Steve to open the motor's battery, void the warranty, and rewire the connection from scratch. The original flush-mount factory connector corroded; a first repair using Deutsch connectors — installed by Bob in Marathon — held for a few days before failing again at Key Biscayne when tiny data-wire crimps pulled loose from the pins under repeated handling.11:56 Steve's fix: remove the battery lid, disconnect nine internal push connectors, and add a pigtail with longer power cables and a new external connector, sealed with a cable gland so future connector failures can be cut back and re-terminated without rewiring the battery.14:04 He notes ePropulsion does not sell the replacement battery-side plug separately, which forced the workaround.14:24 Separately, Steve anchored Arabella under sail in 16–17 knots using twin headsails and a mizzen, furling the jib to drop speed before dropping the hook — a technique the crew had not attempted before.5:33 The new autopilot, sorted with help from Doug and Bob, completed two short test passages under sail and motor successfully.16:41 Guest Sam Holmes, who single-handed a Hobie Cat from Miami to the Bahamas, advises working out of the Gulf Stream toward Savannah if wind opposes current on the northbound East Coast run.1:28 Robust, field-serviceable connectors matter more than highly-rated ones when a marine electrical connection is disturbed frequently.
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