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NEWS
Whipper snipper outboard
Aussie invents the WhippellaOpal miner Robert Allen from the NSW Central Coast invented the Whippella in 2001, during a moment of genius while mowing the lawns. So it’s not exactly new. But as we head towards Australia Day, we felt this clever Aussie invention deserves a second look.
Essentially, the Whippella is a marine propulsion unit that, in its latest guise with a bunch of adaptors, will fit onto any straight- or bent-shaft whipper snipper or brushcutter, Allen says. Hang the unit in the water, start the engine and depress the throttle and it will propel a small watercraft such as a kayak, bass-fishing boat, tinnie, canoe, catamaran or trailer sailer. It has also been fitted into a surfboard with apparent success.
The original prop unit or adaptor was prefabricated stainless steel -- a bit heavy and expensive, Allen admits to us -- but it is now made of aluminium and weighs less than one kilogram. It is fitted in a couple of minutes simply by removing the line spool and pushing the prop-drive unit onto the shaft. Then you fix it in place with a hose clip.
Left and right-hand props are available on request, but no seals are needed. A Whippella transom mount is sold as a separate unit. Allen says that the unit works best at a low angle to the water with the propeller submerged about 10cm. It is the user’s responsibility to ensure the prop unit is fitted correctly to ensure water does not enter the whipper snipper/ brushcutter drive shaft.
The downside to the Whippella is noise. “But you start any engine or outboard out of the water and it’s noisy,” Allen replies. “You can fit a muffler or vent exhausts underwater.” NSW Maritime also advises that the unit is used in the open air or with very good ventilation. Four-stroke whipper snipper engines will of course be quieter and cleaner than two strokes.
The upside is cost -- the drive adaptor is $149, with the optional bracket an extra $59 – and convenience. The Whippella could come in handy on a small boat when the weather turns bad, the tide is going the wrong way or the wind fizzles while sailing. It’s also truly lightweight and portable. Having cut a few lawns in our time, we’d be cautious around the engine, as they are known to get pretty hot.
But we like the multifunction aspect of the Whippella. Wash and dry after use. Then remove the prop adaptor, put the line spool back in place, and resume mowing the lawns. The Whippella and its inventor appeared on the ABC’s inventors. He’s sold about 300 units to date. See whippella.com.au.
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Written byBoatsales Staff
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Please see our Editorial Guidelines & Code of Ethics (including for more information about sponsored content and paid events). The information published on this website is of a general nature only and doesn’t consider your particular circumstances or needs.
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