Outboards vs Pod Drives, in electric installation?

[Jdege]

I am refitting a rather odd boat, a Vaitses/Herreshoff Meadowlark. 37' long, 8' beam, 20" draft, two masts and leeboards.


As originally designed she had two 5hp gasoline engines pushing two props. Somewhere along the line these were replaced with a single 27hp Yanmar diesel pushing a single offset prop.


The diesel hasn't been well maintained, and the boat doesn't handle well at low speeds under power, so I've been thinking about adding a pair of electrics. Both Torqeedo and EPropulsion make pod drives that would serve - with the shaft and cutlass bearing strut removed, either of these pods could be placed to put the pod's props where the existing prop and it's missing twin are and would be.

But I've been thinking that perhaps a pair of electric outboards might do. EPropulsion's Navy 3.0 or 6.0 Evo, or Torqeedo's 3.0 or 6.0 R.

The advantages I see:

• easier to repair or replace
• can be lifted out of the water when under sail (when I'm not using the regen to power the batteries)
• can be lifted out of the water at anchor or at dock, to reduce marine growth
• can be steered, making for even more directional control at low speeds than simply have two props
• can be installed, and tried out, without having to remove the existing diesel

The only major shortcoming I can see is that it would making mounting a windvane off the stern very complicated, but given the boat's stern configuration that'd have been true even if I don't hang engines off the back.

Are there any other possible issues I should be aware of? Between pod drives and outboards, that is. High price and limited range are very much relevant to the choice between diesel and electric, and I may we'll stick with diesel, but assuming I decide on electric, why should I choose pods over outboards?