Our Green Fleet: Clean Waters & Silent Coaching
Lough Derg is an ecological treasure. Derg Rowing Club is proud to be Ireland's pioneering green rowing club powered exclusively by clean electric coaching launches.
Protecting Athletes and the Freshwater Ecosystem
Traditional combustion coaching launches burn petrol, emit toxic hydrocarbons at water level, and produce loud engine noise that drowns out verbal instruction. Derg Rowing Club made the deliberate choice to go 100% electric from day one.
Zero Water & Air Emissions
Rowers breathe up to 100 litres of air per minute during training pieces. With electric propulsion, athletes never breathe in toxic two-stroke exhaust fumes, and zero unburnt hydrocarbons or oil sheens enter Lough Derg.
Near-Silent Coaching
Electric marine outboards operate with whisper-quiet direct drive. Coaches can provide subtle technical guidance at conversational speaking volume. For visually impaired scullers, continuous audio navigation calls are heard with 100% clarity.
Lough Derg Wildlife Sanctuary
The bays around Ballycuggeran and Killaloe are home to nesting wildfowl, otters, and freshwater fish. Silent electric craft create minimal acoustic disturbance and zero wake erosion on fragile shoreline reeds.
Coexisting with Lake Wildlife
Lough Derg is home to native bird species including grey herons, kingfishers, and swans. By eliminating loud internal combustion roar and fuel trails, our training sessions glide through the water without disturbing natural shoreline habitats.
Clean water sport is not just an ideal—it is our daily operating standard at Two Mile Gate.
High-Torque Electric Propulsion
Our coaching launches utilise marine-grade electric outboards (ePropulsion Spirit 2 class) powered by swappable high-capacity lithium iron phosphate (LiFePO4) battery packs.
- Instant Torque: Immediate throttle response for safety boat maneuvers and athlete rescue if needed.
- Multi-Hour Range: Extended battery capacity for full morning para training windows on the lake.
- Shore Power Recharging: Clean grid charging between training blocks, eliminating fuel storage hazard at the boathouse.
Help Fund Our Green Waterways
As an expanding club, adding additional electric launches is essential to safely support more para-athletes on the water simultaneously. You can support our fleet equipment wishlist:
Marine Lithium Battery Module
High-capacity swappable battery pack
Electric Outboard Coaching Motor
Silent, zero-emission motor for coach launch