8 Best Generators for Boats: Let Power Escort You at Sea

The EU2200i is part of Honda’s Super Quiet Series of generators and offers a lot of value to users, not to mention that it has inverter technology. It offers ten percent more power than the previous EU2000i model. At the heart of it there is Honda’s new GXR120 engine which makes it one of the most reliable options out there.

It is perfect for any boat because of its many features which make it user friendly. One of our favorites is the fuel shut off valve. Thanks to this feature, your unit will continue to operate even after you switch the fuel supply off. Additionally, I t has an oil drain gutter and a large spout that makes it easy to change engine oil and clean the unit.

The recoil system may not be everyone’s favorite but you will face no difficulty starting the unit. You will not have to pull the cord again and again for the engine to work. It will be rocking in no time. Plus, you will be able to use it for an extended period of time thanks to improved ventilation.

Better airflow means this model will not get warm after running for hours, hence you will not have to worry about giving it a break every few hours.

This model operates at 48 and 57 dBA, hence do not expect it to make your boat journey noisy. In fact, you will not feel irritated even if the boat is not running as this noise only equals to two people having a conversation at a distance of a few feet.

Plus, you can operate it on eco mode if you want complete silence. The EU2200i starts off at 1,800 running watts and goes to 2,200 running watts. Weighing in at 45 pounds it’s light enough for you to carry and comes with a contoured handle as well. Hence, do not worry about feeling tired having to pull this one.

On a single tank of gas, it’ll give you between 4 and 9.6 hours of straight run, depending on the percentage load you operate it on. This may not be the best option for some users since boat trips may drag on for days. Hence, we suggest this option if your journeys are typically short. Otherwise, you’ll have to stock up on fuel.

The PG4000iSR from Pulsar is an inverter generator that’s known to be versatile and rugged. It comes from a company that produces high-quality products but this one takes the cake as it is said to be designed for outdoor use.

It offers 3,500 running and 4,000 peak watts. This is enough to run a large number of appliances; hence it is said to be suitable for big boats and most air conditioners. The generator also has a pretty big fuel tank – 3.4 gallons – that gives a straight run of up to 15 hours making it both a practical and powerful choice for your boat.

We fell in love with the remote start it comes with. When you’re on a boat, you want luxury. Nobody wants to get up and move to the generator to turn it on. Fortunately, with this beauty, you will not have to worry about such problems as the remote controller works from a distance of up to 80 feet. Other than this, it also comes with an electric push start, hence no worries if the remote controller is out of battery or if you cannot find it.

To the side, you’ll find multiple power outlets including a single 120V 30AMP RV outlet, one 12VDC 8AMP outlet, and an integrated USB outlet with parallel sockets. Hence, you can connect two generators together to double the power.

Plus, since it comes with Sine wave technology, there’s no risk of damage to your appliances. You can charge everything from laptops to mobile phones. You will never run out of juice with this beauty by your side.

This model offers great capabilities at a low price; we thought we’d also mention a few bonus points. Turn the battery switch on before you attempt a pull start, secondly to manually shut it down always use the auto stop and start button.

It comes with never flat wheels, this makes it easy to handle, transport, and store away. We must also mention that this generator creates a noise of 63 dB. It can get a little noisy if the boat is not operational.

The Yamaha EF2000iSV2 offers an AC output of 1,600 running watts. It goes up to 2,000 surge watts making it possible to run some heavy appliances as well.

On top, it has a fuel gauge along with a fuel shut off valve built in and a carb clear out feature; this will allow the tank to dry out before you decide to store it away. To its side, you will find a single 8A 12V DC outlet along with two 120V AC outlets.

This is a great feature because we don’t expect you to use the generator every day. You’ll be able to keep it safely during off seasons without worrying about fuel wastage. Yamaha has included a smart throttle engine that works based on the load to improve fuel economy; along with that you get an inverter generator for your boat that also offers pulse width modulation control.

Additionally, this particular model features a super quiet muffler which is USFS approved and a spark arrestor. Hence, expect your trips to be comfortable.

It has one DC outlet and two 120V AC outlets. Plus, you’ll also find an 8A 12V outlet designed to charge batteries (comes with cables).

Another feature that impressed us was the unit’s eco mode. It helps save fuel and ensures the unit runs for extended hours. The EF2000iSV2 prevents fuel spills via its closable vent, weighing in at just 44 pounds it is portable and compact. However, it may not be the most durable unit as it’s known to lose efficiency with time.

The iGen2500 is a quiet and lightweight option from Westinghouse. It can be a good option for users who want a generator that is easy to use.

On the side, it has an LED display which makes it easier to note remaining runtime, fuel levels, power output, and voltage. This model also keeps track of oil levels and will warn you if it’s about to overload. With these features, maintenance becomes a breeze as you will not have to worry about manually checking fuel level or remaining runtime.

The generator comes with two USB outlets and two 120V 20 AMP outlets. These are enough to run most appliances. Plus, the placement of the outlets is also quite good.

The iGen2500 offers higher wattage than most other models in the same price range. It starts off at 2,200 running watts and goes up to 2,500 surge watts. This is enough for a boat generator since we do not expect you to run heavy appliances when on a boat.

Overall, the generator is quite safe and easy to use. It features the low oil shut off feature, which helps keep your appliances and the generator safe and reduce sound pollution. The unit will shut down whenever the oil goes below the acceptable limit.

This model will give you a straight runtime of up to 10 hours at 25% load. Moreover, you can use it to charge small appliances as it offers less than 3% distortion. Hence, there is little to no risk.

But, that’s not all that we love about this beauty. It is one of the quietest models and operates at just 52 dB. However, from what we have heard, the unit can be unreliable in terms of run-time. However, this problem can be solved as the unit is parallel capable. You can connect two generators to double the power and run-time. Yet you should note that doing so might be a bit risky when you’re on a boat.

The PG2200BiS from Pulsar runs on both gas and LPG. It will give you 1,800 running watts and will settle in at 2,200 surge watts on gasoline while on LPG it offers 1,600 starting and 2,000 surge watts. Weighing in at just 44 pounds, it is one of the lightest options out there.

With an 80CC three horsepower 4 stroke OHV air cooled engine, this model is able to generate enough power to run most appliances. Plus, since it uses inverter technology, you will not have to worry about the unit being noisy. It operates at 60 dBA, hence expect to enjoy your trips without any worries.

Other than this, the unit is parallel capable. This means you can connect two similar units to enjoy more run-time and power. But, this may not be necessary since this beauty offers an exceptional run-time of 8 hours on gas. However, LPG does not offer very good run-time. It will run for only about 75 minutes on a 1-pound tank.

The good thing however, is that Pulsar has built in SINE wave technology on this model, which makes it safe for all your smart devices. Its carry case design makes it portable and compact. You will have no difficulty in handling it. This is very important because moving a generator to and from a boat can be a difficult task if the unit is heavy. However, since this weighs only 44 pounds and comes with an ergonomic handle, you will face no such problems.

On the side of it, you will find a single 5V integrated USB outlet along with parallel sockets and two 120V 15A AC outlets. Hence, expect to be able to use all your appliances. However, remember that this may not go beyond its run-time even if you add fuel since the generator does not start when hot. You will have to wait for the engine to cool down before being able to use it again.

This may come as a surprise but a solar powered generator can be an excellent choice for boats. Think about it and you’ll understand why.

When you’re on a boat, you’re out in the open. The boat has full access to the sun and there’s enough space to place a generator with the panels. In addition to this, this model from Natures can also use the wind to generate power, making this a 2-in-1 device.

The good thing is that the company has included both – a solar panel and a wind turbine – with the package. However, you will have to assemble it before putting the unit to use. Also, do not let this fool you as the unit is quite portable despite all this.

It works with a maximum input of 200 watts (solar) and 300 watts (wind) and is able to offer an output of 1,800 watts. This is enough to run a number of appliances including laptops, fans, and even a small refrigerator to keep your drinks chilled for hours.

When it comes to wind or solar powered generators, there is always the question of hours. This unit charges up to 140 watts per hour and takes about 6 hours to fully recharge.

The generator offers endless runtime if sun and wind are at your disposal. The rotator blades of the wind turbine are 51 inches in diameter with cast aluminum powder coated body. It comes with built in speed protection which means it prevents possible damage during extremely high winds. The solar panel is a 100-watt panel with polycrystalline cell types; you will be able to use a daisy chain to connect it with another solar panel by using an MC4 branch connector to achieve more power.

The frame cart of the solar panel comes equipped with wheels, while the glass is a 3.2 mm and it is safe and anti-reflective. Moreover, there are multiple USB and AC out ports, hence you will have no difficulty in attaching your devices. You can even charge sensitive appliances like laptops and mobile phones without any risk. This is very important because most handheld devices are sensitive and may get damaged if the energy is not clean.

Both the solar panels and the wind turbine give you the option of storing power, which essentially means you will have your own solar and wind production plant.

Nature has built in a smart key dongle that allows you to sync the system via Bluetooth to its Pulse app in order to keep a track of battery and system usage. However, on the downside, you will have to assemble it before you can use it. This can be a bit tricky for some users.

The iQ2000 from Generac boasts a smart panel, making it more helpful and user friendly than most competing generators. Let’s look a bit into the smart panel, it offers a PowerDial with start, run and stop functions all combined into 1 easy to use dial. The PowerBar on the other hand will monitor and display watt usage.

According to the company, this is quieter than most other brands, including Honda. In fact, a test proved that Generac makes some of the quietest generators out there.

It will give you a runtime of 5.7 hours at 50% load and 7.7 hours of run time at 25% loud. This model has a fuel capacity of 1.06 gallons. It offers 1600 running watts but may be able to handle some big items since it offers 2,000 surge watts. Generac has built an 80cc engine which they recommend you run on SAE 10W-30 oil type (link to the oil article). This is very important as the engine may sustain damage if you use poor quality oil.

You will find a toggle switch with three operating modes: economy, standard and turbo. If you want the unit to run for the highest number of hours then use the economy mode. Running it on turbo will offer more power but the generator will stop shortly. Plus, the noise level also depends on which mode you’re operating the unit on.

In addition to this, it comes with parallel capacity. Hence, you’ll be able to run 2 units alongside for twice the power. However, the cable has to be bought separately. What we liked the most about this unit is the fact that it comes with a unique cover but that has to be sold separately.

The WEN 56125i has been tested by the US Department of Health and Human Services and is said to be one of the safest generators for boats. It offers extremely quiet operations at 51 dBA which makes it one of the quietest generators on the list.

WEN has built in a 60cc OHV engine that gives you 1,000 rated and 1,250 surge watts of power. On the side, you will find two three-pronged 120V receptacles and two 5V USB Ports. This model produces clean power free of voltage spikes and drops, which makes it an ideal option to safely operate sensitive electronics on your boat which include phones, televisions, and laptops.

Weighing in at 31.6 pounds, its lightweight and compact design makes for easy portability. It comes with 0.7 gallons worth of fuel tank which gives you a run time of 5 hours straight at 50% of load. You can engage the eco mode throttle for maximum fuel efficiency.

This generator may be not powerful enough for some users, hence we think it can be useful only for people who want to spend a few hours on boat. Moreover, since It is both EPA III and CARB certified, you can use it without any worries. At less than 32 pounds, it is quite lightweight as well. However, some users may find it a little hard to maintain.