It's interesting to see the backlash on here, considering by 2050 I expect most of the current boaters will be (a) dead or (b) too old to be boating for 8 hours a day. The current crop of youth are much more switched on and accepting of new ideas and the angst of those who love the sound of a diesel engine will fade into history.
Technology advances move in one direction. If it didn't we'd still be writing on stone tablets instead of Canalworld.net.