No Its a 60 amp brushless ESC with a custom water cooled heatsink. (Made from a motherboard heatsink). I have it in a small plastic box so if water does get in it wont splash on the esc and kill it.
Yeah i have had to place the 2 batteries besides the motor in order to move the center of balance to about 35% from the transom. Any further back and the whole boat will bounce when I floor it.