Torqeedo outboard

C

christopher rose

Member
I'm wondering if any of you fellows have any experience with these electric outboards. Aside from the Hudson River Estuary, most of the lakes I can hunt in my area stipulate non gas operated motors. Rowing long distances is fine but for expediency I'm looking for a electric outboard. I've been using a minkota 35 and frankly a huge lead 12v battery is a pain and takes up prescious space in a 12' bbsb.

The Torqeedo outboard depending on the model suggests 1 to 3 hp relative to a gas outboard. Sports a lithium battery the more expensive versions have a solar array for in use charging.

Just wondering if anyone has seen one in use or used one themselves. It seems the sailing community is the target users for there tender boats. So you guys near marinas may have seen a few. Cabelas is selling them which is where my interest was sparked.

Low weight efficient propulusion to battery life. Any thoughts ?

I'd throw a link but don't want this post construed as spam. So check Cabelas or Torqeedo home.

Thanks in advance.

View attachment TQ_Travel_503_nummerierung_03.jpg
 
Interesting...how much for a replacement battery and how durable is the battery? It seems you always have to figure that replacing any lithium style battery is a bite in the wallet.. An example is the lithium based cordless tools... So is it cost effective even with the possibility of improved performance and convenience?

I have no clue but the motor does look interesting and has potential.

Matt
 
Unless it is a large solar array, I wouldn't count on it as being able to get you out of trouble should the battery lose its charge. Plus the fact tha most of the time I hunt the sun isn't shining but I see you are in Florida (little different thanMN) and you are at a better latitude for utilizing a solar cell.

I know firends who have these motors on pontoon boats on lakes up here where no gas motors are allowed. They are hooked up to multiple batteris and do a grea job of moving the pontoon right along. It should easily push your bbsb.

Mark W
 
I cut and pasted this in for anyone interested and so I don't have to field questions that I can't answer. I'm just interested and am in no way shape or form associated to this company. It just seems like a great product on paper and I don't know a soul that may have some personal experience. But small, light weight and powerful sounds good to me on small inland lakes or rivers where your distance out and back is say under 4 miles. You definiitely won't be going fast.


The foldable Torqeedo outboards with integrated lithium-
manganese high-performance battery redefine mobility:
  • With their integrated lithium-manganese, high-performance battery, the Travel motors are the only electric outboard
    motors which do not need an external battery connection.
  • The Torqeedo Travel is a true lightweight: with a total weight of 25 pounds (short shaft version) including battery, it is asserting itself as the lightest outboard on the market.
  • The Travel models are the only foldable outboard motors available on the market. They come in a waterproof travel pack and, hence, are unique with regard to their transportability. With their dimensions of 12.2 x 12.6 x 17.7 inches, they can easily be stowed away on board or at home.
  • Together with the BaseTravel and Torqeedo Cruise models, the Travel models are the most efficient motors around at the moment. Their efficiency is up to twice that of the conventional motors. The sum total of these properties make a Torqeedo Travel motor into the perfect drive for small boats, dinghies, tenders, jollies, and daysailors up to 1.5 tons of displacement. There is simply no competition when it comes to performance, transport and space-saving storage – both on board and on land.

    OK this is the stats ... a new lithium maganese battery costs 660$ w a charger. At halfspeed gets you 2.7knots for a range of 5.4nm and a run time of 2hrs for a 15' 265lb. boat.
    The motor which is 1hp is 1500$ and the 3hp is 1700$ which is huge money . However minkota has a electric outboard that needs a huge 24 volt array of lead batteries and the price is a tad bit more. This thing you can fold, pack in a bag, and throw over your shoulder.

    The fixed motors that are even more cash and more horse power have gps and a digital readout for displacement battery life and range time. But way huge money. Also with regard to the solar array which is for the big money fixed units just under 11sq ft unfolded and folds up to 3 X 2 ft this appears to be an option only for the big money motors.

    So thanks those that responded but I'm really looking for anyone to respond that actually has experience or knows anyone that does and can give a non biased comment on motor.

    I wouldn't even be pondering this if there were more areas close by that allowed gas motors but there aren't.

    Oh and it's not florida the state but the village of florida in NYS.

    Thanks again for any responses...
 
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I for one will be interested in whatever you find out. I just got another $200 repair bill on my older 4.5 Merc... parts are getting harder to come by. The ethanol in the gas is starting to really add to my maintenance budget. I watched a few youtube videos on this earlier today, looks like there is a potential fit.
 
Unless you have money to burn on it I would stick with the minn kota idea. A good solution to the battery issue for you might be an Oddesey battery but you need a charger that will keep them up. The solar is a cool thought that works great in the tropics if you tow your dingy more than you use it.
This is from Two customers currently using the Torquedo as propulsion on an inflatable dingy.

Electric needs lots of amps to work. That means lead. It also means lots of charge amps to get back to working after a run.

No Gas lakes it makes some sense. But you need some battery to make it happen. Dollars wise wet 6 volt golf cart batteries in series give the best work to cost effect in long duration applications. Step up to 24 volts if you want to use lighter wire.
 
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