Torqeedo on Cat 22?

Chris115 · Mar 12, 2020

I had an opportunity to try the 1003 model on my boat for day sailing on Lake Ontario three years ago and really loved it. It is quiet, easy to lift on and off the boat, easy to recharge, simple to operate and provides a clear indication of the remaining battery range at various speeds. Unfortunately, on one of longer sails the wind dropped completely and we were required to motor all the way back. Despite reducing speed significantly, I was concerned whether we would make it back before the battery gave out. Fortunately we did, with some battery range to spare!
However, based on that experience, I decided at the time to purchase a new conventional gas powered outboard, rather than the Torqeedo.
I see that the current Torqeedo motors now come with a significantly improved battery with a much greater range. Also, there are improved solar charging options, and of course there is always the option to carry an extra battery on board.
So, I am now reconsidering an electric powered motor for my boat and would also be very interested in others experience with this technology. There do appear to be very significant improvements in battery technology which I believe now make this option a very realistic one.

MitchM · Mar 12, 2020

i looked at a catboat w an older torqeedo . the limited range on the tor would leave me sculling back 5 miles if the tor lost drive. that was a no go for me on lake erie w such a boat.

Will Gilmore · Mar 13, 2020

MitchM said:
i looked at a catboat w an older torqeedo . the limited range on the tor would leave me sculling back 5 miles if the tor lost drive. that was a no go for me on lake erie w such a boat.

You can't get extra batteries for Torqeedos? It was my understanding that Torqueedo batteries are pretty small, not like golf cart batteries.

-Will (Dragonfly)

sail sfbay · Mar 13, 2020

Buy a Torqeedo with a long range battery which offers less frequent recharge intervals and/or longer range. That is what I did for my dinghy.

The range generally depends on a number of factors such as speed and type of boat. If you travel slowly (4.2 km/h) you can cover up to 42 km, i.e. one battery charge will last up to 10 hours. You can travel for up to 4 hours at a speed of 6.2 km, and at full throttle the battery charge will last 48 minutes.

Chris115 · Mar 13, 2020

Yes, spare batteries are available from Torqeedo at Spare battery Travel 1003/503 - 915Wh - Torqeedo
I understand that it is also possible to connect to regular marine batteries for additional power, but am not currently familiar with exactly how this works. Does anyone here have direct experience with this procedure and with connecting solar panels to keep the batteries charged?

Hunter216 · Mar 13, 2020

Chris115 said:
Yes, spare batteries are available from Torqeedo at Spare battery Travel 1003/503 - 915Wh - Torqeedo
I understand that it is also possible to connect to regular marine batteries for additional power, but am not currently familiar with exactly how this works. Does anyone here have direct experience with this procedure and with connecting solar panels to keep the batteries charged?

This is a link to the Torqeedo faq. It has info on their solar charger options which include a foldable panel that you can attach to a connector on the unit.

Sites-US-B2C-Site

Torqeedo Starnberg Germany

www.torqeedo.com

Although you can have extra batteries aboard to extend range/run time the possibility of dropping the battery in the water during the swap is real. I think I would rig some type of retention leash to avoid a costly mishap.

Does Torqeedo have any competition in the “small outboard” market?

Will Gilmore · Mar 13, 2020

Hunter216 said:
Does Torqeedo have any competition in the “small outboard” market?

Yes, but, at least in the US, Torqueedo is sort of like Kleenex or Xerox.

EP-5 Electric Outboard - Elco Motor Yachts
They are still very expensive.

-Will (Dragonfly)

Hunter216 · Mar 13, 2020

I did a little quick math on this. Prices are USA$ before tax and delivery

Torqeedo 3HP, spare battery, foldable solar charger panel - Range is $3447 - $4447 from Torqeedo website.

Elco EP - 5HP (smallest they have) $2610 + $240 for wire kit plus the cost of battery(s) ? and solar panel ? charge controller ? - Note the motor is engine only so end cost is likely pretty close to Torqeedo if you didn't already have the extra bits.

JRT · Mar 13, 2020

I did the cost comparison a few years ago when my O'day 25 2 stroke died. The Elco was the right option for an O'day 25 based on the weight, but when the packs were added in the cost almost doubled and there was a pretty large weight increase. I just ordered a brand new ultra long shaft 6hp Tohatsu motor and jib for less and it worked great. If I had a C 22 or anything lighter I would probably go with the Torqeedo in a heart beat for my lake sailing.

Will Gilmore · Mar 13, 2020

If we keep in mind the reasons we spend all our time and money on a sailboat instead of something cheaper and easier to use, the extra cost of a good electric motor makes perfect sense - it just feels good, ...if you can afford it.

-Will (Dragonfly)

Hunter216 · Mar 13, 2020

gkmoore said:
With the type of lake sailing I do, I don't think I would need a spare battery or solar charger. To get the 1103c with battery, charger would therefore cost $2700. My biggest concern is whether this would be enough power to push the catalina 22 into a 15mph headwind, and some comments above make me 'believe' it would. A Tohatsu 6hp sailpro, in comparison, is about $1600-1700.

The cost of the Torqeedo spare battery and solar panel definitely affect the math.

With the battery being removable it would be easy to take home and charge.

If your day sailing on your lake there are likely lots of other boaters around that would give you a tow if you are having trouble anyway so perhaps a way to look at it is to try it out and if it doesn’t have enough power to overcome challenging conditions you could likely sell it for a high percentage of initial cost.

Captain Larry-DH · Mar 13, 2020

gkmoore said:
With the type of lake sailing I do, I don't think I would need a spare battery or solar charger. To get the 1103c with battery, charger would therefore cost $2700. My biggest concern is whether this would be enough power to push the catalina 22 into a 15mph headwind, and some comments above make me 'believe' it would. A Tohatsu 6hp sailpro, in comparison, is about $1600-1700.

I own the a Torqeedo 1103 and yes it would probably be strong enough. It‘s roughly equivalent to a 3 HP engine. In a headwind your range would drop considerably. 40 minutes at full power might be a good estimate, but I would want to plan more conservatively for a margin of error. Slow down and the range improves dramatically.
In answer to some other posts above:
Changing the battery for a spare is child’s play. Pull a pin and lift a large handle that is easy to grip even when wet. It lifts out easily and locks in with gravity-assist as you replace it. It isn’t finicky to position and I can’t imagine anyone being clumsy enough to drop one.
The solar panels are for recharging between uses, which takes a long time. The solar panels sold by Torqeedo don’t put out enough power to sustain or extend operating range to any significant extent. It’s better to charge the Torqeedo at home or using dockside shore power. If cruising it’s better to charge the house bank from a large solar array and charge the Torqeedo from the house bank.

heritage · Mar 13, 2020

My sailing buddy has a 29' sailboat that is powered by a Torqeedo 1103 3hp outboard that is set in a stern well. The boat is lightweight and fast. We usually go 3-5 kts getting out of the marina into the bay. Maybe 40' of run time coming and going. Plenty of power to move the boat. The battery is still up about 60% at the end of the day. I think that the Torqeedo would have no problem moving the boat against a 15 kt wind,,, but not for long, as the battery suffers exponentially as power is increased. But he wouldn't be caught dead using the motor if the wind was above 5 kts. If your sailing puts you in a position where you must use your motor in strong winds or current for a long time, you would probably be better off with a gas engine.

That said, I have used a dc to dc charger to recharge my Torqeedo on my dingy. I have a fairly large house battery bank that can handle the recharge drain. If you had two Torqeedo batteries, you could recharge this way while under way.

Chris115 · Mar 15, 2020

"That said, I have used a dc to dc charger to recharge my Torqeedo on my dingy. I have a fairly large house battery bank that can handle the recharge drain. "

The Torqeedo operating manual does indeed indicate that the Torqeedo battery can be charged while underway using the Torqeedo motor, from any 12 volt supply source. Based on your experience, can you advise approximately how much additional range could be added to the Torqeedo battery by connecting to a regular 12 volt marine battery in this manner?

Carrying a spare Torqeedo battery on board is certainly an option, but they are quite expensive, as are the specialized Torqeedo solar chargers!

Captain Larry-DH · Mar 15, 2020

@Chris115 the 12v charge cord Torqeedo sells allows charging at a rate of approximately 4A. This is far less power than the engine uses while underway, unless you're going very slow.
In other words, it's like filling a bathtub with a small hose while the larger-diameter drain is open. It can take longer but it will still empty the tub eventually.

heritage · Mar 15, 2020

The newer Torqeedo batteries will accept only 4 amps from a 12v source. This can be done while underway or after the battery is removed from the motor. My experience has only been recharging the battery overnight with the house batteries. Underway, 4 amps assist should be enough to move the boat 2-3 kts. Just a guess though.