Best electric outboard for a dinghy tender?

[dommckay]

I'm thinking of getting an electric outboard or trolling motor for my tender for short journeys to save lugging the heavy outboard on and off the main boat. Anybody have any recommendations for a small lightweight electric motor?

 

[walto]

I have seriously considered an electric motor for my tender - BUT I now find while I will have a light motor I will also have to carry a heavy battery, so I ask what's the benefit? Won't an electric motor also be an invitation to steal the battery?
I have decided against...

 

[Resolution]

I have used a Torqueedo Travel for the last three years and regretfully conclude that it is not up to the task. Usage has been light as we do not use the 3 man inflatable often. The problem is simply battery life. Used four up in anything other than a millpond (ie normal ferrying duties) one needs to use near full power to make headway. At full power battery life seems to be under 30 mins, leaving one with an embarrassing jump for the oars on the return journey.
It is lovely for ghosting around creeks in the quiet of a still evening, but that's all.
Charging not a problem as I have an inverter and strong house batteries, but still a bit slow.

I will add a petrol motor this year.

 

[Goldie]

Comparison test in current issue of YM.

 

[Lakesailor]

There isn't one.

 

[blackbeard]

[ QUOTE ]
Comparison test in current issue of YM.

[/ QUOTE ]
yes indeed, but TBH I thought it was pretty useless. The article in YM, that is. Apart from anything else I would need to know the current consumed by the motor, which wasn't given AFAICS. Statements such as "15 minutes motoring at 4 knots, ... around 6 hours at 1.5 knots ..." could be a bit more informative (even if given for all the motors, which it isn't - this referred to an integral battery).

I really can't see the point of using an electric motor in a yacht tender. Apart from anything else, the weight of a battery just puts it out of court. And I can imagine the effect of dropping a 108Ah battery into a tender ...

And I have a practical alternative system - gives 3 knots (ie faster than any of not-stupidly-expensive motors), no problems, very light, very reliable, cheap, does not require petrol or batteries, and keeps me fit.

These motors are probably fine when used to do what they are designed to do, which (for the possible-priced motors) isn't pushing an overloaded dinghy into a headwind.

 

[sailorman]

O/b heavy
Battery Lighter


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[ytd]

I agree with blackbeard. They are very slow and get slower as the battery runs down. No match for even the smallest petrol outboard. You could row all day at the same speed and not get tired.

 

[Colvic Watson]

I agree when used with an inflatable; but I use a 54lb thrust model with the much more easily driven Walker Bay and it's fine. It pushes up tide slower (2 knots on the GPS) than a small petrol outboard and the 85ah battery only gives 90 mins of running before you drop below 40% charge. But for our use it's just fine. It cost £140 new and I like that my 10 year old is safe to use it when a petrol outboard would be too powerful. Electric outboards are in their infancy and it's probably five years until battery capacity issues and volume production have brought the price down and the range up. Until then, our model works just fine - not nearly as powerful as a 2.5hp petrol model, but quieter, a third of the price, less messy and a bit easier to use.

 

[Gaffer Freda]

Hello Colvic Watson, we have just bought a 55lb Berkley Electric Engine for our inflatable dinghy, we don't need to zoom about quickly, mainly be used to take us ashore when in a nice anchorage. We're looking for advice on which battery to use and any other tips on charging. Any advice will be greatly appreciated.

 

[Tranona]

Hello Colvic Watson, we have just bought a 55lb Berkley Electric Engine for our inflatable dinghy, we don't need to zoom about quickly, mainly be used to take us ashore when in a nice anchorage. We're looking for advice on which battery to use and any other tips on charging. Any advice will be greatly appreciated.

You will find that very limited and not a practical power unit for a dinghy if you are expecting to use it with any load, in any tide or against the wind. You need a large 12v battery to provide any range over a few minutes. They are not intended for this type of use, but as trolling motors for larger sports fishing boats using power from the main batteries.

The only practical electric outboard for a dinghy is the Torqeedo - and inevitably that is several times the price of the motor you have - and even then the basic ones have limitations compared with an petrol outboard.

 

[RupertW]

Torqueedo 1003 worked well for us for a heavy 3m rib for the last couple of seasons. The whole things weighs less than half the 4 stroke 5hp outboard which was always awkward to get from main boat to rib. And the Torqueedo splits into 3 light parts.

Battery life fine for the quarter of a mile or so from anchor to quay with 4 adults taking about 10% each way, and LiOn battery able to cope with more discharge than traditional. That's at about 30% throttle or maybe 3 knots which is as fast as I'd like to go through an anchorage.

So for us, no petrol onboard or needing to be found, "refuelling" done by inverter when underway, light engine and battery for quick fitting, but no planing.

 

[pvb]

....refuelling" done by inverter when underway,

You don't even need the inverter, it'll recharge directly off 12v. Excellent bit of kit. Now, if only the LCD display were more visible....

 

[oldharry]

I picked up an ancient (1975?) 24volt Johnson electric outboard in a sale, about which I can find nothing. It sat in my shed for 20+ years because of the nightmare of lugging two hefty batteries around. I unearthed it last year, and put two 12v 12AH SLA electric bike batteries wired in series, which makes a light and easy powerpack in a shoulder bag The battery pack runs it for about 25- 30 minutes on the back of my 8ft dinghy. Its no match even for a 2hp mariner type petrol engine, but with the ligthwieght battery pack it makes life quute a lot simpler. its quite a long walk from the car park down to the dinghy chains, so even a small conventional outboard is not very practical. It also starts without fail first time every time!

Its not much use for anything else though. Lack of power and lack of range knocks it out except for this specific trip. Not even much good if I want top go out more than once in the day, because of charging time 6 -8 hours. I did make up a longer range battery pack from a pair of old car batteries, but they are too heavy to be worth bothering with unless i really need the extra range. So for general use, no I would not recommend elelctric outboards. The claimed 4 knots will rarely be acheived, and it usually goes little above a modwrately fast rowing speed.

 

[mainsail1]

My Torqeedo has been sitting in my garage for a year or two because I had nothing but trouble in the first year or so. All fixed by Torqeedo free of charge thank- you. The battery now seems to have died and won't recharge.
But ..................I bought a Suzuki 2.5 last year to replace it and I am now thinking of going back to the Torqeedo and buying a new battery because the noise of the Suzuki spoils any trip and it always smells of petrol. Oh, and it is heavy to manhandle onto the dinghy when afloat. Am I mad or what?

 

[oldvarnish]

You don't even need the inverter, it'll recharge directly off 12v. Excellent bit of kit. Now, if only the LCD display were more visible....

Did you buy a special lead, or make one up?

Very strongly agree about the LCD display - the only weak point I've found in the Torqeedo design.

 

[pvb]

Did you buy a special lead, or make one up?

Very strongly agree about the LCD display - the only weak point I've found in the Torqeedo design.

Made up a lead, based on an old laptop charging lead which had the correct size of plug.

 

[rogerthebodger]

You could consider making your own. I made this from some bit in my workshop.

Just fits where the rudder normally fits on one of my dingy.

 

[RupertW]

You don't even need the inverter, it'll recharge directly off 12v. Excellent bit of kit. Now, if only the LCD display were more visible....

Agree re. the LCD - it's a very odd and easily rectifiable design flaw in such an expensive piece of kit.

Reason I use the inverter is that all the comments I read at the time say that the mains charger recharges far faster than the 12v, and the mains fast charger much faster again. So with limited engine use at times I wanted fasted charge despite the inefficiency. Happy to be corrected as it slightly offends my frugality converting diesel into 12v, 12v into 220v, then 220 back into DC with presumably some kind of intelligent LiOn charging.

 

[pvb]

Reason I use the inverter is that all the comments I read at the time say that the mains charger recharges far faster than the 12v, and the mains fast charger much faster again. So with limited engine use at times I wanted fasted charge despite the inefficiency.

The mains chargers simply provide 12v; the 90W charger can supply more current than the ordinary charger. I can't see that they'd charge any quicker than simply connecting a 12v battery. All the charging electronics are contained in the Torqeedo battery.