Torqeedo

A1GSS said:
Any tips on cheapest suppliers for these?
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https://nestawayboats.com/shop/torqeedo-travel-1003s-1003l/
These people seem to talk sense, I don't think there's much leeway on price as Torqeedo keep their suppliers in line. They make a good point in that you can't ship a Torqeedo battery. I could have got €100 off from my local supplier but thought I'd rather have a factory fresh battery and motor rather than one that's been sitting for who knows how long and who knows how many demos including probably tested out of water. So I ordered direct from the factory and paid full whack plus delivery
 
Tonight we are staying at anchor for the first time this season, just off the beach of La Courtade on the Ile de Porquerolles, a beautiful evening. I took the tender and Torqeedo out for its first proper spin, over 6nm using one third of its battery (the larger 915w battery) averaging 3 knots. I know that's not fast but I'm still dealing with range anxiety, top speed 4.4 knots. I'm going to put the tiller extension on soon and sit further forward and if this improves the trim it might go faster.
Oh yeah, conditions; perfect
 
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Time to bump up my Torqeedo project. This time I'm going to concentrate on the unexpected or negative side. The underwater profile of a 2hp petrol outboard is tiny, tiny gear casing and tiny propeller and tiny skeg. With the different torque curve of electric, instead of a tiny three blade prop we have a huge two bladed one. Also the gear case (or nosecone) is called the pylon by Torqeedo, is again huge because it contains the electric motor and is only made of plastic. This all means the shaft is long, to keep the bigger prop in the water and not chop up your tender. The result is that when you lift the outboard up it doesn't (on my transom) clear the water. As a result I've had to raise the chocks on the boat deck higher. The worst problem is when beaching the tender, I can't. It hits the sand, remember it's made of plastic, and drags all the way and conversely pushing the tender back into the water makes it dig in more. I could raise it about half an inch higher on the transom but I don't think that will make a lot of difference and the danger of raising the transom puts me off that idea. When I'm back on the boat I will look into seeing if I can raise the Torqeedo higher and wedging something under it to hold it up. Any ideas would be gratefully received.
The other problem is fear of theft if I leave it on the beach, the battery is too heavy to take hiking. And finally a hidden cost, its put my insurance premiums up by €50 per year
 
Bouba said:
I don't have any speed data but the Honda felt faster. And the Honda has unlimited range at any speed! And of course the Honda cost hundreds while the Torqeedo costs thousands
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I was getting very excited about going electric. All the previous posts were most encouraging, but along came yours. £Thousands??
Hmmm.

What does the panel think in relation to Bouba's comments?
 
A1GSS said:
Well it's about 1350 of our best english pounds with the standard battery. So at least double a petrol o/b but no servicing costs or starting worries, and you don't need to buy or store petrol.

Bouba, is yours the long shaft version?
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I paid €2150 which included a longer tiller handle (which I haven't fitted yet) the largest battery as standard (915w) and shipping
I have the short shaft, but it's a long short shaft!
 
We are 3 years into our 1003 (with the 550 battery which was current at the time). Until we tried to use it for the first time this year, I have had nothing but praise for it. The visibility of the lcd screen is a pain but does show just what is happening to battery and range at each throttle setting.

We use it for 3m heavy rib with up to 6 people on board and half a mile from anchor to shore and back. As we are motoring through anchorages we would never want to create a noticeable wash so the extra speed available from our old petrol engine was wasted. Best buy ever.

For our rib the stern is deep enough that when tilted the stern is lower than the Torqueedo nosecone so fortunately no beaching issues.

Problem this year is a simple but very frustrating one. One of the outboard bracket clamp screws has seized and if I use any tools to apply too much pressure the plastic toggle starts to bend. WD40 and an overnight soak has done nothing, and this is without it being clamped too hard as the disc that touches the bracket will rotate under finger pressure and the outboard move around that bracket when the other screw is loosened. Fortunately I was just planning to move it from one side of our stern to the other, not actually use the dinghy. But I need to think of a solution that won't break or melt the plastic toggle.
 
Niffler said:
Is it still under its three year warranty?

WD40 is great at stopping corrosion but it's not so good as a penetrating freeing oil.
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A year or two back our Geny water pump developed a weep ,nothing serious I put it somewhere on the to do list .
Anyhow sods law as boats are a great combo .
After a nice all day slow cruise some 80 miles mostly @ D Speed we anchored up and ,when it was time to turn the Geny on ,the belt snapped . Pump had ceased up .
Would not turn .Sea water seeped somewhere and corossion taken its toll .
Next Morning we arrived at Porqueroles ,where there is marine engineering shop "Haliday marine "
I took the pump off ,tried grips etc -nope stuck .
So I coated in WD 40 wrapped it in a bag so not to spoil wife hand bag
We tendered ashore ( to forage for supplies ) -wife went shopping I went into the shop to attempt to buy a new pump .
Ubiquitous Johnson - while I was explaining on my own the problem ,the guy said he not stock em ,but could have one here in 3 days .
In walked wife
"show the guy the pump dear "
Out it came - wife unwrapped it in near 90 degree August heat --- Yup --- it was free guy just grabbed it and the pulley turned normally .
I felt a bit of a burke as he had spent a bit of time ( I had the serial No written down ) tracking down the part .

I,d spent the whole of the previous Pm and most of that morning pratting about trying to un cease it ,before soaking it in WD40 - was wrapped + hang bagged for 2 hours .

Happy ending -I refitted it as a temp solution --so we had 220 V
E-bayed at €170'a total new one --did think at €25 having new seals ,but figured a new one should push that prob away for a few years ?

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Offending ceased item --(sorry for the focus !)
Good ho WD 40
 
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Niffler said:
Is it still under its three year warranty?

WD40 is great at stopping corrosion but it's not so good as a penetrating freeing oil.
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Yes - I need the try a better oil. Looking up other threads people recommend a blowtorch but will need to remove the plastic toggle first I guess and buying a blowtorch just for this sounds insane
 
RupertW said:
Yes - I need the try a better oil. Looking up other threads people recommend a blowtorch but will need to remove the plastic toggle first I guess and buying a blowtorch just for this sounds insane
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Buy a refillable gas-tin-fired one from one of the many stores e.g. Wickes, B&Q, Screwfix, Amazon etc etc.
I don't know what I paid for mine but since buying it for a one-off particular task I have found it an invaluable, instant-to-hand helper on the boat, in the garage, in the garden - even in the kitchen for Baked Alaska !!
 
Blow torch on a boat ! ------ !
You won't find me waving one about in the E room or anywhere else on a boat ,if it tips up or you drop it etc .

You probably have some inflammable propellant spray cans like WD40 nearby too

Interesting to read your claim form to your underwriters if you are claiming fire damage primarily because of a blow torch incident .Good test of scruples --do I or don,t I mention it ?
 
Portofino said:
Blow torch on a boat ! ------ !
You won't find me waving one about in the E room or anywhere else on a boat ,if it tips up or you drop it etc .

You probably have some inflammable propellant spray cans like WD40 nearby too

Interesting to read your claim form to your underwriters if you are claiming fire damage primarily because of a blow torch incident .Good test of scruples --do I or don,t I mention it ?
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Well it's an outboard bracket for storage on the back of the back of the boat, so nothing flammable around.

But awkward to bring a blowtoch on Easyjet and may be harder to buy over there, so I might try an electric heat gun (or whatever that thing is that you use to strip paint) as I'm sure I can fly with that and it will heat more safely and consistently I think. Fingers crossed it's 30 second - apply the wrench and bingo. Will definitely grease the screws before leaving it outside over Winter again.
 
If you want penetrating oil you will struggle to beat PlusGas

PlusGas.jpg

I keep a can onboard to loosen various pliers when they have corroded seized shut, and various engine bolts etc when there has been galvanic corrosion etc. Stuff is brilliant. Makes you realise just how inferior WD40 is as a penetrating oil. I keep the latter as a water repellant / dispersant and ACF50 as a anti corrosion oil. Between the three I hardly ever need gaffer tape and cable ties anymore. Now where's me 'ammer
 
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