Torqeedo

Just spotted this post from last week re Torqeedo. I'm sure it's obvious but Bouba had trouble with the height of his transom and tipping the engine and from what you say even the short shaft is too long on your rib. I want one for a 3m Zodiac with a standard wood transom so I imagine I'd have the same bother ... would you still recommend it anyway and work round the bother? I'll be using it mainly for quayside and pontoon stops but occasionally a beach ... the pros look to outweigh the cons ... buy one anyway?
 
Somebody just tried to get round The Orme with a electric motor on. RNLI had to go fetch him as it couldn't handle the current. I'd be sorely tempted to get one as they do seem to tick all the boxes but for the fact my tidal estuary flows at greater speed than the leccy motor can push against to make headway
 
Kingfisher 3 said:
Just spotted this post from last week re Torqeedo. I'm sure it's obvious but Bouba had trouble with the height of his transom and tipping the engine and from what you say even the short shaft is too long on your rib. I want one for a 3m Zodiac with a standard wood transom so I imagine I'd have the same bother ... would you still recommend it anyway and work round the bother? I'll be using it mainly for quayside and pontoon stops but occasionally a beach ... the pros look to outweigh the cons ... buy one anyway?
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Its a bit of a pain, it took two of us to beach and launch it. Someone else posted that it wasn't a problem on their transom so I guess it depends on your boat.
The Torqeedo can be raised higher, its just devising a way to hold it up. At first I thought I could tie down but that didn't work. Now I've made a wooden block to place between the motor and the transom bracket, I hope to test this tomorrow. If it's successful I will carve some soft wood into the complicated shape of the bottom of the motor and top of the bracket. I will post pictures after my experiment. It may not be an elegant solution but as long as it works
 
BruceK said:
Somebody just tried to get round The Orme with a electric motor on. RNLI had to go fetch him as it couldn't handle the current. I'd be sorely tempted to get one as they do seem to tick all the boxes but for the fact my tidal estuary flows at greater speed than the leccy motor can push against to make headway
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I'm in the Med so not something to worry me. Against a 10-15knot headwind it didn't slow down at all
Sometimes when people talk electric they mean trolling motors. These are fine, used one for years on inland waters, the Torqeedo is more powerful (and way way more expensive!)
 
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Kingfisher 3 said:
Just spotted this post from last week re Torqeedo. I'm sure it's obvious but Bouba had trouble with the height of his transom and tipping the engine and from what you say even the short shaft is too long on your rib. I want one for a 3m Zodiac with a standard wood transom so I imagine I'd have the same bother ... would you still recommend it anyway and work round the bother? I'll be using it mainly for quayside and pontoon stops but occasionally a beach ... the pros look to outweigh the cons ... buy one anyway?
Click to expand...

Just to add, I also have a 3m Zodiac (it might be 3.4m, can't remember) with a wooden transom. In order to mate it with a long shaft 5 hp Mercury that I had, I added extra height to the transom, look so good it could have been factory!
But I would not recommend you do this until you are absolutely sure the propeller isn't going to chew up the tubes! Torqeedo say the prop needs to be deep in the water
 
OK thanks for the info .... I think I'll get one anyway and work around the prop on the beach problem ... either 2 of us to lift the whole dinghy out or just raise it early and row the last bit. my Zodiac is a non-rib slatted floor affair so doesn't weigh much. I've got a brand new Suzuki 6L and a nearly new Yamaha 4S (anyone?) which lives on a bracket in the engine room but is a hell of a job to lift out from down there, and to fix on the dinghy. I'm going to flog them both ... lightweight Torqeedo is the way to go!
 
Kingfisher 3 said:
OK thanks for the info .... I think I'll get one anyway and work around the prop on the beach problem ... either 2 of us to lift the whole dinghy out or just raise it early and row the last bit. my Zodiac is a non-rib slatted floor affair so doesn't weigh much. I've got a brand new Suzuki 6L and a nearly new Yamaha 4S (anyone?) which lives on a bracket in the engine room but is a hell of a job to lift out from down there, and to fix on the dinghy. I'm going to flog them both ... lightweight Torqeedo is the way to go!
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Yes, even though I've only had it a short time, I really like it. It goes fast enough for me and I like the instant go stop go. Quite often I would spend all day rowing because I couldn't be ar**d starting up my Honda. The digital readout is fun too, if i had the energy I'd get the app
 
This is my solution to the lower leg not rising high enough to clear the water (and beach), its what is known in engineering terms as "a block of wood".
The leg now clears the water. I will replace this with a carved block that will fit without it looking like the motor is balanced precariously
IMG_0751.jpg
 

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Before all the jokes start, I know it's upside down. That's the beauty of a block of wood, it doesn't matter
 
The mini Kota trolling motor fully adjusts re depth
They do a sea version too
Not sure of the lbs thrust assume less , but they are a few hundred £
And nobodies gonna nick it and it has zero impact on your insurance
Ours has lived under a cockpit seat for the past 10 y

We raise ours when approaching shallow water . V easy to do

How ever I suspect not as powerful or complicated as the Li ion bat version Bouba has .
 
Ref my post above about selling a brand new Suzuki 6 and Yamaha 4 and buying a Torqeedo ... I put an ad on the Le Bon Coin site at 2 o'clock on Sunday which appeared at 4 ... phone call from buyer and sold by 6 o'clock, collected yesterday! So if you've got anything nautical to flog in France ................
 
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