Glen-L.com

Has anyone used a TORQUEEDO electric outboard? They look interesting but I'm concerned about how long the charge would last. One chart showed very little cruise time at full throttle, like 35 minutes. They are very expensive and a back up battery pack (lithium) is around $600. Everyone is going "green" these days but I'm thinking a 4 stroke would be a better choice for primary power.
Looking for input on this subject. Thanks, Ken (klitz)

I haven't heard of it, but my personal opinion is that we're still a few years away from larger sized electric motors becoming more mainstream. It's really the battery technology that has to improve (and become standardized).

Go with the 4-stroke. It's a proven technology, and you'll have no problems finding a mechanic to maintain it (or doing it yourself).
Wait for your next boat to get the electric motor.

_________________
Jeff

My Celerity build.

It is tempting to consider one of the larger Torqueedo motors, a large battery bank and solar panels for cruising the river system. You could add a small generator to use when there was no sun or shorepower available to recharge the batteries.

However, once you add up the cost of all those components, a small 4-stroke seems to be a much better choice.

Maybe someday..............

_________________
Tom
------------------------------
Knot-So-Fast (A stretched Bo-Jest design)
Travel Log at www.tomstug.blogspot.com

"It's amazing what one can do when one doesn't know what one can't do." - Garfield

Those Electrics show up every once in awhile on a Boat forum.
You can carry more Gas than Batteries. Gas motors offer better performance too.

About the only time the Torq would beat a Gas motor would be over Miles and miles of uninhabited river systems or the Canadian Lakes, where you might go for days without seeing a place that sold gas.

And that's only if you had some way of Re-charging the batteries.
Like a Solar panel, or a small gas motor with an alternator attached.

But on a small boat you could Row, and on a small lake, the Electric would be a "no messy" operation and beat the heck out of a Gas engine.

Ken,
I have also looked into those electric outboards, but I went with a brand new 4 HP four stroke that I paid much less for. What design are you considering?

_________________
A secret to a good marriage is to have a quick mind and a slow mouth!!!

I'm looking at the power row skiff, but haven't decided how fast I want it to go. I can putt around with a small motor or go alittle faster with maybe a 6-10 hp, nothing real fast. This forum is very helpful and with the input so far, I've decided to go with the gas OB. Thanks, Klitz.

As long as your lake or pond allows gas, you can get the same performance from a new gas engine for less money, and the range will be much greater.

Depends on your usage which way to go

Terqueedo looks like a cool motor, and If I'm not mistaken, there is one with a solar panel on it, but not sure how efficient that would be as most solar panels are large and that one wouldn't have much surface area

I guess the site shows an external panel and says you can run all day at a slow speed....I'm sure this would be on calm water with good sun

Boils down to where, how, and under what conditions you will use your boat

_________________
Boat building can best be defined as an endless series of
tragedies obscured by the occasional miracle, followed by a good bottle of beer.

Don't Dream Your Life, Live Your Dream

Thanks Pirate. We are enjoying Destin, just love the sugar sand beach. Klitz

Gotta be better than home weather for you!!

I haven't been up in that area much,not sure if I was that far west either

_________________
Boat building can best be defined as an endless series of
tragedies obscured by the occasional miracle, followed by a good bottle of beer.

Don't Dream Your Life, Live Your Dream