Outboard Discussions

[Howard]

http://www.torqeedo.com/uploads/medi...english_05.pdf


They say it will push a 6500lber for close to 30 hrs on two twelve volt batteries. Available online now for $2200 +/-. It weighs 25 lbs and breaks down into a waterproof case. There is a smaller one for dinghies where the battery is integral.

I am very interested in this and just wondered if anyone had seen/tested these.

[ebb]

Hey Howard, the site doesn't come up.
Sounds real interesting!

[Howard]

Sorry, I changed the link, try again.
It now points to their full line of stuff.

[ebb]

uses rechargable 24v lithium manganese batteries.
Maybe the OB shows up at the boatshow this year?
It's not new that this type battery chemistry is used in high torque situations (like the Milwaukee 18v cordless line). But in this case we'd have to buy the whole kit from the manufacturer. (?) Don't know that these batteries even exist for this application here. Who makes them?
What life do they have?
Don't know anything about 24v!
Do they have to have a smart charger for the batteries?
How much?
Can the boat be run on them?
Great if it works. Need to know more.
How much (for no fumes, no explosion danger, no polution, no unfixable/away-from-the-shop modern OB probs) will the trade off cost?

Have you checked out the 'cruiser' 800 model? All I see is a shaft and a tiller. No whirly-johnny box between the tiller and the shaft to make it work....?

[Howard]

The Cruiser is the big one which can use any combination to reach 24v. (6x4, 12x2) They do have battery systems, but, from what I've heard, you do not have to use them.The 800 has an integral battery that recharges off a regular power outlet.

Variable F-R on same throttle, or remote placement. No need to fire up the motor as it is always ready to go. Sounds like a 40 watt panel and this in my climate would be the peach.

[ebb]

At 27# the 'cruiser' is unbeatable!
338's Yamaha 8-4 is over 110#! Add the gas and a battery to that!
But you'd have to have at least two dedicated batteries for the electric.
They should post some videos on their site. Immediately.

And another thing: A Whole Lot Less Noise.
(Maybe you can hear the batteries draining.)

Maybe you need a Yamaha generator to keep it charged.
Can this be too much a good thing?
What are the pros and cons here?

I'm sceptical because we've had electric boats for decades. The electric outboard was invented in the 1880's in France. What took so long to get to Germany?
Ray Electrocat
www.rayeo.com
has a 26' pontoon boat powered by
16 (ahem, SIXTEEN) Exide GC V bats
requiring TWO 25amp chargers.... (which you plug in overnight back at the dock, no doubt. And an overnight charge might not be enough.)
The motor doesn't generate more than 5hp on a 60v(!!!!) system.*
and the boat "comes with a rotating captain's seat."

This may be quiet power, but it'd be real quiet without enough juice.
The problem with electric power has always been the number and weight of batteries needed for a decent amount of time running.
__________________________________________________ ______________________________________________
This edit at a later date (1/9/07)
I guess I'm getting punchy: There is a short paragraph in Boatbuilder magazine for Jan/Feb introducing the 2hp Torqueedo(sic) and pointing out that what we're looking at, in the house photo, is the lith/man. battery mounted on top of the unit. It is a unique machine in that the whole thing can be disassembled and folded into a knapsack. The bigger one has the battery options. Takes me awhile.
The rated range for the 'cruise' is (140km/h) 76 nmph on two 220amp 12v bats. Don't know if conversion is correct - or how it relates to pushing an A/C thru a chop. Cruising with this electric OB sure will require extra bats and a super off-grid charger.
What do you think about the Torgeedo's?
__________________________________________________ __________________________________________________ ________
* a visit to the >ray< site above is almost like going to another country where only fresh water and lakes exist. All the accessory equipment has strange names. Maybe a comparison can be made between the motors and power needed. It isn't clear to me what advantages the cruise model Torgeedo has over any other electric OB - except that it is aimed at the sailboat market. I guess. (I find the Torgeedo site uninformative and unfriendly. Really peculiar if you are trying to sell something. And google has never heard of these folks!)
5hp isn't enough power for any sailboat that has to be large enough to carry enough support batteries, imco. And if you're thinking solar for recharge you'll need 1/2 a football field for the array. Check out the solar page there.

As usual tho this is all an opinion.
Just throwing this stuff out here, in hopes that some informed human will illuminate this subject for us.
Cruising without the smell of gas and EXHAUST - and the noise and vibration of the motor - would be FANTASTIC.

[Howard]

http://www.westmarine.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product/10001/-1/10001/265318/10001/820/478/10

Here it is from WasteMarine.

[Howard]

(I find the Torgeedo site uninformative and unfriendly. Really peculiar if you are trying to sell something. And google has never heard of these folks!)

Yeah, the website is obviously a computer based translation which loses some of that famous German sense of humour.


The product is only two months old so that may explain the dearth of google entries.

It is the cost and weight/power that are different from previous incarnations IMO.

Probably could be used with a combination of a solar panel and the KISS wind generator from what I see on their site. Ah the freedom!!!