I’ll have more to say when I’ve had a proper amount of time with it, but today was our test drive (in and around the marina basin) of a Torqeedo Travel 1103 electric outboard for our Highfield inflatable dinghy. I need a lot more on-water hours to get a sense of performance and range, but as a boating experience, it’s a game changer. The motor (immersed in the bulb down at the prop) is dead quiet, which is a huge change from running the 6-hp four-stroke Merc. I expect to hang onto the Merc, because there may well be outings or situations in which I will want its power and range, but I think the Torqeedo will take care of most everything we do now when we’re out in the main boat for a day or two.
For now, I’ll just note that it’s lighter than the Merc and has the power equivalent of a 3-hp gas motor. It disassembles quickly into three components: the main body with the transom mount, shaft, motor and prop; the tiller component, which includes the GPS-assisted computer that displays range, consumption and charge; and the lithium-ion battery, which forms the head of the unit. I can easily store them all inside our Limestone 24 EXP and leave the battery recharging from an outlet in the boat’s 110V system.
See my UPDATE on how it’s performed.
Wild Great Lakes 