Torqeedo electric outboards

[Bill Streever]

Hi all.

I have had a Torqeedo electric outboard for a few years. Despite the high cost, I bought it for a few reasons--to avoid carrying gasoline aboard, to adopt a new technology, and with the hope that it would not need as much attention as most small outboards require. Until recently, my experience was somewhat mixed but reasonably good. Maintenance requirements were higher than expected, but simple or unimportant. For example, the paint on the body of the outboard flaked off after the first year, so I had to repaint it (or ignore the problem). And the sheer pin that holds the prop to the prop shaft tends to fail about once every 8 months, so the prop shaft spins as normal but the prop itself doesn't move or barely moves, so I figured out that I could make new pins from stainless stock, and replacement requires maybe 30 minutes or so if all goes well (plus however long it takes to row back from wherever the failure leaves me stranded). But about a year ago, Torqeedo recalled their batteries. I was in Bonaire and Colombia at the time, and they could not ship to either country. Now I am in Mexico, and once again they are telling me that they cannot ship a battery to me--that is, they cannot ship to Mexico, but they would be happy to ship to an address in the States for me (big help, right?). This seems odd to me, in that they are marketing the motor for use on dinghies, and dinghies are often used by cruising sailboats. Has anyone else had a similar experience? Any suggestions, other than "go buy a gasoline outboard" (which is almost certainly what I will have to do). -bill

[NaClyDog]

I've investigated using their Cruise 4.0 T on a tender for a catamaran.


Getting info from them is frustrating and they have no way to charge their newest battery from a DC source. This means needing a generator unless you can get a beefy DC supply / source.


Much easier to get a small gas outboard. Kind of defeats the purpose if you ask me.

[Training Wheels]

Originally Posted by Bill Streever

Hi all.

I have had a Torqeedo electric outboard for a few years. Despite the high cost, I bought it for a few reasons--to avoid carrying gasoline aboard, to adopt a new technology, and with the hope that it would not need as much attention as most small outboards require. Until recently, my experience was somewhat mixed but reasonably good. Maintenance requirements were higher than expected, but simple or unimportant. For example, the paint on the body of the outboard flaked off after the first year, so I had to repaint it (or ignore the problem). And the sheer pin that holds the prop to the prop shaft tends to fail about once every 8 months, so the prop shaft spins as normal but the prop itself doesn't move or barely moves, so I figured out that I could make new pins from stainless stock, and replacement requires maybe 30 minutes or so if all goes well (plus however long it takes to row back from wherever the failure leaves me stranded). But about a year ago, Torqeedo recalled their batteries. I was in Bonaire and Colombia at the time, and they could not ship to either country. Now I am in Mexico, and once again they are telling me that they cannot ship a battery to me--that is, they cannot ship to Mexico, but they would be happy to ship to an address in the States for me (big help, right?). This seems odd to me, in that they are marketing the motor for use on dinghies, and dinghies are often used by cruising sailboats. Has anyone else had a similar experience? Any suggestions, other than "go buy a gasoline outboard" (which is almost certainly what I will have to do). -bill

I went through the battery recall thing with my 2 Torqeedo batteries in Mexico. Where are you in Mexico? If Banderas Bay, I can tell you how I got mine down here.

[Nicholson58]

Serious cruisers are a minority. Most boats are dock queens or within close proximity to countries with a strong infrastructure, marinas, transportation and shipping. Even most cruisers seem to also have a home on land somewhere. Getting stuff to and from the places where you cruise or live aboard is often a determining reason to select equipment for other than egalitarian reasons.

Check to see if there is a chandlery in your cruise plans that deals in Torquedo where the manufacture can manage a swap. I think I have seen them in Martinique and Trinidad but not sure. Check Budget Marine.

I have a Standard Horizon with a RAM that failed once we were out of the US. They want it shipped to a factory service center, radio and RAM. It will cost less to replace it let alone the logistics in shipping, import, export agent. And where will you be when it is shipped back. Also how long will it take? SH sells most radios to the afore mentioned dock queens. Those of us who really depend on them daily don’t represent a big enough fraction of the business for them to properly address our needs.