Torqeedo on a Typhoon Weekender

[mhorton44]

I have been offered a used Torqeedo for my Weekender at an attractive price. Only concern that it is the short shaft version with 62.5 cm from the top of mounting plate to the center of the propeller. Can anyone confirm that this will work or should I hold out for the long shaft (75 cm version? From what I can tell, conventional gas outboard long shafts are 20 inches, but measured to the top of the cavitation plate and not the center of the prop.

[mgphl52]

Whether you need a long shaft also depends on the conditions you sail in. If there's not a lot of swells and you're just using it to get in and out of an anchorage or marina, a short shaft may work well. However, if you need to motor thru any swells, the short shaft will probably pop out of the water too much.

[mhorton44]

The boat will be on the Chesapeake with only motoring in and out of the marina and perhaps in flat conditions when the wind dies, as often happens here. On my other boat, I rarely motor more than 20 minutes, and often only because I want to clear the crud out of the diesel.

With any sort of wind, I cannot imaging bothering with the outboard unless there is some sort of emergency or breakdown situation, when I could also call Sea Tow.

In looking at the specs, it seems that the Torqeedo short shaft at 24.6 inches from mount to prop centerline is actually quite similar to a gas outboard long shaft, most of which are 20 inches to the cavitation plate and another 4 inches to the prop cl. Prop is much bigger on the Torqeedo at 11 inch diameter. Distance from top of the outboard mounting bracket is 13 to 15 inches and I assume the stern will squat a little under power.

The long shaft Torqeedo is 29.5 inch to the prop so that is a big jump that would clearly be best for motor open water wave conditions.

My thoughts are that the short shaft will work for my needs, particularly if I steal another two inches by dropping the outboard mounting block down on the bracket. It would still have four bolts and the outboard weighs very little.

However, this all theory and someone's practical experience would be much appreciated.

[Dick Villamil]

i use a minn kota 45 trolling motor on my Typhoon - has plenty of power for what you are using the motor for. I ran a cable from the battery stored under the cockpit to a home made box with receptacle that i store under the cockpit seat and move it topsides through the cockpit seat hatch when in use. The motor is light and easily stored below on the stbd berth. I use a small solar panel to keep the battery topped off and have never had a problem. The cost new with charger was $200 from Dick's. You can also buy one second hand for less. The short shaft Torquedo should be long enough - especially if you are sitting in the aft part of the cockpit but stayu off the bow!

[mhorton44]

I was thinking about the Minn Kota but this deal on the Torqeedo was too good to miss as long as the shaft length worked. Everything I hear from the forum and measure on the boat confirms that I will be OK in most conditions. So deal is closed and I am now electrically driven!!

Now working on the teak and making new cushions.

Thanks to all. This is a great forum.

[Ben Miller]

I use a small solar panel to keep the battery topped off and have never had a problem.

How small is your solar panel? i.e. what's the wattage? This is the question I've been trying to answer for ages. I use a trolling motor too and keep my Ty on a mooring, so I'd love to set it up with a solar panel, rather than lugging the battery back and forth. But I've had trouble estimating how much juice I use pushing the boat in and out of the harbor, and therefore I haven't known what size panel to get.

[grluecke]

Hold out for the long shaft. My son did tests with a standard trolling motor, if there is much pitch, the prop pops out of the water. $0.02, please...

[mhorton44]

Interesting. All the measurements I have taken, with some from another Weekender in the water, indicate that I will have 5 inches above the top of the 11 inch diameter prop in flat conditions and as noted in the previous post, the prop will come out if there is any pitching motion. As noted earlier, I can also drop the mounting block 2 inches to give me 7 inches above the prop.

For what I expect to need here in the Chesapeake, I believe I should be OK, except for crossing power boat wakes, etc. Given the price I am being offered, I am going to buy the Short shaft. Plan A is to install and see how it goes. Plan B would be to drop the block 2 inches, and Plan C would be to sell the short shaft and hopefully make a modest profit to go towards the cost of the Long Shaft version.

Ironically, a gasoline powered long shaft sets the center of the 4 inch diameter prop at almost the same depth as the short shaft Torqeedo, but of course, the top of the prop is 3 inches deeper that the TQ, due to its smaller size unless I go to Plan B, and steal 2 more inches.

[Paul D.]

I've used my brother's new Torqeedo on his hard dinghy and I will vouch for it being really a good idea especially if you have a consistent and frequent method to charge it that works for your planned use. Powerful, smooth, quiet and no real maintenance or any winterization and oil and gas storage issues. I believe we'll all have electric outboard motors within the next ten years.

For charging via solar, if you get a panel that puts in a very small percentage of the Torqeedo battery's total amps, you should be fine. Torqeedo sells a 50W panel but it is ridiculoso expensive and probably has their proprietor plug in and voltage specs so it is a seamless hook up. I would take a close look at what the Torqeedo battery voltage and amp charging needs before making my own charging system. They are different than our old school Trojan T-105 wet cells.

Having said that, my brother charges his Torqeedo battery through his 12v onboard system which includes solar panels and may have some recommendations. It seems to be working pretty well for him.

[mhorton44]

The Torqeedo I bought also comes with a plug in to charge it from a 12 volt battery so that seems to be a useful add on. The boat already has nav lights and a 12 volt panel, so I will put in a small battery in one of the Newport Vessels Smart boxes. They have a variety of connections that can be used to trickle charge the TQ battery if needed and also accept a maintenance charge to the 12 volt battery from the $100 Solar Panel I bought.

Nice thing is that it is so easy to remove the TQ battery that I can take it home to charge or trickle charge it directly on the boat.