We have become firm converts to the new generation of lithium battery powered electric outboards. The battery technology gives them plenty of endurance and enough power for most displacement tenders. We have an inverter on board so re-charging is quick and easy but I understand you can use bespoke solar chargers though these aren 't cheap. The great advantages are that they are silent, very light weight and there is no longer a need to keep petrol on board.

Our Torqeedo 1003 has, on the whole, been very reliable but, during the second season an integrated circuit board in the battery blew. The dealer arranged repair under warranty without fuss but the UK service agency proved to be slow, unhelpful and arrogant. I hope that they get this glitch sorted as it 's a great outboard.
http://www.torqeedo.com/index.php

Frustrating!

All I can say is that both of our batteries charge equally well with either the fast charger (3.5 hrs to charge) or the original charger (14 hours to charge). A difference is that the fast charger warms up the battery whereas the original charger does not.

As it is well known that internal heating is a dire enemy of lithium battery life, we keep both chargers together but only use the fast charger when we imperatively know we must recharge a battery quickly because we will need it shortly; i.e., rarely.

Best,

+x

 

Hasbun - 10/9/2016

Frustrating!All I can say is that both of our batteries charge equally well with either the fast charger (3.5 hrs to charge) or the original charger (14 hours to charge). A difference is that the fast charger warms up the battery whereas the original charger does not. As it is well known that internal heating is a dire enemy of lithium battery life, we keep both chargers together but only use the fast charger when we imperatively know we must recharge a battery quickly because we will need it shortly; i.e., rarely.Best,

Hi all,
There is another fairly strong, to me, argument in favor of electric outboards such as Torqeedo.
There are seasons where you use your dinghy all the time and there are seasons where it gets little use. Newfoundland has been a season where we have been tying up at wharfs and visiting small towns. Anchorages are scarce as the depths are great and are interests are more inclined to the communities than to gunkholing.
In years past, I used to hate the gas/petrol powered outboard sitting on my transom having the fuel go slowly bad and turning into varnish in the carburetor. And, yes, I always ran it dry, but gas-powered outboards just like to be used and have their fuel fresh.
With the Torqeedo, that is not a worry.
I also had my outboard serviced with regularity (and sometimes repaired): the servicing is no longer an issue and, so far, there has been no repairs necessary.
BTW, the above observation goes for dinghies as well. I have a hard nesting dinghy that rows well and is out of the way under the boom. It is largely impervious to sun/rain/dirt etc. I used to hate storing my inflatable on the foredeck for long periods unused. Not only was it in the way of sail/spinnaker/ground tackle handling at times, but it was slowly but surely being destroyed by the sun.
Further thoughts, Dick Stevenson, s/vAlchemy