Torqeedo Travel 1003

We're just back from a two week cruise that covered Buzzards Bay and Vineyard Sound. Rather than another edition of "My Summer Vacation," I thought I'd post a review of the Torqeedo Travel 1003.

We're in our second season with the electric outboard, which I bought used from a sailor who moved up to a bigger boat. The Torqeedo powers our West Marine rollup.

The pros:

The all electric outboard lets us avoid carrying gasoline on board. There's nothing to spill, even with the motor lying in a locker or in the cabin. Enough said.

It's light weight, and especially because the components (motor, battery, tiller) can be loaded separately. One hand for the component, one hand for me has worked well.

Power has always been sufficient, even when fighting wind and current.

Battery life has been sufficient to power a tender while cruising. It recharges on board whenever the boat's engine is running and that's kept up with use.

Battery life, speed, remaining miles, are calculated by in internal GPS and displayed on the tiller assembly. You always know what's left.

The cons:

It's slow to charge, so if you're a heavy user, expecting long runs and high speeds, you'll be out of luck.

I get occasional failure which has required a reconnect of cables and/or a power reboot.

The tiller assembly, in particular, is delicate, so beware and don't force anything.

The motor is designed to lock in the "up" position, but the latch is flimsy. A block of wood is suggested, instead.

Tips:

Keep the oars in the dinghy (as you should with any motor).

I suggest rowing when the distances are short and conditions allow. Especially when cruising, it preserves battery life.

Test the motor in forward/reverse before casting off. That will insure that cables are properly connected, the electronics are working, and you don't need a reboot.

The magnet that functions as the kill switch is easily misplaced or lost. A backup is recommended.

Bottom line:

The motor is easy to mount/dismount, quiet and from what I've seen and experienced, as reliable as traditional alternatives. For the way we use it, battery life is perpetual.It's not perfect, but we're fans. 

But at least to me the wind is free...

If you're not familiar with Old Zeb, take three and a half minutes and listen to his story, as sung by Larry Kaplan. My favorite line: "But at least for me the wind is free, and they haven't run out yet."

Not only is the wind free, but you don't actually use it; you simply borrow it, then you leave it behind for the next passer by. It's like a public library for energy!

Heaving to

A recent post on the Cape Dory message board motivates me to write this. The post was a question of how to quickly reef, from the cockpit presumably. The writer noted that in unexpected high winds, he couldn't leave the tiller and still maintain control of the boat.

Heaving to, essentially depowering your boat in otherwise overpowered conditions, is a basic, save-your-life sort of skill. Back the jib/Genoa, adjust the trim of the main, lash the tiller, and frenzy turns to calm, giving you time to think, time to reef, time to check the chart, time for lunch.

Boats heave to differently, so it's worth experimenting with your boat to see what combinations of sails/rudder works best for you.

Practice on an easy day, in a place with sufficient sea room, and watch out for traffic. Heave to on a starboard tack and you'll have right of way most of the time.

As your boat takes care of itself, and you relax, count on at least one good Samaritan to come along and ask if you're okay.

SCRUB!!!

Today was a great day to scrub the exterior... cabin top, deck, and cockpit. Boat soap, bucket and brush managed to change the color of the boat, from a sort of grey color back to white. Hard to know where all the dust, dirt and grime comes from over a winter where the boat's covered.

Some minor rigging tweaks, setting up the reefing lines and the like, are all that remain.

Back in the water!

Liquidity was launched on April 25th, and last I checked was happily floating in slip I24 at Marina Bay. I20's a bit occupied, as the marina's been installing new "J" docks, and the old docks and pilings are taking up my official space, but no complaints.

The Beta was a bit cranky with fuel flow, but otherwise started routinely. Batteries seem to have survived the winter just fine.

The boat's fully stocked, with most of what goes back on board loaded while still on the hard. Sails went on last week, in easy weather, and I managed a night on board despite cool overnight temperatures. With my annual trip to Stop & Shop behind me, both dinner and breakfast were prepared on board.

Small Change inflated and stayed that way (with a small leak in the floor I need to find) and carried the last of the gear from the ramp to the slip the old fashioned way.

Tested the Torqeedo outboard; the battery started the winter at 100% and is starting the season at 99%. That's amazing!

Cleaning continues. Can sailing be far behind?

Let the winter projects begin!

Yes, the basement is still a mess. No, not everything I've taken off LIQUIDITY has been stowed. No, not everything I've taken off LIQUIDITY has been taken out of the car!

There's been some progress: I've done some pre-storage triage, setting aside items that need attention and/or minor repair. In that regard, I've spliced a new dock line eye, and repaired/replaced two whippings.

Minor as it is, I managed one fun little crafts project: crafting a sheath from a well-worn sheepskin slipper that had seen better days. Folded in half, the vamp is just the right size for my knife, I used the original rawhide lacing, and the original holes in the vamp made it super easy to stitch. Matching eyelets on the back provided attachment points for the belt look. Picture shows the companion slipper and the finished product.

We're on the hard!

I completed the haul form last week... okay to haul anytime after the weekend. Tuesday morning came and so did the call from the Marina office. Liquidity is on the hard.

The season ends as it always does, with unloading remaining gear, winterizing the boat, and a winter cover of white shrink wrap plastic. At the same time, we begin the countdown toward Spring 2016: It's already November, so December, January, February is short, then about two more weeks and the cover's cut off! (Is the 2016 edition of Eldridge out yet?