A review of the Torqeedo Electric Outboard and 3D Tender/Dinghy

A detailed look at the Torqeedo Travel 1103 CS in use on the 3D Dinghy Superlight Twin Round Air 250 launched from our Jeanneau Merry Fisher 895 Offshore. Filmed on the beautiful Cleddau Estuary at Lawrenny, Pembrokeshire, Wales, UK

[@ilterbekin4752]

You are really very helpful. I love to watch your videos. My 895 will be coming in February 2022. Thank you very much for sharing your experiences and your knowledge with us.

[@PowerboatingAdventures]

Many thanks indeed Ilter, much appreciated and I bet you can’t wait for Feb 22!!! 😁😁

[@petermartin4675]

You two make these vids very interesting keep them coming.

[@PowerboatingAdventures]

Many thanks Peter we will - any excuse for a trip out!!

[@m.e.rosson2758]

Bob, Great Video, I have the 603 and use it all the time at the lakes here in Tennessee, the whole time I was watching you I was thinking Battery Lock.....but funny, the first time I was going out if not for my son, I would have forgotten it too!!! Keep showing the Torqeedo over time, I want to know how yours holds up as you have had it a year, I have only had mine for about 6 months. I bought an extra battery and the weedless prop as well as the bags and you are so right, they are brilliant for storage and care of the motor. Safe travels to you and your wife!

[@PowerboatingAdventures]

Many thanks for your comment - yes I won’t forget it again thats for sure!! Yes we will include it, I’m sure, in our travels. Love the Torqeedo!! 😁

[@charlotte1420]

Great video - really useful! 👍

[@PowerboatingAdventures]

Many thanks James :)

[@robinuk66]

That outboard looks brand spanking new guys!! Great and informative video again, keep them coming...trying to get hold of the lightweight dinghy is near on impossible at the moment but then again I do have 217 days until I 'need' it :) Ordered the dehumidifier yesterday...

[@PowerboatingAdventures]

It is such a well made product - freshwater rinse off from the shower at the back, then shammy dry and it stays like new!! Good move re the dehumidifier - bone dry cabins, cushions, no dampness all winter and no window condensation at all - the complete opposite of our initial use of the 795 in colder months until we saw the Meaco light!! :) You're going to be the most prepared man from a prepared part of Prepared land :)))

[@robinuk66]

@@PowerboatingAdventures I will be Bob (ex-boy scout!)...I had a really informative video sent to me detailing loads of items and hints and tips for products to buy...costing me a fortune now LOL :)

[@petermartin4675]

Great vid and a good bit of kit.

[@PowerboatingAdventures]

😄it is indeed Peter and many thanks :)

[@abkcharters]

Thank you, some very useful info.

[@PowerboatingAdventures]

Many thanks abk- much appreciated:)

[@markreed1768]

Lovely job, thank you.

[@PowerboatingAdventures]

Many thanks Mark, much appreciated :)

[@johnpenson8801]

Great Video Bob and Nicky. Very detailed and comprehensive. I will certainly consider selling my current Zodiac Aerodec 2.7 metre. It is a great dinghy but just very heavy for moving around. May stick with my little Yamaha outboard though. Time will tell. On track to be an 825 Offshore owner in early 2022.

[@PowerboatingAdventures]

Many thanks John, glad it was useful - yes the 3D is a lift out the water with one hand and easy to stow on the roof. If there's life left in the Yam why not!! :) I think there's at least 3 or 4 watchers of our films expecting their 895's at the end of the year or early next - exciting times!!

[@marknikel1990]

Thanks for the great video - my question is the same as Neil’s dealing with locking the motor when the tender is on shore or at the tender dock - mostly what I’ve seen are cables or chains strung through the motor - any thoughts?

[@PowerboatingAdventures]

Thanks very much Mark and yes it does present a security problem. Bottom line is I always have it in sight on the beach and don’t leave it unattended if ashore. If I was unable to keep it in view I’d either take the bags ashore too and dismantle it and carry it with shoulder straps and handles - the big bag handles can be shared with a partner which makes it easy! (17kgs is not that bad and the tender alone wasn’t as expensive so could remain tied up!!) OR I’d just row in if I was overnighting on land or away from shore for an extended period and had to leave the tender. It does need some planning as you can’t secure it to the dinghy as nothing is strong enough, or fixed, and if you chained it to a shore based structure a chain is cuttable or the engine could be dismantled and the chained bit left hanging 😳. Of course if you were leaving the boat on a buoy for a few days and going off in a car perhaps I’d then consider taking the dinghy bag too (12kgs in rucksack form) and stow everything in the boot. Don’t forget the 12v air pump though for the return!! I guess the best solution is BBQ nearby 😂

[@terryking8427]

Great video - thank you! Do you think the Torqeedo 603 would have enough power for this inflatable? The floating battery on that model would be a nice feature, with the tradeoff of smaller capacity / lower range. Curious to hear your thoughts.

[@PowerboatingAdventures]

Many thanks Terry and thanks for watching :) Yes the 603 is certainly powerful enough for our dinghy, as it will cater for craft up to 1 ton, but we thought there was a significant loss of range with the 603. The 1103 offered nearly 4x the range for a few hundred extra!! If you assumed the 603 has a quarter of the range (almost!) then it perhaps should be a quarter of the price at 5-600. We therefore thought the 1103 offered better value as you got proportionally more range for your money and removed any 'have I got enough battery left to get back to the boat' anguish!! - if that makes sense !!! I'm not sure the floating battery added real usability to the package. With the really good handle on the battery I don't personally worry about dropping it. In the rare eventuality I might, it is fully waterproof so I'd dive in and get it as we are usually fairly shallow when using it to get to shore etc (or the pub!!) and dry it out. The oars are always attached to the dinghy!! Once the battery is fitted the weight of the rest/total wouldn't allow it to float either I don't think as the chassis is about 11kgs and may pull it down. Once we had a routine for getting set up, as you saw on the film with me sat on the swim platform, the thought of dropping the battery in the drink never worries me with that grab handle it has :))

[@johnpenson8801]

Thanks Bob

[@PowerboatingAdventures]

You're very welcome!! :)

[@johnpenson8801]

@@PowerboatingAdventures Decided to buy the 2.5 air deck in white, as soon as I was notified they were back in stock. Looking forward to your next video. Hope you will do one on manoeuvring on and off your berth sometime. Best regards and happy boating!

[@PowerboatingAdventures]

@@johnpenson8801 Thanks John and that's a great dinghy :) Both those subjects are on the list - next one is Part 1 of the GPSMap 8410 :)

[@mskarenwyness]

We pleased to say we have confidently purchased exactly what you have shown, expect only 1.8m tender due to stock shortages but should be fine for the two of us?

[@PowerboatingAdventures]

I’m sure it will be Karen as it’s rated for 2 people, just go steady as you attach the motor, if you’ve bought a Torqeedo, as it’s a fair bit more weight than the dinghy if the dinghy is empty!! 😁 Have fun! ☀️☀️

[@0rchardend]

Good Afternoon Bob Just interested in why you chose the 3D Super light Dinghy Round? Rather than the one with a transom? Take it the round has more stern bouyancy, but how to you secure your expensive electric outboard if you leave the dinghy unattended? Have my name on the waitlist with a couple of agents at the moment. Very difficult to get hold of them. Like many other things! Regards

[@PowerboatingAdventures]

Hi Orchardend and thanks for your comment. On the last point, have you tried Daniel at BHG Marine - he's a dealer too. On your first point security is of course a challenge - I'll copy the answer I gave to a similar question below which may help but there are no easy answers as I think any determined miscreant wouldn't be bothered by a lock - so ..... (this is my other reply ...... 'and yes it does present a security problem. Bottom line is I always have it in sight on the beach and don’t leave it unattended if ashore. If I was unable to keep it in view I’d either take the bags ashore too and dismantle it and carry it with shoulder straps and handles - the big bag handles can be shared with a partner which makes it easy! (17kgs is not that bad and the tender alone wasn’t as expensive so could remain tied up!!) OR I’d just row in if I was overnighting on land or away from shore for an extended period and had to leave the tender. It does need some planning as you can’t secure it to the dinghy as nothing is strong enough, or fixed, and if you chained it to a shore based structure a chain is cuttable or the engine could be dismantled and the chained bit left hanging 😳. Of course if you were leaving the boat on a buoy for a few days and going off in a car perhaps I’d then consider taking the dinghy bag too (12kgs in rucksack form) and stow everything in the boot. Don’t forget the 12v air pump though for the return!! I guess the best solution is BBQ nearby 😂'

[@TheTodd83]

Hi, just a tip: get a mic with a windscreen. The audio is not always audible. You can just connect the mic and record with the smart phone, and overlay after (if the camera is not compatable like some action cameras.) However, good work and keep up the production. 😃

[@PowerboatingAdventures]

Yes I was only looking at those the other day 😀 it is UK Summer after all 😂 and many thanks for the feedback, we will 🚤

[@johnpenson8801]

Thanks Bob. But if you had bought the transom version you could lock the engine to the transom? Or do you think the transom version has less seakeeping qualities? Your replies are appreciated. Thank you.

[@PowerboatingAdventures]

Morning John, I don’t know if the Twin Air version is better in the water as our buying decisions were based on less weight overall and size in the bag as we were lifting onto the roof of our 795 at that time. The Twin Air has the transom but I personally wouldn’t trust that to be strong enough with a lock to prevent theft. The engine separates easily to 3 bits which would probably mean a cable style lock to loop the bits together and the cable locks are even easier to clip through - especially given the value of the 1103 and the fact that the dinghy would potentially be ‘in the open’ for the would be thief. Little risk and lots of reward with a successful clip through the cable. It’s like bike thefts in Oxford - little risk, easy access, large rewards for modern expensive bikes and therefore hundreds stolen every year!! I guess it’s just me planning, perhaps pessimistically, for the modern world we live in :)

[@johnpenson8801]

@@PowerboatingAdventures Thanks Bob. I am keeping my Yamaha 2.5hp. Not as valuable as your electric job, but still worth locking. Although, agreed will never stop a determined experienced thief. Good point about the weights of Transom v Round End. I will check this need to have the option to stow the dinghy on the roof. Without getting a hernia! My current zodiac is brilliantly built but weighs a ton! One other question, if you have the time. Your excellent anchoring video. Very informative. Covers use of chain ( 23 metres) so great for up to 5 metres of water. Not sure I would want or need to anchor in greater depth than that. Certainly not for an overnight stop. But how does the windlass handle the rope. Note this is standard lay and not anchor laid rope. Is this something BHG or Jeaneau supplied. Thanks again for your detailed answers. Looking forward to your next video. Best regards John Penson

[@PowerboatingAdventures]

Yes all supplied by Jeanneau/BHG which they detail in their specification sheets. I'll try and get some anchor rope footage for you going through the windlass - seems to run very well :) Yes the difference is only just over 2kgs and the bag is a foot or so shorter so all that was relevant re our roof rack I made for the 795 :)

[@philself1833]

Good job - if you weren’t taking time to film and explain - how long do you think the entire inflation / assembly process would take?

[@PowerboatingAdventures]

Many thanks Phil - at a guess 10-15mins and that’s the 12v inflation time - the rest is very easy! If the dinghy was already inflated then less than 5 minutes 😁

[@jeanmichelbouthinon5397]

Hello! Thank you for your vidéo and info. Îm waiting for m’y new boat, normally in june 2022. It will be the same of you but Marlin type. CAN you tell me the dimension of your’s propellers. Thank a lot. Jean Michel

[@PowerboatingAdventures]

Exciting times for you Jean Michel!! The propellers are... Reliance Series 14.5” diameter 15” pitch; 3 blade; stainless steel (One RH and one LH) Hope that helps 😁☀️

[@PowerboatingAdventures]

www.simyamaha.com/amp/stainless-steel-15-pitch-x-14-1-2-diameter-reliance-with-sds-standard-rotation-propeller-68f-45970-20-00/

[@jubes1066]

Hi guys....thanks for the tender/torqeedo episode.....I'm assuming that alot of your boating in a quite tidal/ high current area that a tender outboard isn't really optional?.....I was hoping to get away with my wife rowing me ashore...BTW I'm counting the 196 sleeps till I get my 895 offshore....

[@robinuk66]

@Jubes...I thought I was excited...! (I am a bit!!!) I can't work out when I get mine but it's more than 6 months :(

[@PowerboatingAdventures]

😂😂 excitement off the scale Jubes!! We are tidal in Pembrokeshire - sometimes as large as a 9m change - some of the largest in Europe. Were you meaning you are getting a tender outboard in your reply or just a tender with oars? We have used the tender with oars only too and it’s just as much fun!! 😁

[@robinuk66]

Ok so to the 22nd December it’s 217 days...!🤔

[@PowerboatingAdventures]

😂😂😂😂☀️☀️🚤

[@jubes1066]

@@robinuk66 well I'm told it'll be shipped from Poland in September, and be rigged in New Zealand and ready to go by December.....(Covid& Suez canal allowing 😀)

[@neildickinson2144]

How do you prevent theft when you leave it

[@PowerboatingAdventures]

Hi Neil and thanks for watching :) Yes it does present a security problem. Bottom line is I always have it in sight on the beach and don’t leave it unattended if ashore. If I was unable to keep it in view I’d either take the bags ashore too and dismantle it and carry it with shoulder straps and handles - the big bag handles can be shared with a partner which makes it easy! (17kgs is not that bad and the tender alone wasn’t as expensive so could remain tied up!!) OR I’d just row in if I was overnighting on land or away from shore for an extended period and had to leave the tender. It does need some planning as you can’t secure it to the dinghy as nothing is strong enough, or fixed, and if you chained it to a shore based structure a chain is cuttable or the engine could be dismantled and the chained bit left hanging 😳. Of course if you were leaving the boat on a buoy for a few days and going off in a car perhaps I’d then consider taking the dinghy bag too (12kgs in rucksack form) and stow everything in the boot. Don’t forget the 12v air pump though for the return!! I guess the best solution is BBQ nearby 😂

[@random-clips218]

Why don’t you upgrade to a 1095 fly

[@random-clips218]

Yes I am 10 but we’re getting a 1095 fly

[@PowerboatingAdventures]

Never say never 😁

[@nadinefox9797]

stay away from them,nothing but problems.

[@PowerboatingAdventures]

We’ve really enjoyed it Nadine so fingers crossed 😁👍☀️

[@nadinefox9797]

@@PowerboatingAdventures god for you,I hade two and booth gave me only problems,and now they are in the recycling Bin since they have WATER in the Pylon

[@ada966adaada2]

Totally agree. Piece of junk

[@PowerboatingAdventures]

@@ada966adaada2 thank you for watching and sorry you haven’t enjoyed their technology. Progress can often be challenging 😁👍

[@lewisirvine8065]

@@nadinefox9797 same here only 1 but ive fitted 2 motor bulbs to it this year because of moisture shame really because they are awesome