Torqeedo 1003 electric outboard use

[lockwoods]

Thanks for all the input re use of electrics with SC

As I indicated, I now have both an eprop and a torqeedo
The eprop has a remote throttle which is really helpful in my single handed docking
Wish i could get the manufacturer(s) to commit to saying whether i can leave the prop in the water when under sail, but i dont dare, since that may have burnt out my first torqueedo

I agree that backing really needs to be able to use both motor and rudder

Steve

[bruce]

Steve,

Looking at my Spirit 1.0R Owner's Manual, on p.12, under paragraph 2.1 Outboard, it states:
"Do not leave the outboard in the water if the boat is being driven by other forms of power such as sailing or rowing."

[bruce]

Jim, I haven't had any error codes during use with the Spirit.

When I posted that on the 4th I wondered if I'd regret it, two days later I had my answer. We had a lovely sail, a nice clear fall day, remarkably steady winds 12-14 kts from the SSE. We motored the 1 nm from the ramp, through the cove and out into the bay, the wind was on our nose. We beat across to the opposite shore to get out of the fetch, sailed for a couple hours, watching the shipping traffic headed to Providence further up the bay. We turned for home on a beam reach, I saw 5.4 kts SOG on the GPS, and then on a run, still making 4-4.5 kts, some surfing in the moderate chop that had built. As we approached the lee shore, and the narrow dredged channel into the cove, I started the Spirt remote, watched it go through its initialization sequence, dropped the motor into the water and prepared for a bouncy turn into the wind to drop the sail. I go to throttle up and see E21 on the screen. I restarted the motor a couple of times, and then undid and reattached the battery cable before a restart, and it's no better. I haven't seen this before. We could have come about and gotten some sea room from the lee shore, and/or dropped the hook, but there's nothing else I can think to do that will clear the fault code. We're sailing back to the ramp, a first for us with the PC.

It is a weekday, and late in the season, so traffic past the three marinas, slips, and mooring fields is light. There has been a commercial barge with a crane doing projects in the cove recently, sometimes in the way, but not today fortunately. The local ASA sailing school frequently has a sloop out doing drills in the fairway, often it's impossible to predict their intentions, and they're so busy instructing that they aren't good about checking for other boats. We cleared them without incident. This time of year the daily traffic at the ramp is light, but what you can find are large boats being hauled for the season by a commercial hauler. They can really tie things up. We launched around one earlier, and one was following us to the ramp. But, the landing went smoothly, and we could feel good that, although it was unexpected and we hadn't practiced as we now wish we had, we were able to accomplish it without a hitch.

When I had a chance to review the owner's manual, the trouble shooting guide confirmed that to clear an E21 fault code (Motor Communication Fault) reconnect the battery cable. Failing that, contact your dealer, which I did on the 7th. Mack Boring, the distributor, did ask a couple of basic diagnostic questions, pretty much to confirm that I had tried all the logical stuff. I received a new motor on the 23rd. I don't know what the issue was with the old motor, it had been running fine. I haven't heard of others having a similar problem, it may have been a isolated case, I don't know. But, I'm glad to report the company handled the claim promptly.

[Jim in TC]

Sailing back to the ramp is a tribute to your skills no matter the conditions. Good job!

It is always nice to hear stories of good customer service in what is hopefully an isolated bit of bad luck (no technology or production process turns out a flawless product every time).