Which electric motor would you buy today

[Maritimer67]

I had a birthday yesterday and today down at the boat (in the Tampa FL area), I decided that I?m getting too old (mid 70?s) to hassle with my 5hp Honda on my SunCat.  I?m ready to spend the money on a Torqeedo or ePropulsion motor.  I hate having to reach/stretch back over the transom to adjust throttle, shift the motor, etc., etc.

I?ve read all the threads that great contributors like Bruce, Jim, Renae have provided data on the two units in the past several years.  So, given that insight, those of you who have made the change to electric, if you were to buy one of the latest models today, which one would you buy?  Whatever one I get, it will have the remote throttle feature / option.  I have enough skill to use just the rudder maneuvering the boat with the motor locked fore and aft.

Thanks for your candid comments.

[bruce]

Roger, I still like my Spirit 1.0, and assume I'd like the Spirit Evo as well. That being the current 3 hp equivalent, 1kW model that has the remote throttle option. They've fixed the battery connector issue that Renae and I experienced. The new batteries are larger, and there are more battery options, including remote batteries, and improved solar and charging options. Regen is a nice thought, but not a significant benefit at 4-5 kts. The internal battery is larger than the current equivalent Torqeedo model, the 1103C, altough the 1103C has more power. If you feel you you need more power or range, the 6 hp equivalent Navy 3.0 Evo, 3kW, would give you both. The battery is separate, and can sized up to 9 kWh if needed. Not cheap.

That said, I used a Torqeedo 1003C for a season and felt it was very similar. The current model, the 1103C, is direct drive, so no more gear whining, not that that was a big deal. The motor bulb is significantly bigger than the 1003C, or the Spirt Evo, and might not play well with your rudder. Worth checking out.

This British dealer sells both, and compares them fairly IMO. Each has its advantages, and both would be good choices.
https://nestawayboats.com

Renae doesn't currently have access to the list. His prior posts lists him as a guest, and last I heard he still couldn't login. He had bought a new boat, a 1989 Catalina 30 TR, so I suspect that's his priority right now, although I know planned on keeping his SC. He probably won't see this.

[Maritimer67]

Thanks for your comments Bruce! 

The eProp Spirit Evo seems to be a bit overkill with the hydrogeneration feature, but I do like the auto shutoff wrist band feature and the bigger battery.  And I like that I can buy the Evo as a remote throttle unit without paying extra for a tiller that I would remove and not use.  Mastry Engine over in Clearwater is an eProp dealer, so I think I might drive over there to check it all out.  I see that eProp is offering a free storage bag or 5% off the motor right now, but does anyone else know of any dealers offering discounted pricing on the almost $3k msrp for the unit?

A little boat tease for you northern sailors   I've been dry sailing the SunCat at my sailing club (Tampa Sailing Squadron) for the past several years, but now have a slip at our club so I dropped the boat in the water and put it in the slip.  All our slips are either 40' long or 45' long, so as you can see in the attached photo, we have plenty of room   We are the smallest, but I think the prettiest sailboat in our marina.

[bruce]

Roger,

When I bought my Spirit 1.0 in July 2019 they were on back order, in the end delivery wasn't until September. (That's when a friend loaned me her Torqeedo for the summer.) I was talking with a local dealer, but hadn't placed the order yet, and I found a dealer in Annapolis that claimed to have one in stock. I previous order that fell through. I contacted them, and within a day I heard back that they didn't have the motor in stock (?) and that the distributor for the US, Mack Boring, told them that I was already assigned to the local dealer and that they, Annapolis, couldn't sell me a motor.

In further discussions about the motor's availability and subsequent issues with the battery cable connector I was in direct contact with Mack Boring. Mack Boring is a major supplier of marine engines and support, with an extensive dealer network. They clearly kept tight reins over their dealers. I doubt very much you'll find any pricing/promotion variation between dealers. Things could be different now, of course.

One thing I don't like about the Spirit Plus is the folding tiller. The Torqeedo and Evo tiller, if equipped can be detached. On the Plus, you fold the tiller down, possibly into the water. Getting the throttle wet seems like a bad idea. (See 3:05 in the video).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fkXSjuQ02J4

[Maritimer67]

Hi Bruce,

Thanks for the info.  I've convinced myself that the Spirit Evo Remote is the way to go.  And I like that the eProp remote is wireless compared to the Torqeedo remote for the 1103 that is wired.  One less wire that I'd have to route somehow.

I did some web browsing today for the dealers that eProp shows on their website and I found one (TB Nation) that supposedly has the Evo long shaft in stock and they're offering free shipping and a couple other small items as a holiday sale.  I went on to Mack Boring's site and they confirm that Mastry Engine in Clearwater is my local eProp dealer.  They have a holiday sale also going on that would give me a "bag set" or 5% off the motor, before tax.  I don't really need the two bags, but the 5% would help offset the 7% tax here, so that may be the best option.  I put a call in to them to check inventory.  Waiting for a call back. 

[bruce]

Yeah, I like the wireless remote as well. They do provide a wired connection as a back up. The bluetooth connection does introduce a slight delay before things sync, I just start things a bit earlier to compensate. If I see In might need a some auxiliary power, to get out of the way of traffic on a low-wind day, it's easy to sync up the Spirit in standby in case it's needed. Much easier and quieter than firing up a gas OB.

[Jim in TC]

Just now back on the computer and jumping in. I am still happy with the Torqueedo and the upgrades since our purchase undoubtedly make it better yet. That said, I would be taking a close look at the Spirit if back in the market today. I don't know which way I would jump, but I also don't think that you can go wrong between these units. I will admit that the wireless remote would be a selling point. I have seen the remote mounted and "permanently" wired to the motor eliminating the setup every time, but I am a bit nervous about leaving it all out there (though it appears to be fully weather proof). Look closely at the folding tiller. The Torqueedo tiller would be in the way on the Sun if it could not be removed, but slips right into place for those tricky spots (I of course keep the remote wired, not the tiller).

You can compare prices with Defender Marine, which at one time was a clear price leader for Torqueedo, the only electric they carry. If you might still consider the T...