Torqueedo Installation

Anyone looking to install a Torqueedo should be aware of the valuable help from Memory Maker. He spent
hours on the phone with me going over every conceivable aspect of the process before I started and send me excellent pictures of the installation.
The installation isn't incredibly complicated, it's just very involved. For me getting the motor
to the right depth by tweaking the angle of the boom, reaching underneath the top skin to secure the ball
to the kayak, and connecting to the Hobie steering were the most time consuming issues.
Sometimes you go a long time without seeing a topic on the forum you need help with.....but when you do,
people like Memory Maker are invaluable.

Hey thanks for the Kudos .......... I like helping people and sharing ideas. Please feel free to contact me at anytime cause I really like helping you guys get the ultimate enjoyment from your PA ........ Everyone

In my opinion, The Torqeedo 403 engine is like it is made for the PA. You can use the Hobie steering to control the rudder and the Torqeedo so you turn on a dime. You also have the option of using the Mirage drive and the Torqeedo at the same time for the maximum speed and power or either one individually for stealth or distance while resting. It is actually ite best of all of the motor options when you include the small footprint, the 15 lb weight including the battery, the battery life, the safety features etc etc etc ......... Oh and it's cheaper than the Evolve.

It is not cheap but it has gotten this old guy out of trouble, increased my distance and speed and increased my enjoyment way more than the cost ............ Seriously!

PLEASE contact me if I can help in anyway

Thanks
Rick

Do you have any ideas on cavitation at wide open throttle ?

http://www.hobie.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=78&t=60617

You have to find a way to get the engine lower. I've also heard that installing a foil on the shaft helps but I haven't tried mine yet.

Go with the foil like i suggested in your other thread. The motor buried in the water isn't as efficient and it will still cavitate. Its not the front of the round shaft that is the problem...its the round backside . Once you get moving at about 4mph or so the shaft blows a hole in the water on the back side allowing the prop to pull air down the back side of it...hence some simple leaves wrapping themselves around the shaft stopped the problem entirely...a MEAD nylon folder, some double sided tape, some spray in foam and staples to hold the backside together until the foam cures and you're in business..

Did anybody do a You Tube video on the installation? I would love to put this on my PA 14.

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=1535043919861932&set=p.1535043919861932&type=3

I have dropped it as low as I can without the steering lines dragging on the deck. So now Ive begun to experiment with a foil to streamline the water movement around the shaft. Gorrilla Tape Prototype worked very well, and as a result I only cavitate at Wide Open Throttle. Now to build a permanent one.

Thanks to Yak9107 and his leaf story for the idea!

Looked at your FB link. The foil needs to be tear shaped coming off the back side of the shaft. The tape pictured looks to be making contact with the shaft on the back side and coming together. The foil needs to hug the shaft tightly around the front of the shaft but taper off the sides with no contact to the rear 160* or so and coming together about 3" or so behind the shaft. The void in the foil liner behind the shaft can be filled with some spray in foam or something else you come up with...hope this helps...good luck...

A Yakima Windjammer did the trick !!!!!
Thanks for the help.

What kind of speed increase did you see ?

Do you have specific experience with installation on a PA 17T? What issues are unique to this boat?

Can someone tell me what the top speed of a Torqeedo 403 is when mounted to a PA 17T?

I have not had experience with a PA 17 ......... sorry

One thing to watch out for is that the battery isn't nearly as waterproof as you might expect.

I bought the 403 along with the torqueedo brand solar panel with the idea that I'd never have to disconnect anything. This worked great for a few weeks but then my battery stopped working.

1.) I discovered the battery had water inside and wasn't charging properly. I contacted Torqueedo and said it was strange since I hadn't even taken it out on the water in over a week but there had been heavy rains. I also included a picture - https://ibb.co/kuMmsK - showing the setup which I thought was a good way to use the system.

2.) Torqeedo wrote back to say the battery is IP67 rated and if its exposed to water longer then 30 minutes, including rain, then it would be ruined. They sent me a box to return the battery so they could check for a manufacturing defect.

3.) Battery was returned to Torqeedo, no manufacturing defect was discovered so it won't be replaced under the warranty. They did offer me a new one for $400, a $30 discount over what I'd pay for a new one at Marine Defender.

4.) I asked for my broken battery to be returned to me, so an electronic friend of mine could mess around with it, maybe salvage some parts for his projects but Torqeedo had already disposed of my battery.

I'll end up buying a new battery from Marine Defender vs. getting my $30 discount. It was pretty disappointed that they were not more helpful and wouldn't even send me my broken battery back! The new one I'll find a way to protect it, maybe getting a small cooler that I could keep it inside and cut some holes (with rain covers) for the cables.

I’m just curious, it looks like the battery is sitting in the kayak and you had heavy rains. Was there a bunch of water in the yak from the rains? Was the battery sitting in a bunch of water? Also, was that the 916 battery or the 333 because I don’t remember a battery for $400. Jus curious.