Torqeedo electric outboards and Boating Magazine made history on August 25, 2018, by setting a new record at the Lake of the Ozarks Shootout running the first and fastest electric boat to run the race. Official speed was 25 MPH, 2 MPH faster than the team’s best practice run.
4 years ago, the country of Qatar laid out $22 million USD to attempt to set the speed record at the Lake of the Ozarks Shootout and succeeded, attaining the current course record speed of 244mph (393kph) over the 1-mile course in the ‘Spirit of Qatar’. But on August 25 of this year, another groundbreaking event stands in stark contrast: the first-ever electric boat with a 50kW Deep Blue outboard ran in the Shootout, piloted by Randy Vance, Boating Magazine Editor-At-Large.
What follows are some pertinent facts about the motor, the boat and the people behind this achievement. Look for complete coverage coming soon.
The People
Steve Trkla
President/General Manager of Torqeedo, Inc, North America and Caribbean
Steve personally customized the Calypso, creating the battery compartment for the BMW batteries. The motor is a 55 KW motor. Steve reprogrammed it to generate the equivalent of 80 HP.
Randy Vance
Editor-At-Large
BOATING
Randy Vance skippered the Torqeedo-powered Calypso to its record win and helped coordinate rigging.
The Motor – Torqeedo Deep Blue 80
This is a modified 55 kW motor equivalent to 80 hp. Power is from a single BMW I-3 30 KW Battery (Lithium Ion) used in new BMW autos.
The control system includes electronic battery monitoring, using GPS technology to measure speed, range at speed and other data. Some performance highlights:
40 Minutes at full throttle
8 hours at slow speed
Shaft length: 51 cm (short shaft) / 63.5 cm (long shaft)
AdvertisementOutboard system with remote steering and remote throttle that is 80-hp equivalent
All the components of the system are perfectly engineered to match each other and are completely watertight
9-year warranty on the Deep Blue’s battery capacity
Electric boat propulsion is not only powerful and safe, it is also a genuine commercial alternative for heavy users
Transparent Maintenance Overhead: An electric drive system requires far less maintenance than comparable drive systems using fossil fuel
Learn More about Torqeedo Deep Blue Outboards
The Boat – Calypso Pirogue 23
LOA: 23’0″
Beam: 6’8″
Transom Width: 4’8″
Draft: 8″
Water Line Length: 19’2″
Deadrise at Transom: 7°
Approx. Hull Weight: 1,200 lbs.
Learn more: calypsomarine.com/pirogue.html