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Boating and Torqeedo Set Electric Boat Speed Record at LOTO

Deep Blue Outboard Powers Calypso Pirogue to 25-mph on Fabled Race Waters
Boating and Torqeedo Set Electric Boat Speed Record at LOTO
Torqeedo and Boating ran the first electric boat at LOTO. Courtesy Torqeedo

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.

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Boating and Torqeedo Set Electric Boat Speed Record at LOTO
Steve Trkla, President/General Manager of Torqeedo, Inc., North America and Caribbean Courtesy Torqeedo

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.

Boating and Torqeedo Set Electric Boat Speed Record at LOTO
Randy Vance, Editor-at-Large Boating Magazine Boating Magazine

Randy Vance
Editor-At-Large
BOATING

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Randy Vance skippered the Torqeedo-powered Calypso to its record win and helped coordinate rigging.

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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.

Boating and Torqeedo Set Electric Boat Speed Record at LOTO
The Torqeedo motor on the transom of the Calypso. Randy Vance

The control system includes electronic battery monitoring, using GPS technology to measure speed, range at speed and other data. Some performance highlights:

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  • 40 Minutes at full throttle

  • 8 hours at slow speed

  • Shaft length: 51 cm (short shaft) / 63.5 cm (long shaft)

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  • Outboard 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

Boating and Torqeedo Set Electric Boat Speed Record at LOTO
The electric drive system requires far less maintenance than comparable drive systems using fossil fuel. Randy Vance

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:
Approx. Hull Weight: 1,200 lbs.

Learn more: calypsomarine.com/pirogue.html

Boating and Torqeedo Set Electric Boat Speed Record at LOTO
Run time is 40 minutes at full throttle. Courtesy Torqeedo
Boating and Torqeedo Set Electric Boat Speed Record at LOTO
The Calypso features remote steering and remote throttle. Courtesy Torqeedo
Boating and Torqeedo Set Electric Boat Speed Record at LOTO
The Calypso hit 25 mph, two miles per hour faster than test runs. Courtesy Torqeedo
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