Which Torqeedo Travel Is Right for Your Boat? A Buying Guide

The Torqeedo Travel is the world's best-selling portable electric outboard, and for good reason: it's quiet, clean, starts every time, and lifts on and off your transom with one hand. But with three motors, two shaft lengths and three battery sizes to choose from, which combination is right for your boat? Here's our plain-English guide.

The range at a glance

• Travel XS – 700 W, roughly 2 HP equivalent, from £950. The smallest and lightest of the family. Perfect for tenders, small dinghies and short hops to shore.
• Travel – 1,100 W, roughly 3 HP equivalent, from £1,250. The all-rounder, and our most popular motor. Happily pushes tenders, dinghies and daysailers up to 1.5 tonnes.
• Travel XP – 1,600 W, roughly 5 HP equivalent, from £1,700. Delivers 44% more thrust than the standard Travel for bigger boats, stronger tides and windier days. Also available with a remote throttle (the XP RS and RL) if your boat is steered from a wheel rather than a tiller.

Short shaft or long shaft?

Each motor comes in a short (S) or long (L) shaft version. The right choice depends on your transom height: measure from the top of the transom, where the motor clamps on, down to the waterline. Dinghies and tenders with low transoms usually take the short shaft; sailing boats and boats with higher transoms need the long shaft so the propeller sits properly below the surface. If you're between sizes, go long – a slightly deep propeller is far better than one that sucks air.

Choosing a battery

Travel motors are modular: the battery clips on top of the motor, and you can choose the capacity that matches how you use your boat. There are three sizes – 648 Wh, 1080 Wh and 1425 Wh. The bigger the number, the longer you can stay out. For short trips to a mooring, 648 Wh is plenty; for a full afternoon on the water, go 1080 Wh or above. Our motor-and-battery bundles save you £100 against buying separately, and a second battery is the easiest way to double your range on holiday.

The short answer

• Tender or small dinghy, short trips: Travel XS
• Dinghy, tender or daysailer up to 1.5 tonnes: Travel
• Heavier boat, strong tides, or wheel steering: Travel XP

Still not sure? We're a UK Torqeedo specialist and we've matched hundreds of motors to hundreds of boats. Call us on 01475 817980 or email sales@torqeedoshop.com with your boat's make and length, and we'll recommend the right setup.