YACHTS & YACHTING REVIEW HERE: Y&Y Temo 450 review

The TEMO 450 offers a different approach to electric propulsion of dinghies and other small boats, taking inspiration (we assume) from the “longtails” more often seen powering craft in exotic locations. But in this case it’s not a petrol or diesel engine hanging off the end, it’s a highly advanced electric motor – and in fact it’s at the propeller end not the handle. The weight of that motor aft of the pivot point is largely counterbalanced by the batteries, also housed in the tube towards the front (handle) end, so it sits very easily in the hand.

It’s mounted on a rowlock style fitting, either permanently fixed to the transom or there’s an (optional) clamp-on version of the same idea. This, combined with its light weight – just under 5kg – makes it incredibly easy to put on and off your boat. When you’re not using it you can just let go and it sits quite happily in the vertical position.

Steering the Temo 450 is something of an acquired art, but a fairly-easily acquired art. The nature of the design means that you’re moving the position of the propeller as well as its orientation, and it’s further aft relative to the boat than a conventional outboard. The handle is telescopic, adjustable in length from 130 to 170cm, so it’s easily adapted to different types of boat (and transom height) and facilitates trim balancing fore and aft.

The throttle is a highly intuitive trigger style – press harder, get more power. Your 3 year old will understand it!

The Temo 450 power output is 450W, which is in reality as much as most people need/use in a small dinghy. With the 1kW class Torqeedo and ePropulsion outboards we also sell, 1000W is barely any faster than 400-500W anyway. So the bigger difference in terms of real world usability is range, because the TEMO has a battery capacity of 290Wh (against 916Wh for the Torqeedo and 1276Wh for the ePropulsion). So at 400W output the TEMO 450 lasts about 40 minutes, whereas the ePropulsion at 400W will run for over three hours.

Whether that’s enough for you depends on you and how you use your boat(s). Running to the pub and back in a rubber dinghy it’s more than adequate, definitely faster than rowing, and also actually quicker to install than putting the oars on would be – because installation is equivalent to fitting one oar, not two! At 5kg passing it up and down is no problem whatsoever, even (being an easy one-arm lift for most people) if you’re alone.

We haven’t mentioned yet, but really should, it’s absolutely beautifully made. In France, from components sourced locally as far as possible. It feels remarkably solid, despite its light weight.

Weight : 4.9 kg

Brushless Motor

Thrust : equivalent to 2hp petrol motor

Rechargeable Li-ion 290Wh battery

Emergency Stop: Magnetic Kill Switch

Running Time : 40 mins at full power (450W), 1hr at 290W

Charging Time : 3 Hours / 230 V

“an incredibly simple and easy way of powering your dinghy on days that you want to get out and about on the water without sails, or for use with a tender to your yacht, in a package that is comparable in size to a single oar.”
Mark Jardine, Yachts & Yachting