If like us you've spent many exhausting hours grappling with heavy and obstinate outboard motors, then French startup TEMO would like to say bonjour.
Described as an electro-portable propeller, TEMO’s stick insect of a product is the latest incarnation of a zero emissions propulsion system which began with the humble oar and has morphed its way through to the electric outboards of today.
TEMO is definitely a great, and different, idea. Just look at it, there’s hardly anything to it.
At just 4.9 kg in total it weighs around the same as a gallon can of petrol, so it’s easily carried in one hand – how good is that for starters?
Buried within its telescopic tube is a brushless 450W motor delivering 200W of propulsive thrust at the prop, which TEMO says equates to 1.5hp.
It may not be the most powerful electric option on the market, but its performance should prove sufficient for many boat-to-beach-and-back-again trips.
Also housed within the tube is a 290W lithium battery. This runs for 45-80 minutes, depending upon how hard the proportional trigger is squeezed, before a recharge (12 or 240V) is required.
TEMO is attached to a dinghy in exactly the same way as an oar; it has a built-in rowlock fitting that simply drops over the bolt on the boat and clamps on.
Alternatively, TEMO offer an optional rowlock fitting which can be fixed to the transom to provide a rear mounted solution.
Safety in operation is assured by a magnetic kill key, the control handle is ambidextrous and the unit has an IP67 water-tight rating.
As we wrote our report, TEMO was finalising its import plans for the UK.
They’ve promised us a unit to test as soon as they begin shipping them over, and we’re looking forward to finding TEMO – so watch this space for more on this innovative new product coming your way soon.
Price: €1,400 inc VAT
