torqeedo travel 1003 fehler e30

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Torqeedo 1003 error codes 45 and 30

• Thread starter Bouba
• Start date 2 Apr 2021

Well-known member

My Torqeedo 1003 stopped working, I went to the beach and when I wanted to leave it would not start. I get the error codes 45 and 30. Torqeedo Service center have been less than helpful. Besides taking too long to reply they just fobbed me off by telling me to contact a French service center. I keep all the electrical connections clean, using spray contact cleaner every time I use it. Nonetheless, l tried cleaning the connections again, but no luck. I removed the prop to look for damage or fishing line, but all was fine. I have never hit any object only occasional scrapes with sand and certainly not on this journey. I have very few miles on the clock, but I think it will be out of warranty. It’s a new battery (my old battery was lost during the battery recall). My wife is not happy with Torqeedo  

Bouba said: My wife is not happy with Torqeedo Click to expand...

Poignard said: Nor with he who spent a lot of money buying it? Click to expand...

jordanbasset

jordanbasset said: Turn it off and on again Click to expand...

jordanbasset said: Maybe not what you want to hear, but seems to suggest you need to take it to a service centre Click to expand...

Poignard said: Better get the oars out, Boobs. Good chance to lose some weight after you've been stuck in the house scoffing all that lovely French food Madame Boobs Bouba cooks for you! Edited Click to expand...

Bouba said: She towed me with her paddle board ??‍ Click to expand...

The manual for my 1003 says that error code 30 is a motor communication problem, so you'd need to check the plug and socket. It says error code 45 is a battery overcurrent issue, and suggests charging the battery fully before trying again.  

pvb said: The manual for my 1003 says that error code 30 is a motor communication problem, so you'd need to check the plug and socket. It says error code 45 is a battery overcurrent issue, and suggests charging the battery fully before trying again. Click to expand...

Poignard said: Seems like you have her well-trained. Click to expand...

jordanbasset said: Always good to get a tug Click to expand...

Bouba said: Isn’t it normal for the wife to be fitter and stronger?‍ Click to expand...

Active member

Aeolus said: This explains the 45 error: And this the 30 error: Click to expand...

Bouba said: But the question I would like to know is, why have both error codes happened at the same time ? Click to expand...

Aeolus said: Good point. My guess would be that the battery connections are corroded or dirty and the motor is struggling to draw the power it needs. I'm sure an electrical specialist will be along shortly to say that my idea is bo.l...ks but I'd try to really, really clean the connections in both the plug and the socket. ps if I'm right. it's the battery connections that are the problem, not the very thin controller connections. Click to expand...

Ok, I’ve tried everything. Charged the battery to 100%, cleaned and cleaned the connections. Manipulated the cable and nothing. Same fault codes. Anyone anything?  

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Torqeedo Travel 1003 S Operating Instructions Manual

• Operating manual (31 pages)
• Owner's manual (30 pages)
• Manual (32 pages)
• page of 112 Go / 112

Table of Contents

• Allgemeines zur Anleitung
• Zeichenerklärung
• Aufbau der Sicherheitshinweise
• Zu dieser Betriebsanleitung
• Typenschild

Geräteregistrierung

Ausstattung und bedienelemente.

• Lieferumfang
• Bedienelemente und Komponenten

Technische Daten

• Lithium-Ionen-Akku
• Sicherheitseinrichtungen
• Bestimmungsgemäße Verwendung
• Vorhersehbare Fehlanwendung
• Vor dem Gebrauch
• Allgemeine Sicherheitshinweise

Inbetriebnahme

• Anbau des Antriebs an das Boot
• Fixierung der Lenkung
• Trimmung des Motors
• Laden des Akkus mit Netzgerät
• Laden des Akkus vom Bordnetz
• Versorgung eines Geräts über den USB-Versorgungsanschluss
• Anzeigen und Symbole
• Anzeige-Einstellungen
• Fahrtbeginn
• Vorwärts-/ Rückwärtsfahrt
• Fahrt Beenden
• Kippen des Motors

Demontage des Antriebs

Trailern/slippen des bootes, fehlermeldungen, pflege und service.

• Korrosionsschutz
• Ersatzteile
• Wechsel des Propellers

Allgemeine Garantiebedingungen

• Gewährleistung und Haftung
• Garantieumfang
• Garantieprozess

Entsorgung und Umwelt

• Entsorgung von Elektro- und Elektronik-Altgeräten
• Entsorgung von Batterien

EG-Konformitätserklärung

Urheberrecht, 1 introduction.

• General Information on the Instructions
• Explanation of Symbols
• Layout of the Safety Information
• About this Operating Manual

2 Registering the Device

3 equipment and controls.

• Scope of Delivery
• Controls and Components

4 Technical Data

• Lithium-Ion Battery
• Safety Features
• Intended Use
• Foreseeable Misuse
• General Safety Information
• Installation of the Drive to the Boat
• Fixing the Steering in Place
• Trimming the Motor
• Charging the Battery Using the Power Supply Unit
• Charging the Battery from the Onboard Power Supply
• Powering a Device Using the USB Supply Connection
• Displays and Symbols
• Display Settings

7 Operation

• Emergency Stop
• Starting a Trip
• Forward/Reverse Motion
• Ending the Trip
• Tilting the Motor

8 Disassembling the Drive

9 towing/slipping the boat, 10 error messages, 11 care and service.

• Corrosion Protection
• Replacement Parts
• Battery Maintenance
• Replacing the Propeller
• Replacing the 503 S/L, 1003 S/L and 1003 CS/CL Fin

12 General Conditions of Warranty

• Warranty and Liability
• Scope of Warranty
• Warranty Process

13 Accessories

14 disposal and environment.

• Disposal of Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment
• Disposal of Batteries

15 EC Declaration of Conformity

16 copyright.

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Available languages

• ENGLISH, page 56
• DEUTSCH, seite 2

Quick Links

• 1 Replacement Parts
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Summary of Contents for Torqeedo Travel 1003 S

• Page 1 Travel 503, 1003 S/L, 1003, 1103 CS/CL Originalbetriebsanleitung Deutsch English...
• Page 2 Bemerkungen zum Entwurf und der Benutzung unserer Produkte haben, wür- den wir uns freuen, wenn Sie uns darüber informieren. Generell können Sie sich mit allen Ihren Fragen zu Torqeedo Produkten jederzeit gerne an uns wenden. Die Kontakte hierzu finden Sie auf der Rückseite. Wir wün- schen Ihnen viel Freude mit diesem Produkt.

Page 3: Table Of Contents

• Page 4 Inhaltsverzeichnis 11.1 Pflege der System-Komponenten........40 11.1.1 Korrosionsschutz............40 11.2 Service-Intervalle............... 41 11.2.1 Ersatzteile............... 41 11.2.2 Akkupflege..............41 11.3 Wechsel des Propellers............42 11.4 Wechseln der Finne 503 S/L, 1003 S/L und 1003 CS/CL................. 12 Allgemeine Garantiebedingungen........45 12.1 Gewährleistung und Haftung..........45 12.2 Garantieumfang.................

Page 5: Einleitung

Page 6: aufbau der sicherheitshinweise, page 7: typenschild, page 8: geräteregistrierung, page 9: ausstattung und bedienelemente, page 10: technische daten, page 11: lithium-ionen-akku, page 12: sicherheit, page 13: bestimmungsgemäße verwendung.

• Page 14 Sicherheit Bei Funktionsstörungen des Motors erscheint ein Fehlercode im Display. Nach Lagern Sie Akkus oder Zellen nicht gefahrbringend in einer Schachtel oder in ei- Beseitigung des Fehlers kann der Motor in den meisten Fällen aus der Neu- nem Schubfach, in der sie sich gegenseitig kurzschließen oder durch andere lei- tralstellung weiter gefahren werden.

Page 15: Allgemeine Sicherheitshinweise

• Page 16 Sicherheit W AR N UN G ! VORSICHT! Mechanische Gefährdung durch rotierende Bauteile! Quetschgefahr durch Kippen des Motors! Schwere Körperverletzungen oder Tod können die Folge sein. Leichte oder mittelschwere Körperverletzungen können die Folge sein. Tragen Sie keine weite Kleidung oder Schmuck in der Nähe der Antriebswelle Stellen Sie beim Kippen des Motors sicher, dass sich keine Personen in der oder des Propellers.

Page 17: Inbetriebnahme

• Page 18 Inbetriebnahme Montage Pinne Montage Akku Abb. 8: Montage Pinne Abb. 9: Montage Akku Aussparung innen Pinne Akku Aussparung außen 1. Setzen Sie die Pinne (3) von oben in die innere Aussparung (2) ein. 1. Setzen Sie den Akku (4) von oben in die äußere Aussparung (5) ein. 2.
• Page 19 Inbetriebnahme Arretierung Akku Kabelverbindungen HI NWEIS Der Kraftaufwand beim Einstecken der Kabel darf nicht zu groß sein, da sich sonst Pins verbiegen können. Die Überwurfmuttern der Stecker müssen gerade aufgesetzt werden, damit das Gewinde beim Festziehen nicht beschädigt wird. Abb. 10: Riegel Riegel 1.

Page 20: Fixierung Der Lenkung

Page 21: trimmung des motors, page 22: akkuversorgung, page 23: laden des akkus mit netzgerät, page 24: inbetriebnahme des bordcomputers.

• Page 25 Inbetriebnahme Drive Erscheint, wenn die Akkukapazität <30 % ist. Es ertönt ein dreima- slowly (1) liger Signalton. Der Signalton wird wiederholt, wenn der Ladezu- stand unter 20 % und 10 % sinkt. Charging (2) Wird während des Ladens angezeigt. GPS- Das integrierte GPS-Modul sucht Satellitensignale zur Geschwin- Searching (3) digkeitsbestimmung.

Page 26: Anzeige-Einstellungen

Page 27: betrieb, page 28: not-stopp, page 29: fahrbetrieb, page 30: lenkung.

• Page 31 Betrieb Hochkippen des Motors Abb. 23: Kippsperrhebel Abb. 24: Kippstellung Kippsperrhebel 1. Stellen Sie den Kippsperrhebel (1) auf Tilt-/ Auto-Kick-Up (Hebel oben). Der Kippsperrhebel (1) erlaubt in der Position Tilt-/ Auto-Kick-Up (Hebel oben) ein 2. Greifen Sie das Travel System am Akkugriff und kippen Sie die Motoreinheit bis Hochkippen des Motors bei Grundberührung.
• Page 32 Betrieb Herunterkippen des Motors Abb. 26: Arretierhebel Travel 503/1003 Abb. 25: Arretierhebel Travel 1103 Arretierhebel 1. Heben Sie den Motor an und lösen Sie den Arretierhebel (2). 2. Kippen Sie den Motor langsam nach unten. Seite 32 / 112...

Page 33: Demontage Des Antriebs

• Page 34 Demontage des Antriebs Abb. 29: Demontage Akku Abb. 30: Demontage Pinne Akku Aussparung außen Aussparung innen Pinne 5. Entfernen Sie den Akku (6) aus der äußeren Aussparung (7). 6. Entfernen Sie die Pinne (9) aus der inneren Aussparung (8). Seite 34 / 112...
• Page 35 Demontage des Antriebs Abb. 31: Knebelschrauben 10 Knebelschrauben 7. Lösen Sie die Knebelschrauben (10) der Spiegelhalterung. 8. Entfernen Sie den Motor vom Spiegel des Boots. Seite 35 / 112...

Page 36: Trailern/Slippen Des Bootes

Page 37: fehlermeldungen.

• Page 38 Neukalibrierung durchführen, siehe "E21". Kommunikationsfehler Motor Überprüfen Sie die Kabel und die Steckerverbindungen der Datenkabel. Reinigen Sie die Kontakte mit Kontaktspray. Kontaktieren Sie, wenn nötig, den Torqeedo-Service und teilen Sie diesem den Fehlercode mit. Kommunikationsfehler Pinne Überprüfung Sie die Steckverbindungen der Pinne.
• Page 39 Reinigen Sie die Kontakte mit Kontaktspray. Schalten Sie den Motor aus und wieder an. E41/ E42 Falsche Ladespannung Sollte der Fehler trotz der Verwendung eines Torqeedo Netzgeräts auftre- ten, Torqeedo Service kontaktieren. Akku leer Akku laden. Motor kann ggf. aus der Neutralstellung langsam weiter ge- fahren werden.

Page 40: Pflege Und Service

Page 41: service-intervalle, page 42: wechsel des propellers.

• Page 43 Pflege und Service 6. Verbinden Sie das Kabel zwischen Motor und Akku. 7. Prüfen Sie, dass die Motorwelle (6) rund läuft. 8. Lösen Sie das Kabel zwischen Motor und Akku. 9. Stecken Sie die innere Unterlegscheibe (5) auf die Motorwelle (6). Die Unterlegscheibe liegt am Bund der Motorwelle auf.

Page 44: Wechseln Der Finne 503 S/L, 1003 S/L Und

Page 45: allgemeine garantiebedingungen, page 46: garantieprozess, page 47: zubehör.

• Page 48 Zubehör Artikel-Nr. Produkt Beschreibung 1924-00 TorqTrac Smartphone-App für Travel 503/1003/1103, Cruise T/R sowie Ultralight Modelle. Ermöglicht größere An- zeige des Bordcomputers, Reichweitenanzeige auf der Karte und mehr. Benötigt Bluetooth Low Energy®- fähiges Smartphone 1914-00 Not-Aus-Magnetchip Not-Stopp-Schalter und Wegfahrsperre für alle Travel, Cruise und Ultralight Modelle 1927-00 Ersatzteilset Travel Set für Travel bestehend aus Not-Aus-Magnetchip, Akku-Arretierungsstift und Lenkungsarretierung...

Page 49: Entsorgung Und Umwelt

• Page 50 Entsorgung und Umwelt Für Kunden in anderen Ländern Batterien bzw. Akkumulatoren unterliegen der europäischen Richtlinie 2006/66/EG über (Alt)Batterien und (Alt)Akkumulatoren. Die Batterien bzw. Akkumulatoren sind mit dem Symbol einer durchgestrichenen Abfalltonne, siehe "Abb. 35: Durchgestri- chene Abfalltonne", gekennzeichnet. Unterhalb dieses Symbols befindet sich ggf. die Bezeichnung der enthaltenen Schadstoffe, nämlich "Pb"...

Page 51: Eg-Konformitätserklärung

• Page 52 EG-Konformitätserklärung Diese Erklärung wird verantwortlich für den Hersteller Name: Torqeedo GmbH Anschrift: Friedrichshafener Straße 4a, 82205 Gilching, Deutschland abgegeben durch Name, Vorname: Dr. Plieninger, Ralf Stellung im Betrieb des Herstellers: Geschäftsführer Gilching, den 02.01.2019 Ort/Datum Rechtsgültige Unterschrift Dokumentenummer: 203-00002 Datum: 22.01.2019...

Page 53: Urheberrecht

• Page 54 Torqeedo Service Center Europa, Mittlerer Osten, Afrika Nordamerika Asien-Pazifik Torqeedo GmbH Torqeedo Inc. Torqeedo Asia Pacific Ltd. - Service Center - 171 Erick Street, Unit D- 2 Athenee Tower, 23rd Floor Wireless Road, Lumpini, Friedrichshafener Straße 4a Crystal Lake, IL 60014...
• Page 55 Reklamationsdaten do.com/service-center/service-standorte finden Sie eine Liste mit allen Adres- Genaue Produktbezeichnung Seriennummer sen. Wenn Sie Ihr Produkt an das Torqeedo Service-Center in Gilching schicken, brauchen Sie eine Vorgangsnummer, die Sie telefonisch oder per E-Mail abfra- Kaufdatum Betriebsstunden (ca.) gen können. Ohne Vorgangsnummer kann Ihre Sendung dort nicht angenom- men werden.
• Page 56 If you send your prod- Exact product designation Serial number uct to the Torqeedo Service Centre in Gilching, then you need a transaction number, which you can request by telephone or e-mail. Without a transaction Date of purchase Operating hours (approx.)
• Page 57 Travel 503, 1003 S/L, 1003, 1103 CS/CL Translation of the original operating instructions Deutsch English...
• Page 58 Foreword Foreword Dear Customer, We are delighted that you have chosen our motor. Your Torqeedo Travel system de- livers cutting-edge drive technology and efficiency. It has been designed and manufactured with the utmost care and with a special fo- cus on convenience, user-friendliness and safety, and has been extensively tested before delivery.
• Page 59 Contents Contents Introduction............... 61 6.2 Fixing the steering in place........... 76 1.1 General information on the instructions......61 6.3 Trimming the motor..............77 1.2 Explanation of symbols............61 6.4 Battery power................78 1.3 Layout of the safety information........62 6.4.1 Charging the battery using the power supply unit..................
• Page 60 Contents 10 Error messages..............93 11 Care and service..............96 11.1 Care of the system components......... 96 11.1.1 Corrosion protection..........96 11.2 Maintenance intervals............. 97 11.2.1 Replacement parts............. 97 11.2.2 Battery maintenance..........97 11.3 Replacing the propeller............98 11.4 Replacing the 503 S/L, 1003 S/L and 1003 CS/CL fin................

Page 61: Introduction

Page 62: layout of the safety information, page 63: name plate, page 64: registering the device, page 65: equipment and controls, page 66: technical data, page 67: lithium-ion battery, page 68: safety, page 69: intended use.

• Page 70 Safety In case of motor malfunctions, an error code appears on the display. After the Note that lithium-ion batteries having a capacity of > 100 Wh have not been al- error has been eliminated, the motor can be continued to be driven from the lowed to be carried as luggage on passenger planes since 2009.

Page 71: General Safety Information

• Page 72 Safety WA RN IN G ! CAUTION! Mechanical hazard from rotating components! Danger of crushing if motor tilts. This can result in severe physical injuries or death. Slight or moderately severe physical injuries may result. Do not wear jewellery or loose clothing in the vicinity of the drive shaft or When tilting the motor, ensure that no-one is present in the vicinity of the the propeller.

Page 73: Start-Up

• Page 74 Start-up Tiller installation Battery installation Fig. 43: Tiller installation Fig. 44: Battery installation Inner recess Tiller Battery Outer recess 1. Place the tiller (3) into the inner recess (2) from above. 1. Place the battery (4) into the outer recess (5) from above. 2.
• Page 75 Start-up Locking the battery Cable connections ADVI CE Do not use excessive force when plugging in the cables, since this may bend the pins. The union nut on the plugs must be put on straight in order to prevent dam- age to the thread during tightening.

Page 76: Fixing The Steering In Place

Page 77: trimming the motor, page 78: battery power, page 79: charging the battery using the power supply unit, page 80: start-up of the on-board computer.

• Page 81 Start-up Drive Displayed when the battery capacity is <30 %. Three beeps will slowly (1) sound. The beep will sound again once the state of charge drops below 20 % and 10 %. Charging (2) Displayed during charging. The integrated GPS module searches for satellite signals in order to searching (3) calculate speed.

Page 82: Display Settings

Page 83: operation, page 84: emergency stop, page 85: travel mode, page 86: steering.

• Page 87 Operation Tilting up the motor Fig. 58: Tilt lever Fig. 59: Tilting position Tilt lever 1. Set the tilt lever (1) to the Tilt / Auto kick-up position (lever up). The tilt lever (1) allows the motor to be tilted up in the event of grounding when it is 2.
• Page 88 Operation Tilting the motor down Fig. 61: Travel 503/1003 locking lever Fig. 60: Travel 1103 locking lever Locking lever 1. Lift the motor and release the locking lever (2). 2. Slowly tilt the motor down. page 88 / 112...

Page 89: Disassembling The Drive

• Page 90 Disassembling the drive Fig. 64: Removing the battery Fig. 65: Removing the tiller Battery Outer recess Inner recess Tiller 5. Remove the battery (6) from the outer recess (7). 6. Remove the tiller (9) from the inner recess (8). page 90 / 112...
• Page 91 Disassembling the drive Fig. 66: Transom clamp bolts 10 Transom clamp bolts 7. Remove the transom clamp bolts (10) from the transom bracket. 8. Remove the motor from the transom of the boat. page 91 / 112...

Page 92: Towing/Slipping The Boat

Page 93: error messages.

• Page 94 Communication error with motor Check the cables and the plug connections of the data cables. Clean the contacts using contact spray. If necessary, contact Torqeedo Service and tell them the error code. Tiller communication error Check the plug connections on the tiller.
• Page 95 Switch the motor off and on again. E41/ E42 Incorrect charging voltage If this error occurs despite the use of a Torqeedo power supply unit, con- tact Torqeedo Service. Battery flat Charge the battery. It may be possible to restart the motor slowly from the neutral position.

Page 96: Care And Service

Page 97: maintenance intervals, page 98: replacing the propeller.

• Page 99 Care and service 7. Check that the motor shaft (6) runs smoothly. 8. Remove the cable between motor and battery. 9. Place the inner washer (5) onto the motor shaft (6). The washer is in contact with the motor shaft collar. 10.

Page 100: Replacing The 503 S/L, 1003 S/L And 1003 Cs/Cl Fin

Page 101: general conditions of warranty, page 102: warranty process, page 103: accessories.

• Page 104 Accessories Item No. Product Description 1924-00 TorqTrac Smartphone App for Travel 503/1003/1103, Cruise T/R and Ultralight models. Enables larger display of the onboard computer, display of ranges on the chart, and more. Requires Bluetooth Low Energy®-capable smartphone 1914-00 Magnetic kill switch Emergency Stop switch and immobiliser for all Travel, Cruise and Ultralight models 1927-00 Travel spare parts kit...

Page 105: Disposal And Environment

• Page 106 Disposal and environment For customers in other countries Batteries are subject to European directive 2006/66/EC regarding (spent) batteries. The batteries are marked with the symbol of a crossed out waste bin, see "Fig. 70: Crossed out waste bin". The designation of the pollutants contained, i.e. "Pb" for lead, "Cd"...

Page 107: Ec Declaration Of Conformity

• Page 108 EC Declaration of Conformity This declaration is made for and on behalf of the manufacturer Name: Torqeedo GmbH Address: Friedrichshafener Strasse 4a, 82205 Gilching, Germany Issued by Surname, first name: Dr. Plieninger, Ralf Position in the manufacturer's operation: Managing director...

Page 109: Copyright

• Page 112 Torqeedo Service Centre Europe, Middle East, Africa North America Asia-Pacific Torqeedo GmbH Torqeedo Inc. Torqeedo Asia Pacific Ltd. - Service Centre - 171 Erick Street, Unit D- 2 Athenee Tower, 23rd Floor Wireless Road, Lumpini, Friedrichshafener Strasse 4a Crystal Lake, IL 60014...

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• Systems & Propulsion

Rebuilding a Water-Damaged Torqeedo Motor

We’ve been following the Torqeedo portable electric outboard since our first test of the Travel 801 in 2008. Since then, we’ve put two of these motors into long-term service on test boats. Both are still operating with no major problems, but we have received a few reports from disappointed owners. PS reader US Navy Admiral (ret.) John Poindexter, who sails on the Chesapeake Bay, sent us an account of his experience with the Torqeedo.

The Torqeedo Travel 1003 was purchased in 2013 from West Marine at Annapolis Boat Show and saw little use. At the beginning of the 2017 sailing season, Poindexter tried to start the motor and received error E45 on startup. Torqeedo tech support said there was probably water in motor housing. Since the motor was out of warranty, he decided to open the motor housing.

Upon pulling the prop, he found inner and outer washers and prop-pin were badly corroded and in pieces. According to Torqeedo, these components are now made of more corrosion resistant material. It appears the rust from these components might have degraded the shaft seal, leading to further damage.

When he opened the prop side of housing which contained the reduction gear, there was a small amount of water. On the motor side of the housing, he found some moisture coating the electronics and corrosion on the outside of the electric motor, indicating that moisture had entered this area as well.

One way water might travel between these areas is by following the power cable conduit. The reduction gear side and the motor side has an opening where the power cables come down from the battery. This connection can be seen on the right side of Photo 3 (top right; indicated with an arrow); so there is communication between the two areas.

It appears the initial cause of the water intrusion was a failure of the O-ring seal on the motor side of the housing. There was no physical damage to the motor housing, fin or pylon.

Here are some other observations he made regarding the experience.

Owners should receive notice of the new prop shaft parts so that the more corrosion-prone ones can be been replaced.

The motor needs a better seal. Four screws seated in plastic hold the three-part (plastic-aluminum-plastic) assembly together like a sandwich and compress the O-rings. More screws from each side seated in the aluminum would allow more torque on the screws and more compression around the circumference.

The power and control plugs are very fragile and make it difficult to make a good connection.

Assemblers must apply a dielectric grease on the contacts regularly and be careful in screwing on the connectors.

He could find no detailed repair manual for users beyond changing the prop.

He could locate no exploded view of parts.

There is a lack of repair facilities-nothing in the Annapolis area which is sailing capital of the United States.

A two-year warranty is too short for such an expensive piece of gear.

Because of the complexity of ensuring a good seal, Torqeedo recommended replacing the entire pylon assembly, which extends from the motor to the battery. The price of this assembly is $631 plus shipping. They gave him about 30 percent discount, easing the pain somewhat. He said Daniel Witczak in customer support was very helpful with the technical details. Perhaps the design engineers at Torqeedo will take note of some of these observations as they develop new models.

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I too have recently experienced the dreaded 45 error, and I’m waiting for my replacement to arrive. I found rust around the motor, even though the o ring seemed intact and still flexible. With shipping and middleman fees, it cost me $700. Sure would be helpful to see some exploded diagrams of how everything goes together before I start dismantling things.

After about five years of using mine, I would not recommend the Torqeedo 1003. I bought the extended warranty, which covered a replacement motor at year two, which took over a month to do because of long shipping times. Nothing else happened until the warranty expired, and then I had to buy a new tiller for about $250, after paying a service technician $125 for a diagnostic. Plus, I had to drive two hours each way to Galesville, MD. There was a battery recall last summer, which resulted in three weeks of downtime, again due to shipping times. And now the expensive 45 error.

I was trying to avoid the mess and general crankiness of gasoline outboards, but the Torqeedo had its own set of problems and is way more expensive to repair.

Similar experience. I’m on my second Travel 1003. The first was beset by various “E” error messages until I took the motor assembly apart to find water in the housing. I thought hard about buying a replacement but already had two batteries and was assured by the rep at West Marine that early quality problems had been resolved.

The second has been a little better but the design still has major weaknesses. The connectors are feeble – possibly OK if you never remove the battery and charge in place but not suited to swapping over to a spare periodically. The propeller is secured by a nyloc nut which makes it almost impossible to undo if the shear pin goes as there is nothing to lock the shaft.

Now I am sat in a beautiful anchorage watching enviously as noisy gasoline powered dinghies ferry people to the beach. I’m staring at a E45 error code which won’t clear and renders the machine useless. I suspect my next outboard will be gasoline…..

I have a Travel 1003 and really loved the quietness and the ease of operation. However this season when I used it the battery power level plunged from around 85 to 90 percent to zero in a moment. Running along just fine, then the low battery alarm started beeping. Turned it off and back on, still no charge. Charged it over night, 100%, then it died within minutes. I would not be surprised if there is water in the battery housing as the motor spun on the outboard bracket and cracked a hole in the side of the housing. I had just bought a new tiller shell assembly, but won’t bother trying to figure out how to get the old one apart if the battery is shot. I have only used this boat twice in the past 2 years so will have to get by with my Lehr propane outboard, another sad experiment.

Very disappointed. The range on the 1003 was just enough to get to shore and back, so I purchased the solar panel. This worked ok until the second day, when I left the panel connected overnight. The Torqueedo people had obviously forgotten to put a diode in the panel because it drained the battery and killed a cell. The battery then did not have enough, at 100%, to get to shore. As the nearest Torqueedo rep is over 4000 Km away I sold the whole thing as broken. Honda 2.3 has been going well since.

I have a cruise 2.0 which has been used around 25 hours total. After having the boat on land over the winter I got a e47 error when trying to start the motor. The dealer I bought it from here in Norway (Bakken Motor in Drammen) has been less than helpful. I suspect they are trying to stall as I have about a month left on the 2 year warranty. I would not buy another Torqeedo.

I have a 1003. I didn’t use it very much as I sail a wayfarer and its for backup (mainly). After not much more than 10 hours use, water leaked though the seal into the motor area which zapped the electronic circuitboard. I think putting electronics underwater is a fundamental design error. Drying out an electric motor which becomes immersed is not generally a problem, but electrionc circuit boards are easily damaged. I don’t understand why they didn’t put all the electronics above the water level. In addition the design is cheap and nasty. The electrical connectors are not robust and they corrode easily and cause errors due to bad connections. The LED is not propery sealed into the handle. The propeller is very fragile and chips easily. When it does go worong and you have to change parts which you know are very low quality and they are horrendously expensive, you just feel ripped off! There must be a better electic outboard on the market than this one!

I was gifted an E45 Torqueedo 1003 by a smart man.

There were no outward signs of seal failure. I removed the prop, chipped off the sealant covering the four housing bolts and unthreaded them, needing only two of my slender fingers on the screw driver. The two plastic compartments of the housing came apart easily, revealing corrosion of the central aluminum region of the housing and compressed, stiff O rings. More troubling, was the trail of corrosion that had made its way onto several of the components of the electronics board. I tried rinsing the motor assembly in fresh water, brushing the corrosion gently, drying the leg thoroughly, reassembling the motor and repowering… E45.

The information provided by the previous posters concurs with my experiences and was helpful in arriving at my reluctant decision to consign the 1003 to recycling. The cost and inconvenience of having Torqueedo repair the unit makes no sense.

I, too, wonder about the wisdom of a design that places a motor and sensitive electronics underwater. I don’t like relying on the combination of chance and prayers to keep a motor running so… back to the oars!

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Product Reviews

Torqeedo’s Travel 1003

Clean, quiet outboard power

From Issue   September 2015

Torqeedo’s outboards with ratings up to an equivalent of 8 hp are designed without anti-ventilation plates. The foil-sectioned shafts on all but the smallest outboard aid in keeping surface air from getting to the prop.

F or decades I resisted boating under power and took pride in getting where I wanted to go under my own steam or under sail. That changed when I had kids: they were too young to help with rowing, the summer winds are usually too light for getting anywhere by sailing, and the joy of hanging out with them meant more to me than manning the oars. I built a Caledonia yawl with them in mind and installed a motor well. I bought a small 2.5-hp Yamaha outboard—a four-stroke to avoid leaving behind a cloud of stinky blue smoke typical of two-stroke outboards—but it still had an environmental impact in both the fuel it consumed and the peace it disturbed. For the past 11 years, Torqeedo has worked to eliminate both with their electric motors. In 2010 I tried the smallest motor they produce, the Ultralight, on a kayak. The equivalent of a 1-hp motor, the Ultralight would drive the kayak at an impressive 4 ¼ knots and an exciting 5 ½ knots after I added a foil-shaped fairing to the tubular shaft.

The two Travel motors are the smallest of the Torqeedo outboards. The Travel 503 is rated as the equivalent of a 1.5-hp gas motor; the Travel 1003, the equivalent of a 3-hp. I tried the Travel 1003S (S for short shaft) on three different boats: the Caledonia yawl, a Whitehall, and an Escargot canal boat. Torqeedo lists the shaft length for the Travel 1003S at 62.5 cm (24 5/8″), a measurement from the bearing surface of the mounting bracket to the center of the prop. On gas outboards the shaft length is commonly measured to the anti-ventilation plate, not the propeller axis; the Travel 1003 has no anti-ventilation plate, but I measured 46.5 cm (18 ¼″) to where one would be. That’s roughly the maximum span between the bottom of the hull and the site for the mounting bracket. The shaft length for the Travel 1003L is listed as 75cm/29.5″.)

Disassembling the motor makes it much easier to stow out of the way when it’s not needed. The long pin locks the battery pack in place.

The Travel 1003 weighs 30 lbs, 7 lbs less than my Yamaha, and it separates into three pieces—the tiller and its computer just shy of 2 lbs, the battery at 12 lbs, and the lower unit about 16 lbs—making it a whole lot easier to move around, mount, and stow.

Set in the motor well of a Caledonia yawl, the Travel 1003 S reached a maximum speed of 5 knots. The orange pin on the bench locks the shaft when the boat’s rudder is used for steering. The orange tab on the tiller is a magnetic kill switch.

I used the Travel 1003 first on my Caledonia yawl, a 19′ 6″ x 6′ 2″ double-ender. With the motor at full throttle, the yawl peaked at 5.0 knots. My Yamaha logged a top speed of 5.8 knots. (I have an electric trolling motor rated at 40 lbs of thrust, but it falls so far short of the Travel 1003 that I don’t bother including it in these trials.)  A built-in computer with GPS shows the percentage of battery charge and the distance it will take you at the speed indicated. At full speed a full charge had a cruising range of 2.4 nm. At 4 knots that range increased to 6.3 nm, at 3 knots 9.5nm, and at 2 knots 15.6 nm. The speeds and ranges I recorded were consistent with Torqeedo’s data for the Travel 1003 .

Ranges predicted by the Travel 1003 for a full battery charge with three boats at various speeds

There is a slight lag in the response to the throttle, and the motor will ramp up to the selected speed rather than apply full power immediately. That keeps the boat from lurching about, and, I imagine, prolongs the life of the motor and the boat. Even with the lag and ramp-up, I was impressed with how quickly the Travel 1003 could bring the yawl from 5 knots at full speed ahead to a dead stop: just 3 seconds and less than two boat-lengths.

The Travel 1003 operates in reverse, and a latch keeps the shaft locked down to prevent the prop from climbing. The yawl made 3.5 knots with the Travel 1003 in reverse at full throttle. (The Yamaha does not have reverse but rotates through 360 degrees, as does the Travel 1003.) Releasing the latch allows the motor to kick up over obstructions while moving forward and to be raised to reduce the drag while rowing or sailing. A removable pin will lock the Travel 1003 facing straight ahead for steering with a boat’s rudder.

The Travel 1003 is quiet but not completely silent. It has a whine that rises in pitch and volume as the throttle gets cranked up, but even at its loudest it is neither an impediment to a conversation nor anywhere near as loud as my gas outboard. It doesn’t vibrate either, so there’s no rattling anywhere on the boat. Its relatively quiet operation at low-to-moderate speeds is great for dinner cruises. I’m used to gauging speed by the racket my gas motor makes when moving along at a good clip, but even at full throttle, the sound the Travel 1003 makes belies how fast the boat is moving; it’s more like sailing than motoring.

On my 14′ lapstrake Whitehall the Travel 1003 peaked at 5.5 knots. (I didn’t—and wouldn’t—try to mount the heavier Yamaha on the transom—there’s little buoyancy in the stern.) I also did trials with my son’s 19′ 6″ x 6′ Escargot canal boat , weighing over a half ton with gear and two of us aboard. It brought the canal boat up to 4.4 knots, just slightly slower than the Yamaha at 4.7 knots.

Torqueedo claims on its website that the Travel 1003 “can do everything a 3-hp petrol outboard can, plus it’s environmentally friendlier, quieter, lighter, and more convenient.” The latter half of that is certainly true, but I’d suggest the former isn’t a good comparison to make. According to the owner’s manual, my Yamaha has a maximum output of 2.5 horsepower or 1.8 kW at 5,500 rpm, while the Travel 1003 display reads 1,000 watts (1.0 kW) at full throttle with  maximum propeller speed listed by Torqeedo at 1,200 rpm. Going by the numbers gets murky. The Yamaha rating is for propeller-shaft horsepower, and the Torqeedo rating is for input power with propulsive power at 480 watts; static thrust is listed as 68 lbs, but that’s not calculated the same way as it is for trolling motors. Torqeedo offers some clarification on the terms and their equivalence with gas outboards, but my sea trials for top speed didn’t bear that out for the Travel 1003, even up against a 2.5-hp instead of a 3-hp gas outboard.

I haven’t made precise mileage calculations for my gas outboard, but one measurement I made on Google Earth for a passage on a full tank of gas (0.24 gallon) was 6 miles, running at about two-thirds throttle. That’s 25 miles per gallon. At a comparable speed the Travel 1003 will cover about the same distance. To extend the range of my gas outboard, I’ll carry two 2.5-gallon gas cans for a range of 125 miles. For the Travel 1003, an extra battery, at $650, brings the range to 16 miles. For charging away from home, Torqeedo offers a 50-watt solar charger for the Travel 1003, and it is possible to recharge its battery from an in-board 12-volt system. In my experience recharging was an overnight process, only slightly more than the 14 hours listed by Torqeedo; the latest models have cut that time  in half. While I don’t have to think much about my range with my gas outboard, the Travel 1003 would require some thoughtful planning to achieve the same range for an extended cruise. If your outings with the Travel 1003 aren’t pushing the limits of its range, you can use the energy for other purposes: its battery has a port you can use to charge electronic devices.

Christopher Cunningham is the editor of Small Boats Monthly.

Torqeedo  distributes its products through a network of dealers and offers the Travel 1003  for $1,999 with a two-year warrantee.

Thanks to reader Elliot Arons for suggesting this review.

A Cautionary Tale

When I tested the Travel 1003 on my Whitehall, I put thin plywood pads on the varnished transom to protect it from the motor’s mounting bracket and turned the screws down as tight as I could, knowing they wouldn’t leave their mark on the mahogany. The Whitehall isn’t meant to carry an outboard, let alone maintain trim with the weight of a motor and its operator well aft, so I sat as far forward as I could and still keep a hand on the motor’s tiller. I made a few runs, back and forth in a protected canal, some at full speed. On the last run, while at full power, the tiller slipped suddenly from between my fingers and the motor turned 90 degrees, pushing parallel to the transom. It then twisted almost to horizontal and then slipped off the transom. I lunged for it as it went overboard and got a hand on the tiller. The magnetic kill switch disengaged and the prop stopped turning. I thought I had averted disaster, but as the boat carried forward, the angle between the tiller and the motor opened up and they parted, just as they’re meant to do if you’re disassembling the pieces for transport or storage. The cable from the tiller didn’t have a connection strong enough to hold the battery and lower unit, and down they went. I was left holding the tiller, a bit stunned.

To recover the motor I needed to find it first, then snag it. The underwater video system and a hastily made grappling hook did the job.

I went home and made a grappling hook out of steel rod and connected it to my Harbor Freight underwater video camera. I was feeling hopeful about recovering the motor—it had gone down in a narrow stretch of water, and I had a pretty good idea of where it would have come to rest. Unfortunately, the water in the area was about 25′ deep and the light on the bottom was dim, so the video camera could show only a narrow swath of the sandy bottom. The next day I tried again, but it was too difficult to manage the boat and control the depth of the camera at the same time. I returned with my son Nate, and we were about to give up when he spotted the motor. It went in and out of the camera’s view, but after 20 minutes he got the hook on the power cable and brought the motor and battery up.

The Travel 1003 has an IP67 rating and is waterproof for 30 minutes at 1 meter, but not for two days at 25′. The red indicator light on the battery case blinked on a few times, and that was its last sign of life. I opened the case to get the water out of it and the damage to the batteries and the circuit board was evident.

I can’t fault the Travel 1003. I’m not sure what caused the sudden turn, but with the motor running at full power I should have had a firm grip on the tiller. The Travel 1003 can rotate 360 degrees and can be oriented parallel to the transom. My Yamaha is the same way and has, on two occasions, twisted its bracket a bit out of position when turned 90 degrees and gunned for tight maneuvering. Larger outboards may have stops to limit their steering range and lessen the chances of prying themselves off a transom. The plywood pads I used to protect my Whitehall’s transom may have lessened the Travel 1003’s grip, but if my calculation for the torque created—140 ft-lbs—is correct, it may have dislodged itself even without the pads.

Three precautions come to mind for small outboards that can rotate to 90 degrees on either side. A solidly anchored cleat along the edge of the transom where the motor is attached would serve as a stop for the clamps on the inboard side. Some commercially made pads for the inside face of the transom have a lip at the top meant to keep a loosened clamp from slipping off. (They require more time to get the motor in place; a couple of slots cut off-center alleviate that problem.) Secondly, a safety cable or chain can tether the motor to the boat. My Yamaha has a hole in the mounting bracket meant for a cable and includes a recommendation in the instruction manual to use it. The Travel 1003 has holes in the clamp screw handles that can serve as safety-cable attachment points; a note about using them as such would be a worthy addition to its user manual. Finally, hang on to the tiller.— CC

Epilogue (October 2, 2015)

While it was clear to me that an outboard capable of rotating through 360° has the potential to turn to 90°—parallel to the transom—and wrench itself out of position or tear itself off entirely, I didn’t understand what had caused the motor to turn in the first place. I found a likely explanation in the September/October issue of WoodenBoat magazine. That issue’s “Getting Started in Boats” feature is “A Small Outboard Motor Primer” by Jan Adkins. Jan describes “The Death Spiral,” a common accident in which the operator of an outboard skiff is thrown overboard by a sudden turn and often severely injured when the boat circles around. Here’s the cause of the spiral: “For any reason (inattention, slippery hands, a reflex to reach for something) the helmsperson’s steering hand leaves the outboard tiller/handle. Unequal resistance between the deep propeller blade and the shallow propeller blade exerts torque that twists the outboard to port. The small boat turns violently to starboard….”

In my case, I had a loose grip on the tiller and the motor twisted itself off the transom rather than cause a sharp turn to starboard. Because the boat hadn’t turned violently and I had been looking over the bow at the time, I don’t have a clear memory of which way the motor had turned (and I had revarnished the transom of my Whitehall) but the slight scars that remained indicated that the motor had indeed twisted to port. (The Travel 1003’s propeller has a right-hand rotation—clockwise when viewed from astern—typical of outboards and would twist to port. A left-hand prop would cause a boat to turn to port.)

My Yamaha has a screw that increases the friction in the mount to lock the motor in position if I’m using a rudder to steer. If I’m steering with the motor I maintain a little friction so I can steer well but don’t have to “micromanage” the tiller. The Travel 1003 uses a pin to lock the motor for using a rudder to steer and without the pin the motor can rotate freely. Even though the Yamaha can be adjusted for turning friction, I’ll be much more careful with both motors when using them to steer.— CC

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Comments (10)

I have had Torqeedo Travel 1003 for several years. It has a strong battery and will push my Norseboat 17.5 for about 10 miles at 3.0 knots. As you say, it is not a good choice for extended multi-day trips where recharging may be difficult, but for a day trip or overnight it’s great.

Aside from the advantages you mention, there is no winterizing, spark plugs to foul, or fuel to spill. Best of all it starts with a twist of the throttle. I feel confident sending my kids or friends out without worrying about their ability to get a gas motor running.

The only drawback, as you point out, is the range, which I bet most of us never exceed anyway. The advantages are far more persuasive to me. If everyone was already using Torqeedos and the gas outboard was introduced as an alternative, I bet very few people would by one.

We have a 1003 that we use on our 28′ Stuart Knockabout which displaces 4,000 lbs. We have a removable side bracket made of very heavy stainless. We had 4-hp Yamaha 4-stroke on it for years and you you could go straight to full throttle. First time we tried that with the 1003, the incredible torque cracked the bracket! After we had it rewelded, we now accelerate slowly and never go to full throttle until the boat has some way on her. Full throttle is just shy of 5 knots and we usually run at 3 if the wind dies. Great motor! I only wish the tiller display was easier to read without glasses!

It should be noted that, unlike a gas motor, the Torqeedo must be removed when sailing. According to the manufacturer, it can not be freewheeled without damage to the motor. This is a pain, especially when one wants to go just a short distance before switching to sail. The motor must be taken off and stowed before sailing. I never worry about drag on my Caledonia, so I would rather leave the motor in the well, but it’s a no-go.

Question: Can the Torqeedo tilt up out of water if mounted on a transom?

Yes, the Torqeedo Travel can be tilted up out of the water just like any small outboard motor, so you can raise it for sailing, rowing, or coming ashore without having to remove it from the transom.

As a Torqeedo dealer and user on the Mississippi Gulf Coast, let me offer a clarification about the Travel 1003’s horsepower. The motor has a power consumption of 1000 watts at top speed, which is equal only to about 1 1/3 hp. While this keeps power consumption low, it also keeps the motor under 2 hp, which is useful for boats like the SolarSkiff that are designed following the US Coast Guard standards for watercraft with engines under 2 hp. However, Torqeedo claims a propulsive force equivalent to that of a 3 to 4 hp gas engine: its electric motor is more efficient at converting its 1000 watt input power into propulsive output power, hence the 3-4 hp “equivalency.” My wife and I had a chance to put this power claim to the test this summer. We crossed the Bay of St. Louis in a two-person SolarSkiff for a group picnic at some friends’ home across the Bay. Going over in the late morning, the winds were light. Coming back, however, the afternoon seabreeze predictably began to fill in and it wasn’t long before we were motoring back against 12-knot winds, gusting to 15, with whitecaps everywhere. The Torqeedo Travel 1003 had the power to keep us moving against the wind and waves with no problem: we can’t do that with a 55 lb-thrust trolling motor! While I can honestly say that 12-mph winds are about the top that I would plan to be out on the water in a small craft with a Torqeedo, it both had the power and the range we needed that day for the 6-1/2 mile round trip. I did take my Torqeedo battery charger in my dry bag, though, and plugged the battery in while we enjoyed lunch with our friends, just to make sure we had sufficient power for the return home.

The most I have run my battery down is to 20% of its maximum capacity, with the motor conveniently and automatically beeping reminder warnings when it hits 30%, 20%, and 10% capacity. With the new lithium-ion battery design, it fully recharged in only 5 hours. The 7-hour recharge with the new battery is for a recharge of a fully discharged battery, whether plug-in or solar.

Chris, Congrats on the outstanding, detailed piece on the Torqeedo and the performance comparison to your Yamaha. I believe the current Torqeedo is a breakthrough product. I broke a long-time promise to myself never to sell my 5-hp 2-stroke Johnson. But, at long last, its 46-lb weight had become too much; its occasional hard-starting caused by water in that miserable fuel known as ethanol had become discouraging, as had the endless pulls on the starter cord.

There is little to add to your piece but the following may also be of help to those considering purchase of a Torqeedo. In your photo of the disassembled motor, there is a small orange peg shown beside the larger orange rod used to secure the battery to the motor. Although I have not found mention of it in the owner’s manual, the orange peg is meant to be inserted through a hole in the motor’s top portion into a hole in the leg. It prevents the head from rotating so the motor can’t be turned as accidentally happened to you when you least needed it. This would be of most use in an application where the boat’s rudder is there to steer with. It would not be practical on the transom of a rowboat where rotating the motor is needed for steering.

Oddly, I recall reading an owner review of the Torqeedo in which he complained that the mounting screws loosened up and his motor fell off. For whatever reason, this may be something owners should check before every outing to ensure things are really, really tight. It was good of you to note there are holes in the clamp handles by which they may be secured to the boat. The owner’s manual should mention this aspect. In my own application on the transom of an inflatable, I have one of those locking devices that slides over the clamping screw handles and effectively prevents them from loosening in any threatening manner. I can imagine your experience was quite unnerving.

As a motor for an inflatable or dinghy to get one from dock to mooring and back, the Torqeedo is perfect. I have found that full-throttle operation for about 25-30 minutes takes the battery down to about 62% but recharging at home has the battery back to full charge in rather little time. When I had the chance to use the Torqeedo 1003 longshaft as a sailboat auxiliary, I found that it easily moved a 3100-lb keel daysailer when the wind died. Putting it on the side bracket was a relative pleasure because, when broken down into its three main components, weight is not an issue. (I have tied a line from the battery to the battery mount rod so the latter can’t be lost overboard.) About 15-20 minutes running at part throttle brought us back to the mooring. Again, recharging was quickly done at home. The key for such an application, as the Stuart Knockabout owner noted, is the motor’s torque. I believe an electric motor develops peak torque at 0 rpm and that is key to getting a boat moving and then keeping it going steadily. But speed should not be a priority.

After one season, about the only improvements I can think of would be larger numbers on the readout display, a less abrupt response to initial throttle input—new owners should practice gingerly when first starting out if in a slip—and a somewhat greater tilt angle to get the skeg completely out of the water. The absence of need to winterize, let alone worry about storing or discarding fuel, are obvious plusses.

The 1003 is about twice the $900 price listed by West Marine for a Mercury 3.5 hp. If one has the right application need, I’d say the Torqeedo is well worth it.

Thanks for your comments, Stan. The small steering fixing pin is mentioned in the Travel 1003 manual on pages 9, 15, and 26 (do a search for “pin”), but there isn’t an illustration that shows it clearly. The pin gets put in place before the battery and once the battery is locked with the large locking pin, the small pin is secured.

I have an Able , a Selway Fisher design, in which I have a permanently installed 6-hp Tohatsu outboard. The engine is mounted on the centerline in way of the keel and I leave it down (in neutral) when sailing. Being in the draft of the keel the drag seems to be minimal. I would like to replace this with a powerpod of some sort, faired into the keel. I was considering a Torqueedo 1003 which I would use the power head and the controller. I did note that the Torqueedo manual says not to leave the unit freewheeling in the water when sailing as there would be damage to the electronics of the system. I am assuming that this is because, when free wheeling, the motor becomes a generator, sending an electrical charge back into the system. If this is the case, would: A: diodes (to negate electrical feedback) solve this problem? B: A mechanical stop on the prop? C: A master switch to disconnect the power from the power head? I think that there are many of us out here looking for a way to modify existing trolling motors to power our small craft. Spending $6,000.00 on an Elco pod is out of reach for most of us. I belong to the TSCA here on Cape Cod and this is a topic of conversation quite frequently. Many freshwater reservoirs and lakes are off limits to gas engines, so this would open up sailing venues for a lot of us. I’d love some feedback on this.

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Torqeedo Travel 1003 L manual

manual Torqeedo Travel 1003 L

Travel 503 S / L

Travel 1003 s / l, operating manual, bedienungsanleitung.

View the manual for the Torqeedo Travel 1003 L here, for free. This manual comes under the category outboard motors and has been rated by 3 people with an average of a 6.7. This manual is available in the following languages: English. Do you have a question about the Torqeedo Travel 1003 L or do you need help?  Ask your question here

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Question and answer

I went to put the battery onto the bottom of the motor and attach the handle. I turned it on, and it searched for a while, and finally came back with the top line saying 100% battery power, the second line having an arrow to the plug and three dashes. The third line saying 0 mph and forth line saying zero. When I turned the handle as if to move, it gave me error messages E06 and E30. I tried to reconnect the power cords three times and it still had the same problem. Please help!

How to tip the motor doen

The Torqeedo Travel 1003 L is an outboard motor designed for watercraft propulsion and is known for its reliability and efficiency. It is manufactured by Torqeedo, a leading company in the electric outboard motor industry. The Travel 1003 L is specifically engineered to provide a quiet and environmentally friendly boating experience. With its electric power system, it produces minimal noise and zero emissions, reducing its impact on the environment. The motor is equipped with a 915 Wh battery, allowing for extended operation without the need for refueling. This outboard motor features a sturdy and durable construction, ensuring its longevity and resistance to wear and tear. The motor housing is made from high-quality materials, ensuring its ability to withstand harsh marine conditions. Additionally, it is designed to be lightweight and compact, making it easy to transport and install on various types of watercraft. The Torqeedo Travel 1003 L offers a range of advanced features to enhance its performance. It includes a built-in GPS and multifunction display, providing real-time information such as speed and remaining battery life. The motor also features an integrated steering system, allowing for precise maneuverability. Its adjustable power settings enable users to optimize the motor's efficiency and extend battery life. Overall, the Torqeedo Travel 1003 L is a reliable and efficient outboard motor suitable for various watercraft. Its environmentally friendly design, durability, and advanced features make it a popular choice among boating enthusiasts.

Can't find the answer to your question in the manual? You may find the answer to your question in the FAQs about the Torqeedo Travel 1003 L below.

What is the difference between E10 and E5 petrol?

E10 petrol consists of up to ten per cent ethanol while E5 petrol will contain less than five per cent ethanol. As a result, the percentage of E10 petrol is lower than that of E5 petrol, making it less bad for the environment.

How do I charge the battery of the Torqeedo Travel 1003 L outboard motor?

To charge the battery, connect the charger to a power outlet, then plug the charger into the battery. Make sure the charger is securely connected and the battery is properly aligned with the charger.

What should I do if the motor fails to start?

Ensure that the battery is fully charged and properly connected. Check that the safety switch is engaged and that the throttle is set to the desired speed. If the motor still doesn't start, inspect the propeller for any obstructions and remove them if necessary.

How can I determine the battery level of the outboard motor?

Press the information button on the tiller display to check the battery level. The display will show a percentage indicating the remaining charge.

How do I properly inflate and deflate the optional air-pressure limit in the motor's propeller?

To inflate, use a hand pump and gradually add air until the propeller reaches the recommended pressure specified in the manual. To deflate, gently press the deflation valve while applying pressure to release the air. Be cautious not to overinflate or underinflate the propeller.

What precautions should I take when transporting the outboard motor?

Remove the battery before transporting the motor to prevent any damage or accidental activation. Securely fasten the motor to the boat or transport method using the provided mounting brackets or straps. Additionally, it is advisable to cover the motor with a protective cover to prevent any potential damage during transportation.

Is the manual of the Torqeedo Travel 1003 L available in English?

Yes, the manual of the Torqeedo Travel 1003 L is available in English .

Is your question not listed? Ask your question here

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Shooter Files by f.d. walker

Street Photography Tips, Interaction, Travel, Guides

Apr 24 2017

City Street Guides by f.d. walker: A Street Photography Guide to Moscow, Russia

*A series of guides on shooting Street Photography in cities around the world. Find the best spots to shoot, things to capture, street walks, street tips, safety concerns, and more for cities around the world. I have personally researched, explored and shot Street Photography in every city that I create a guide for. So you can be ready to capture the streets as soon as you step outside with your camera!

At over 12 million people, Moscow is the largest city in Russia and second largest in Europe by population ( Istanbul is #1). An urban, cosmopolitan metropolis with more than enough glitz and glam to cater to the elite, but without losing its fair share of Soviet era roughness around the edges. It can be fast paced, brash, busy, and trendy like other big cities, but it has its blend of West meets Russia atmosphere and beauty that provides plenty of unique interest. The Red Square is as famous as it gets, but there’s so much more to this city, including the most beautiful subway system you’ve ever seen. It would take years to capture all of Moscow, but that means you have an endless amount of areas to discover.

So here’s a Street Photography guide so you can be ready to capture all that Moscow has to offer before you even arrive!

• Patriarch’s Pond
• Old Arbat Street
• Maroseyka Street
• Tverskoy Boulevard

Top 5 Street Spots:

1. red square.

The Red Square is the most famous square in not just Russia, but all of Eastern Europe. The name actually doesn’t come from the color of the bricks or communism, but from the name in Russian, Krásnaya, once meaning “beautiful” before its meaning changed to “red.” This large plaza is what you see on the cover of guide books and magazines for Moscow, with St. Basil’s Cathedral being the center piece next to Lenin’s Mausoleum surrounded by the Kremlin Wall. Of course, the Red Square attracts hordes of tourist due to the main attractions, but all that activity around an interesting atmosphere does provide street photo opportunities. It’s also the central square connecting to the city’s major streets, providing a good starting point to explore outward.

You’ll also find the popular pedestrian only Nikolskaya Street connecting the Red Square to Lubyanka Square. This line of expensive shops includes plenty of activity, while also leading you to another popular square. Filled with history rivaling any city, the Red Square and surrounding areas are the heart and soul of Russia.

2. Patriarch’s Ponds

Patriarch’s Ponds is one of the most exclusive neighborhoods in Moscow. Despite the name being plural, there’s only one large pond, but it’s worth a visit with your camera. It’s a popular spot for locals and expats to come relax or take a stroll around the pond. You get an interesting mix of young and old too, from young love to “babushkas” feeding pigeons. It’s a very peaceful park atmosphere in one of the nicer areas within the city center, while bringing enough activity for street photography. 

The pond is shallow and in the winter becomes a popular spot for ice-skating too. The area is also well-known for the location in the famous Russian novel, The Master and Margarita. 

3. Old Arbat (Stary Arbat)

Old Arbat is the most famous pedestrian street in Moscow, and dating back to the 15th century, also one of its oldest. Originally, it was an area of trade, but soon became the most prestigious residential area in Moscow. During the 18th century, Arbat started attracting the city’s scholars and artists, including Alexander Pushkin. Cafes lined the streets and impressive homes filled the neighborhood. Since then, New Arbat street was created as a highway in the area, while Old Arbat was paved for a 1km pedestrian only walkway.

Due to the historic buildings, famous artists that lived here, and the bohemian atmosphere, Old Arbat has become a big attraction for tourists today. Now, there’s a mix of cafes, restaurants, souvenir shops, street performers, street merchants and other attractions for visitors, and some locals, to come enjoy. It can get really busy here and there’s usually something interesting going on so it’s a good street to come walk with your camera for guaranteed life.

4. Gorky Park

One of the most famous places in Moscow is Gorky Park. The official name is Maxim Gorky’s Central Park of Culture & Leisure, which gives you an idea of what goes on here. When built, it was the first of its kind in the Soviet Union. Divided into two parts, it stretches along Moscow River. One end contains fair rides, foods stands, tennis courts, a sports club, a lake for boat rides, and more. This end brings more active life due to its number of attractions, while the other end is more relaxed, where you’ll find gardens, trees, older buildings, and an outdoor amphitheater.

Gorky Park attracts mostly locals so it’s a good spot to capture the non-tourist side of Moscow life. Muscovites come here to escape the city and unwind in a picturesque setting. The park remains alive outside of the warmer months too, especially when the lake turns into the city’s largest outdoor skating rink. I’d recommend taking the metro out here to spend at least half a day exploring the massive park’s life with your camera.

5. Maroseyka Street

Maroseyka Street is a popular area not too far from the Red Square. The long, winding street turns into Pokrovka and is lined with restaurants, cafes, bars and places to stay. It’s actually where I like to stay when I’m in Moscow due to its location and solid street photography opportunities itself. You have Kitay-gorod station near and if you keep walking southwest, you’ll get to the Red Square. But if you walk northwest, as it changes to Pokrovka, you can find a long street of activity for photography with its own interesting atmosphere.

6. Tverskoy Boulevard

Tverskoy Boulevard is the oldest and longest boulevard in Moscow, beginning at the end of Nikitsky Boulevard, and finishing at Pushkin Square, a spot to come for activity itself. The boulevard is made up of two avenues, with pedestrian walkways in-between. You’ll find grass, shrubbery, trees, benches and more walking it’s almost kilometer length. Many people come here to enjoy some relaxation, walk their dog, or just to use it to walk wherever they’re going. Its center location also provides a nice place to walk with your camera near plenty of other spots you’ll want to check out anyway.

Sample Street Walk:

For a full day of Street Photography, covering some of the best spots, you can follow this sample street walk for Moscow:

• Start your morning walking around the Red Square (1), while exploring the surrounding area, including Nikolskaya Street
• Then walk northwest to Patriarch’s Ponds (2) and slowly walk the pond and surrounding area with your camera
• Next, walk east to the Pushkin Monument and stroll down Tverskoy Boulevard (6)
• Once Tverskoy Boulevard (6) ends, it will turn into Nikitsky Boulevard. Follow this down until you get to the start of Old Arbat Street (3), across from Arbatskaya station
• After you’re done walking down Old Arbat Street (3) for more street photography, spend some time checking out Moscow’s beautiful metro stations
• To finish off the day with more street photography, get off the metro near Red Square (1) again, Maroseyka Street (5) or wherever you’re staying for the night.

3 Things I’ll Remember about Shooting in Moscow:

1. museum metro.

The Moscow metro system was the first underground railway system in the Soviet Union and today includes 203 stations across 340km of routes. The elaborate system has some of the deepest stations in the world too, with escalators that seem to go on forever. None of this is what makes it so special, though. Many of its stations feel like stepping inside a museum, making it without a doubt the most interesting and beautiful metro system I’ve been in.

When built, Stalin wanted to make the metro stations “palaces for the people” with marble, chandeliers, and grand architecture. The best part is the variety of architecture and styles used, making many of the stations a completely different experience visually. You could easily spend a whole day traveling the stations and there are even tours available for people who wish to do just that. My advice, though, would be just to buy a ticket and hop on and off at different stations, while exploring different lines. The museum-like surrounding mixed with the crowds of characters can make for a great photography experience.

Since there are so many stations, here are some of my favorites to check out:

• Novoslobodskaya
• Mayakovskaya
• Elektrozavodskaya
• Komsomolskaya
• Ploschad Revolyutsii
• Dostoyevskaya
• Prospekt Mira

2. Moscow is Big

It’s no secret that Moscow is a big city, but it can feel even bigger with how spread out much of it is. This is especially true if you compare it to cities outside of Asia. If I compared it to cities in Europe, I’d probably say only Istanbul would warrant more time to really discover the depths of this city. Most only explore around the Red Square and surrounding area, but that is such a small part of the city. Although, that central area does give you plenty to see on its own.

Fortunately, I had a good friend living in the city to show me around, but it opened up my eyes even more to how much there is to discover in Moscow. It’s a big city with a variety of atmosphere that can take you from “east” to “west” and trendy to rugged depending on where you go. I’d imagine you’d have to live here a while to really know the city.

3. Cosmopolitan Mix of East meets West

Modern skyscrapers mixed with amazing architecture, a world-class metro system with museum-like beauty, trendy fashion and chic clubs, Moscow is a rich mix of Russian culture and history in a more western cosmopolitan package. There is a push to keep the Russian culture, while also pushing forward with a modern metropolis the whole world will envy. This comes with an impressive skyline, that continues to grow, and endless modernities, but with soviet nostalgia and atmosphere mixed in for good measure.

Mixed in with this grand western cosmopolitan atmosphere, is a strong national pride in Russia. This includes their famous leader, Vladimir Putin. Maybe no other place will you see a country’s leader more often. All over, from the pricey tourist shops to the underground walkway stalls, you’ll find goods with Putin’s likeness covering them. From t-shirts to magnets to Matryoshka dolls. There’s a strong national pride that can be seen around the city, which also extends to their leader. Moscow is many things. It’s East meets West, modernizations meets Soviet era, and a whole lot more.

What To Do For a Street Photography Break?:

Eat at a stolovaya.

Stolovayas are Russian cafeterias that became popular in the Soviet days. You grab a tray and walk down the line of freshly prepared local dishes, and select whatever you want from the chefs. They’re usually inexpensive and a much better value than restaurants, while giving you the opportunity to try from a wide selection of everyday Russian food. They’re also very tasty. I always include some borsch on my tray and go from there. The places themselves are all over Moscow and usually come with Soviet-era aesthetics to complete the experience.

Street Safety Score: 7

*As always, no place is completely safe! So when I talk about safety, I’m speaking in general comparison to other places. Always take precaution, be smart, observe your surroundings and trust your instincts anywhere you go!

Being the 2nd largest city in Europe with over 12 million people, you’re going to have your dangerous areas, but for the most part, it feels safe walking around. Russia is statistically higher in crime compared to most of Europe, but this generally doesn’t apply to tourists and visitors. Around the Red Square and surrounding city center, you should feel completely safe walking around. Pick pocketing can happen, but no more than other touristic places. I always explore Moscow freely without coming across too much to worry about. It’s a spread out city, though, so of course it matters where you are. Just use basic street smarts, know where you are and Moscow shouldn’t give you a problem. 

People’s Reaction Score: 7

Moscow is fast paced, big city life, which usually means people aren’t too concerned with you, or your camera. I don’t find people notice or pay much attention to me when I’m out taking photos in Moscow. For the most part, people just go about their day. You shouldn’t get too many looks or concern. But it can depend on the area you are in. The more you stick out, the more you might get noticed with suspicions. I’ve never had any problems in Moscow, or Russia, but just be careful who you’re taking a photo of if you get out of the city center. Other than that, it’s about average for reactions. 

Street Tips:

Learn the alphabet .

Much of Moscow, including the metro system, doesn’t use english. The Russian alphabet uses letters from the Cyrillic script, which if you aren’t familiar with it and don’t know the sounds, can be hard to decipher the words. This is most important for street names and metro stops when trying to get around. It can save confusion and make it easier getting around if you learn the basic alphabet. At the very least then, you can sound out the words to see which are similar in the english conversion, which can help matching them to maps. When out shooting street photography, getting around is as important as anything. So save yourself some time and frustration by learning the Russian Alphabet.

Use the metro

While Saint-Petersburg feels very walkable for a city its size, Moscow can feel very spread out, even for its bigger size. Outside of the Red Square area, you can have plenty of walking before getting anywhere very interesting, so you’ll need to take the metro a lot if you really want to explore the city. Maps are deceiving here too, it will always be further than it looks.

Another reason it’s less walkable than Saint-Petersburg is its completely different set-up. Moscow’s streets are mostly contstructed in rings with narrow, winding streets in-between. This is common with medieval city cities that used to be confined by walls, but you usually don’t have it in a city this massive. Saint-Petersburg has a more grid-like pattern that also uses the canals to help you know your way around. When it comes to navigating on foot in Moscow, it can be more difficult, so bring a map and take the metro when needed. It’s why Moscow’s metro carries more passengers per day than the London and Paris subways combined.

Explore other areas if you have time

Moscow is really big. While most people stay around the Red Square within the Boulevard Ring, there’s so much more to the city. I covered some other spots outside of this circle, but if you really want to see the city, you’ll need time. If you do have time, some other areas I’d check out first are Zamoskvarechye, along some of the south and western Moscow.

Inspiration:

For some more inspiration, you can look through the Street Photography of Moscow photographer Artem Zhitenev  and check out 33 of my photos taken in Moscow .

Conclusion:

Moscow’s name brings a certain mystique, but once you’re there it might bring a different atmosphere than you expect. It’s big and sprawling, but beautiful in many ways. It can feel like a European capital on a grand scale, but you can definitely find its Russian side in there.

The urban sprawl of Moscow can be intimidating, but give it enough time and you’ll be rewarded with plenty to discover. All with the world’s best metro system to take you around.

I hope this guide can help you start to experience some of what Moscow contains. So grab your camera and capture all that Moscow has to offer for Street Photography!

If you still have any questions about shooting in Moscow, feel free to comment below or email me!

(I want to make these guides as valuable as possible for all of you so add any ideas on improvements, including addition requests, in the comment section!)

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Red Square & Moscow City Tour

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Description

Highlights:.

• Experience medieval Kitay Gorod (China town).
• Wander picturesque Red Square and Alexander Garden.
• Explore grand Christ the Savior Cathedral on our Red Square tour.
• Breathtaking panoramic views from Patriarch bridge.
• Enjoy a hearty lunch on the large open verandah and marvel at the stunning views of the Kremlin.
• Learn about Russian culture from the local through relaxed cultural discussions.

Tour Itinerary:

Red square:.

Russia and Moscow are synonymous with Red Square and the Kremlin and that's hardly surprising as you'll find these places absolutely stunning!

• - Walk-through the Resurrection Gate and don’t forget to flip a coin so you’ll be sure to come back one day!
• - Visit the world's famous Kazan Cathedral .
• - See the State Department Store (GUM), once the Upper Trading Stalls, which were built over a century ago and still operating!
• - Admire the lovely St. Basil's Cathedral! The French diplomat Marquis de Custine commented that it combined "the scales of a golden fish, the enamelled skin of a serpent, the changeful hues of the lizard, the glossy rose and azure of the pigeon's neck" and wondered at "the men who go to worship God in this box of confectionery work".
• - Walk by Lobnoye Mesto (literally meaning "Execution Place", or "Place of Skulls"), once Ivan the Terrible's stage for religious ceremonies, speeches, and important events.
• - Entering the Alexander Garden , you’ll take in spectacular views of Russian architecture from ancient to Soviet times, as well as the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier with an eternal flame. Watch Changing of the Guard Ceremony every hour in summer and every half an hour in winter.

Kitai-gorod:

Stroll along medieval Kitai-gorod with its strong ancient Russia feel, known for its bohemian lifestyle, markets and arts.

• - Nikolskaya Street. Here you will find the Russia's first publishing house, the second oldest monastery, and Ferryn Pharmacy, known as the number one pharmacy back in Soviet times and famous for its Empire-style architecture.
• - Ilinka Street. The financial street of the Kitaigorod (China Town) district, where you’ll find the Gostiny Dvor (Merchant’s Yard), which is now a showroom for Ferraris and Maseratis. The street was designed in the 1790s by Catherine the Great.
• - Varvarka street. The oldest street in Moscow, which dates back to the 14th century, and still has remnants of early Muscovite architecture, such as the Old English Court and the Palace of the Romanov’s.
• - Kamergersky Lane. Only a small road of about 250 meters, it is home to some of the oldest artifacts of the city, as each building holds a fascinating story. Some of Russia's most famous writers, poets, and composers from as far back as the Golden Age of Russian culture, have lived or worked on this lane.

Historic City Center

Walk the historical old center of Moscow with its cool local vibe, including the main Tverskaya street , and indulge in desserts in the first grocery “Eliseev's store” , housed in an 18th century neoclassical building, famous for its baroque interior and decoration.

From our tour. Impressions of our American tourist:

At 3:30, as energy flagged, lunch was on the agenda at a Ukrainian restaurant.  Just in time!  We asked our guide to order for us.  We all had the same thing....borscht (the Ukrainian version has beans and more tomatoes than the Russian version, which has more beets and includes beef). 

The special high bread served is called galushki.  Our main course was golubtsy...a dish of minced meat rolled in braised cabbage leaves.  Both dishes called for optional sour cream as a topping....of course, yes, please....I recommend it. 

Full, satisfied, and completely refreshed, it was off to Red Square and St. Basil's and GUM department store.  Red Square is not so named because of the color of the brick walls of the Kremlin.  Rather the word for 'red' and the word for 'beautiful' are similar in pronunciation....and, there you have it. 

As we made the turn by the National Museum in front of which is the mounted sculpture of the "Marshall of Victory," Giorgy Zhukov from WWII and caught our first view of St. Basil's, my friend and I simultaneously emitted "Oooohhhhh!"  There it was....the iconic onion domes of St. Basil's!  Hooray....it was open until 7....we had about 30 minutes and were allowed in, AND we could take photos with no flash. 

Now, I can give you a taste of what we saw in the other cathedrals in Cathedral Square.  What we learned is that St. Vasily and St. Basil are one in the same....Russian/English.  He was a common man who wandered Moscow unclothed and barefoot.  But, all, even Ivan the Terrible, heeded his opinions derived from his visions.  Ivan had this cathedral built over his tomb. 

As we exited and took photos up close of the onion domes, Inna presented us with chocolate (how did she know we were ready for another energy boost, and we each got a big piece of chocolate.  The baby's name pictured on the wrapper of this famous Russian chocolate is Alyonka....the Russian Gerber baby, don't you think? 

One could wear out the credit card in GUM's (capitalized because it is actually a government abbreviation), but the 'kitty' and my credit card stayed in my pocket as we strolled through the glass-topped arcade. 

We then strolled through some of Moscow's lovely pedestrian streets; paused to listen as a wonderful quartet performed Vivaldi's "Four Seasons" in an underground passage to cross the busy street (hooray!....we DID have our 'classical concert' experience after all; a request Alina tried in vain to fill because none was scheduled those days), saw the Bolshoi, which means 'big' (my friend has yet to recover that their performance schedule did not coincide with our cruise), saw the Central Telegraph Building, dating from the 1930's, and made our way to the Ritz-Carlton to see the night view of Moscow from the rooftop bar, called O2. 

There were fleece blankets to wrap yourself in....yes, it got that cold when the sun set.  We each ordered something hot to drink...the ginger, mint, lemon tea served to me in a parfait glass (for 600 rubles...about $9....you pay for the view here!) was delightful and hit the spot perfectly.  It was time to call it a night....

What you get:

• + A friend in Moscow.
• + Private & customized Moscow tour.
• + An exciting city tour, not just boring history lessons.
• + An authentic experience of local life.
• + Flexibility during the tour: changes can be made at any time to suit individual preferences.
• + Amazing deals for breakfast, lunch, and dinner in the very best cafes & restaurants. Discounts on weekdays (Mon-Fri).
• + A photo session amongst spectacular Moscow scenery that can be treasured for a lifetime.
• + Good value for souvenirs, taxis, and hotels.
• + Expert advice on what to do, where to go, and how to make the most of your time.

*This Moscow city tour can be modified to meet your requirements.

Write your review

Travel Itinerary For One Week in Moscow: The Best of Moscow!

I just got back from one week in Moscow. And, as you might have already guessed, it was a mind-boggling experience. It was not my first trip to the Russian capital. But I hardly ever got enough time to explore this sprawling city. Visiting places for business rarely leaves enough time for sightseeing. I think that if you’ve got one week in Russia, you can also consider splitting your time between its largest cities (i.e. Saint Petersburg ) to get the most out of your trip. Seven days will let you see the majority of the main sights and go beyond just scratching the surface. In this post, I’m going to share with you my idea of the perfect travel itinerary for one week in Moscow.

Moscow is perhaps both the business and cultural hub of Russia. There is a lot more to see here than just the Kremlin and Saint Basil’s Cathedral. Centuries-old churches with onion-shaped domes dotted around the city are in stark contrast with newly completed impressive skyscrapers of Moscow City dominating the skyline. I spent a lot of time thinking about my Moscow itinerary before I left. And this city lived up to all of my expectations.

Travel Itinerary For One Week in Moscow

Day 1 – red square and the kremlin.

Metro Station: Okhotny Ryad on Red Line.

No trip to Moscow would be complete without seeing its main attraction. The Red Square is just a stone’s throw away from several metro stations. It is home to some of the most impressive architectural masterpieces in the city. The first thing you’ll probably notice after entering it and passing vendors selling weird fur hats is the fairytale-like looking Saint Basil’s Cathedral. It was built to commemorate one of the major victories of Ivan the Terrible. I once spent 20 minutes gazing at it, trying to find the perfect angle to snap it. It was easier said than done because of the hordes of locals and tourists.

As you continue strolling around Red Square, there’s no way you can miss Gum. It was widely known as the main department store during the Soviet Era. Now this large (yet historic) shopping mall is filled with expensive boutiques, pricey eateries, etc. During my trip to Moscow, I was on a tight budget. So I only took a retro-style stroll in Gum to get a rare glimpse of a place where Soviet leaders used to grocery shop and buy their stuff. In case you want some modern shopping experience, head to the Okhotny Ryad Shopping Center with stores like New Yorker, Zara, and Adidas.

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To continue this Moscow itinerary, next you may want to go inside the Kremlin walls. This is the center of Russian political power and the president’s official residence. If you’re planning to pay Kremlin a visit do your best to visit Ivan the Great Bell Tower as well. Go there as early as possible to avoid crowds and get an incredible bird’s-eye view. There are a couple of museums that are available during designated visiting hours. Make sure to book your ticket online and avoid lines.

Day 2 – Cathedral of Christ the Saviour, the Tretyakov Gallery, and the Arbat Street

Metro Station: Kropotkinskaya on Red Line

As soon as you start creating a Moscow itinerary for your second day, you’ll discover that there are plenty of metro stations that are much closer to certain sites. Depending on your route, take a closer look at the metro map to pick the closest.

The white marble walls of Christ the Saviour Cathedral are awe-inspiring. As you approach this tallest Orthodox Christian church, you may notice the bronze sculptures, magnificent arches, and cupolas that were created to commemorate Russia’s victory against Napoleon.

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Unfortunately, the current Cathedral is a replica, since original was blown to bits in 1931 by the Soviet government. The new cathedral basically follows the original design, but they have added some new elements such as marble high reliefs.

Home to some precious collection of artworks, in Tretyakov Gallery you can find more than 150,000 of works spanning centuries of artistic endeavor. Originally a privately owned gallery, it now has become one of the largest museums in Russia. The Gallery is often considered essential to visit. But I have encountered a lot of locals who have never been there.

Famous for its souvenirs, musicians, and theaters, Arbat street is among the few in Moscow that were turned into pedestrian zones. Arbat street is usually very busy with tourists and locals alike. My local friend once called it the oldest street in Moscow dating back to 1493. It is a kilometer long walking street filled with fancy gift shops, small cozy restaurants, lots of cute cafes, and street artists. It is closed to any vehicular traffic, so you can easily stroll it with kids.

Day 3 – Moscow River Boat Ride, Poklonnaya Hill Victory Park, the Moscow City

Metro Station: Kievskaya and Park Pobedy on Dark Blue Line / Vystavochnaya on Light Blue Line

Voyaging along the Moscow River is definitely one of the best ways to catch a glimpse of the city and see the attractions from a bit different perspective. Depending on your Moscow itinerary, travel budget and the time of the year, there are various types of boats available. In the summer there is no shortage of boats, and you’ll be spoiled for choice.

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If you find yourself in Moscow during the winter months, I’d recommend going with Radisson boat cruise. These are often more expensive (yet comfy). They offer refreshments like tea, coffee, hot chocolate, and, of course, alcoholic drinks. Prices may vary but mostly depend on your food and drink selection. Find their main pier near the opulent Ukraine hotel . The hotel is one of the “Seven Sisters”, so if you’re into the charm of Stalinist architecture don’t miss a chance to stay there.

The area near Poklonnaya Hill has the closest relation to the country’s recent past. The memorial complex was completed in the mid-1990s to commemorate the Victory and WW2 casualties. Also known as the Great Patriotic War Museum, activities here include indoor attractions while the grounds around host an open-air museum with old tanks and other vehicles used on the battlefield.

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The hallmark of the memorial complex and the first thing you see as you exit metro is the statue of Nike mounted to its column. This is a very impressive Obelisk with a statue of Saint George slaying the dragon at its base.

Maybe not as impressive as Shanghai’s Oriental Pearl Tower , the skyscrapers of the Moscow City (otherwise known as Moscow International Business Center) are so drastically different from dull Soviet architecture. With 239 meters and 60 floors, the Empire Tower is the seventh highest building in the business district.

The observation deck occupies 56 floor from where you have some panoramic views of the city. I loved the view in the direction of Moscow State University and Luzhniki stadium as well to the other side with residential quarters. The entrance fee is pricey, but if you’re want to get a bird’s eye view, the skyscraper is one of the best places for doing just that.

Day 4 – VDNKh, Worker and Collective Farm Woman Monument, The Ostankino TV Tower

Metro Station: VDNKh on Orange Line

VDNKh is one of my favorite attractions in Moscow. The weird abbreviation actually stands for Russian vystavka dostizheniy narodnogo khozyaystva (Exhibition of Achievements of the National Economy). With more than 200 buildings and 30 pavilions on the grounds, VDNKh serves as an open-air museum. You can easily spend a full day here since the park occupies a very large area.

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First, there are pavilions that used to showcase different cultures the USSR was made of. Additionally, there is a number of shopping pavilions, as well as Moskvarium (an Oceanarium) that features a variety of marine species. VDNKh is a popular venue for events and fairs. There is always something going on, so I’d recommend checking their website if you want to see some particular exhibition.

A stone’s throw away from VDNKh there is a very distinctive 25-meters high monument. Originally built in 1937 for the world fair in Paris, the hulking figures of men and women holding a hammer and a sickle represent the Soviet idea of united workers and farmers. It doesn’t take much time to see the monument, but visiting it gives some idea of the Soviet Union’s grandiose aspirations.

I have a thing for tall buildings. So to continue my travel itinerary for one week in Moscow I decided to climb the fourth highest TV tower in the world. This iconic 540m tower is a fixture of the skyline. You can see it virtually from everywhere in Moscow, and this is where you can get the best panoramic views (yep, even better than Empire skyscraper).

Parts of the floor are made of tempered glass, so it can be quite scary to exit the elevator. But trust me, as you start observing buildings and cars below, you won’t want to leave. There is only a limited number of tickets per day, so you may want to book online. Insider tip: the first tour is cheaper, you can save up to $10 if go there early.

Day 5 – A Tour To Moscow Manor Houses

Metro Station: Kolomenskoye, Tsaritsyno on Dark Green Line / Kuskovo on Purple Line

I love visiting the manor houses and palaces in Moscow. These opulent buildings were generally built to house Russian aristocratic families and monarchs. Houses tend to be rather grand affairs with impressive architecture. And, depending on the whims of the owners, some form of a landscaped garden.

During the early part of the 20th century though, many of Russia’s aristocratic families (including the family of the last emperor) ended up being killed or moving abroad . Their manor houses were nationalized. Some time later (after the fall of the USSR) these were open to the public. It means that today a great many of Moscow’s finest manor houses and palaces are open for touring.

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There are 20 manor houses scattered throughout the city and more than 25 in the area around. But not all of them easily accessible and exploring them often takes a lot of time. I’d recommend focusing on three most popular estates in Moscow that are some 30-minute metro ride away from Kremlin.

Sandwiched between the Moscow River and the Andropov Avenue, Kolomenskoye is a UNESCO site that became a public park in the 1920’s. Once a former royal estate, now it is one of the most tranquil parks in the city with gorgeous views. The Ascension Church, The White Column, and the grounds are a truly grand place to visit.

You could easily spend a full day here, exploring a traditional Russian village (that is, in fact, a market), picnicking by the river, enjoying the Eastern Orthodox church architecture, hiking the grounds as well as and wandering the park and gardens with wildflower meadows, apple orchards, and birch and maple groves. The estate museum showcases Russian nature at its finest year-round.

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If my travel itinerary for one week in Moscow was a family tree, Tsaritsyno Park would probably be the crazy uncle that no-one talks about. It’s a large park in the south of the city of mind-boggling proportions, unbelievable in so many ways, and yet most travelers have never heard of it.

The palace was supposed to be a summer home for Empress Catherine the Great. But since the construction didn’t meet with her approval the palace was abandoned. Since the early 1990’s the palace, the pond, and the grounds have been undergoing renovations. The entire complex is now looking brighter and more elaborately decorated than at possibly any other time during its history. Like most parks in Moscow, you can visit Tsaritsyno free of charge, but there is a small fee if you want to visit the palace.

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Last, but by no means least on my Moscow itinerary is Kuskovo Park . This is definitely an off-the-beaten-path place. While it is not easily accessible, you will be rewarded with a lack of crowds. This 18th-century summer country house of the Sheremetev family was one of the first summer country estates of the Russian nobility. And when you visit you’ll quickly realize why locals love this park.

Like many other estates, Kuskovo has just been renovated. So there are lovely French formal garden, a grotto, and the Dutch house to explore. Make sure to plan your itinerary well because the estate is some way from a metro station.

Day 6 – Explore the Golden Ring

Creating the Moscow itinerary may keep you busy for days with the seemingly endless amount of things to do. Visiting the so-called Golden Ring is like stepping back in time. Golden Ring is a “theme route” devised by promotion-minded journalist and writer Yuri Bychkov.

Having started in Moscow the route will take you through a number of historical cities. It now includes Suzdal, Vladimir, Kostroma, Yaroslavl and Sergiev Posad. All these awe-inspiring towns have their own smaller kremlins and feature dramatic churches with onion-shaped domes, tranquil residential areas, and other architectural landmarks.

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I only visited two out of eight cities included on the route. It is a no-brainer that Sergiev Posad is the nearest and the easiest city to see on a day trip from Moscow. That being said, you can explore its main attractions in just one day. Located some 70 km north-east of the Russian capital, this tiny and overlooked town is home to Trinity Lavra of St. Sergius, UNESCO Site.

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Sergiev Posad is often described as being at the heart of Russian spiritual life. So it is uncommon to see the crowds of Russian pilgrims showing a deep reverence for their religion. If you’re traveling independently and using public transport, you can reach Sergiev Posad by bus (departs from VDNKh) or by suburban commuter train from Yaroslavskaya Railway Station (Bahnhof). It takes about one and a half hours to reach the town.

Trinity Lavra of St. Sergius is a great place to get a glimpse of filling and warming Russian lunch, specifically at the “ Gostevaya Izba ” restaurant. Try the duck breast, hearty potato and vegetables, and the awesome Napoleon cake.

Day 7 – Gorky Park, Izmailovo Kremlin, Patriarch’s Ponds

Metro Station: Park Kultury or Oktyabrskaya on Circle Line / Partizanskaya on Dark Blue Line / Pushkinskaya on Dark Green Line

Gorky Park is in the heart of Moscow. It offers many different types of outdoor activities, such as dancing, cycling, skateboarding, walking, jogging, and anything else you can do in a park. Named after Maxim Gorky, this sprawling and lovely park is where locals go on a picnic, relax and enjoy free yoga classes. It’s a popular place to bike around, and there is a Muzeon Art Park not far from here. A dynamic location with a younger vibe. There is also a pier, so you can take a cruise along the river too.

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The Kremlin in Izmailovo is by no means like the one you can find near the Red Square. Originally built for decorative purposes, it now features the Vernissage flea market and a number of frequent fairs, exhibitions, and conferences. Every weekend, there’s a giant flea market in Izmailovo, where dozens of stalls sell Soviet propaganda crap, Russian nesting dolls, vinyl records, jewelry and just about any object you can imagine. Go early in the morning if you want to beat the crowds.

All the Bulgakov’s fans should pay a visit to Patriarch’s Ponds (yup, that is plural). With a lovely small city park and the only one (!) pond in the middle, the location is where the opening scene of Bulgakov’s novel Master and Margarita was set. The novel is centered around a visit by Devil to the atheistic Soviet Union is considered by many critics to be one of the best novels of the 20th century. I spent great two hours strolling the nearby streets and having lunch in the hipster cafe.

Conclusion and Recommendations

To conclude, Moscow is a safe city to visit. I have never had a problem with getting around and most locals are really friendly once they know you’re a foreigner. Moscow has undergone some serious reconstruction over the last few years. So you can expect some places to be completely different. I hope my one week Moscow itinerary was helpful! If you have less time, say 4 days or 5 days, I would cut out day 6 and day 7. You could save the Golden Ring for a separate trip entirely as there’s lots to see!

What are your thoughts on this one week Moscow itinerary? Are you excited about your first time in the city? Let me know in the comments below!

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24 comments.

Ann Snook-Moreau

Moscow looks so beautiful and historic! Thanks for including public transit information for those of us who don’t like to rent cars.

MindTheTravel

Yup, that is me 🙂 Rarely rent + stick to the metro = Full wallet!

Mariella Blago

Looks like you had loads of fun! Well done. Also great value post for travel lovers.

Thanks, Mariella!

I have always wanted to go to Russia, especially Moscow. These sights look absolutely beautiful to see and there is so much history there!

Agree! Moscow is a thousand-year-old city and there is definitely something for everyone.

Tara Pittman

Those are amazing buildings. Looks like a place that would be amazing to visit.

Adriana Lopez

Never been to Moscow or Russia but my family has. Many great spots and a lot of culture. Your itinerary sounds fantastic and covers a lot despite it is only a short period of time.

What was their favourite thing about Russia?

Gladys Parker

I know very little about Moscow or Russia for the\at matter. I do know I would have to see the Red Square and all of its exquisite architectural masterpieces. Also the CATHEDRAL OF CHRIST THE SAVIOUR. Thanks for shedding some light on visiting Moscow.

Thanks for swinging by! The Red Square is a great starting point, but there way too many places and things to discover aside from it!

Ruthy @ Percolate Kitchen

You are making me so jealous!! I’ve always wanted to see Russia.

Moscow is in my bucket list, I don’t know when I can visit there, your post is really useful. As a culture rich place we need to spend at least week.

DANA GUTKOWSKI

Looks like you had a great trip! Thanks for all the great info! I’ve never been in to Russia, but this post makes me wanna go now!

Wow this is amazing! Moscow is on my bucket list – such an amazing place to visit I can imagine! I can’t wait to go there one day!

The building on the second picture looks familiar. I keep seeing that on TV.

Reesa Lewandowski

What beautiful moments! I always wish I had the personality to travel more like this!

Perfect itinerary for spending a week in Moscow! So many places to visit and it looks like you had a wonderful time. I would love to climb that tower. The views I am sure must have been amazing!

I was lucky enough to see the skyline of Moscow from this TV Tower and it is definitely mind-blowing.

Chelsea Pearl

Moscow is definitely up there on my travel bucket list. So much history and iconic architecture!

Thumbs up! 🙂

Blair Villanueva

OMG I dream to visit Moscow someday! Hope the visa processing would be okay (and become more affordable) so I could pursue my dream trip!

Yup, visa processing is the major downside! Agree! Time and the money consuming process…

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