Pedal/Motor driven kayak options

jesser_911

Im in the market for a new/used pedal kayak. I would like the option of having trolling motor as well, but I'm kinda confused as to what my options are. Is their a kayak that has the option of both motor or pedal? Im not against just getting a pedal kayak, and buying/assembling a mount for a trolling motor. I currently lake fish out of a heritage osprey 12.9, but I'm looking to do some costal fishing. Thanks in advance!

Spineyman

You can get a pedal drive kayak and add a torqeedo trolling motor on the rear. Then you will have the best of both worlds

John McKroid

Electric motors maybe ok for inshore, but for offshore, they anglers with gas outboards do better.  Usually mounted on a side with an alma for stability.  

jcanracer

Spineyman said:

You can get a pedal drive kayak and add a torqeedo trolling motor on the rear. Then you will have the best of both worlds

^ This. 
Also, if you're going with a used pedal kayak, I suggest a 2018 or earlier Hobie Outback. The jury is still out on the 2019 model for offshore...

Lake-Linker

KeyWest KayakAngler is on FS. Look at his youtube channel and pay attention to his yak. Older Hobie (Revo mirage?) with an outrigger, motor mount and 2.5 horse Suzuki.

I used his as a basic template. Shopped for a used Mirage drive hobie,got a deal on the outriggers,made a motor mount...Roughly 10mph and 10 miles per liter. Stable as can be.

There's a bunch of folks around the country with a similar set-up.

Basstar

Lake-Linker  I watch Steve's channel and videos a lot and am impressed and intrigued. 

From your perspective what makes this DIY kayak modification and engine installation a better choice than say a small skiff?

I'm still learning this saltwater angling and don't know the benefits and trade offs of each. 

Thanks

Lake-Linker

Basster - for me,the kayak is a better option because I come south for 2 months and am already pulling a trailer. I can't bring both my boat AND my living quarters.

Also I believe the yak with outrigger can handle waves better than a small skiff. One wave comes over the bow on the skiff and - at the very least - your sphincter starts to pucker. Same size wave washes over the bow of the 'yak I just make sure everything's stowed/leashed before I wipe off my sunglasses.

Never mind re-entry when snorkeling for bugs.

Also,remember the discussion Steve had about chasing down large fish? I can fight and follow at the same time in a pedal kayak far easier than solo in a skiff.

LOTS of drawbacks to the kayak too,though. Those challenges are what reignited the fishing fire in my belly. I'm in Wisconsin and I've got the toys and experience to do well 12 months out of the year...But the fire just ain't there any longer. No real challenge. I'd rather save my resources and fish with similar "handicaps" to what I had 30 years ago.

I considered buying a boat and leaving it in storage 10 months out of the year but #1) can't justify the cost of something versatile and reliable. #2) If I got down there and a problem arose with the motor I'm shorebound until it's fixed. BIG question mark...My little Suzuki is running just fine right now. If it lays an egg It's easy enough to fix myself and cheap enough to replace. 

(edit) Cost though..."Lightly" used Hobie Revo Mirage,$1300. Outriggers and hardware,$1400. 2.5 Suzi,$800-ish. Hook2 Locator/GPS $400. Navionics chip (3 year old used),$100. Assorted other stuff,easily $1K....I could buy a pretty decent boat for $4K but not something as versatile as the yak.

Basstar

Lake-Linker

 That is an excellent overview and I thoroughly enjoyed it. You and I may be two peas from the same pod as I am very anal myself and I tend to overthink a lot of things.

 I had debated those same two issues myself and the numbers you came up with are right on and exactly what I had figured.

 On a funny note I am from Kentucky, not as far north as you are, and I have all of the tools Etc to play outside there 12 months a year. However much like you I have lost a lot of the fire in my belly for the hunting, the tournament bass fishing, Etc. As of now I enjoy coming to South Florida and playing.  It is more like a kid now to go fishing down here than it was up there when I was fishing seriously.

 Thank you so much for taking the time to share with me such a detailed explanation. Have a great week.

Lake-Linker

Basstar - you're welcome. I enjoy contributing to sites like this...

I'll be down fishing the 10K second week of Jan,then the lower keys for 5 weeks,then maybe a week at Flamingo on my way home...Last year I got a little jealous at boats I saw snowbirds buy at $2-$4K...Irma boats that may or may not start having issues once corrosion starts to work? Put it in storage,come back to junk?

I learned those lessons the hard way when I was younger. Over and over again. lol...better to have less and know exactly what I've got,than to gamble on "more" and have it turn into a giant headache.

You have a good week too.

Spineyman

I sold my boat and only have a pedal kayak,and won't look back. There is very little upkeep, zero gas for boat and very little gas to haul kayak to water. It is a no brainer for me. Now that being said, if you have to travel far on the water then a boat might be a better choice. I only go anywhere from 1/2 to 1 mile on most excursions, but have already been 11.2 miles mapped out on google maps. Slayed the fish then too and had zero problems.

Basstar

Spiney.   I am with you 100% on the boats. I have owned boats for over 40 years, Just do not get the enjoyment out of them that I did it one time, and have really simplified my life. I am always curious though of the difference between putting an engine on a kayak versus getting a small skiff. I am still pedaling but I'm seriously considering a pedal kayak but since I've sold my truck then a pedal kayak for me also requires a trailer and a trailer hitch installation on my car.  It will probably happen in the future and in all honesty I'd be very interested in an electric motor powered kayak once the get them improved and battery power and longevity improve. 

Spineyman

Bassstar, what car are you transporting with?

Spineyman

Basstar said:

    I'd be very interested in an electric motor powered kayak once the get them improved and battery power and longevity improve. 

The batteries they have now are pretty awesome, but very pricey. My buddy has a torqueedo and it flies. He uses his battery for 4 fishing days before he has to recharge it. He also had me hold a line and pulled me about 3 miles across the bayou into head on wind and waves at the speed of 5.5 miles an hour. I was impressed.

Basstar

Spiney.  I'm now in a Nissan Altima.  For years I also kept a PU for towing my bass boats but sold my F250 to a friend.  You're right about the batteries but I predict we are on the verge of some major improvements in the near future. The electric car market is coming and that technology will definitely cross over into the kayak world with lighter, stronger, and more compact batteries and kayak motors. I see the current configurations as prototypes but improving steadily. 

Spineyman

The reason I asked about your car is my fishing buddy has a toyota corolla and uses his malone kayak cart with balloon wheels  upside down on his trunk, and rolls the kayak up onto his roof racks with nor problem at all. It is an Old Town Predator PDL so it is not light. He stores the pedal motor in the back seat on a shower curtain. He can get it on his roof as quick as I can load mine in the pickup bed with an extender.

Four full days fishing on one battery charge is pretty good if you ask me. I used to run a trolling motor on my bass boat and a deep cycle would only last a day of fishing.

Basstar

Spiney that's probably a viable option and I'm healthy enough and strong enough to do that but if and when I make the move to a pedal craft it will be for convenience and honestly I wouldn't want to deal with the hassle of loading and unloading a heavy craft twice every time I took it out. 

For now I'll continue to paddle but may make the move in the future to kayak and trailer. 

Spineyman

Basstar said:

Spiney that's probably a viable option and I'm healthy enough and strong enough to do that but if and when I make the move to a pedal craft it will be for convenience and honestly I wouldn't want to deal with the hassle of loading and unloading and heavy craft twice every time I took it out. 

For now I'll continue to paddle but may make the move in the future to kayak and trailer. 

Good deal, I can not even fathom fishing out of a paddle kayak now. I do however have a pickup with extender and love it!

Barrell

Why dont you pick up a Hobie and try it first. You really dont need a motor. You realize an electric requires a very heavy battery that can make your kayak unstable. Both gas and electric require state registration. Depends on what you wheigh but the Hobie Outback is their best seller as its what 60% of hobie fishermen use and it can handle a man up to 300 pounds. The new Compass is also killing it at $1949 new. You dont need a180 reverse drive and they havent proved their durability yet the like the older GT drive has.

Basstar

Barrell said:

Why dont you pick up a Hobie and try it first. You really dont need a motor. You realize an electric requires a very heavy battery that can make your kayak unstable. Both gas and electric require state registration. Depends on what you wheigh but the Hobie Outback is their best seller as its what 60% of hobie fishermen use and it can handle a man up to 300 pounds. The new Compass is also killing it at $1949 new. You dont need a180 reverse drive and they havent proved their durability yet the like the older GT drive has.

Barrell, I've never owned a pedal kayak so my opinion is based solely on what my online research and the YT kayaking and fishing videos I've seen, but IMHO you are correct about the Compass.  That boat seems a very good bang for the buck purchase allowing the purchaser to get a very nice, very simple, pedal kayak, with the Hobie name and quality, at a fairly affordable price.

As for adding a motor or engine I can see where some folks would truly benefit from it but for me personally it would be more effort than reward and I think if I were going the engine route, I'd opt for some sort of skiff.

DES51

I agree with the above. If you are going to buy a yak and then add a motor you now basically have a boat! You might as well just buy a real boat!  

Barrell

Basstar said:

Barrell said:

Why dont you pick up a Hobie and try it first. You really dont need a motor. You realize an electric requires a very heavy battery that can make your kayak unstable. Both gas and electric require state registration. Depends on what you wheigh but the Hobie Outback is their best seller as its what 60% of hobie fishermen use and it can handle a man up to 300 pounds. The new Compass is also killing it at $1949 new. You dont need a180 reverse drive and they havent proved their durability yet the like the older GT drive has.

Barrell, I've never owned a pedal kayak so my opinion is based solely on what my online research and the YT kayaking and fishing videos I've seen, but IMHO you are correct about the Compass.  That boat seems a very good bang for the buck purchase allowing the purchaser to get a very nice, very simple, pedal kayak, with the Hobie name and quality, at a fairly affordable price.

As for adding a motor or engine I can see where some folks would truly benefit from it but for me personally it would be more effort than reward and I think if I were going the engine route, I'd opt for some sort of skiff.

 I have a solo skiff with a 4 hp Suzuki that I have a lot of fun with. But its 140 pounds. It can hang out of the back of my truck but its a **** to get it back in. It will go 14 mph and gets 30mpg. It can plane through 8 inches of water.

 We also have a Outback and a Compass here in the back yard you are welcome to test ride. I sold 4,000 Hobies, just retired,and every sale started with a test ride.

JW_YakAngler

If you have ever watched Robert Field on YT, he just released a new brand of peddle kayak today that uses a hobie style drive. It is called the Lightning Strike. It looks impressive. I regularly paddle 10-12 miles on day fishing trips, and I enjoy the paddling experience and the core workout, but would like to get a peddle drive for offshore trips and days that I really want to be hands free. This new kayak is now at the top of my list.

Barrell

Beware of the Chinese mirage drive. Its not near Hobie quality and parts are not easily obtained. Hobies patent on the original old drive ended two years ago.

hellsgate

JW_YakAngler said:

If you have ever watched Robert Field on YT, he just released a new brand of peddle kayak today that uses a hobie style drive. It is called the Lightning Strike. It looks impressive. I regularly paddle 10-12 miles on day fishing trips, and I enjoy the paddling experience and the core workout, but would like to get a peddle drive for offshore trips and days that I really want to be hands free. This new kayak is now at the top of my list.

Can it “flatten” against the hull like s hobie?  Invaluable in super skinny water

JW_YakAngler

Barrell said:

Beware of the Chinese mirage drive. Its not near Hobie quality and parts are not easily obtained. Hobies patent on the original old drive ended two years ago.

The parts for the Hobie mirage drive are made in China, shipped here, and assembled in California. Now that the patent has expired on the V2 drive, anyone can contact the manufacturer in China and say they want all the same parts. I am not sure if this is what Pelican and now Lightning did, but Pelican's version says made in Canada and Lightning's version says made in USA. The fine print may just mean the hull as is the case with Hobie.

JW_YakAngler

hellsgate said:

Can it “flatten” against the hull like s hobie?  Invaluable in super skinny water

Robert just released a second video today with a complete walk through. They included a recessed area in the hull so when the fins flatten up they are completely out of the way.
Pelican recently released a kayak with a mirage style drive as well. Many more will follow, making this style of drive more affordable. I am still waiting to see what Vibe comes out with since I am really impressed with my current kayak(Vibe Sea Ghost 130) and rumor is they are coming out with an affordable peddle drive. If it is the hobie style drive I will stick with Vibe.

Basstar

IMHO, we are really seeing the beginnings of many opportunities over the next few years in pricing, improvements, opportunities, and especially electrical propulsion.  The electrical motor and battery improvements for the automotive industry will surely spill over into the kayak world.  A small, light battery which offers long hourly usage combined with a compact and durable motor setup may be closer than we might expect.  Personally I see all of the motors and battery setups now simply as experimental and prototypes but think drastic improvements are just around the corner.

Barrell

Battery technology is lagging way behind engineering. $1200 for a 200 amp battery is still way to high.

FreeLiner

Basstar said:

IMHO, we are really seeing the beginnings of many opportunities over the next few years in pricing, improvements, opportunities, and especially electrical propulsion.  The electrical motor and battery improvements for the automotive industry will surely spill over into the kayak world.  A small, light battery which offers long hourly usage combined with a compact and durable motor setup may be closer than we might expect.  Personally I see all of the motors and battery setups now simply as experimental and prototypes but think drastic improvements are just around the corner.

I managed to shrink my old Minn Kota 30 down to this about ten years ago.  Ran it on a Hobie Quest.  Deka (35 pounds at 50ah) wheelchair battery would run it for a solid 6 hours.  

I’d almost be willing to spring for the new lithium batteries that weigh in at 10 pounds.  Not the LifePo, but normal lithium.

Working on a new version for the 19 Outback.  Foot steering when seated, and stick steering for standard. Would love to get a hold of one of those electric motors they use in the E Boards.  Would be a game changer.

jcanracer

FreeLiner said:

I managed to shrink my old Minn Kota 30 down to this about ten years ago.  Ran it on a Hobie Quest.  Deka (35 pounds at 50ah) wheelchair battery would run it for a solid 6 hours.  

I’d almost be willing to spring for the new lithium batteries that weigh in at 10 pounds.  Not the LifePo, but normal lithium.

Working on a new version for the 19 Outback.  Foot steering when seated, and stick steering for standard. Would love to get a hold of one of those electric motors they use in the E Boards.  Would be a game changer.

That is some very nice fabrication!

FreeLiner

jcanracer said:

FreeLiner said:

I managed to shrink my old Minn Kota 30 down to this about ten years ago.  Ran it on a Hobie Quest.  Deka (35 pounds at 50ah) wheelchair battery would run it for a solid 6 hours.  

I’d almost be willing to spring for the new lithium batteries that weigh in at 10 pounds.  Not the LifePo, but normal lithium.

Working on a new version for the 19 Outback.  Foot steering when seated, and stick steering for standard. Would love to get a hold of one of those electric motors they use in the E Boards.  Would be a game changer.

That is some very nice fabrication!

Thanks!  I’m excited about the 2019 build.  Orange Kevlar on Carbon.  I have the Papaya color Outback so I think the colors will work.  Will use the Hobie drive hole on this one rather than the transom.