I kinda think putting a motor on a kayak removed too much “kayak-ness”

I went down a path.  Invested time, brain power, and money.

Yesterday was my maiden voyage. I hit Clearlake. I have the battery inside my Yak-black-box.  Towards the rear.  I’m gonna source a battery box, and I’m gonna relocate it right behind my Hobie Outback seat.  Almost 2-feet forward.  I thought about putting it into the front hatch, but I bet that will be too nose heavy…and when I flip, it would be a complicated situation. I’d rather lose the battery, than myself.   Current location feels tail heavy. 
 I just raised the motor up 3”. Under power the motor leverages the back down, big time. I;; need to experiement w this.
Loading and unloading the kayak was a new thing.  More trips back and forth from kayak to truck. Eck!   More time as well.  Double eck!

I made the decision to only use the motor when I need to. Big lakes, long hauls, etc.  kicking the pedals is no big deal.  A lot to be said about the simple life. Haha.

I like your reflection.  It certainly eliminates my fomo and brings a contentment to my wonder...other than that, I'm sure you'll find your slay benefit after this, which I doubt you have, 'platform purchase remorse", passes...

This last summer, I was fishing the salt from my Revo 13 a few miles north of a boat ramp. Heard chatter over the radio of a guy with a motorized kayak who flipped among the kelp beds and couldn't get the kayak upright. From what I gathered, the motor prop got caught in the kelp and caused him to flip. Some other anglers helped him upright his boat. His motor was dead, and he didn't have a paddle with him. I don't know how he got back to shore, but he eventually did.

Anyway, the story made me wonder "What if I had that kayak?" A boat so big and unweildy that I'd have trouble flipping it upright. If the motor dies, then I'm stuck paddling this big barge for however many miles I'm away from the beach. Then do the multiple trips back and forth across the beach with my heavy-ass kayak, gear, and motor. Then, if I can't fix the motor like I can fix a Mirage Drive, I have to send the motor to the dealer to have them fix it for however much money and for however long of a time.

I'm confident in self-rescue on my Revo 13. I can flip that thing upright like nobody's business. If the Mirage Drive breaks, the Revo paddles just fine. I can fix the Mirage Drive at home or order spare parts. The beach launch only takes one trip down and one trip back. Those slooow salmon trolling days can make me want a motor sometimes, but other than that, the hazards and bulkiness of the motor outweighs the benefits for me. Might be a different story if I was still into black bass fishing, I guess.

Besides, pedaling is good for you! 

This is the perfect wintertime thread...

Most of the time, I "kayak" in my heavy AI, and I usually launch it from a trailer, so adding a motor would not be that big of a deal. Also, the salmon in the Monterey Bay are generally far away, like 6-7 miles (or more) just to get to the fishing grounds. Even with my sail(s) on my AI,  it makes for a high-mileage day (not to mention, a whole lot of hours), especially if the wind is not ideal.

Even with all of that, I have not been able to bring myself to add a motor. Maybe if there was an electric that would do exactly what I want, then I'd consider it more seriously. But, even then, I think maybe I'm too much of a "purist" to go for it.

Btw, "exactly what I want" from a motor is for it to get me there and back at max speed, and then disappear when I'm fishing, since I want to do the actual fishing with just sail and leg power. It seems like electric motors are ideal for just the opposite scenario, that is, where you want to slow troll for many hours.

everything I attached to my kayak comes off with ease.  I can drop the motor into the deep blue with a flip of a lever.  the battery will fall off with gravity and the quick releases come apart.

I can right my kayak easily without the motor.  I always leash my pedal drive, and I ALWAY have a paddle.

I'll lose money, and that would be a bummer..but I would have a story. 

Im all about innovation, but at some point you start to lose the beauty of the kayak and the simplicity it can bring.

I’ve never used an electric motor on the kayak but I’ve looked at a few and could see situations where they would be nice. I really like the idea of the electric pedal assist that old town is coming out with. Sort of seems like a nice balance.

Have you seen some of the crazy stuff going on in kayak bass fishing? Multiple giant fishfinder screens. Multiple motors. Power poles. It all looks very heavy to me and I bring way too much crap with me when I go fishing.

I've considered motorizing a kayak for a while now. I think some good points have come up in this thread, both for and against a motor.

For me, I think I would follow the bass guys and motorize a big kayak. I have an older tandem that would be a good candidate.  I also think an outrigger of some sort makes a lot of sense, just to increase the capacity and add some stability.  Kinda one of those go all the way situations, for my perspective, anyway. Trailer, or at least unload at the boat ramp, seems like the way, as opposed to carting from the parking spot to the launch.

I feel like there are so many different perspectives and use cases for a trolling motor on a kayak, and a ga-jillion ways to rig this up, that sure, there is definitely something for everyone here, but also lots of nuances that can really turn the whole thing into a hassle too. I bet once it is dialed, with the weight distribution just right, and the right size battery, and the right controls, on the right kayak, it would be pretty awesome.

 I really like the idea of the electric pedal assist that old town is coming out with. Sort of seems like a nice balance.

This. I saw this kayak a while ago, and it just makes a ton of sense. Still a pedal drive kayak, just easier. Very simple setup, and very effective. Spendy, but I would totally jump on it if I had the cash.

I motorized my Wilderness Radar 135 and my 115. I don’t know how hard it would be to flip it over if I ever capsized, but I keep a rescue ladder that I can use to pull on the far side while pushing on the near side with my feet. I’m using a Watersnake trolling motor and lithium batteries. Two 20ah batteries keep me trolling all day long and they’re not that heavy. Using two batteries lets me know when I’ve used half my power. I could have used the Wilderness motor but that was way more money. Cruising around it tops out at about 3mph. A little less if the downrigger ball is in the water. The kayak is heavy enough when bare so I would set it next to the water before attaching the motor and battery. Now I use a trailer and launch from a ramp. It may not be “pure” but it sure is nice trolling for trout all day long.

As far as lakes, a motorized kakay would be great in my opinion.

 As far as saltwater, I am to old and cautious now. 

A boat so big and unweildy that I'd have trouble flipping it upright. If the motor dies, then I'm stuck paddling this big barge for however many miles I'm away from the beach.

This. 

Kayaking is an outdoor sport.  It requires exercise and fitness.  Having a motor is a way to cut down on the exercise, and getting one often means the user has some level of an issue with fitness.  I think that gearing up a small plastic boat with a motor is a recipe for disaster.

That said, I've taken out many guests with motors, and their setups were impressive.  I had no problem keeping up with them all day with my paddle and my big barge of a kayak, loaded down with all the tackle, up to 10 pounds of bait, my lead batteries for fishfinder...etc.

For me, kayaking on the ocean is all about what my body and the simple machines of platform and paddle can achieve.  I've been lots of miles from port and had to work hard for hours straight, against current and wind, to get back safely to port.  Experiences like that are invigorating, and pushing yourself in those situations isn't just life changing, it's living!

I think the only people who should put a motor on a kayak are those who are in very good physical condition, because others are setting themselves up for trouble, and they're putting everyone else in a position of potentially having to rescue someone who used the wrong gear to go too far afield.  Also, it won't be a kayak anymore in my eyes.

Those ePDLs look pretty cool. Still heavy though. The specs below are for the Old Town Bigwater ePDL:

LENGTH
13’ 2” / 4 m
WIDTH
36 in / 91.4 cm
ASSEMBLED BOAT WEIGHT
143 lbs / 64.8 kg
HULL WEIGHT
95 lbs / 43.1 kg
ePDL+ DRIVE WEIGHT
32.5 lbs / 14.7 kg
INCLUDED BATTERY WEIGHT
8.5 lbs / 3.8 kg
SEAT WEIGHT
6 lbs / 2.7 kg
TOTAL WEIGHT CAPACITY
500 lbs / 226.8 kg
USABLE WEIGHT CAPACITY
357 lbs / 161.9 kg

The ePDL drive with battery clocks in at 41 pounds. For comparison, the Mirage Drive 180 is 8 pounds. Hobie Revo 13 fully-rigged weight (seat, drive) is 88 pounds. The Bigwater ePDL is 62.5% heavier than the Revo.

Gentle water with access to a boat ramp or a beach you can drive on, I can see this being a nice set-up. Is it worth $6k? I guess that's up to the individual user.

I padded for 5-6 yrs then got a 19 Outback about 4 yrs ago and felt the peddling vs paddling is so superior that I couldn’t go back to paddle.  Part of the kayak experience for me is a cardio workout.
I miss the upper body workout I used to get.
I had a knee repair a few yrs ago and  the exercise I get with the Hobie  has been great for my knee!
I told myself when I got the Outback to keep things simple, it helps me OTW and when I’m Lugging all the stuff back to the truck!
As for a motor , there is a place for it  but probably not for me!

Scotty

At least it's an option, not a conversion.  You can if you want and you dont have to.  I still haven't used the motor I bought something like 8 years ago now.  I keep thinking it would be nice to troll with, cover more ground, extend my range.  But still something to be said about the kayak-ness of kayaking like you said.  The Old Town PDL does sound like it would a great crossover option. 

a surprising benefit of a motor is you can do some things while puttering to a new spot. 

i tied a knot will under power.  ahha..that has never happened.

i'm curious how much i use it. 

if i can draw a parallel to my mountain biking life.  ALL my friends bought E-Bikes.  i dont want one, but it is NOT fun riding with them anymore.  i go solo now.  which is fine.  on a kayak, at least i can fish with motor people without my motor.  it does suck watching them eat and drink while i am mouth-breathing trying to keep up with them at 4mph with my mirage drive.  hahah.. so there is that.

great conversation people.  if anyone gets a motor, i am available for LESSONS LEARNED.