GEAR

Kayak THE

revolution

BY FRED GARTH

I’ve often bored people with the story of when I was publicly ridiculed by my good-ol’boy fishing buddies back in 1995 as I loaded my fishing gear into a funky, yellow kayak. My buds all guffawed and spit Skoal juice at me as their two-stroke engines bellowed gray smoke into the ozone layer. I’m not saying I was the first person on the planet to use a kayak to fish—those were Eskimos—but I was an early American adopter. Fatefully, on my very first trip, I landed a humongous, 28-in. speckled trout in skinny water that they couldn’t reach in their 17-ft. Aquasport. Within a year, most of them had bought yaks, too.

Today, I have four kayaks and one of those skeptical Skoal spitters has five. Apparently, we are not alone. The Outdoor Foundation’s Annual Topline Report estimates that in 2016 a total of 2,370,000 kayak fishermen prowled American waters. That’s more than double the barely one million participants in 2010. Before that year, kayak fishing didn’t even register on their spreadsheet.

But that’s just kayakers who specifically fish. The same report claims more than nine million “recreational kayakers.” I’m pretty sure some of those yakkers tote a rod and reel around from time to time. Then you can throw in three million “sea touring kayakers” and 2.5 million “whitewater kayakers.” Now we’re up to almost 18 million Americans paddling and pedaling around on ponds, rivers, mud puddles, oceans and cities that are haplessly engulfed in floodwaters.

Kayaking has blossomed for obvious reasons. The entry price is low, relative to any suitable power boat that won’t sink immediately and kill you. Transport is easy if you have an automobile with a solid roof or a friend with a truck. You don’t have to live on an expensive piece of waterfront property. And, most importantly, there’s no need to get permission from your wife if—and this part is vital—you buy her something of equal or greater value, and if you continue to clean the toilets because of that “incident” involving the neighbor’s mailbox, some Blackjack firecrackers, a grease gun and too much tequila. But, we don’t have to revisit that fateful night.

Oh yeah, you can catch a lot of fish on a kayak, too. Access into ecosensitive no-motor zones where fish frequently lurk, and into shallows where only expensive flats boats can reach, gives us hardcore fishing freaks a sense of superiority that we wholeheartedly deserve because we were smart enough to buy a kayak in the first place.

And thusly and therefore, are the foundational elements of a full-bore revolution.

Revolution Evolution

What began as a few of us wackos mixing kayaking with fishing turned into an all-out hashtag movement. It’s been spreading like a bad rash. But in a good way. The Internet, with all of its Facetimes and Chatsnaps and InstaTwits, provided a source for endless streams of video to propel the Revolution into a frenzy.

The growth of kayaking in all sectors from fishing to white water continues to rocket upward and now there’s an Evolution within the Revolution.

That is, the massive existing yak community is bent on modifying their boats with accessories from anything to everything. I have outfitted one of my kayaks with a leather La-Z-Boy recliner and a 42inch flat screen TV powered by a satellite dish. Not really. But, don’t be surprised if someone does it.

The truth is, fishing kayaks are laden with gear, especially those set up to compete in tournaments. Electronics, live wells, GoPros, you name it.

In recent years, putting electric motors on yaks has become an entire cottage industry. And, if the German company, Torqeedo, which is the leader in electric kayak motors, has anything to say about it, we’ll all be motorizing our yaks. Not that I’m against it. If I’m stranded three miles from home facing a 10-knot wind, I’ll vote for electric power 10 out of 10 times. Or if I’m fishing a river, paddling or

pedaling upstream might make my heart explode. Unless I have a motor. Safety note to river kayakers: ALWAYS go upstream when you first launch, just in case of motor failure. You can float downstream if your motor tanks; but if your motor fails when you’re five miles downriver, well, you know the expression of being up shit creek? Same thing except you’re down shit creek.

If you have any doubt about the feasibility and future of motorized kayaks, I shall inform you that the Kayak Bass Fishing tournament in March 2018 has a grand prize of $100,000. That is not a typo. One hundred grand, baby! And, my point is, the tournament explicitly allows electric motors on yaks. I cite the the official document called KBF Competition Rules Standard. Listed under Item 8.B. with the heading Watercraft & Propulsion, it clearly states that: “Watercraft propulsion is restricted to paddle, pedal, pole or electric motor.” They slipped “electric motor” in at the end, but it’s there. If I can win that much money and travel all the way to freaking Paris, um...oh, that’s Paris, Tennessee, population 10,156, which claims to be home of the World’s Biggest Fish Fry. Anyway, if I can win $100,000, you can bet I’m gonna mount a motor on my boat so I can cover more ground and focus on the cash rather than fighting with a paddle. Oh, they also have a 70-ft. replica of the Eiffel Tower in Paris, Tennessee.

If you Google “trolling motor on my kayak,” you can spend hours seeing dudes retrofitting trolling motors on yaks with hardware-store supplies. That’s one way to do it, Bubba. But there are a number of reputable companies selling mounts and motors specifically to fit your kayak.

However, no company has been in the market as long or invested as much as Torqeedo (they put up a chunk of the $100K prize money) in electrifying yaks. They have seen the future and it has a propeller on it.

So, if you’re a kayaker or just haven’t bought one yet, think about the motor evolution. We went from paddles to pedals, and it appears that electric power is the new choice for advanced primates. You can do the hardware store gig or power your craft with a quick shopping spree online.

Torqeedo

When it comes to electric outboard engines, Torqeedo stands alone on the summit. They even have an 80hp called the DeepSea. However, their sweet spot is in the 4hp to 20hp range for dinghies, small watercraft and sailboats. They’re also laser focused on kayaks. They offer both a stern-mounted engine, the Ultralight 403, and a brilliantly designed engine that slips seamlessly into the pedal well of a Hobie or Wilderness System kayak. Hobie’s is called the Evolve; Wilderness System has the Helix MD motor drive. Removing the pedals and dropping in the motor takes all of about 15-20 seconds. No tools are necessary.

Maybe the coolest aspects of Torqeedo’s engines are the accessories. It comes with a throttle you can mount next to your seat, with a computer screen that shows your speed, battery life, estimated distance and a bunch of data to help your cruise go smoothly. Our contacts at Torqeedo have informed us that they’ve upgraded the battery on the Ultralight 403 from a 320Wh to a 915Wh battery, so, according to them, it will run “all day.”

Evolve: $2,150 Ultralight 403: $1,800 www.torqeedo.com

Old Town Predator XL Minn-Kota Console

Two companies that have been well established in boating for many decades are Old Town and Minn-Kota motors. Now they’ve teamed up on an ergonomic Minn-Kota motor insert for the Old Town Predator kayak. It fits into the pedal well via a hinge system that easily lifts up or locks down. It hooks up to a full-sized battery mounted behind the seat. When it’s lifted up, the system is quite bulky, but once it’s popped into place, the clutter is gone and there’s an easily accessible storage compartment between your legs.

$1,200 (motor insert only) www.minn-kota.com

Bixpy Jet

This is the niftiest and most versatile little electric motor we’ve ever seen and it’s packed with power. It has a portable battery pack that pops into a handle so it can be used as a handheld scooter to drag you around while you’re snorkeling or diving. For boating, you can attach it to the back of your yak, connect it to a larger battery and cruise around at speeds up to seven knots, according to the folks at Bixpy.

It comes with a wireless remote to control the 10 forward speeds and three reverse speeds. They also have brackets to attach it to the stern of most kayaks and, most ingenious, have a kit to attach it to the rudder of your kayak. This not only pushes your boat, but it also eliminates the need for an additional steering system for the motor. Very smart people, those Bixpy’s!

$775 - $1,099 www.bixpy.com

Island Hopper Outboards

If a handyman retrofit is too much for your skillset and the custom-made kayak motors are too expensive for your pocketbook, there is another option. The good folks from Island Hopper Outboards can help you motorize your kayak for between $200 and $300 bucks. They have a tremendous selection of mounting brackets for all of the popular brands and can motorize most any kayak on the market. You can also buy batteries, chargers, propellers and just about any accessory you’ll need to power up.

$200-$300 www.islandhopperoutboards.com