Electric outboards

[rogd]

Has anyone out there got any experience of using an outboard with a sit-in.

 

Any advice or comments would be greatly appreciated

 

Rog Dunant

Cumbria

[Paddlepower]

Has anyone out there got any experience of using an outboard with a sit-in.

 

Any advice or comments would be greatly appreciated

 

Rog Dunant

Cumbria

 

Yeah, DONT DO IT!!!!

There has been lots of talk about sails and alternative ways of powering a kayak! Why?

 

The answers to questions of alternative power at sea are:

 

1. BUY A YACHT / DINGHY

 

2. BUY A MOTORBOAT

 

We are kayakers not sailors, not gin palace cruisers, if you wanna do that, go and do it.

 

We are kayakers and need to practice and build stamina in our chosen craft. Becoming reliant on the wind or motor power is folly at best and dangerous at worst. If we need to get home in an emergency, thats what the emergency services are for and why we carry vhf equipment.

 

So, in short , stick to your paddle and enjoy the sport as it is supposed to be without added jetski engines/ sails/outboards!!!.

 

PP

[paintfly]

Firstly, I don't think you'll find many people on this forum have a "sit-in"; we paddle SOT's - sit on tops, which are far more stable and better suited to the use of a trolling motor. Personally, I don't have any interest in motorised yakking, but I believe people should be able to do whatever they like as long as it doesn't adversely affect others.

 

I can see the attractions of a down wind sail in the right conditions, but more as a means of added fun than for any practical use. I certainly don't think anyone should be made to feel inadequate or that they're not a purist because of how they choose to enjoy being on the water. Different strokes for different folks, and for some that might mean 2 stroke

[Zzippy]

Yeah, DONT DO IT!!!!

There has been lots of talk about sails and alternative ways of powering a kayak! Why?

 

The answers to questions of alternative power at sea are:

 

1. BUY A YACHT / DINGHY

 

2. BUY A MOTORBOAT

 

We are kayakers not sailors, not gin palace cruisers, if you wanna do that, go and do it.

 

We are kayakers and need to practice and build stamina in our chosen craft. Becoming reliant on the wind or motor power is folly at best and dangerous at worst. If we need to get home in an emergency, thats what the emergency services are for and why we carry vhf equipment.

 

So, in short , stick to your paddle and enjoy the sport as it is supposed to be without added jetski engines/ sails/outboards!!!.

 

PP

 

Hi Rog.

Fitting a yak with a sail can be fun and CHEAPER than a Yaught.Plus a sail or Motor can get you out of trouble if you get caught out by the tide.

Its the same as saying if you want fun in the waves,Get a surf board.But Kayaks can be fun in the surf and on river weirs.In my opinion do what ever you want with a Kayak.Its a good past time.

But as Paintfly said.Motors and sails would be better suited for Sit on Top Kayaks.

Zzippy

[YakDiver]

I slightly agree with the last two posts kayaks are for paddling, but as we all know someone wants to do things differently have a look on this USA site " http://www.kayakfishingstuff.com/ "under forum

[Starvinmarvin]

Like Zzippy has already said, have an electric motor attached to your yak, can be a god send if you paddle in an area where the tides can be fierce, or you have ill health, asthmatic etc. I know of a couple of people that have them fitted, infact I know of one guy who has a little petrol outboard attached, and with the new Prowler Elite on the horizon am sure that a few more will join the party.

 

Sails, well they are a bit of fun and for some of the distances that we have paddled to offshore marks in the past, they would be a welcome edition.

 

Personally I enjoy the paddle.

 

SM

[SpeciMan]

Hi Rogd

 

A warm welcome to the site.

 

I used a trolling motor on my Caper and it worked out well. Not all of us can afford boats & yachts or want the launching,crew, and maintenance hassles associated with them.

 

As mentioned motors on kayaks are normally fitted to sit-on-tops. If I find it again I'll post the link up of a trolling motor fitted to a sit-inside.

[SpeciMan]

Motorised Sit Inside

[rogd]

Thanks for your replies chaps (and chapesses ?).

 

I think I'll just ignore the first one.

 

Perhaps somebody can suggest a decent storage system for my gin & tonic.

 

Roger

[Patrick Pending]

Paddlepower you really need to open up your mind a bit; if it wasn't for people trying out different ways of doing things every boat would be sit-on-top (AKA a log!).

 

I'm all for innovation in fact, I'm off to try out my kite and pedal powered, outriggered, hydroplaning, sit on top.