KAYAK MOTOR, NEWPORT VESSELS LAUNCHES NK-180S

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  • slsc98

    Ultimate Member
    May 24, 2012
    6,746
    Escaped MD-stan to WNC Smokies
    Coolio! :thumbsup:

    https://thefishingwire.com/newport-vessels-launches-nk-180s-kayak-motor/

    Traveling farther and covering more water in one day just got easier for kayak anglers. Introducing the NK-180S electric motor by Newport Vessels. This new kayak motor launched today after two years of development with engineers and passionate anglers.

    The innovative prop design delivers smooth, powerful acceleration with a 24-volt brushless motor and top speeds at more than 5 knots on most kayaks. The motor increases kayak anglers’ effective range and bolts to a 4-bolt Power-Pole style stern mount.

    The lightweight NK-180S features integrated steering with a variable speed throttle controller. Steering cables can be set up to turn the motor like a rudder using the kayak’s OEM mounted foot-pedal systems. Or, a pin can lock the motor in a fix-position for use on many styles of fishing kayaks, paddleboards, and inflatables.

    “Our goal is to make getting out on the water more accessible for everyone,” Josh Loseke, brand manager for Newport Vessels, said. “Upgrading your fishing kayak shouldn’t come at the cost of a house payment, so we worked for more than two years to develop an affordable motor unlike comparable products already on the market, while also delivering industry-leading performance. Our latest kayak motor gives anglers the ability to travel farther and the mobility needed to catch more fish in a day.”

    The NK-180S features the latest brushless DC motor technology and is optimized to deliver high efficiency in a compact package. The propulsive power of the NK-180S is roughly equivalent to a 1.8hp petrol outboard motor, but with silent and emission-free power delivery.

    The motor package can be easily installed on most fishing kayaks and set up to accommodate rudder steering or a fixed position for use with a paddle.
     

    John from MD

    American Patriot
    MDS Supporter
    May 12, 2005
    22,734
    Socialist State of Maryland
    Ahh, I hate to tell you this but many of us have been putting motors on our kayaks for years. The better set ups use LiPo batteries as they don't weigh a ton like the Deep Cycle batteries do. It seems to me that these guys are trying to reinvent the wheel at higher cost. My OceanKayak uses a 40# trolling motor that only costs me $179.
     

    Archeryrob

    Undecided on a great many things
    Mar 7, 2013
    3,064
    Washington Co. - Fairplay
    $800, wow. Just buy a kayak with a pedal drive and be done and no dead batteries.

    Also that require 2 deep cycle marine batteries, as its 24 volt. SLA batteries weight 40# or more so you need to add 80 - 100# to your capacity for batteries and 100 - $150 in batteries. Lithiums batteries weigh way less but are 5 times the cost.

    I did it too and sold it as I thought the battery was a PITA.
    https://archeryrob.wordpress.com/2013/04/27/kayak-trolling-motor-stern-mount/
     

    ToBeFree

    Ultimate Member
    Oct 5, 2011
    2,614
    Highland Cnty-Va
    Cool but pricey.

    I'm like John been putting trolling motors on canoes for long time.
    Used to go around to yard sales and get the latest motors for a song.
    24 volt batteries look heavy and expensive!
    Good luck if you go this route.
     

    alucard0822

    For great Justice
    Oct 29, 2007
    17,643
    PA
    Ahh, I hate to tell you this but many of us have been putting motors on our kayaks for years. The better set ups use LiPo batteries as they don't weigh a ton like the Deep Cycle batteries do. It seems to me that these guys are trying to reinvent the wheel at higher cost. My OceanKayak uses a 40# trolling motor that only costs me $179.

    The problem often is registration/regulation, where an unpowered kayak is cheap to register, if it's required at all, and can usually go on waterways where powered craft can't. Putting ANY motor on it usually negates that advantage, and a decent kayak just becomes a slow, expensive motorboat. Have seen "cheater" systems, where a small electric motor is mounted under the hull or on the skeg/rudder with small/powerful lithium batteries. They are cool, and definitely would be nice to sit back and relax on the way back to the dock after a long trip paddling, but i've seen PA DNR bust people frequently with them, and hand out tickets for "failure to register a powered vessel" or similar infractions.
     

    KRC

    Active Member
    Sep 30, 2018
    615
    Cecil County MD
    DIY

    Several years ago I purchased 4 of these small 12V outboard motors for $25 each. (I still have three.) I replaced my rudder with a piece of 1/4" flat aluminum, cut the outboard motor shaft and bolted the motor to the rudder. I mounted the control unit on top of the boat just forward of the cockpit (2 speeds and forward/reverse). The motor can be steered and raised and lowered while paddling using the existing rudder pulley systems. I use two 12V "wheelchair" type batteries that have been recharged many times.

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    This set-up is excellent for nature photography on the water. When approaching a wild subject, animals/birds etc. will usually break and dive or fly when they see paddle movement. If you point the kayak directly at the subject from some distance away and slowly approach using the very quiet electric motor, I find I can get MUCH closer to wild subjects.
     

    John from MD

    American Patriot
    MDS Supporter
    May 12, 2005
    22,734
    Socialist State of Maryland
    The problem often is registration/regulation, where an unpowered kayak is cheap to register, if it's required at all, and can usually go on waterways where powered craft can't. Putting ANY motor on it usually negates that advantage, and a decent kayak just becomes a slow, expensive motorboat. Have seen "cheater" systems, where a small electric motor is mounted under the hull or on the skeg/rudder with small/powerful lithium batteries. They are cool, and definitely would be nice to sit back and relax on the way back to the dock after a long trip paddling, but i've seen PA DNR bust people frequently with them, and hand out tickets for "failure to register a powered vessel" or similar infractions.

    In Maryland, vessels under 16 feet with a motor less than 7.5 horsepower, are registered for free.
     
    The issue with using an electric on a kayak is the battery. Unless your boat is large it's nearly impossible to carry enough lead acid batteries to get any real range. Lithium batteries fix this issue but as someone already posted they are $$$$. I kayak fish and am in the process of re powering my boat. A friend has replaced his electric with this along with a 3 gallon fuel tank and has about a 30 mile range now. It pushes his Big Fish around between 6 and 8 MPH.

    https://www.ebay.com/itm/Honda-Outb...547887?hash=item2d1a77336f:g:svwAAOSwIs9fjOFZ

    It's side mounted to make starting and steering much easier.
     

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    John from MD

    American Patriot
    MDS Supporter
    May 12, 2005
    22,734
    Socialist State of Maryland
    I had a 2 horse sears air cooled outboard on my sailboat back in the eighties. I agree, it was light weight and had great range but, even though the exhaust was below the water line, it was noisy. Have they quieted them down any in the last 30 or so years?
     
    I had a 2 horse sears air cooled outboard on my sailboat back in the eighties. I agree, it was light weight and had great range but, even though the exhaust was below the water line, it was noisy. Have they quieted them down any in the last 30 or so years?

    The 4 strokes are MUCH quieter. HE has to modify the exhaust to feed it below the waterline. He's a mechanic so it was easy for him. I'm going to follow his instruction with that mod and the fuel tank mod. We do a lot of snakehead fishing and hunting them takes range. There are many many places they now inhabit that you cannot get to in a bigger boat or paddle to unless you want to paddle more than fish. Last year he said his average day was about 8 miles...while doable with a paddle or pedal drive it wouldn't be fun.
     

    alucard0822

    For great Justice
    Oct 29, 2007
    17,643
    PA
    In Maryland, vessels under 16 feet with a motor less than 7.5 horsepower, are registered for free.

    While PA might be better than MD for some stuff, hunting and boating regs kinda suck, not neccesarily expensive, but a hassle to register(powered) or get a launch permit(unpowered), until recently couldn't do it online or at parks where it was required, had to find a fishing shop that had the license to do the paperwork and issue stickers.
     

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