Trolling motor on the Oasis

How feasible would this setup be on the Oasis? This looks like a great idea.

http://martialartsacademy.org/quietmanelectrickayak.htm

It's much simpler with a Hobie. This one was mounted on a frame and inserted through the drivewell.

Roadrunner, while innovative, I don't like that idea. For one you can't use the pedals at the same time. Secondly, it is in the way, right in the middle of your kayak. It also would be trouble when you hit skinny water. How would you raise it up? The trolling motor mounted to the side of the kayak is out of the way, can be controlled easily, and can be raised up in shallow water quickly.

Update: I have now installed the trolling motor setup on my Oasis from the link above. I did everything except use the metal piece to attach the 2x4 to the milk crate. I simply attached the 2x4 with screws directly to the crate. I will do the maiden voyage with the trolling motor tomorrow.

The trolling motor works great. I was worried the weight of the battery and motor would sink the stern under water but it didn't. I put a cooler filled with water and a big rock in the front as a ballast.

I wish Hobie would have a bigger area behind the seat that would allow a milk crate to fit in. The link above has a Cobra kayak and the crate fits perfectly. It does not fit that well in a Hobie and I will have to get a thin piece of plywood and mount it to the bottom of the crate so it can sit better. I will post pics when I get it completed.

Where I went is a tidal river near the ocean and the current is very fast. The motor is a huge plus. I usually wear myself out completely fighting the current. I was really cruising, especially when I pedaled at the same time. The rudder works well with the trolling motor. I simply had the motor pointed straight and steered with the rudder.

Here are the pics, I solved the problem of the crate not fitting behind the seat by attaching a couple of treated 1x4's to the bottom of the crate.

Very nice installation -- clean, simple, easy to set-up and remove. How did you fasten your padeyes?

It looks like you have an '09 Oasis. The new hull bottom has a nice additional reserve capacity aft making it well suited for the additional weight. In the picture below, you can see that it adds volume without additional depth:


I use one of Stringy's great ideas for ballast -- 24lb. of lead shot in the drivewell plug. He augments that with a big bag filled with water. That keeps the CG low and stows compactly when empty. I use another 31# lead filled tube (melted wheel weights) in the nose although the water bag is a lot more convenient to transport!

G'Day Jorhyne,
That is a great set-up.
What speed do you cruise at? Is the motor able to match pedaling speeds?
The battery would make a great ballast at the front. If you intend using it regularly solo you could run a lead inside the hull from front to back that terminates in waterproof through hull connectors. You could then just plug the battery and motor in. A framework for the battery that clicks into the front click n go wouldn't be too hard to make. Maybe piggy-backing off the drivewell plug?

I used sheet metal screws. You can't get a nut on the screws from that area. I might go back and use marine rivets later.

Yes I have an '09. Thanks for the tip from Stringy's idea.

That is a great idea using it as a ballast, and running cables trough the hull. I will probably do that eventually. I need to get a speedo for the mirage drive, or get a GPS like some of you have on this forum, so I can test speeds. On 5th speed (fastest speed) it is probably as fast or faster than me pedaling alone. Today, I was in 5th speed, using the pedals, and paddling all at the same time. I was really cruising!

I also gave it a good test today, I went about 3 miles against a very fast outgoing tide. Without the motor that is very exhausting, however with the motor, I stopped pedaling and was able to get rest breaks. Normally, if I stop pedaling against the current, I immediately stop and start going backwards.

Update. I had to take back the trolling motor to wal mart due to its inept performance. My initial sea trials were skewed related to currents and tides. The only time I went fast was when I went with the current. It is slow as molasses going against a strong current.

The motor I had was a Minn Kota 30 lb thrust Endura model. I am going to go with the Minn Kota Maxxum 55 lb thrust with the 36" shaft. This will give me much greater performance and extended run times due to the Maxxum's technology which conserves battery life. I also am using a group 56 deep cycle battery, which holds a greater charge.

I am posting this info for anyone else who might do this project and can learn from my experiences. I always like learning at someone else's expense.

Hi Jorhyne,

Any news with this project? I am really curious to know how much mileage can be done with typical batteries?

What kind of motor is that? I've been looking for a decent size trolling motor (30lb thrust or more) for my Oasis that fits through the drivewell (a lower unit with 3" diameter or less) for some time now with no luck. Any suggestions?

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--yeah, i am too looking for a motor, small enough to go thru the drivewell!

I am interested to know how much these trolling motors installations weigh all up including battery. I realise that a large part of the weight will be in the battery and that the weight will therefore depend much on the size of the battery but I wondered what a typical all-up weight would be for a "recreational" sized installation.