here is some information that may or maynot be useful...

It was this guy's sight that compelled me to buy my first kayak! I stumbled on it surfing the web, after getting my yak I found TKF.


what I want to know is, does the video on this link seem "realistic" he seems to be hauling some but in his fishndive using the motor.
http://www.martialartsacademy.org/hooping.htm

specifics on how he did it:
http://www.martialartsacademy.org/quiet ... ckayak.htm
looks like he is around 36lbs thrust... and booking it on the video!

G

It looks pretty fast, but I doubt its much more than 5-6mph at best. Of course, that's faster than any mortal can paddle the fish n dive, for sure, and faster than most can paddle any kayak, even a sea kayak, for an extended perios of time. The exception may be the Olympic racing kayaks.

Other than gaining extra height, I don't much care for the way he attached the motor mount to the crate. There's not much reason. I'd bolt the mount directly to the back of the crate, maybe even with wing nuts so I could remove it easily. I've had a trolling motor torque loose from a canoe before and prefer a good tight fit with no opportunity for that to happen.

Very real speed @ 4-5 mph. I had mine up to 4.2mph per GPS and still had 2 speeds left # 5 & # 6. I just need to get used to the yaw factor.
With the motor under my elbow and each speed the angle of the motor is different to go straight. #2-3 speed on the Minn-Cota the motor was at @ 11 o'clock but when you kick it up to #3-4 you are pushed at more of an angle p'bly @ 10 o'clock. And a sudden jerk sideways when changing speed. It tracks like a barge. I was not happy with the tracking but I think I can improve it by changing the mount so it sits on the back of the crate closer to the stern. It should track better. Also he is in much deeper water and has his set deeper than I did. That should help tracking and speed a lot. If my motor is @ 24" under the keel of the FnD it should handle a lot better than the 6" I had it set at. I was at Luce Bayou, deep water but a lot of trees in the water. I just got my "Manufacturers Statement of Origin" from Cobra on Sat so I can get it registered. I will let you know how that goes.

Interesting.. I'll let you guy's work out all the kinks then I will go for it. I choose the yak to avoid the storage and boat tag expense. Until I can get more time on the water and factor the added costs I won't be going this direction.

But keep posting to the thread, if I do get a motor.. (not sure I would and will only do it to hit harder to reach distances in less time than I could paddle - kinda like a outboard mentality, just to get me quickly and tirelessly from point a to b).

Just a thought, guess I need to see you guy's refine this before I ever do it.

Refinement is up to Flafish and Titowoody. I'll paddle on. Flafish has a good reason to pursue it with his shoulder problems, not sure why Tito wants a motorized yak. Myself, if I get rich, will pursue a Hobie Mirage Drive...probably the Revolution.

Great idea get 2 my birthday is coming up and Christmas right after that.
It could be a combined present. Thanks Uncle Jerry.

WHERE IS TITO almost a week and no word from him MMMmmm

Damn it FlaFish, I shoulda known, bet you're a Scorpio. Somehow, I always find them. I found Tito's email address on an Ontario fishing forum and emailed him. Hopefully, he'll respond. Maybe his computer is down.

Did you see the Quest for sale in the TKF classifieds? $775, barely used, with all the Hobie extras. Not bad. Its on my short list of paddle SOT's, but no money even for that.

Did you see the Mango Ride for $500 ?? New - used 4 times with a 2" scratch and a Wildy Rudder. Think he got it at FTU Demo days. Old style but for $500 Deal. Meeting the guy Wed.
Not a Scorpio, Dec 4th makes me a Sagittarius. Do we know Tito's last name ??
I guess we could start searching the accident reports in that area.

That may be his last name or his first is Tito and last Woody. Who knows. He's on several fishing forums, but I saw no posts anymore recent than the last here. Maybe he's snowbound.

"Maybe he's snowbound."

Better than waterbound

No I got an e-mail from him a long time ago when he sent us
Tito floats. I think his name is Serge LaPorte something like that.
I will look for his e-mail.

Serge LaPointe, I set up a Yahoo news alert so if his body washes ashore and it hits the news I will get an e-mail.
Nothing in the obituary's yet.
Crazy A$$ frenchman.

Heard from Tito sometime between 1:30am and 6:30am our time.

"Hi Steve

We had 9 ships come in over a 8 day period, am literally toast.

Serge"

So the boy is alive and not fish food. Or frozen fish food.

Good to hear he's ok. I figured it wasn't anything major. Well, I'm going to head out and do some bank fishing, don't want to take the yak out, the flow on L. Houston is pretty swift in the areas I paddle and fish, but the catfish should be biting.

Good day Gentlemen

Glad to see some concern for my well being . Bloody busy past week tons of hours very little dodo. I slept 21 hours straight, now time to go fishing (if 17000 MT of Hot rolled coils don't come in on Saturday ).

I have put an order in for an Angler Drifter and a Malibu 2 XL. I have ordered the hydration pack with seat upgrade for both Malibu seats along with a child adaptor seat. In early 2007 I will order the Big Game Prowler as my boat

Will mount a 36 lb thrust (thanks for prototyping it Flafish) electric to my Malibu, will help accessing spots in Inner Bay

Glad to see you are not fish chum.
I am buying a Wilderness Systems Ride used for $500
http://texaskayakfisherman.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=55817

What do you mean by a "Angler Drifter" is that the Ocean Kayak Drifter "angler version" at LENGTH 12' 7" / 3.9 m WIDTH 32.5" / 82.5 cm
it should be very stable.
The Ride has a raised seat area that i hope will be more comfortable for my legs. My right one gets numb sometimes. My "Dr" said it is "beerbelly syndrome" my gut hangs over my belt (just a bit) and cuts into the nerve.
What a crock of BS.
The Ride is the "old model" new ones are coming out soon and FTU was selling them with a rudder for $500. This guy bought one and wants something bigger like a tandem. My gain. Should be a great replacement for the P-15 I sold ($800) and fit the truck bed better. $300 profit. Deal.

Darn salesman at FTU. Poudre just posted a Pungo 120 closeout for $400
and I am meeting the Ride for $500 soon. Now what do I do ??
And don't say BUY BOTH. That Pungo is a sweet D-Yak. SINK does not sound good and it really is a "Decked Kayak" so D-Yak. Jerry what would you do ?? I know Tito would tell me to buy both.
Then I would have 4 kayaks. I just offered to lend one to W O W. Women On the Water. If they need an extra for a good looking single gal. Told them I would deliver.

The Pungo is a sweet sit in, but the Ride has its uses. Better than you big 'un for fishing the bays, though your Loon does that well. The Pungo may be easier to load than the Loon. I'd say paddle it, see if you like it, and you may want to consider sellint the Loon, or not. Bad thing about selling Loon's, TKF isn't the place to do it. The one that was posted recently is the red mate to mine, I believe. Verry nice Loon, almost no scratches and is a 2004 or 95 model He tried to sell it back when I bought mine, but no bites apparently. H took the cheaper of the two, though I liked the red one better.

The Pungo is a sweet ride and i bought one, a Pungo Classic at REI demo days but the keel was warped and I took it back. My coupon for 15% off ran out before they got another one in. So I bought the Loon. You are right the Ride has it's uses I just wished he had waited another day or 2 to post the Pungo. What to do. Guess I will test the Ride and see if the seat is more comfortable. Then decide.

Isn't the Ride an alternative BTB kayak too? You could always lend it to a friend to try that out. Hint, Hint. But the only reel I have for that sort of thing is an Abu 6500. Back in March, had I seen the Pungo for that amount, I may have gotten it rather than the Loon. But, then, had FTU been selling the old Ride for what the were going for during Demo Days, it may have been the one.

I am hoping for calm winds this Sat will head BTB if it is calm enough.
Don't have to worry about low salinity there. And the Red's and Speck's BTB like all the extra 'flushing out" of tasty bait fish.

I have extra rods. I picked up a really good rod at academy for ONLY $15 bucks. It is glass and Med/Heavy duty. Shakespeare Would be a good cat rod also.
Let's see what the weather brings for Sat.

Must have been one of the Sturdy Sticks... white and solid glass. In the old days, those things would splinter when they broke, really bad news. Don't think the Sturdy Stick will do that, its just a tad on the heavy side. You should look at the Tiger Shakespeare, $59, but a really good rod for that kind of thing. Also the Big Water rods, "70. The only problem with either is the butts won't fit into a Scotty. The 1120 I picked up is a big water rod, but lighter wtih smaller diameter handle. Its a tough one too. Good for the smaller reds, maybe up to 20-25 lbs.

Good to see you made some SOT decisions. They are all good fishing platforms. The Malibu II is a great big man solo kayak too. I emailed you at the Hotmail address Tito, don't know if that one is active or you got it.

Yes still active with over 100 messages. Thats what happens when too many bloody ships come in along with some of worst weather in recent history. Fort Erie got hit with 45 cm of snow. Hamilton got it in rain and wind, not a good combo with 40 m windmill blades. It was a very good learning experience to say the least.

On the bright side all my cold weather clothing research has paid off. The gear I purchased for yaking was put to the test. The IceBreaker underlayers are very good. Lots of climbing to ensure lifts are safe to go. The stuff breathes very well and never once got any chills. We would go from a balmy 15 C in the hold of the ship to windchills of -7 C on top of windmills SACRE BLEU to say the least.

My comment was it could be worse, ie even colder. Should be a blast in November and December. Will be time to pull out my GoreTex. My wife picked me up a great coat at Value Village for $10.00 Cdn, she will sew in some relfective stripes and that will be my outwear for "Gales of November" as Gordon Lightfoot sings about in the "Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald". A very good lament of the Great Lakes treacherous waters in the fall.

Can't wait to get my SOTs. Would 40lbs thrust be overkill Flafish, or if you had one for same price, would you use it.

I am chilled just reading about the cold. I worked in New England in the winter building Condo's and climbing poles for a cable TV Co. It is 70 here and going to stay at that temp as a high for the day. A cold front came through last night. Not a lot of rain. That is a good thing we had more than enough early in the week.
I think 30lb thrust is more than enough for a kayak. The FnD is p'bly the biggest kayak you would put one on and the 30# has plenty of power.
I am turning the crate around so the motor hangs of the back and secure it a lot better. Test run was a temp mount. Think I will run a strap under the kayak and strap the crate and motor down tight. Then I can see what top speed is. Last trip I hit 4.2 mph and still had 2 speeds to go. Don't need or want a bigger motor. I was surprised how low the FnD sat in the water with the 30# and full size battery. I will pick up another small trolling motor battery and keep a spare in the front hatch to balance the weight. Hopefully this weekend.

ok, so you never really answered Flafish.... exactly what is the application?

I get point a to point b quickly has merit, but some trade-offs seem to be weight capacity. I have a maurader with similar spec's as yours so I could downsize (perhaps even running into a similar weight issue). I agree I would do what you are implementing off the crate and ensuring the crate is tight to the yak (even though they offer a TM mount with the maurader, I imagine it too has issues).

ok so back to my question, assuming your tag comes in... how does this become valuable to you?