Petrol Outboard On Old Town Predator XL Kayak

My kayak’s electric motor console is fine, but I’ve had a number of issues with the electric wiring on the kayak and it seems to fail me when I need it most in windy conditions… So, out with the old and in with the new.

Got myself a 2HP Yamaha motor and there she goes. And boy does she go!

Fastest I saw was 13.5kph going down wind and 12kph with no wind (behind a hill) and both of those were with the throttle being open just past 1/2 throttle. I know other people claim faster speeds, but with my weight I never got more than 6.5kph with the electric motor in calm conditions and most of the time I was cruising at 5kph or below to conserve battery power. With this I think I’ll cruise around 8-9kph (slower in bad weather) and if I run out of fuel, I’ll just top up. Easy enough to carry 2x 1L bottles of fuel with me.

My test voyage yesterday was a bit of an experience though. Forecast was 20-25 knot winds and it certainly was pretty windy out there and some decent shallow-water waves as well.

Got to Waitawa Park and with the kayak in the water, I couldn’t get the motor fitted on the mount! I had measured the piece of wood on the mount and at some point I had thought about the bolts being in the way of the motor’s clamps, but must have slipped my mind. Bolts were exactly where the motor clamps should go and took me a bit of fiddling around to see that I could actually fit it on past the bolts. Would have been pretty Hopeless Fisherman like if I couldn’t go out on my first trip!

Next thing I couldn’t get the motor started. Brand new and I expected it to take a few pulls to start, but after 8 or so pulls with nothing, I got worried! Checked and rechecked everything, but if finally took me taking a step back to thing about this to feel the kill-switch thingy dangling off my leg… Started on first attempt once I had the kill switch on!!!

Other stupidities on my side: someone (awondering) had warned me about my PFD getting stuck on my softbait jighead behind my seat if I used those little hooks you get on some rods to hold your jighead. Well, I didn’t listen and yesterday it happened and it’s pretty uncomfortable not being able to move anywhere because you’re attached to the rod, which is now stuck in the rod holder behind you!!
And of course, I ran out of fuel at a time when the wind was pretty gnarly. I did have a 5L container of fuel with me, but had to get to the side to get it into the motor… Need 2 1L bottles that’ll be easier to manage on the kayak instead.

But all in all it’s worked out much better than I expected.