Yes, about seven years ago, I put a 30lb thrust electronic trolling motor on a 10.5ft kayak. Had to register it.

What is split lock?

Spot lock is where the trolling maintains boat position using GPS and a computer. You just press a button on the trolling motor remote and it keeps the boat in the same spot regardless of wind or current.

I'll be surprised if this happens with Hobie. Hobie doesn't follow anyone. They are clearly the industry leader in the kayak market. Hobie introduced a motor option to their kayak line up about 10 years ago with the Torqeedo Evolve. It's not the same thing I get it but Hobie just doesn't follow trends.

Hobie’s responses to the instant reverse drives is an example of what I mean. First, you were told to flip the assembly around to go in reverse. Then, the pull string reverse drive was released. Now, Hobie has the incredible 360 drive. Innovation driven by the market trending towards reversible drives. In my opinion, they’ll do the same if the market shows an appetite for Spot Lock and they’d be negligent to not be researching it now whether they ever introduce a product or not.

If I were Hobie, others, I'd respond by adding a dedicated "spot lock" device capable of keeping a boat motionless. It'd take, what, something the size of an egg beater to do so? If even that? Battery requirements? Tiny and light weight.

This way, one could still have the super pedal devices of Hobies, Natives and others, too, and no need for all that electric power and a TM just to get to this super great feature for angling.

I wonder about the need to register such a thing here in Texas??? Since it isn't for propulsion, quite the opposite actually, I think it might not require registration. That'd be another positive.

And, because I never get tired of talking about it, if you want to BLOW past TM usage on kayaks, make them obsolete, the first manufacturer that designs a very small and very reliable propane-powered motor using those 16 ozs green camping bottles? Gosh, you'd eliminate TM weight, battery expense and more weight, charging issues . . . and you could take 3 bottles out and cruise for a week.

I've watched the videos of the new TM powered Old Town kayaks. Love them. But, note that they are far from fast. I don't think I have seen any that exceed about 4 mph. Hull speed limitations rear their ugly heads again. So, the motor I propose could likely be 1 HP and light and tiny and still match those speeds.

Brad

Yes sir I hear what you're saying. I agree you can say Hobie followed trends with the 360 drive but it's hard to argue against Hobie being ahead of the pack in terms of being an industry leader in whatever they decide to go with.

Guess I'm not sure the spot lock feature in a kayak will be a long lasting success unless batteries get a lot cheaper soon. With the Old Town Sportsman it's too wide to be able to paddle it very far. I can see folks being 5 miles from the launch and the battery dies because they used it up with spot lock and trying to paddle a 37" wide kayak 5 miles. To avoid this a 100 amp hour lithium battery would be needed with another 17.5 ah or so for reserve to be able to get back to the launch. For this set up with batteries, chargers, pigtails, etc. cost would be well north of $800 in addition to a $4K kayak. As I've said I'm rooting for this kayak to be a big success so again I hope my concerns end up not being valid.

I'm interested in hearing thoughts whether this will last in the industry or not.

Personally, I think it will last but I don't think that there is a large market share for it. As others have mentioned in this thread, if spot lock is what one is after... a 12' jon boat will be cheaper.

If I am representative of folks in the expensive kayak market, then folks like me generally do not desire a motorized kayak.

I sold my Skeeter bass boat and bought a PA because I wanted to simplify my fishing while maintaining some of the comforts of a "boat". I am the first to admit that its a stretch to call a PA a kayak and I understand why some kayakers feel that its a waste of money. However, for me its a great fit. It's portable, it's uber comfortable, I can stand, I can fish hands-free, I can fish large or small water, I dont have to register it and I don't have to worry about batteries (other than a small battery for my fishfinder).

Many of the above features are also represented in the Old Town Sportsman... but annual registration and needing a fuel source gets pretty deep into the boat market.

In short, I feel some will really enjoy the spot lock feature... But I feel its a limited market and that it further erodes the benefits of kayak fishing.

Just my two cents.

Thanks Mike. I agree the market will be somewhat limited. I've had a trolling motor on a kayak before and having a battery that lasted and that wouldn't weigh too much was always an issue. I don't think that will change much with these kayaks. I just watched a video where one angler took out the Sportsman 120 and did get considerable distance with a strong battery (93 amp hour) but max speed was only about 3 mph. Granted there was wind but that's going to be the case most of the time at some point.

Based on what I've seen so far I don't think this trolling motor will be able to compete with Torqeedo.

Couldn't tell from the video, but does the motor steer? Guy said you set a compass heading and it follows it, without the rudder being part of the equation? Hmmmm.
Seems like it would eat a lot of amps doing that in a crosswind. IslandJim

The motor can turn using the remote. You can turn it left, right, diagonal, etc. using the remote. The kayak also has a rudder that is steered with the foot pegs. They say it can turn within circles in it's own wake using both the motor and the rudder.