I've had mine for just over two months now. I use it on my Hobie outback and also on my Bonafide I use my kayaks for fishing and being able to turn on a dime in either direction is awesome. Speed is about the same as when I was using a trolling motor. The remote is nice, especially when I'm standing up and fishing. The remote also allows you to set it on a cruise control and various speeds. Which is great when in current or if you want to slowly move along a shoreline. There is a small learning curve to get both motors going at the same exact speed so you track straight. The one thing I don't like is you can only control the motor by the remote, and I happened to be out fishing, when I had the remote fail. They replaced the remote with no hassles. And I went ahead and ordered a spare remote which I keep on the kayak. I suggested to the pac motor folks to have a switch on the base that mounts to the kayak. That would allow the motors to be used should the remote fail. You could always use the paddle or rudder to steer in an w emergency situation. I've also added a small section of rope to each release pin. So deploying the propellers is easy. I just pull the rope to release the pins and gravity does the rest. When coming back to the launch site or in shallow water I simply pull the rope and the. Use my paddle to lift each motor up to the desired height. One of the other. Suggestions I made was to have the arms that attach to the motors spring loaded, so if you did run up onto something they would have some flexibility to move out of the way. The only other thing I wasn't sure about was the noise of the motors. When running at full speed they do produce a little high pitched wine. But i don't notice it as much now. I'm not sure if it is just I have gotten used to it or if it has decreased now that I've used. The motors for a couple months. In any event I thought when trying to get lose to fish, it might spook them. But I've run up and been just a few feet a way, and the fish finally spooked but it was from seeing the kayak and not due to motor noise. If anyone has any questions, I don't work for the company, nor do I receive anything from them so the only bias I might have is that I own one. I. Other words I'll answer honestly from my own opinion..
Very comprehensive review! I also own a Bonafide & currently have the same motor set up as Steve mounted on the side. The motor I have is heavy & my kayak tends to lean to the side the motor is mounted to. My only concern is using this in shallow water where I sometimes fish in the flats.
I got this PACMotor a month ago. It is a very good design. I got Torqueedo travel 1103 and new pirt NS 180. This PacMotor is much better. The support/ Matt also is the best staff. Gòd job.
I'd seen a review of the PacMotor before, but don't remember which channel. I was quite impressed with the design. I really liked the skid steer ability. We rarely use our trolling motor purely for long distance travel. We use it more for tight maneuvering, which appears to be the PacMotor's greatest (IMO) greatest strength. In the other review, I believe I mentioned something about a spot lock feature which would not only be able to provide location locking, but attitude/bearing/direction locking as well since the skid steer motor placement design would make that possible. I believe it could be managed in the controller either with a built-in GPS and compass, or an app for a smartphone (most of which have GPS and compass built-in) which is tied (maybe via Bluetooth) to a motor controller. Although variable speed control for the motors might make such a system very precise, I don't believe it would be necessary given that the DC motors could be cycled on and off again to maintain a reasonably close position and direction (especially considering that live GPS accuracy is usually measured in meters). Apologies for meandering there, but I believe a controller with that feature would make an awesome add-on to the system.
More motors = more to break. Keep in mind it takes 8 time the power to go twice the speed, so an extra motor is only going to increase your speed by 1/8th (0.56 mph roughly).
Looks to be a nice piece of gear for open water, or deeper waters. Where I used to kayak fish the local lakes, there were underwater hazards (submerged fallen trees/roots) in the shallows (with murky/zero visibility water) that could damage the twin motors. I also would be concerned about the strap that goes acrosz the bottom of the hull, and spans the tunnel design of the kayak. Another "snag" in the shallows waiting (imo). Of course, everyone has varying waters they fish, so it could be a nice addition for a lot of folks. Is there a way to simultaneously raise both motors and adjust the depth if one encounters shallow water? Another thought for those fishing coastal waters would be are the motors/prop assemblies rated for salt/brackish water?
Cool set of kit! Hopefully they develop a better mounting system that eliminates the straps and involves a mounting package that can be mounted to the Kayak for easy on and off.
Thank you for this informative and detailed assessment of the PacMotor. You added more detail than I had seen before. This seems to be a really great innovative product. My only concern aside from fitting it is how to raise the motors quickly when needed in shallows or hazards. It would be great if there was a way to do this without having to reach to push or pull pins quickly when bottoming out or striking an object. Or even just raising and lowering the motors in general. Thank you also for the link to their website. I have an Outcast Stealth Pro frameless inflatable pontoon. I sent them an inquiry via their website asking them the maximum width between the mounting pads. My pontoon total width is about 48”. So we’ll see what we can come up with to make this work.Thanks again and great job!
Have you tried the flex e drive? I know they are hard to find now but I picked up a used one for my coosa fd and have used it all last year and it works great and compact. It will push my kayak at 3.5 mph and I just use the rudder to steer. I like the idea of the pac motor but the amp draw seems a little high for long runs. Looking forward to seeing you testing it out on the water.
I looked at those and thought they would be good. But, two issues. The cost! The second is I still want to be able to pedal - I thought you could not do that with the flex. Correct me if I am wrong.
@Kayak Hacks Fishing yes you would have to remove the pedal drive to install the e drive. 2 wingnuts, so not hard to do on the water bit I wouldn't want to switch back and forth. Picked mine up used for 500.
@@insaf_ Sorry - did not see your reply until today. Yes! Key update. I was not able to get enough thrust with a 12v battery. The motor is designed to use a 19v. So, I bought a 30A DC-DC converter to upscale the 12v to 19v. Now, the motor pushes my heavy Jackson Coosa FD at a nice clip - around 3.5 mph. That is close to the limiting hull speed, so all is good.
I seem to remember you reviewed this product last year, correct? A little pricey for me. I went to the junk yard and found a piece of plate aluminum at scrap pricing and FYI a transom mount for a secondhand 50lb thrust saltwater trolling motor powered by a 100AH lithium battery and I am still at half the price of a Pac Motor. I don't know maybe they are paying you Army guys more than us Air Force wing nuts. 🤣
That square tube mount looks familiar 😂🤣😂. We have the same issue with the 36lb and 55lb thrust motors from Newport (I'm sure Minn Kota and the other traditional transom mounts are similar). We currently use an ASP Watersnake with 24lb thrust (weighs in at 5lbs) on a kayak that weighs 250lbs on its own and over 600lbs loaded with us and our gear. It pushes us along fine, so I'm pretty certain the PacMotor will work well for you. It may not be quite as fast as a 36 or 55 lb thrust, but the convenience of the skid steer turning should more than make up for any minor speed loss. In our speed tests, the thrust force to velocity is not linear.
I am curious how well supported or well made the Motor arm pivot area holds to thrust forward and back over time. I have a light water snake and that thing wants to fly off the mount when I crank it up. Looks to me with this set up and the length of those arms that those bushinged areas would be taking lots of directional changing stress during a trip. Can anyone with experience with these elaborate because I really want this.
I have used mine a few times. The "knuckle" holding it is robust. I have not hit anything with the arm yet because I have it set shallow. So, the answer to your question required more time.
I have a big fish 120 with a pod mount bixpy and it works like a dream, I can deploy it in 5 seconds, with some diy things I did to it and I can be in 12" of water, and ya bixpy seems expensive but you get a complete plug and play system including the bixpy battery, and all this only weighs 8 lbs, and the battery lasts a long time. So with that said, you're system looks great and there is absolutely nothing wrong with it, but if a person gets a good lithium battery then it would be the cost of a bixpy, and so I see other fairly inexpensive motors out there but by the time a person gets a good light weight lithium battery then its the same as bixpy, I have tried other motors in the past and none of them were not nearly as easy as the bixpy, the only thing in my opinion that would beat a bixpy in performance and ease of use would be the xi3 auto pilot spot lock system that is equipped from the factory on the oldtown sportsmen series yaks, these yaks in my opinion are the best out there for that reason and there awesome fishing yaks also.
PAC it up and get out on the water. Can't beleive you don't own a drysuit.. I use mine anytime the water and air temp, when added together, adds up to 120 or less. Really extends your fishing season and It is, belive it or not, comfortable to fish in.
lol! I'm ok with taking time off in the cold winter to do other things. I mainly surf fish - not really to catch anything since nothing is around... but just to get outside on a warm day
Hey Steve: Thumbs down for me, as it would mean constantly removing it because I use a Thule Hullavator to transport my kayak upside-down on my rooftop.
I've had mine for just over two months now. I use it on my Hobie outback and also on my Bonafide
I use my kayaks for fishing and being able to turn on a dime in either direction is awesome. Speed is about the same as when I was using a trolling motor. The remote is nice, especially when I'm standing up and fishing. The remote also allows you to set it on a cruise control and various speeds. Which is great when in current or if you want to slowly move along a shoreline. There is a small learning curve to get both motors going at the same exact speed so you track straight. The one thing I don't like is you can only control the motor by the remote, and I happened to be out fishing, when I had the remote fail. They replaced the remote with no hassles. And I went ahead and ordered a spare remote which I keep on the kayak. I suggested to the pac motor folks to have a switch on the base that mounts to the kayak. That would allow the motors to be used should the remote fail. You could always use the paddle or rudder to steer in an w emergency situation. I've also added a small section of rope to each release pin. So deploying the propellers is easy. I just pull the rope to release the pins and gravity does the rest. When coming back to the launch site or in shallow water I simply pull the rope and the. Use my paddle to lift each motor up to the desired height. One of the other. Suggestions I made was to have the arms that attach to the motors spring loaded, so if you did run up onto something they would have some flexibility to move out of the way.
The only other thing I wasn't sure about was the noise of the motors. When running at full speed they do produce a little high pitched wine. But i don't notice it as much now. I'm not sure if it is just I have gotten used to it or if it has decreased now that I've used. The motors for a couple months. In any event I thought when trying to get lose to fish, it might spook them. But I've run up and been just a few feet a way, and the fish finally spooked but it was from seeing the kayak and not due to motor noise. If anyone has any questions, I don't work for the company, nor do I receive anything from them so the only bias I might have is that I own one. I. Other words I'll answer honestly from my own opinion..
thank you for that wonderful real world feedback!
Very comprehensive review! I also own a Bonafide & currently have the same motor set up as Steve mounted on the side. The motor I have is heavy & my kayak tends to lean to the side the motor is mounted to. My only concern is using this in shallow water where I sometimes fish in the flats.
Great information. Currently looking for the best set up for my Hobie Lynx. Not sold on this one yet.
I got this PACMotor a month ago. It is a very good design. I got Torqueedo travel 1103 and new pirt NS 180. This PacMotor is much better. The support/ Matt also is the best staff. Gòd job.
Thanks for sharing
What have you used support for?
@@BobBohner4851 for my equisf pac 12ft canoe and northstar ADK 12 ft sole
In what specific way is this motor better? I would think the Torquedo would be much faster. I am very curious to know specifically.
I'd seen a review of the PacMotor before, but don't remember which channel. I was quite impressed with the design. I really liked the skid steer ability. We rarely use our trolling motor purely for long distance travel. We use it more for tight maneuvering, which appears to be the PacMotor's greatest (IMO) greatest strength. In the other review, I believe I mentioned something about a spot lock feature which would not only be able to provide location locking, but attitude/bearing/direction locking as well since the skid steer motor placement design would make that possible. I believe it could be managed in the controller either with a built-in GPS and compass, or an app for a smartphone (most of which have GPS and compass built-in) which is tied (maybe via Bluetooth) to a motor controller. Although variable speed control for the motors might make such a system very precise, I don't believe it would be necessary given that the DC motors could be cycled on and off again to maintain a reasonably close position and direction (especially considering that live GPS accuracy is usually measured in meters). Apologies for meandering there, but I believe a controller with that feature would make an awesome add-on to the system.
Great suggestions!
I like the idea of the small dual motors. These would work on a canoe. Don’t forget to get numbers for your boat, now that it is a “power boat.”
More motors = more to break. Keep in mind it takes 8 time the power to go twice the speed, so an extra motor is only going to increase your speed by 1/8th (0.56 mph roughly).
😅 Numbers😂😂
Looks to be a nice piece of gear for open water, or deeper waters. Where I used to kayak fish the local lakes, there were underwater hazards (submerged fallen trees/roots) in the shallows (with murky/zero visibility water) that could damage the twin motors. I also would be concerned about the strap that goes acrosz the bottom of the hull, and spans the tunnel design of the kayak. Another "snag" in the shallows waiting (imo). Of course, everyone has varying waters they fish, so it could be a nice addition for a lot of folks. Is there a way to simultaneously raise both motors and adjust the depth if one encounters shallow water?
Another thought for those fishing coastal waters would be are the motors/prop assemblies rated for salt/brackish water?
I believe the motors are Ok for salt. I will defer to Pacmotor
Took it out to Boston bay, it did great and just rinsed them in clean water after use. Definitely can't wait for a full bay of fishing with my sons
Cool set of kit! Hopefully they develop a better mounting system that eliminates the straps and involves a mounting package that can be mounted to the Kayak for easy on and off.
I am testing a hack that eliminates the strap.
Thx Steve, very cool. Does seem a little pricey but I really like the efficiency of it.
You bet
Thank you for this informative and detailed assessment of the PacMotor. You added more detail than I had seen before. This seems to be a really great innovative product. My only concern aside from fitting it is how to raise the motors quickly when needed in shallows or hazards. It would be great if there was a way to do this without having to reach to push or pull pins quickly when bottoming out or striking an object. Or even just raising and lowering the motors in general. Thank you also for the link to their website. I have an Outcast Stealth Pro frameless inflatable pontoon. I sent them an inquiry via their website asking them the maximum width between the mounting pads. My pontoon total width is about 48”. So we’ll see what we can come up with to make this work.Thanks again and great job!
I really appreciate that! I'll work even harder!
Steve, did you get it on the water ?
Not yet. We are having a cold snap. I hope to get out next week!
Can't wait to see you use this.
I know! I have to wait for the water to warm up in March
Have you tried the flex e drive? I know they are hard to find now but I picked up a used one for my coosa fd and have used it all last year and it works great and compact. It will push my kayak at 3.5 mph and I just use the rudder to steer. I like the idea of the pac motor but the amp draw seems a little high for long runs. Looking forward to seeing you testing it out on the water.
I looked at those and thought they would be good. But, two issues. The cost! The second is I still want to be able to pedal - I thought you could not do that with the flex. Correct me if I am wrong.
@Kayak Hacks Fishing yes you would have to remove the pedal drive to install the e drive. 2 wingnuts, so not hard to do on the water bit I wouldn't want to switch back and forth. Picked mine up used for 500.
@@tootsiedog23 Good price!
Seeing the blocks being pushed liked that makes me wonder if this would work well on my Ascend 128T. It sure looks like it!
Cool looking little setup! Needs spot lock and I’d get one for sure! Also, am I the only one who hears Hank Hill when Steve talks? 😎😂
Do you think this would work with a sea eagle fast track angler , inflatable kayak
The mount depends on the strap that goes under the hull. It has to be very tight. I recommend you ask the Pacmotor folks.
I really do like this idea. The only worry is obstacles. The arms seem more vulnerable than a traditional kayak motor.
I will find out this coming season as I run into oyster beds all the time!
Looks good Steve! Looking forward to your review after using it for a while.
I cannot wait for the water to warm so I can try it.
Any update bud? @@KayakhacksFishing
@@insaf_ Sorry - did not see your reply until today. Yes! Key update. I was not able to get enough thrust with a 12v battery. The motor is designed to use a 19v. So, I bought a 30A DC-DC converter to upscale the 12v to 19v. Now, the motor pushes my heavy Jackson Coosa FD at a nice clip - around 3.5 mph. That is close to the limiting hull speed, so all is good.
@@KayakhacksFishing thank you for the reply
I seem to remember you reviewed this product last year, correct? A little pricey for me. I went to the junk yard and found a piece of plate aluminum at scrap pricing and FYI a transom mount for a secondhand 50lb thrust saltwater trolling motor powered by a 100AH lithium battery and I am still at half the price of a Pac Motor. I don't know maybe they are paying you Army guys more than us Air Force wing nuts. 🤣
Understand. The PacMotor competes on bottom of the high end motors like Bixby.
This is awesome, and even more awesome with a 360 chair like Nucanoe has on their kayaks.
How long does the battery last or how many hours of use..
I think their website says it is good for 6 hours - you would have to check. Speed setting matters as well.
That square tube mount looks familiar 😂🤣😂. We have the same issue with the 36lb and 55lb thrust motors from Newport (I'm sure Minn Kota and the other traditional transom mounts are similar). We currently use an ASP Watersnake with 24lb thrust (weighs in at 5lbs) on a kayak that weighs 250lbs on its own and over 600lbs loaded with us and our gear. It pushes us along fine, so I'm pretty certain the PacMotor will work well for you. It may not be quite as fast as a 36 or 55 lb thrust, but the convenience of the skid steer turning should more than make up for any minor speed loss. In our speed tests, the thrust force to velocity is not linear.
Good to have that context! Thanks!
I am curious how well supported or well made the Motor arm pivot area holds to thrust forward and back over time. I have a light water snake and that thing wants to fly off the mount when I crank it up. Looks to me with this set up and the length of those arms that those bushinged areas would be taking lots of directional changing stress during a trip. Can anyone with experience with these elaborate because I really want this.
I have used mine a few times. The "knuckle" holding it is robust. I have not hit anything with the arm yet because I have it set shallow. So, the answer to your question required more time.
I couldn't stop thinking about hank hill 🙂
They need develop a gear track mount, that strap is dumb.
That would be a good option. But... the strap allows it to be attached to kayaks and canoes that do not have a gear track in back of the seat.
I don’t like the strap. Imagine getting it caught on a submerged stump…
@@RichFrollini the strap is tight next to the hull. But, depending on the hull shape, there could be a gap.
I have a big fish 120 with a pod mount bixpy and it works like a dream, I can deploy it in 5 seconds, with some diy things I did to it and I can be in 12" of water, and ya bixpy seems expensive but you get a complete plug and play system including the bixpy battery, and all this only weighs 8 lbs, and the battery lasts a long time. So with that said, you're system looks great and there is absolutely nothing wrong with it, but if a person gets a good lithium battery then it would be the cost of a bixpy, and so I see other fairly inexpensive motors out there but by the time a person gets a good light weight lithium battery then its the same as bixpy, I have tried other motors in the past and none of them were not nearly as easy as the bixpy, the only thing in my opinion that would beat a bixpy in performance and ease of use would be the xi3 auto pilot spot lock system that is equipped from the factory on the oldtown sportsmen series yaks, these yaks in my opinion are the best out there for that reason and there awesome fishing yaks also.
The bixpy is a nice motor, no doubt about it!
My NewPort trolling motor on my Big Fish on my Big Fish 120. PAC motor cost more than my kayak!!
PAC it up and get out on the water. Can't beleive you don't own a drysuit.. I use mine anytime the water and air temp, when added together, adds up to 120 or less. Really extends your fishing season and It is, belive it or not, comfortable to fish in.
lol! I'm ok with taking time off in the cold winter to do other things. I mainly surf fish - not really to catch anything since nothing is around... but just to get outside on a warm day
See the Fishing Father putting the Newport trolling motor right at my left hand on a big fish 120
It came in a Home Depot box???
lol! It was an early production model.
I definitely want one whwn I can afford it
Cool but for that price id just rig a trolling motor
Why not just buy an oldtown mk106 or autopilot? It has 45 lbs thrust and integrated with the hull
That is a lot of power!
$3000-$5000 reasons..................
You need to registure your kayak now.
Yes, many states require registration if you add a motor
This unit is on the same price level as the Bixpy (high end), actually it costs more when including the battery.
But you can use your own larger battery which I don’t think you can on a bigot and biot batteries are pricy
Bixpy batteries
@@BobBohner4851 your spell check is out of control
@@BobBohner4851 Then you are talking even way more money, bringing the cost closer to a torquedo
@@pmkPE constantly. Wish it worked better
Hey Steve: Thumbs down for me, as it would mean constantly removing it because I use a Thule Hullavator to transport my kayak upside-down on my rooftop.
Yep. That would be a bummer. At least is goes on quickly. I can't wait to try it out when the weather warms up.
The way those arms moved around in that bucket they sure do look weak
To much money for something that’s not that heavy duty
That’s a lot of money and a lot of stuff on the boat. For that amount of money I would by a small boat with a trolling motor.
Yes, the PacMotor is a high end product
This kayak is so overkill it defeats the purpose of a kayak.. Just get a little Jon Boat.
I can take a kayak like this on Lake Erie with 2-3 ft waves. A Jon boat would flood and sink wouldn’t it?
Key things that keep me in a kayak is no gas, no insurance, no trailer, easy to launch anywhere.
way easier to transport a kayak than a jon boat... even after to fill it with bling hahaha
People just don't get it. Once you put a motor on a kayak you're no longer KAYAKING!
True. But sometimes you need the extra range.
I disagree. It’s still a kayak. What I’m till you get to age 79 and let me know if you feel the same way please. :-)