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Motorized kayaks have lengthy been a supply of debate within the kayak angling scene. The dialogue over including motors to a small plastic craft can get heated quick, and sometimes facilities round one query: How a lot is an excessive amount of? The anti-motor crowd sometimes falls again onto the identical speaking level, specifically “simply purchase a ship.”
Whereas there’s little question that including a motor can take a big aspect of kayaking out of kayak fishing, there are some very legitimate factors to be made relating to the security advantages and long-range capabilities. The fact is that motors have gotten a big a part of the kayak fishing world, so I examined a strong new entry from Newport Vessels. Learn my Newport NK300 kayak motor evaluation to seek out out if its best for you.
Key Options
- 1300W/3 horsepower
- Requires 36V battery
- High Velocity: 6.5mph
- 30 hour runtime
- Lever throttle with digital velocity show
- Value: $1,199
Energy
With the equal of 3hp, this electrical motor is as shut as you may get to utilizing a fuel outboard on a kayak with out truly mounting one. In comparison with related kayak motors available on the market, the NK300 has distinctive thrust and torque. For those who’re in search of a motor with much less energy, try their NK180 kayak motor.
Runtime
Newport lists the runtime of the motor to roughly 30 hours, however that’s extremely depending on the place you’re utilizing it and the kind of battery powering the motor. That mentioned, with the best energy supply, the NK300 is greater than able to powering you thru a full day of fishing in nearly any setting you need to use a kayak.
Maneuverability
This motor has a triangle steering mount with three separate settings to permit for a extra custom-made turning radius.
Testing the Newport NK300 Within the Area
![Author sits on kayak mounted with the NK300.](https://www.outdoorlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Newport-NK300-review-in-current.jpg?w=2000)
Kevin Hughes
Kayak Compatibility
For this take a look at, I mounted the NK300 to a Vibe Shearwater 125 kayak. This kayak is historically powered by a pedal drive system and weighs round 100 kilos totally loaded. With the addition of the NK300 motor with mount system and battery, the burden went as much as round 140 kilos. To assist offset the added weight, I put in bricks of closed cell foam contained in the hull on the fore and aft positions. The froth drastically improved the buoyancy of the craft and allowed for the addition of extra electronics and a heavier battery as effectively.
It’s essential to notice that the NK300 isn’t designed for use on kayaks with a high mounted rudder system, such because the Shearwater 125 and lots of Previous City angling kayaks. Whereas this can be a little irritating, I used to be capable of finding a stern motor mount manufactured by OneObjective Bass Fishing that solved the issue and allowed me to connect the NK300 to my kayak with ease.
As soon as mounted, I connected the motor to the built-in foot steering system of the Shearwater, permitting me to simply flip the motor with my foot braces. I additionally linked the motor to my hand steering lever, nonetheless the majority and energy of the motor have been a little bit extreme for hand steering, so the foot system was far and away the higher possibility.
Learn Subsequent: Best Fishing Kayaks
Battery
![Author used the Amped Outdoors 50ah battery.](https://www.outdoorlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Newport-NK300-battery.jpg?w=2000)
Kevin Hughes
A motor can drastically alter the capabilities of your kayak, however on the finish of the day it’s solely pretty much as good as the facility supply that runs it. The NK300 can run off a regular lead or lithium battery, nevertheless it does require 36V to perform correctly. After testing a number of choices, I decided the Amped Outdoors 36V 50Ah marine battery was the most suitable choice for working the motor correctly for an prolonged interval. Whereas different 36V batteries labored, this was the one one which appeared to perform because it ought to each time on the water, and its runtime far exceeded different batteries examined.
Learn Subsequent: Best Marine Batteries
Energy
For a lot of of my outings, I used to be accompanied by different kayakers in conventional paddle and foot pedal powered craft. My companions allowed me to check the advantages and skills of this motor in a side-by-side state of affairs to find out simply how a lot the NK300 was benefitting me on a typical fishing journey. The velocity and energy of the NK300 turned virtually comically efficient at bettering my time on the water.
Moderately than losing time paddling from spot to identify, I used to be capable of sit again and rig gear whereas flying from location to location. Along with permitting me faster entry to my spots, it additionally drastically upgraded my fishing vary.
Newport claims this motor has high speeds over 6 mph, and I discovered that to be correct in testing. Whereas totally loaded, my high speeds have been nearer to 4.5-5 mph, however with barely much less gear I used to be capable of simply eclipse the 6 mph mark. Whereas the highest speeds are spectacular, the torque and acceleration of this motor is actually what jumps out. The interplay between the motor and the throttle management seems seamless, and its potential to kickstart a 100+ pound watercraft into excessive velocity virtually instantaneously is outstanding.
Newport NK300 Maneuverability
![The NK300 has a digital speed display.](https://www.outdoorlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Newport-NK300-review-screen.jpg?strip=all&quality=95)
![The NK300 is installed on the back of the kayak.](https://www.outdoorlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Newport-Nk300-review.jpg?strip=all&quality=95)
When testing this motor, I wished to get a well-rounded concept of what its capabilities have been over the course of a full fishing season. Over the course of six months, I ran this motor by as many alternative fishing eventualities as I may.
With conventional propulsion strategies, you’re restricted to how far you’re feeling comfy paddling or pedaling on any given journey. With the NK300, I discovered myself extra keen to discover new areas. If the fishing was robust, I may simply kick the throttle into gear and discover myself a number of miles away fishing a special zone very quickly.
I took this motor into a big number of completely different water our bodies, each contemporary and salt, to see the way it carried out. It was examined in shallow, rocky rivers and freshwater lakes, giant freshwater spillways and rivers, shallow saltwater mud flats and oyster stuffed creeks, vegetation stuffed marsh, and deep near-shore and off-shore saltwater eventualities.
Whereas the NK300 affords three settings to customise your turning radius, I discovered that given the facility of the motor, protecting the steering at a looser setting was optimum to stop turning too all of a sudden. That mentioned, in case your kayak has each foot and deal with steering choices, you may mount them each to the motor and have two completely different choices for maneuvering.
I discovered that the foot steering allowed me to have a sort of management I’ve by no means skilled in a kayak earlier than: the flexibility to make the most of the reverse energy of the motor to amplify my fishing. As soon as I acquired the controls dialed in, I used to be capable of hold my bow pointed downstream in a fast-moving river, whereas fishing successfully and barely shifting. The identical was true in saltwater areas with heavy present, akin to close to bridges. With the slightest contact of my foot I’ve full management over my kayak, and I discovered myself fishing areas with present way more successfully than I ever had.
Runtime
With a regular 36V 30Ah lithium battery I used to be solely capable of run out of energy one time, combating heavy present all day lengthy and protecting roughly 10 miles. As soon as I added the 50Ah battery, I discovered I may run the motor at excessive speeds all day lengthy and by no means fear in regards to the battery dying.
Sturdiness
This was far and away essentially the most spectacular aspect of the NK300. After I take a look at gear, I deal with it precisely as I’d throughout my regular fishing routine. Meaning abuse. Mountains of abuse. Within the case of the NK300, I ran it immediately into and over oyster bars, gravel bars, weed mats, sand bars, concrete, and boulders. Frankly, among the occasions I ran it into issues, I used to be mentally ready for the motor to die.
I handled it in ways in which anybody who’s used electrical motors would cringe at, and it simply stored chugging alongside. The closest I got here to actually killing the motor got here this spring, once I ran it onto a big rock formation in a shallow river. I may hear the prop grinding on stone and felt the impression of the motor slamming exhausting rock, nevertheless it stored going all of the whereas. That incident lastly resulted in a noticeable impression to the motor, however solely barely, making it a bit louder than earlier than.
Security
All through my testing, there have been a number of occasions the place the wind forecast was drastically flawed, and I discovered myself having to cowl way more water than I anticipated in a far worse chop than anticipated. Every time, I couldn’t assist however take into consideration how dangerous the scenario may have been if not for my potential to kick on the motor and plow by the wind and waves to get house. The identical is true of avoiding different watercraft, as I used to be capable of rapidly transfer from the trail of oncoming boats.
What the Newport NK300 Does Finest
![Author poses with fish in front of kayak.](https://www.outdoorlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/fish-with-nk300.jpg?w=2000)
Kevin Hughes
Put merely, this motor completely hauls. The distinctive thrust and torque catapults you ahead with astounding ease on the slightest push of the throttle. When paired with foot-controlled steering, the NK300’s velocity and energy dramatically elevated my effectivity, vary, and maneuverability on the water.
For the scale and energy of this motor, it’s remarkably quiet. Granted, that’s one of many promoting factors of any electrical motor, however even in comparison with related fashions available on the market, the NK300 was simply the quietest. The one motors which have the same degree of silence are additionally far much less highly effective, making the NK300 actually stand out from the group.
I spoke with YouTuber Aliex Folgueira, who makes a speciality of reviewing kayaks and kayak gear, and he estimated he may run the NK300 off a 36v 50ah battery for roughly 40 miles at near 4 mph. This spectacular runtime will hold you on the water so long as you’d like, although I didn’t have the time or capability to take a seat in a shifting kayak for 2 days straight with out stopping.
No matter your angle in direction of motorized kayaks, there’s merely no denying that having a strong motor can even critically enable you to out of some scary conditions. Whether or not it’s sudden wind, a sudden lightning storm, or different careless boaters on the water, having a motor to get you out of bother rapidly can, fairly actually, be a life saver.
The place the Newport NK300 Can Enhance
Sensitive Throttle
Whereas the facility and thrust of the NK300 are completely a promoting level, there’s a draw back: I discovered the throttle management to be sensitive and tough to dial in. The intense vary of speeds this motor is able to could make controlling it tough.
The slightest nudge of the throttle can generally trigger a much more highly effective response than anticipated, to the purpose the place you may simply get thrown off your boat with too sudden of a push. Sporting a kill change is all the time essential when working motorized watercraft, however that is the primary kayak motor I’ve used the place the prospect of forgetting to put on one is downright terrifying.
From a consumer perspective, I’d wish to see Newport presumably add an influence degree setting to the throttle to assist higher standardize the speed of acceleration. As it’s, I’d extremely advocate a number of trial runs with this motor in a managed setting earlier than taking it out into the open water.
Mounting
The NK300 isn’t the one kayak motor that Newport makes, with the NK180 being its predecessor. The NK180, as its identify suggests, has the equal of 1.8hp. It’s additionally considerably smaller and lighter than the NK300. Sadly, Newport has used lots of the identical mounting elements from the NK180 for the NK300. This turns into an issue in a number of methods, primarily in how effectively the elements maintain up to make use of.
The NK300 is considerably heavier than the 180, and the lifting mechanism merely doesn’t work effectively for it. The steel arm that’s supposed as a lever to assist elevate the motor up bends simply and was principally unusable after a visit or two. Likewise, the steering triangle is manufactured from plastic and has a tough time underneath the pressure of controlling such a strong motor. It tends to crack or slip underneath heavy stress, one thing that may be disastrous when out on the water.
Ultimate Ideas on the Newport NK300
In the end, the facility and skill to customise the NK300 assist separate it from different kayak particular motors available on the market. The easy design permits it to be mounted and carried out in quite a lot of methods to fit your wants, whereas its no-frills performance offers you final management over your kayak. With a less expensive value level than many different kayak motors available on the market and a powerful mix of energy, maneuverability, and quiet, the Newport NK300 must be squarely within the dialog for the perfect kayak motor available on the market.