Adding autopilot trolling motor to PDL kayak?

[Seafury]

Hello everyone,

 

I recently lost my mind and paid the ridiculous price for a new Oldtown 120 PDL kayak to fish.

Now I am having buyer's remorse and almost* wish I had bought the Autopilot 120 instead.

 

I mainly fish creeks and shallow rivers but also the occasional lake, res, and large river, (especially in the winter) and peddling even 1 mile loaded up with gear is some serious bs lol.

 

Of course, minn kota will not sell you the Autopilot trolling motor unit, or even parts for it, unless you own the Oldtown Autopilot kayak itself.

 

Has anyone tried to make ANY brand autopilot trolling motor work in the Oldtown PDL drive well hole, like by using the block off plate and mod skills?

I can totally see this being very possible, except how to make the assembly pivot forward out of the water like the PDL drive does.

 

No, I do not want to bolt all that crap onto the front of my kayak (Looks awful), and I am NOT about to drill holes in my new $2500 PDL kayak voiding the warranty.

 

I can't believe nobody else has done this yet, and everyone just drills holes in their kayak and mounts those monstrosities to the front of their kayaks.

It just looks so god-awful, like a bloated Rhino, and it must do wonders for the kayaks balance way up front like that.

Also, it can't possibly be efficient mounted on the front edge of a kayak like that.

 

I can source a modern Minn kota Powerdrive and the ipilot add on kit for less than the cost of the cheapest ipilot trolling motor so I am debating trying to do this, but would rather follow someone else's tracks as I have limited money and workspace where I live.

 

I just don't want to go through the trouble of selling my brand new 120 PDL at a loss, then saving up another $2k and buying the Autopilot 120.

 

Imho the PDL is just WAY too much effort to go any usable distance loaded with gear.

 

What do you all think?

Has anyone done this yet?

Am I being crazy?

[J Francho]

Sell it and buy a Hobie.  Mirage Drive is the jam.

 

[Seafury]

10 minutes ago, J Francho said:

Sell it and buy a Hobie.  Mirage Drive is the jam.

 

LOL.

 

Thanks, but I'd rather buy a real bass boat.

Talk about overpriced nonsense.

I'd have to kick my own ass if I bought a Hobie, no offense.

 

They are nice boats, but they are beyond insane price wise, downright delusional.

Also, in my experience, they are just as tough to peddle as the prop one's like my OT PDL.

 

I just want to be able to add an Autopilot/ipilot (any brand) unit to my PDL drive well, not the bow of my kayak.

 

I really did search all over the internet, youtube ect, and can find no one who has tried this, and posted it online.

Very surprised.

 

Maybe I will have to be the first one lol.

[J Francho]

4 minutes ago, Seafury said:

Talk about overpriced nonsense.

I don't know about that, $2K and you're pedaling.  Works for me.  What are you in for on that Old Town?

4 minutes ago, Seafury said:

I really did search all over the internet, youtube ect, and can find no one who has tried this, and posted it online.

There's probably a reason.

[Gera]

1 hour ago, Seafury said:

Hello everyone,

 

I recently lost my mind and paid the ridiculous price for a new Oldtown 120 PDL kayak to fish.

Now I am having buyer's remorse and almost* wish I had bought the Autopilot 120 instead.

 

I mainly fish creeks and shallow rivers but also the occasional lake, res, and large river, (especially in the winter) and peddling even 1 mile loaded up with gear is some serious bs lol.

 

Of course, minn kota will not sell you the Autopilot trolling motor unit, or even parts for it, unless you own the Oldtown Autopilot kayak itself.

 

Has anyone tried to make ANY brand autopilot trolling motor work in the Oldtown PDL drive well hole, like by using the block off plate and mod skills?

I can totally see this being very possible, except how to make the assembly pivot forward out of the water like the PDL drive does.

 

No, I do not want to bolt all that crap onto the front of my kayak (Looks awful), and I am NOT about to drill holes in my new $2500 PDL kayak voiding the warranty.

 

I can't believe nobody else has done this yet, and everyone just drills holes in their kayak and mounts those monstrosities to the front of their kayaks.

It just looks so god-awful, like a bloated Rhino, and it must do wonders for the kayaks balance way up front like that.

Also, it can't possibly be efficient mounted on the front edge of a kayak like that.

 

I can source a modern Minn kota Powerdrive and the ipilot add on kit for less than the cost of the cheapest ipilot trolling motor so I am debating trying to do this, but would rather follow someone else's tracks as I have limited money and workspace where I live.

 

I just don't want to go through the trouble of selling my brand new 120 PDL at a loss, then saving up another $2k and buying the Autopilot 120.

 

Imho the PDL is just WAY too much effort to go any usable distance loaded with gear.

 

What do you all think?

Has anyone done this yet?

Am I being crazy?

I know the feeling, I'm going trough exactly the same. 

 

I'm going for a Bixpy motor mounted on the rudder or with the DYI adapter so its mounted in the PDL opening. I'll miss the spot lock, but I don't want to get a huge trolling motor a the front just for that.

I just wish Old Town would sell those kits, they are loosing a huge market with people like us buying from third party. 

[Seafury]

36 minutes ago, J Francho said:

I don't know about that, $2K and you're pedaling.  Works for me.  What are you in for on that Old Town?

There's probably a reason.

The current Oldtown 120 PDL pricing is for 2022, bought my 2022 model a month or so ago at a registered distributor here in southern Va.

It was VERY hard to find, one of the newest delivered 2022 models, everything 2021 has been sold out for months.

Prices went up from 2021 model year.

2021 I believe was $2149 or $2199

2022 pricing that I and everyone else will now pay is $2349

With tax I was right at $2500 out the door.

 

I also have a 3 waters Bigfish 120 paddle kayak I am trying to sell.

Those go for $900-1100 with better stability and higher weight capacity.

But no pedal drive

I essentially paid $1500 for a bicycle crank with a chain to a prop.

That's not even the whole bicycle lol.

 

I doubt there is a technical limitation reason why no one has done this mod.

It might be a lot of work, but it's far from impossible imho.

If they can put a pedal drive in that hole, we can put a powered motor there instead just as easily with some engineering effort.

I bet a torqeedo type motor would be even better than a prop, but either should fit.

The tricky part is how big is the deck mount drive part of the ipilot motors (to fit on the block off plate that covers the PDL drive hole) and then once you shorten the shaft, how do you make the assembly pivot forward like the PDL drive does to pull it up when shallow.

 

The Autopilot model does this, so we can to with some ingenuity and effort

 

Dam I just remembered. 

The ipilots only come in 55lb thrust.

I heard, those won't fit in the PDL drive well hole.

You have to use a smaller motor.

I guess that explains why nobody has done this since you will also have to convert the 55lb motor down to a 36lb or 40 something, with the powerdrive/ipilot features.

 

Damnit, if Minnkota would just sell the frigen autopilot drive to the public I could make it work with the block off plate in the PDL.

 

Oh well, maybe I just screwed up and need to buy the Autopilot 120 someday.

 

Live and learn, the hard way.

[Seafury]

16 minutes ago, Gera said:

I know the feeling, I'm going trough exactly the same. 

 

I'm going for a Bixpy motor mounted on the rudder or with the DYI adapter so its mounted in the PDL opening. I'll miss the spot lock, but I don't want to get a huge trolling motor a the front just for that.

I just wish Old Town would sell those kits, they are loosing a huge market with people like us buying from third party. 

I knew I wasn't alone or crazy, thanks!

And I'm sorry lol.

 

I am debating on doing just a normal motor in the PDL drive well also so I don't have to kill myself peddling all day.

I don't want to mess with the rudder so I can still pedal or paddle if I want to on certain water.

The removeable PDL drive, or a removeable motor assembly in that drive well hole is the way to go imho, that way it's easy to configure the yak for whatever water I am doing that trip.

Block off plate for creeks and some shallow rivers.

PDL drive for small lakes and some rivers.

Powered motor for real lakes, Res, big Rivers.

 

I do really want the spot lock, but not at the cost of bolting that thing to the front of my kayak for reasons already stated. 

 

Why does Oldtown/Minn kota have to be such a pita about this lol.

They could make SO much more money, and give life to so many kayak brands this way.

 

Damnit, maybe I should have gone with my gut and bought the Nucanoe Unlimited with better seating, weight capacity, stability, and factory add on's for PDL and powered motors.

That would have costed much more, and I would have to had bought it in pieces over time, kayak, then PDL, then later powered motor.

But it is designed for all those things by Nucanoe, whereas Oldtown is still one-dimensional thinking.

 

Oh well.

 

Why can't it be summer so I can be out fishing instead of stupid ass winter locked indoors, got me wasting time thinking about bs and 2nd guessing myself lol.

[cyclops2]

Why not mount any type of normal motor on a outrigger single or double bar outrigger set up? if in arm reach ? Just to save the legs when the wind picks up..   Are all GPS troll motors forbidden to be bought any person ?

[Seafury]

5 minutes ago, cyclops2 said:

Why not mount any type of normal motor on a outrigger single or double bar outrigger set up? if in arm reach ? Just to save the legs when the wind picks up..   Are all GPS troll motors forbidden to be bought any person ?

Not sure I follow you?

 

Normal stick steer motor is an option I am considering also, but........

The OT 120 PDL does NOT have rear tracks to mount stuff to ?, so once again I have to drill my new kayak to install those, then mount a rod system for a side mounted stick steer motor.

 

Maybe I really did screw up buying this particular kayak ..........

 

The original point was I wanted the ipilot type motor with spot lock feature, from any brand really, in the PDL drive well hole.

I don't think you can side mount those motors that are normally bow mounted.

It would probably not know which way is forward unless you can reprogram that but idk.

It seems unlikely to accommodate that as everyone mounts them on the bow, maybe they can be reprogrammed to know which way is forward?

 

If so, and I had rear track mounts, that might in an interesting idea for using the bow mount type motors that are for sale.

 

Me and the other guy were complaining that Oldtown/Minnkota will NOT sell the Minnkota ipilot motor setup in their Oldtown Autopilot kayak separately, not even parts for it.

You have to own that kayak and have registered it with them or they won't even talk to you about that motor setup.

 

REALLY stupid of them as they could sell that to every kayaker with a through hull PDL drive kayak.

But I guess they think that would cannibalize their Autopilot kayak sales to much.

I suppose that's valid, but it still sucks.

[cyclops2]

Bow mounts are the most power efficient. Require less motor swings to stay on a windy course. 

[cyclops2]

Bow mounts are the most power efficient. Require less motor swings to stay on a windy course. 

 Checkout the Motor Guide wireless GPS bow mount.  It is saltwater rated. series Xi3.  Model  941600020

[Seafury]

3 hours ago, cyclops2 said:

Bow mounts are the most power efficient. Require less motor swings to stay on a windy course. 

 Checkout the Motor Guide wireless GPS bow mount.  It is saltwater rated. series Xi3.  Model  941600020

That's something I had not considered.

Very good point there.

 

It's just that boats in general are not designed to be pulled, but pushed.

So I would think pulling the bow, which rides low from the weight of these things makes the hull dig in and drag much more then pushing from midship, let alone the rear.

 

That is the other brand I was looking at, but both Motorguide and Minnkota want like $1200 for their cheapest ipilot system it seems like.

 

Hopefully in the coming years they will have some cheaper competition.

Because we all know our money won't ever be worth more lol.

[cyclops2]

I would do a Hawaiian outrigger 2 pole setup to reduce cost and use of 1 heavy pipe.

Make control very simple with just a stern clamp on setup. then you can use the standard flip up & down locking mechanism. couple of wide jaw clamps with adhesive backed rubber sheet to prevent drilling holes in the gunnels. A lot of the stuff is available from  www.Mcmaster-carr.com   We can email back & forth if needed on design & parts.

[slonezp]

Forgive my ignorance. Why a trolling motor on a kayak? Let alone a TM that costs as much or more than the kayak itself?

[flyfisher]

For rivers I’d never mount a tm up front. I put a NK80S on the stern on mine last year and couldn’t be happier. Almost 6mph on lakes and 3+ upstream on rivers. 

3 minutes ago, slonezp said:

Forgive my ignorance. Why a trolling motor on a kayak? Let alone a TM that costs as much or more than the kayak itself?

I had the kayak already and spent 1500 on motor and lithium batteries. I think a lot of people try kayak fishing as the new fad and realize the limitations combined with kayaks for fishing sacrificing speed for stability. I got mine primarily for river use to do solo shuttles basically. 

[cyclops2]

Protected bays are ideal for them.  Afternoon wind builds quickly where I am.  With LOADS of big cruisers and freighters throwing wakes at me.

Old guys need power assist sometimes.  ?

[J Francho]

[cyclops2]

Sharks  Bull Sharks in the St. Lawrence River.  Forever.  Leave enough food and there are no attacks.

[VolFan]

Let me summarize- you didn’t buy what you should’ve and now you want it to be cheaper/easier to get what you want. Financing permitting, I’d probably sell the boat and get what I wanted. Finances not permitting, I’d probably buy some Gatorade and start working on my cardio.

[cyclops2]

That is almost my life.  ?

[Gera]

16 hours ago, flyfisher said:

For rivers I’d never mount a tm up front. I put a NK80S on the stern on mine last year and couldn’t be happier. Almost 6mph on lakes and 3+ upstream on rivers. 

I had the kayak already and spent 1500 on motor and lithium batteries. I think a lot of people try kayak fishing as the new fad and realize the limitations combined with kayaks for fishing sacrificing speed for stability. I got mine primarily for river use to do solo shuttles basically. 

I would really like to consider this option but they don't offer an adapter for my topwater pdl, they however have a picture on their website. I would really like to know how did the mounted the motor there.. 

 

[J Francho]

Looks like they drilled the hull.

[Choporoz]

I haven't put a motor on, but if I was considering it, I would start on FB (Virginia Kayak Bass..or something, Old Town Groups ...and maybe even KBF)  There are a lot of shops and independent installers within a couple hundred miles of here.   Some amazing talent around here.  Oh...and probably bite on a bullet and acknowledge that drilling holes in your yak isn't a bad thing.

[Seafury]

20 hours ago, cyclops2 said:

I would do a Hawaiian outrigger 2 pole setup to reduce cost and use of 1 heavy pipe.

Make control very simple with just a stern clamp on setup. then you can use the standard flip up & down locking mechanism. couple of wide jaw clamps with adhesive backed rubber sheet to prevent drilling holes in the gunnels. A lot of the stuff is available from  www.Mcmaster-carr.com   We can email back & forth if needed on design & parts.

Thank you for that advice.

 

I am not familiar on this setup.

Can you give me a pic for reference?

 

Whatever I end up doing for a powered motor, it needs to be light weight as even my new Garmin 93sv and Yakattack switchblade make this kayak list to that side lol.

11 hours ago, VolFan said:

Let me summarize- you didn’t buy what you should’ve and now you want it to be cheaper/easier to get what you want. Financing permitting, I’d probably sell the boat and get what I wanted. Finances not permitting, I’d probably buy some Gatorade and start working on my cardio.

Touche!

2 hours ago, Gera said:

I would really like to consider this option but they don't offer an adapter for my topwater pdl, they however have a picture on their website. I would really like to know how did the mounted the motor there.. 

 

Yea my 120 pdl does have the predrill holes like this one for the micro powerpole.

Idk why in this pic they drilled into the other side of the kayak instead though?

I already swapped out that right rear rod holder hole for a tiny bolt on gear track for my camera

 

I was considering using that predrilled area for a rear motor but being off to the side I wonder how that will handle at speed and turning etc...

2 hours ago, Choporoz said:

I haven't put a motor on, but if I was considering it, I would start on FB (Virginia Kayak Bass..or something, Old Town Groups ...and maybe even KBF)  There are a lot of shops and independent installers within a couple hundred miles of here.   Some amazing talent around here.  Oh...and probably bite on a bullet and acknowledge that drilling holes in your yak isn't a bad thing.

Thanks for the advice

 

I don't really do social media, but we will see......I know FB marketplace, and groups, are very handy.

 

Also, yea I might drill this thing after all, but how does it affect resale? Will people still pay top dollar for a kayak that's been drilled?

[J Francho]

Resale never really comes to mind with fishing gear, until it isn't getting used. I put a lot of forethought into my purchases and rarely resell what I bought.