Adding autopilot trolling motor to PDL kayak?

[Seafury]

12 hours ago, FryDog62 said:

If in your pursuit to find variations of the Autopilot - if you come across a hull only (either 120 or 136) I may be interested... I already have an Autopilot and store the hull in Florida in the summer, but take the motor, batteries, GPS home with me to Minnesota.  Ideally, I would like a hull in both locations to use and transport the accessories when I drive to/from.   TIA

Yea that would make your life easier for sure.

 

However, should I find another unicorn (The hull minus motor) I would be all over that (depending on price of course) So I could then drop my motor in there and be done lol.

 

You see, it's all about the price for me. If the Autopilot kayak wasn't insanely overpriced, I probably would have bought that instead of the PDL to begin with, even though I fish a lot of shallow water areas, they are not that different weight/size wise. I could also get a cheap light easy paddling kayak for really skinny water trips.

 

Sorry buddy, besides, I think finding a hull only would be more impossible than me finding this Autopilot unit lol.

 

But who knows, strange things have happened lol!

 

11 hours ago, Motoboss said:

I found this hack to outstanding!

 

 

On another note

”The guy I got it from says he wants to stick with his boat, and the guy he got it from, he doesn't know why he sold it......but claims it's his "buddy" so idk..... Whatever. ”

 

I’d check the serial number with Old Town to see if it is, ummmmmm,,,,,,,,,un warm  

Thank you for this link.

 

I have watched it many times in the past and was considering that route for a normal trolling motor install.

 

However, the Autopilot unit has a steering motor and much different configuration, so this build will not help me with what I am trying to do now really, unless I somehow take this unit completely apart and figure a way to reconfigure it...we will see......

 

As far as being stolen, yea that's always a possibility, but the guy I got it from seemed pretty legit, he communicated well, didn't act shady or hide anything, was punctual, came in a distinct vehicle (Which I got his plates) had a public facebook marketplace ad etc.

If it wasn't for him offering to drive part way to shorten my drive time (I live 2.5hrs away from him) I would have been at his house to pick it up. Even if it is stolen, he doesn't seem to be aware of it and assured me the guy he got it from is someone well known in the area as a fisherman.

 

Nick at Navarre told me OT keeps terrible records and likely wouldn't even know who owned the unit, based on his experiences with them on various things.

 

For what I paid I will not lose sleep over it, if it ever comes up that it is stolen, I'll gladly return it to it's rightful owner personally, as I hate thieves and know what it's like to be violated by them. 

[Seafury]

34 minutes ago, Junk Fisherman said:

 

$2500 out the door for a PDL?  Now add for rigging, electronics, and a battery.  Wow.  I kicked around the idea of getting a pedal-drive kayak but I'll stick to my Wilderness System Ride 115 for the couple times a year I use it.  

Yea prices are even more insane now.

Here is OT regular price, even more than I paid in fall of 2021!

Sportsman PDL 120 - Ember Camo | Old Town (johnsonoutdoors.com)

 

The Autopilot 120 is $3999.99 and the 136 is $4499.99 !

 

They are smoking crack.

 

I will say their PDL drive is the best unit on the market, no contest, this thing is rock solid, durable, and reliable.

[Gera]

On 12/13/2021 at 4:16 PM, 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. 

+1 

it's really is incredible that they are just loosing so much business with all of us going to Bixpy and others. 

 

I use this adapter, I just don't use the pole to steer and use the rudder in the kayak. that way I can keep all functionality and use pedals, motor or both when I need

 

 

[TNBankFishing]

On 12/13/2021 at 2:55 PM, 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?

If using the pedals isn’t going to work sell it and buy a boat. You will almost always adjust position with your pedals or paddle as an electric motor will not have the granular movement you’ll want in a yak. On a yak you’re up close and personal much more than in a boat and small adjustments are all you’ll need. 

 

If you need a trolling motor to handle all of your movement you choose in the wrong brand. Sell the Old Town and buy a Native or Hobie. They both have manufacturer made transoms for mounting motors that don’t void your warranty. I use one on my Titan, and it bolted directly on. 

[Seafury]

On 11/5/2022 at 7:00 PM, TNBankFishing said:

If using the pedals isn’t going to work sell it and buy a boat. You will almost always adjust position with your pedals or paddle as an electric motor will not have the granular movement you’ll want in a yak. On a yak you’re up close and personal much more than in a boat and small adjustments are all you’ll need. 

 

If you need a trolling motor to handle all of your movement you choose in the wrong brand. Sell the Old Town and buy a Native or Hobie. They both have manufacturer made transoms for mounting motors that don’t void your warranty. I use one on my Titan, and it bolted directly on. 

Good advice.

 

I am already frustrated by my Old Town 120 PDL.

I should have bought something else, but there was nothing else available at the time that fit my needs or budget.

 

I am now looking to sell mine and switch to something like the new Bonafide P127 PDL kayak, or Maybe a Native but leaning towards the Bonafide for now. I just wish these brands had higher weight capacities because they are all way to low and I'm too heavy at 250lbs lol.

 

 

Update.

 

I figured out how to make it work but I went ahead moved on from this idea using the Autopilot motor from the Old Town Autopilot kayak in my 120 PDL.

 

I sold the motor unit to someone else.

 

Now I am focused on rear motor power for the rivers I mostly fish.

Using it to get there and back with less effort, same with lakes and reservoirs.

The PDL is for the actual "fishing" times.

 

I just bought and tested the Newport Vessels NK 180 yesterday on my OT 120 PDL.

It was so nice!

[dgkasper58]

On 1/2/2023 at 11:06 AM, Seafury said:

Good advice.

 

I am already frustrated by my Old Town 120 PDL.

I should have bought something else, but there was nothing else available at the time that fit my needs or budget.

 

I am now looking to sell mine and switch to something like the new Bonafide P127 PDL kayak, or Maybe a Native but leaning towards the Bonafide for now. I just wish these brands had higher weight capacities because they are all way to low and I'm too heavy at 250lbs lol.

 

 

Update.

 

I figured out how to make it work but I went ahead moved on from this idea using the Autopilot motor from the Old Town Autopilot kayak in my 120 PDL.

 

I sold the motor unit to someone else.

 

Now I am focused on rear motor power for the rivers I mostly fish.

Using it to get there and back with less effort, same with lakes and reservoirs.

The PDL is for the actual "fishing" times.

 

I just bought and tested the Newport Vessels NK 180 yesterday on my OT 120 PDL.

It was so nice!

Just wondering- How was the NK 180 configured with the rudder?