Why motorize your kayak?

Updated November 30, 2024

Motorized kayaks are becoming popular, and Wavewalk is a pioneer as well as the world leader in this field in terms of stability, load capacity, seaworthiness, speed, versatility, mobility, comfort, and more.

By motorizing a kayak we mean adding a motor to it, so that you can switch from human powered propulsion to driving and vice versa whenever you need to or feel like.

What are the advantages of motorized kayaks over non-motorized ones?

1. Motorizing is easier than paddling

Not everyone can paddle their kayak over long distances, or in less than perfect conditions. Some kayakers suffer from disabilities, and others are elderly or not physically fit. Assisted paddling, namely paddling while an electric motor provides your kayak with additional propulsive power makes things easier, be it in strong wind, fast currents, or waves, as well as on flat water. When you motorize, you save your own energy, and you’re more comfortable.

2. Having a motor is safer than depending solely on paddling

A human powered kayak is an under powered vessel, by definition. In a sustained mode, an average adult paddler can produce between one tenth of a horsepower and one quarter of a horsepower, and this is very little, even in comparison to weak electric motors. In case you’re too tired to paddle back to your starting point, or due to unfavorable changes in water or weather conditions, being able to propel your kayak with a motor can be a critical factor that could save your trip, and even your life – A motorized kayak is safer than a non-motorized one.

3. A motor greatly increases your range of travel

Simply, having an extra source of power on board allows you to go further, since you can paddle to your destination, and motorize on the way back. So, whether you’re on a touring, fishing or on a photography trip, the motor allows you to cover more water, explore, and go to more places.

4. A motor allows you to take a bigger payload on board – cargo and/or passengers

You may want to take a passenger on board, or load your kayak with heavy camping gear, but this additional weight could make it too hard for you to paddle. In such case, a motor could make the difference.

5. Motors work well for trolling

You can paddle your kayak and fish at the same time, namely engage in trolling, but an electric trolling motor or a small outboard gas motor can do a better job than your paddle.

6. Driving a motorized kayak is fun!

Driving a motorized kayak can be fun too, especially if it’s a Wavewalk that’s outfitted with a powerful outboard motor. And driving standing, which is an option that all Wavewalk models offer, is even more fun – It’s comparable to skiing, except you’re going on water and not on snow, and it’s also comparable to water skiing, except for the fact that you’re free to go anywhere you want, including in choppy water and in waves, and you don’t depend on a powerboat to tow you.

7. A motor can get you where you couldn’t paddle

A Wavewalk outfitted with a mud motor (surface drive) can go where other boats can’t, and even where human powered kayaks can’t, such as mud flats, fast streams, etc.

8. Driving saves time

Updated December 11, 2023

An S4 Wavewalk kayak outfitted with a powerful outboard motor can go at 16 mph for as long as you want. This is many times faster than what a strong kayaker in a fast kayak (that is not a typical fishing kayak) can sustain for a limited amount of time, on flat water. In other words, a motor kayak can get you much faster to where you want to go, and back.

9. Motor boating is cool, and speed is exciting

Not everyone likes paddling, and not everyone thinks it’s cool. You may want to take someone on board your kayak, be it a child, your wife, an elderly parent, a fishing buddy, etc., and find that kayaking (or canoeing) doesn’t appeal to them, but going in a motorboat would, and to some of them the appeal would be greater if you go at high speed.

10. Helping other kayakers

Having a kayak powered by an outboard motor puts you in a unique position of being able to help other kayakers. You could do it by carrying heavy camping equipment on board your motorized kayak (realistically, only a Wavewalk…), taking passengers that aren’t fit for paddling, and by towing other kayaks.

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Kayaks: Human Power compared to Motors

Do human-powered kayaks have sufficient power?

How much power can a kayaker produce? – The nominal maximal power output that a person can sustain in an hour is called Functional Threshold Power (FTP) . FTP is a function of two factors, which are the person’s fitness level and their weight. FTP is commonly measured in Watts per Kilogram of body weight (W/kg).
Endurance cyclists and other top athletes have a total FTP that exceeds 400 Watts, and their FTP by weight is around 6W/kg (13W/lb).  One kilowatt is 1,000 Watts, and it is equal to 1.34 Horsepower (HP), which means that such formidable athletes can produce about 1/2 HP in a sustained mode.  Most people’s FTP is around half of this number or lower, and this means that a typical kayaker or canoeist can produce less than 1/4 HP in a sustained mode.

A kayak powered by a 1/4 HP “human motor” is under-powered, which is why typical kayakers stay on flat water, in small bodies of water such as ponds, small lakes and slow moving rivers, in areas that are protected from strong winds and currents.
Under-powered vessels can be unsafe, by definition.

Read more about Motor Kayaks »

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