Quote:
Originally Posted by PapaDave
I also have a Texas Power Paddle motor on my PA14, works good too.
John, how do you mount it? And how long does it run?
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Hey Dave,
This rig was made by a kayaker who has converted about a dozen like this during the last 10 years. It has a proven offshore track record.
It was cheaper for me to buy this one used rather than re-rig my own. The Aluminum motor mount is rigidly connected to the Alma support pipes on the kayak. I would have preferred a removable motor mount.
It came with a 20" shaft outboard which I can put up to full throttle in calm conditions, but hull form keeps it from going any faster than about 5.5kts.
The side mount makes for easy control and monitoring of the outboard versus a stern mount that would allow the hull to go faster up on plane. The Suzuki 2.5hp is water-cooled, and needs to have it's intake cleared periotically from weed debri.
With the 15" shaft outboard, I can only go to 1/3 throttle before the prop starts to cavitate, but the net speed is nearly the same(5.5kts), and the fuel consumption is less than half. I keep the 20" shaft Suzuki 2.5hp as a backup. I can go out all day and not burn a gallon of gas with the 15" shaft. It will run for about an hour and a half before I have to refill the engine's gas tank. I carry a 1 or 2-gallon refueling gas tank.
While drifting over structures, I still use the mirage drive to help keep my jigs vertical. That Texas Power Paddle would be handy as a bow thruster.
Under mirage power the Alma makes left turns difficult.