How to Install a Trolling Motor on a Kayak

How to install a trolling motor on a kayak comes down to six jobs: confirm your kayak can take a motor, choose a mount position, bolt the mount to a flat, solid surface with the hardware your motor maker specifies, set the motor’s angle and depth, place the battery where you can reach it and the circuit breaker, and run a careful first launch. This guide walks through each step using the kayak instructions Newport and Garmin publish. Your motor’s and your kayak’s own instructions come first; where they differ from anything here, follow them. Wiring the motor to power is left to your motor’s manual and, where you are unsure, a qualified marine installer.

This guide is general product information, not repair or electrical safety advice. Follow the installation, wiring, and charging instructions in your product’s manual, stop using any battery, charger, or electronics that overheat, swell, or smell of burning, and contact the manufacturer.

Before You Start: Can Your Kayak Take a Motor?

Can you put a trolling motor on any kayak? Not every hull is built for one. Garmin’s Force Current installation instructions say that, because of the driving force the motor generates, not all kayaks can support it, and that installing it on one that cannot may damage the kayak. If in doubt, Garmin says to contact the kayak manufacturer before you start. Three checks settle most of it:

• Existing mounting points. Many fishing kayaks have a four-bolt pattern at the stern. Newport’s article on choosing a kayak motor mount says the fishing kayak market has widely adopted the four-bolt mount popularized by Power-Pole Micro anchors, calls it the most secure, durable way to motorize a kayak, and notes it is not available on every fishing kayak. Garmin’s Force Current mount uses that same threaded pattern when it is present.
• A flat surface. Garmin’s mount needs a flat stern. Without one, you have to fabricate an adapter that gives a flat surface, and Garmin recommends contacting the kayak maker and working with a qualified marine installer.
• Weight. Garmin lists the Force Current at 22.2 lb for the motor alone and 27.8 lb with mount and cable, and Newport’s kayak motor setup article says lead-acid marine batteries can weigh anywhere from 10 to more than 70 lb. Add both to your own weight and gear, and compare the total with your kayak’s capacity.

Two sizing questions come before the install, and each has its own guide. Thrust depends on the total weight and the water you fish: Newport’s examples put a 300 lb kayak, angler, and gear on a 36 lb motor for calm water with little wind, and on a 55 lb motor for wind on a larger lake or river current. Shaft length depends on how high the mount sits: Newport says to measure from the top of the mount location to the waterline and says 24 or 30 in shafts are generally used on kayaks.

Choose a Mounting Position

Newport’s kayak setup article lists the common positions and the trade-offs of each:

Newport’s mount article adds two cautions. Mounts that fit inside a kayak’s rod holders avoid drilling, but it says they wiggle and sway, which makes the motor mount unstable. Homemade mounts are possible too, but the same article warns that a failed mount could ruin the kayak or leave it full of water. A stern mount keeps the motor’s weight on the kayak’s centerline; on a kayak with no usable stern, a side mount may be the practical choice, at the cost of the stability Newport mentions. If your kayak’s maker offers a motor mount or adapter plate for your model, start there; Garmin notes that adapter plates for kayaks without a compatible pattern may be available from third-party manufacturers.

How to Install a Trolling Motor on a Kayak, Step by Step

These steps show how to attach a trolling motor to a kayak with a stern mount, following Garmin’s Force Current instructions, with Newport’s notes for clamp-on motors. Disconnect any battery before you begin; Garmin says to always disconnect the motor from the battery before handling or working with the propeller or electrical connections.

1. Check propeller clearance first. Before the mount goes on, Garmin says to rotate the motor by hand through a full 360 degrees to make sure the propeller clears the hull, to allow for flexing of the mounting location once the motor is installed, and to check with each propeller you plan to use. If it touches, move the mounting location.
2. Use the existing pattern if it fits. Garmin has you measure from the edge of the stern to the nearest mounting hole. Under 1 1/8 in. (29 mm), the mount goes straight on. Between 1 1/8 in. and 3 15/16 in. (29 to 100 mm), it calls for a 3/4 in. (20 mm) spacer. Farther than that, the integrated holes will not work, and you need an adapter plate or new holes.
3. Drill only where you can reach underneath. Garmin’s bolt-through method needs access to the space under the mounting surface. Mark and drill four holes, then bolt the mount with plain washers on top and fender washers and nuts underneath. Garmin says to use washers on both sides, warns that leaving any out may damage the motor and the kayak, and says some kayaks need a backing plate. Check what is on the other side before drilling, and wear safety goggles, ear protection, and a dust mask, as Garmin advises.
4. Seat the motor. On the Force Current, you lower the motor onto the mount at about a 45-degree angle, let it pivot down to vertical, and tighten the knobs on both sides. On a clamp-on motor such as Newport’s Kayak Series, the owner’s manual has you loosely tighten the mounting screws, set the depth, then tighten them, and warns not to over tighten the bracket, to avoid damaging the fiberglass shaft.
5. Set the angle. Garmin’s locking pin has three positions to offset the angle of the stern; pick the one that puts the motor shaft perpendicular to the water surface.
6. Set the depth. Newport’s manual says to set the depth collar so the propeller blades sit 6 to 12 in below the surface, without the motor being close to or in danger of hitting the bottom. Its kayak setup article targets about 12 in. When you set the depth, make sure the propeller still clears the hull through its full rotation, as Garmin’s Force Current owner’s manual requires.
7. Set up the controls you can reach. A stern-mounted tiller is out of reach from the seat, which is why Newport suggests a tiller extension handle. Garmin’s kit raises and lowers the motor with a pull rope run through pad eyes to a cleat just in front of the seat and off to one side, mounted on the kayak’s track or threaded inserts where possible.

Battery Placement and Balance

Newport’s kayak setup article recommends the front storage area, so you can reach the battery and the circuit breaker and use the battery as balancing weight, and says some kayaks have a storage area with bungee cords to secure it. It stresses being able to reach the circuit breaker so you can reset it if it trips.

• Cable length. Newport says its motors come with 4 ft battery cables, except the Kayak Series at 5.5 ft, and that a battery stored at the other end of the boat may need a 5 ft or 10 ft extension kit. Check the reach before you pick the battery’s spot.
• Circuit protection. Both makers call for it. Newport’s manual recommends a manual reset circuit breaker in the motor leads within 72 in. (1.8 m) of the battery. For the Force Current, Garmin requires the positive wire to run through a circuit breaker or fuse rated for 40 A continuous, with the breaker off before you connect the power cable. Newport’s Kayak Series manual gives no breaker rating, and Newport’s own pages give two: its trolling motor FAQ says the 86 lb motor is “rated for 50A” and recommends a 50 amp breaker for the 46, 55, and 86 lb motors, while its NV Series product page lists 60A for the 55, 62, and 86 lb versions. For a Newport motor, go by the label or paperwork that came with it, or ask Newport which rating applies. For a Garmin motor, use the rating in its manual. Either way, follow the placement in your own manual, or have a qualified marine installer do the wiring, which Garmin recommends.
• Battery type. Use the battery your motor’s manual lists. Newport’s manual recommends a 12-volt deep cycle or marine battery for the Kayak Series, and its kayak article cautions that many 12V lithium batteries put out 14 to 16 V when fully charged, which can wear down or damage brushed trolling motors.
• Warning signs. If a battery swells, gets unusually hot, or smells burnt, stop using it and contact the battery maker.

Then look at the trim. A stern motor plus a battery up front can leave the kayak sitting level; a side mount pulls weight to one side, which is why Newport’s launch steps call for enough weight on the opposite side to stabilize the boat. Sit in the kayak at the dock with everything aboard and shift the battery or gear until it floats level.

Launching and the First Run

Newport’s kayak setup article gives launch steps for a side mount: attach the motor in a parallel orientation so it does not touch the ground, keep it in neutral at speed 0, make sure there is enough weight on the opposite side, push off about two feet, sit down leaning slightly away from the motor, and paddle out to 2 ft of water or more before tilting the propeller in. For a rear mount, put the bow in first, keep the motor clear of the ground, and get deep enough to lower it before you sit in.

Garmin’s Force Current owner’s manual adds rules worth keeping for any kayak motor:

• Make sure the motor is stowed before you get in or out of the kayak, so you cannot drive it by accident.
• Always carry a paddle, in case of a power failure.
• Never run the motor with the propeller out of the water, and do not use it where people in the water could touch the propeller.
• In reverse, the kayak may steer unexpectedly because the hull interferes with the thrust, so stay alert and watch your surroundings.
• Remove the motor from the kayak before transporting the kayak.

Newport’s manual also says users should always wear approved life jackets. Before your first trip with the motor, check your state’s boating agency for any registration or equipment rules that apply. After the first outing, go over the mount bolts, the knobs, and the cable routing again, and look for any spot where the propeller or cable has rubbed.

Who Should Skip the Install

A motor isn’t for every kayak or every angler. If your kayak maker does not approve a motor for the hull, if the stern is not flat and no adapter is made for your model, or if you cannot reach under the deck to bolt a mount and there is no compatible mounting pattern, talk to the kayak maker before you buy. If you mostly paddle short distances on small, calm water, the extra weight of a motor and battery, plus the charging routine, may cost more effort than it saves. For motors and related guides, browse the trolling motors section.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you install a trolling motor on a boat?

It depends on the mount. A transom motor clamps onto the back of the boat: Newport’s manual has you snug the clamp screws, set the depth, then tighten. A bow mount bolts through the deck; Garmin’s Force installation instructions say to place it so the deployed motor is as close to the boat’s centerline as possible and to verify the deck is strong enough for the motor’s weight and force, using a backing plate if needed. Follow your motor’s instructions either way.

How do I install a transducer on a trolling motor?

Garmin’s trolling mount transducer instructions have you strap the mount to the motor body with the front of the transducer pointed away from the propeller, set it parallel with the bottom, and leave a service loop in the cable at the pivot; the full steps for mounting a transducer on a trolling motor are in a separate guide.

Do I have to drill holes in my kayak?

Not always. If the kayak has a compatible threaded mounting pattern or a track system, Garmin’s instructions use those. Otherwise its bolt-through method means drilling four holes, and two of the aftermarket kits Newport’s mount article describes require drilling as well. Rod holder mounts avoid drilling, but Newport says they wiggle and sway.

Where should the battery go in a kayak?

Newport recommends the front storage area, where you can reach both the battery and the circuit breaker. Secure it so it cannot shift, and check that the motor’s cable reaches without strain.

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