Life is so much easier when machines do our hard work. It’s why we taught robots to clean the house. It’s why we put electric motors in our bicycles and skateboards. And it’s why somebody built Electrafin, a motorized drive for kayaks, paddleboards, and longboards.
Made by Current Drives, it’s an electric motor conversion kit designed to quickly install on existing gear, letting you enjoy a leisurely cruise without having to swing a paddle the entire duration. No more tired arms and shoulders — just let the motor propel your ride and spend your time taking selfies instead.
Electrafin is designed to fit into any standard paddleboard and longboard fin box, allowing you to set it up in as short as one minute. For kayaks, it’s only meant to play nice with ones that have a rudder system, although if you’re willing to make light modifications, it can be retrofitted to any type of canoe. The motorized components will sit on the underside of the board or boat, with the rechargeable battery on top. Operation is handled via a wireless remote that you can either mount on the board or wear around your wrist like watch.
When installed, it can propel boards to speeds of up to 5 mph, with the batteries juicing it for up to 6 hours of operation. Despite the generous range the battery provides, it’s relatively lightweight at under 10 pounds, so you should have no problem lugging it around with the rest of the gear. All electronic components are waterproof (IP67-rated).
Currently, Electrafin is a fully-funded project on Indiegogo. It’s still ongoing, with pledges to reserve a unit starting at $950.