Bixpy trolling motor for my kayak

[Johnnh]

Anyone out there using a Bixpy J2 trolling motor on their kayak?

I have an Old Town Sportsman 120 PDL kayak and i plan on putting an electric trolling motor on it. I have read all sorts of documentation and watched video's on the J2. Its centainly not the least expensice option, but it looks like a reliable solution. I want to expand the distances I can travel so i am not worn down when getting the kayak back on my truck.
Note: i wont be using the steering control on the J2 since i have a rudder on the kayak
Looking forward to all good, bad and ugly comments
Thanks,
John

[Jethro]

I have no experience with this company or the motors, my only concern is how proprietary everything is. And if anything happens to the company it means you are out of luck. I couldn't see from my 60 seconds of looking over the website, do you have to use their batteries? Because that would make me super nervous. It would be a disaster if the company fails and is gone overnight. Then there is the chance the company makes it big, which can be even worse, because then it may sell to a big competitor and the tech changes- industry calls it planned obsolescence and is a real strategy. It's the same reason I subscribe to a drill powered ice auger rather than something like an Ion auger. With an Ion you are a slave to their proprietary battery technology. Very little risk now that we see Ion has become one of the biggest augers out there, but 10 years ago, anyones guess. I know it's similar to owning a Milwaukee drill with their proprietary battery tech, but you have very little risk that Milwaukee will eliminate the M18 battery tech at any point. That's my 2 cents FWIW!

[Johnnh]

Jethro,

Valid points.
They are 10 years into production and have decent warranty programs.
YES you have to use their lithium ion battery systems.
An important note on fishing from a kayak is keeping the weight down. The bixspy j2 is roughly 9 lbs.
I have a couple motor guide motors  and i considered mounting one on  my kayak.
Balance and weight come into play. A battery would add about 40 lbs and the motor another 30 lbs. So i trashed that idea.
The cost to move up to the Old Town Sportsman 120 AutoPilot with minkota spot lock is extreemely cost prohibitive (almost 6,000 by the time you add a battery).

I appreciate your points and will continue to review all sorts of alternatives
John

[lowaccord66]

My friends have the old towns.  One has 10" udh garmin with live scope.  His rig costs more than my 2004 stratos.  I tell him its silly.  Plus the electric motor means you have to have registration and a safe boating certificate.  Id rather go 60mph personally.

[Steve H.]

My friends have the old towns.  One has 10" udh garmin with live scope.  His rig costs more than my 2004 stratos.  I tell him its silly.  Plus the electric motor means you have to have registration and a safe boating certificate.  Id rather go 60mph personally.

Agree.  I didn't spend much more on my 14' Lund than some of these yaks.  Crazy.

[Johnnh]

My post was intended to get opions on adding a Bixpy j2.

[Mac Attack]

My post was intended to get opions on adding a Bixpy j2.

Yea, we sometimes go off on a wee bit of a tangent.   

You might be best to research this trolling motor online if you don't get a response here.
Also, please remember that it's possible many of the members haven't yet migrated back here to the softwater site from Ice Shanty.
Good luck on your quest.

Please do a report here if you do end up getting one of these.
Thanks.

[lowaccord66]

Im afraid not many people stray from minnkota or motorguide.

[Jethro]

Im afraid not many people stray from minnkota or motorguide.

Yeah, even though they are built like kids toys. Come to think of it, I had a Transformer toy that was built a heck of a lot better than my Ulterra.

[lowaccord66]

Yeah, even though they are built like kids toys. Come to think of it, I had a Transformer toy that was built a heck of a lot better than my Ulterra.

Ulterra is known to be junk.  I have had 0 issues with a 2014 terrova aside from it being less accurate on spot lock because it doesnt have the aux gps puck....but a guy can manage.

To me bixpy is the softwater equivalent of Polar ice shelters.  I remember on shanty all the fanboys raving about polar...until the business folded and they all were left holding the bag.

[TheCrittaC]

The make lithium deep cycle batteries. Any battery's weight is going to be determined by its cells more than its connectors. I'm not in the market for an electric motor, but if I was, I'd definitely get one that can take a standard battery.