Electric trolling motor on canoe/kayak...do you need to register it?

[kayak2fish]

An update on my situation: I went to the DMV cold. I just strolled up to the window and said, "I hope you are ready for me!" The woman was very helpful. I told her I did not have a hull identification number and she gave me the paperwork and told me how to get one through the state Parks and Rec office. After contemplating what looked like a complicated process to get an HIN, I then remembered what muskyman 2 said about getting the HIN through the kayak maker. I called Perception and the woman there told me exactly where to look on the boat. I must have overlooked it before. Now I can forego Parks and  Rec and go right back the DMV with that and the title paperwork and I should be good. If it all works out I will be buying a trolling motor next week and will try to get her rigged up for a day of fishing the Saturday after next, if the lakes are open by then. I will start out on a smaller pond of course!

[muskyman2]

That is great news.  One of the best parts of these forums is providing some assistance and savings someone else hassles along the way.  I learned more than I ever wanted to know about hull identification numbers in getting mine registered.  Glad to be of assistance!

Muskyman2

[Buckski]

An update on my situation: I went to the DMV cold. I just strolled up to the window and said, "I hope you are ready for me!"

I was ready for some 70's music with a heavy beat. Good Story Ron

Glad things worked out going to the dmv without all the info can be a pian!

[wertty]

think of your  neighbor ,     some  of us like mother natures song. thank you.

[kayak2fish]

Trolling  motors are silent and I would only  be using it on waters that have motorized boat traffic already. 

[joejv4]

I'm in a similar situation, but a little different....

When My grandfather passed away, my grandmother gave me his old 10' aluminum johnboat.  I've been using it as a rowboat for years, but am thinking of putting a trolling motor on it. 

I have absolutely no paperwork for this thing.  I think my cousin had registered it for a year or two, since it was kept at the family cottage - that he bought when my grandmother passed away.

Somehow I get the feeling I'm going to be spending some time at DMV trying to get this thing registered.

Anyone ever dealt with something like this before?

[reelNeYesin]

tell the dmv its homemade
if it is, there is no paperwork simple enough

[Tom Leitz]

I just read the regs.  If I am correct you need to register a homemade boat if you want to put a motor on it - meaning you have to go through all the paperwork.

[JerryofWNY]

Yeah, you have to register it, but you don't have to get hull # or any papers from previous owners, manufacturers, etc.

[kayak2fish]

Well, I have found the HIN on my kayak and I have all of the paperwork. Tomorrow I go to the DMV to register the yak. I bought a Minnkota Endura 30, a deep-cycle battery and a charger on Saturday and am now coming up with a plan to mount the motor to my Perception Acadia. The battery weighs about 40 pounds and the motor about 10. I weigh 160 and so I am still 150 pounds under the maximum capacity of the kayak. Mounting it should be kind of interesting, but I think I can make it a stable enough platform by balancing out the weight of the motor with a  5# downrigger ball on the opposite side.  The opposite side is where I already use a downrigger so that should also compensate for the weight somewhat. The battery sits on the floor in the middle of the boat. I'll post some pics when I can.

[kayak2fish]

I'm legal.

[kayak2fish]

Well I strapped the motor on and took the kayak out today. It actually works. Pretty well I think. I am at about  220 pounds with everything including myself. The boat has a max cap. of 350 I think. Stability is still pretty good. The trickiest thing was working the tiller and the speeds. At top speed, she really kicks it up. I am thinking about adding some outriggers at this point so I can be more confident on bigger lakes. But for smaller lakes and ponds, I think I am all set. I may try and find a smaller 12V deep cycle battery. The current battery accounts for most of the extra weight. I tried it out in Seward Lake in Schenevus and caught two small bass. The wind even picked up a little, but did not present any problems. Wow. What a more efficient way to fish from a kayak. I was going to try it out on Arnold but that lake was still iced over.

[Willie Ketchum]

Kayak,  you may want to try one of the new style coil cell batteries like the Optima. They are considerably smaller and lighter and hold a charge longer.The only downside is the price. They are about twice that of a standard deep cycle. but they claim they last twice as long. I have only had mine a couple years, so i cannot attest to their longevity, but they do certainly hold a charge longer.

[muskyman2]

Kayak2fish:

I would recommend a deep cycle wheelchair battery which powered my kayak fine on Round Lake.  It is about 1/4 to 1/3 the weight of the normal deep cycle.  I also added some outriggers for stability and felt very comfortable.

Muskyman2

[bigfish1556]

Probably jinxing myself here, but have had a canoe and fished it around the state with a trolling motor installed and never ever gave thought to registering the thing.  Guess that's my little way of putting it to the man     I think they have better things to do than give a canoer or kayaker a hard time, or at least it should be that way - I've tried like h*ll and still haven't been able to produce a wake - and it doesn't really even get me around much faster than if I was paddling - in fact I think it's slower, with the drag and all.  F it. I'll take the risk.  I'll register something when I get a real motorized "boat".  I know, such a rebel........