Video · Rigging & Gear

Budget Kayak Rigging: $179 Battery, GPS Motor Adapter and Live Sonar

I walk through my budget rigging plan on the Wilderness Systems Tactical Pro, from battery choice to a GPS motor adapter and wireless live sonar.

Published January 30, 2026 · 14:01 · Watch on YouTube

What’s in this video

Before you buy a battery, plan what you’ll power: fish finder, motor, lights. That way you only buy it once. I go bow to stern on my Wilderness Systems Tactical Pro. Up front is the AutoBoat adapter, which turned a basic tiller twist throttle trolling motor into a smart motor with remote steering. The kayak is pre-plumbed with an Anderson connector, so I just plug it in and wire red to red and black to black at the breaker. Anchor mode is the feature I use most. It also holds a heading, saves fishing spots and runs routes.

For power I switched from heavy lead acid to the Watt Cycle 100Ah Mini. Watt Cycle sponsors the channel now, but you guys pushed me to try it. It’s about two iPhones tall, has Bluetooth monitoring, and should run that motor all day, maybe a weekend. At the time of the video it was $179 alone or $259 with a 20 amp charger.

In the back I run the Newport NT300. It’s light, close to zero maintenance, and a 36V system. Newport’s battery reads 38.4V. That’s normal: battery makers group by 12, 24, 36 and 48V, and a 48V pack might say 52V. Check with the company before you buy.

For sonar I’m going with Accuphy. It streams live sonar wirelessly to your phone or tablet, and at ICAST it was $699 for the transducer and wireless transmitter. It just needs a 12V lead, so I plan to build a pop-on live sonar turret.

Key moments

  • 0:00 Choosing the right battery for your kayak accessories
  • 0:39 AutoBoat System: Converting a manual motor to GPS steering
  • 1:28 Lead Acid vs. LiFePO4: Why I switched to Watt Cycle
  • 2:12 Watt Cycle 100Ah Mini: Size comparison and specs
  • 3:09 Price Breakdown: Battery & 20A Charger deal
  • 4:19 Installing the battery in a pre-plumbed kayak
  • 5:08 Testing AutoBoat features: Anchor Mode & Course Heading
  • 6:13 Newport NT300: The lightweight 36V electric outboard
  • 8:41 Understanding Voltage: 36V vs. 48V battery systems
  • 9:39 Accuphy PINGLIVE Wireless Sonar: Live imaging on your iPad/Phone
  • 11:16 YakAttack mounting & camera rigging tips
  • 12:56 Final summary and discount code recap

Quick takeaways

  • List everything you want to power now and later before you pick a battery, so you don't buy twice.
  • The Watt Cycle 100Ah Mini was $179 alone or $259 with a 20 amp charger at the time of the video.
  • A 36V motor needs a 36V class battery. Those often read around 38.4V, and that's normal.
  • Accuphy's wireless live sonar uses your phone or tablet as the screen and only needs a 12V connection.

Gear from this video

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