Video · Kayak Motors & Power
K4 Edge Smart Motor Review: A $500 Fin Motor With Remote Steering
I test the Edge Smart Drive K4, a fin-style motor you can steer with a remote, on an inflatable paddle board.
What’s in this video
The company sent me the Edge Smart Drive K4 after I asked to review it. They didn’t pay me. What caught my eye is that it’s a fin-style motor you can actually steer. Most motors that slide into a paddle board fin box are fixed, so you steer with your paddle. This one has a remote.
The battery is 22.2V, 9 amp hours, 199 Wh. The build feels solid. The prop guard doesn’t flex, the body feels like aluminum, and the fin part looks replaceable if you break it. It came with mounts for both common fin box styles. One tip: put the guard grate on before the prop, then snug the nut with the tapered side facing in. The remote charges by USB-C, has a nice display, and steering snaps back to center. There are buttons to trim the motor straight if your mount is a little off.
For the test I used an inexpensive Niphean inflatable paddle board from Amazon. I pumped it to 12 PSI, its rating, and you’d drop it to about 7 PSI for storage. Boards around $200 usually have glued seams. If you spend more, look for welded seams. My welded seam truck topper has lasted over a year in the Florida sun and two hurricanes. The board didn’t have great tie points, so I used Velcro straps from Home Depot on the rear handle. Then my dog Nami hopped on and we hit 8.1 km/h. I think you could put this on a regular plastic kayak with minimal effort too.
Key moments
- 0:00 Unboxing the motor
- 4:29 Battery and remote setup
- 6:25 Paddle board assembly
- 9:38 Installing motor on board
- 10:36 Water test and features
Quick takeaways
- Use the trim buttons on the remote to straighten the motor if your mount is slightly off center.
- Install the guard grate before the prop, and seat the nut so its taper meets the taper on the bolt.
- If your board has few tie points, Velcro straps to the rear handle add security.
- It hit 8.1 km/h on a paddle board with me and my dog.
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