Video · DIY Builds & Mods
Homemade Trolling Motor for a Hobie Mirage Drive Kayak
I show how I built a trolling motor that fits the Mirage Drive well on a Hobie pedal kayak, using a Watersnake motor and a cassette plug.
What’s in this video
Instead of buying the Hobie Evolve Torqeedo motor, I built my own setup that drops into the Mirage Drive well. It cost me under $165 at the time and took about 30 minutes with a Dremel and a drill.
I go over motor choice and specs (I used the Watersnake T24-SW), prep the Hobie cassette plug as a mounting adapter, take the motor head apart, shorten the shaft, put it back together and test it. Get the right cassette plug style for your Hobie, since there are two.
Key moments
- 0:00 Project overview
- 1:03 Motor choice and specs
- 2:13 Mounting adapter preparation
- 3:24 Disassembling the motor head
- 7:21 Shortening the motor shaft
- 10:24 Reassembling the motor
- 11:52 Final specs and testing
Quick takeaways
- Build time was about 30 minutes and total cost was under $165 at the time.
- Hobie cassette plugs come in two styles, so match yours before buying.
- The Watersnake T24-SW was my pick for power; the T18-S is the 18 lb thrust option.
- If you use a freshwater motor in saltwater, rinse it well after every trip.
Gear from this video
Affiliate links: some of these links earn KayakDIY a commission at no extra cost to you. Links and codes are from the original video description, so prices and availability may have changed. Affiliate disclosure.
- Amzn.to
- Amzn.to
- Hobie Cassette Plug (new style)
- Amzn.to
- Ecofishingshop.com
- Shop Bixpy Motor Kits For Kayaks
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