Gen 3 PRO Ductless Integrated Rudder Propulsion System for Hobie™ Kayaks

I have 2 Gen 2 units for my Hobie Outback and PA14. It pushed the PA14 at 3.4. The new Gen 3 pushes it at 4.2. I just used it for 3.5 hours with quite a bit of full speed throttle to see how it performed. Had 86% power left when done. This is exactly what I was hoping for with the upgrade.

Yesterday was the first opportunity I had to get out kayak fishing using the Gen 3 system. It was amazing!

The conditions were: inshore bay off the Gulf of Mexico, clear & sunny, wind SE to S to 10 knots sustained, gusts occasional 12 to 14, water surface was constant ripples with occasional light chop. Kayak is a 2019 Hobie outback.

I fished for about 5 hours, returning with 79% on the battery. There were a total of about 1 hour haul-butt transits to get to the fishing spots I had selected for this trip. The rest of the time was all fishing. Transits were done a just under full power where I could maintain 3.8 - 5 MPH on GPS. During fishing periods I maintained 0.2 to 1.5 MPH. Total distance was around 7 miles.

I was so impressed that I could throttle down to 0.3 - 0.4 MPH to control drift while exploring grass flats with soft plastics, drop down to .2 MPH or less to actively fish an area, move up to 1.0-1.4 MPH to re-position for another drift, then open up to 4-5 MPH to transit to my next spot. It was pretty easy to tweak rudder position and RPM to adjust drift for different wind or water conditions.

Also, after using my paddle around my launch/recovery spot, I NEVER used the pedals!

There was only one downside issue I noticed - the motor is not "silent". A low power, .2 - 1.2 MPH, there was no audible noise, 1.5 - 3.0 MPH there was some audible noise and about 3.0 MPH the noise was very noticeable, but I wasn't fishing at those higher speeds anyway. At any speed I noticed only electronic noise and no acoustics from cavitation, which is really impressive for a standard prop rotating at those speeds.

This is a very impressive system for the avid kayak fisherperson and I'm sure it will get even better with upgrades. If I had another kayak, I'd buy a second Gen 3 system in a heart beat. If you're on the fence, just do it!

I’ve been using Texas power paddle for two years now I have the GEN two and the GEN three and this GEN three is amazing. It cuts right through the grass It’s got more speed and it still has great battery life eight hours of fishing no problem. I’ve had it all over the south east and it is a must have I use it from going from point A to point B and as well as being able to turn on a dime, it takes two minutes to set it up when you get to the ramp every morning the set up when you first get the motor is about 10 minutes. I recommend this motor to everyone I fish around. It’s slim design no one ever knows, you have a motor and they always ask. It’s the future. It’s amazing. Check out my Instagram if you want to see it in action! @Joe_h_kirk

I already had Gen2 units on my PA14 and recently added one to my Lynx also. I was pleased with the clean install and they work like a champ in the right conditions. Its not every day that I needed a more "weedless" option but when the Gen3 Pro was announced I knew I would get one. Ive used it now twice and its definitely got a little more "juice" and I was able to power through some pretty thick grass on my initial test runs. Im convinced it will do what I need it to do in my home waters in N Alabama and on my frequent saltwater trips to Florida and Louisiana.

I fish frequently on the Susquehanna and Junatia rivers in Pennsylvainia. I also fish some lakes. Although I love my Hobie PA 14, the 360 drive does not hold up well going upstream in high current or in grass.

I installed a gen 2 rudder mount as a peddle drive assist. I was delighted with it. In lakes, I only used my peddle drive for positioning against wind. The materials are top quality, the install was easy and the battery allows me to fish for a couple of days before recharging. It helped in normal river current as well. I still wanted more torque for high water, so I ordered the gen 3 as soon as it was introduced. I haven't used it yet but based with MT gen 2 experience, I have no doubt it will exceed my expectations. I strongly recommend Texas Power Paddle products. These are essential for anyone who has the fragile 360 drive.