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The type
There are two main types of electric motor that can be fitted to a float-tube. Firstly, there are traditional motors, with a control arm, which can also be mounted on a boat.
The second type is mounted directly under the float-tube, without the control arm.
In fact, it's not really the motor itself that's different, but rather the way it's installed. The choice between one or the other is a matter of taste, positioning and size, which we'll look at in detail below.
Installation
The type of engine you choose will therefore have a direct impact on its positioning, and there are two possibilities.
The first is to install the motor on a dedicated vertical support. In this case, you need a motor mounted on a shaft, which you clamp directly onto the support, as you would on the transom of a boat.
This allows you to change direction using the control arm, and also to lift the motor out of the water.
The second possibility is to opt for a motor that mounts directly under the float tube. This option seems advantageous for freeing up space on the float-tube, especially as some models, such as the Kahe Pod 600, integrate the battery directly, but it forces you to use only your flippers to change direction.
What's more, the motor is inaccessible when in use, and can't be raised if you're going through a shallow area.
The power
The electric motors used to power a float-tube are often the same products used to power a boat or any other type of light craft. In general, and no matter how the motor is mounted, the boat manufacturer specifies the power to be used.
Some models can accommodate motors up to 55 lbs, but in most cases, a 30 or 40-lb motor provides the best compromise between power and energy consumption.
How to order
There are three types of control for an electric motor.
- The handle
The first is the most classic, with a handle that you have to turn. On a float-tube, with the motor in the back, this is not the most practical or comfortable of controls.
- Remote control
The second is called a remote control, which in fact corresponds to a wired control that can be placed close at hand. It's more comfortable than the handle you have to turn, and allows you to control only the motor speed.
- The remote control
The third is control by remote control or wireless watch. The latter often accompanies motors placed under the float-tube, and can be used to control speed. With some top-of-the-range models, it is also possible to control the motor's direction. Fabulous, but this option often comes at a price, as with Garmin's Force Current, priced at ?2990.
In the final analysis, there are several possibilities when it comes to choosing a motor, and the choice depends above all on the desired use, power, affinity with a particular solution, available budget and, of course, the type of float-tube to be motorized and its use, all of which determine which solution is best suited.
