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Speed
The Johnson Escape Touring Boat Electric Kayak moves quite briskly at about 3-4 mph (their tech support says up to 5 mph). This might not sound very fast but actually it is! Interestingly, this boat goes about twice as fast as a jon boat and a trolling motor on full speed, so it moves out quite nicely. It has a much more efficient design that cuts through the water compared to a jon boat and it can go significantly faster than the average paddler can paddle for any extended period of time.
For many people, 3-4 mph in a kayak seems more like about 8 mph because you are sitting so close to the water. If you ask someone in the boat how fast they think they are going, they are not likely going to say 3 mph!
Comfort
Bar none, I have been in the electric boat business for years and I know of no other huge tandem / 2-seater electric kayak-styled watercraft like the Johnson Escape Touring Boat anywhere on the planet with thick padded seats and this kind of width and leg room. Maybe other boats like this exist in other countries, I do not know, but I have never seen anything like it in the USA. Nothing I've seen can even compare. Also, while the padded seats are excellent, some people may wish to use this boat without the padded seats. The boat basically has nice molded-in chair areas and floor slats that can be used as foot supports or foot rests. You get a lower center of gravity without the padded seats and you can add your own cushions or beach towels if you wish.
Steering Control
This boat offers convenient lever steering right at your fingertips without having to reach behind your back as with rear tiller steering type arrangements.
Motor
Its powerful 30 LB thrust Minnkota motor offers 5 forward speeds and 3 reverse speeds. A 30 LB thrust motor is the maximum size motor that we recommend for virtually any lightweight kayak size / style boat. This is because larger motors typically only create a larger wake behind the boat but offer little if any additional top end speed. With larger thrust motors, you end up burning up more battery capacity a lot quicker for no good reason.
Few people know that virtually all trolling motors are "geared" (actually referring to the prop pitch) to go 5 MPH regardless of whether they are 30 LB thrust or 101 LB thrust. The difference is strictly in the pulling power and a 30 LB motor can move a fairly heavy boat as it is. You only need a bigger motor for a significantly heavier boat. This size motor is more than enough for a lightweight boat with a polyethylene hull and usually even offers enough pulling power to tow another similar size boat. Anything more is generally overkill and often just causes a waste of battery power.
Run Time
The Touring Boat can run for up to 5-8 hours on slow to low-medium speeds. Medium to medium high speeds can reduce the run time to about 3-4 hours and full speed all the time can reduce the range to up to about 2 hours.
Battery & Charger
The boat has its own covered compartment for the battery. It uses a standard Group 27 (car battery size) deep cycle marine battery available pretty much at any Walmart for maybe $60 or so. You can also use a non-spillable AGM type battery which costs a bit more. Buy a spare battery if you like for more run time and keep it on hand to switch out when you get back to shore. Then go out for more time on the water.
You will also need a charger. Virtually any inexpensive 12V automotive battery charger should do nicely if you plan to charge the battery when it is out of the boat, well away from water and in a dry well ventilated place. But I like the $65 Guest brand Charge Pro Model 2608A 6-AMP marine charger. These are quality built. A marine grade charger is essential if you are charging on board or anywhere near water. I use an on board Guest charger like this even as an external charger in my garage. They are very nice chargers, a lot nicer than the standard (sheet-metal construction) automotive grade chargers.
Ocean / Saltwater Ready
Do you have any idea what a salt-water ready rig like this usually costs? Just a salt water ready electric motor can cost a small fortune. This boat is an unbelievable deal. Even if you only use it in fresh water, you are still getting the extra ruggedness and durability of a saltwater ready boat.
Exercise
I consider this the ultimate exercise machine if you want to use it in paddle mode. You can paddle out and power home when you get tired. Or you never have to paddle at all. Many people avoid paddle kayaks for fear of running out of steam and fear of not being able to get back if they tire out. Not so with this electric kayak!
Power-Assist Paddling
The steering on this boat is tight enough to stay centered so you can run the motor on slow to assist you in paddling! For those that are concerned that a kayak this large may have too much drag for paddling, running the motor on low can overcome the slight drag if any of a larger kayak like this and its motor. Or you can retract the motor and paddle with no power assist.
Made By a Great Company
Did you know that Johnson Outdoors is one of the most respected names in outdoor recreation and they are the makers of Minnkota Trolling Motors, the best and most popular brand of trolling motor on earth? They have invested a ton of money in the design, engineering and manufacturing of this boat which is backed by their excellent reputation and warranty.
My advice: buy yours now before I decide to keep them all for myself and start a water craft rental company! Just kidding, but that is a really good idea for you rental-minded buyers! This is designed to take the beatings and punishment of commercial renting. So image how well it will serve us regular folks! -Paul
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