We’ve seen electric bicycle drivetrains in a number of small-format vehicles, but the Old Town Sportsman BigWater ePDL+ 132 brings e-biking to the kayak market. The ePDL+ 132 is basically a pedal-assist system for a kayak, though it also offers pedal-free operation that effectively turns it into a tiny electric boat.

The 13-foot (4-meter) Old Town Sportsman BigWater ePDL+ 132 is effectively a pedal kayak, meaning boaters can use their legs to spin bicycle-style pedals that, in turn, operate a small propeller below the boat.

Pedal kayaks are highly efficient, allowing users to power the boat through their more muscle-dense legs instead of paddling by hand. My father has a pedal kayak, and the thing really flies when you get cranking on those pedals. He is 68 and can leave a decent little wake behind him on leg power alone.

But the Old Town Sportsman BigWater ePDL+ 132 steps that pedal drive up a notch with the incorporation of a mid-drive motor built into the pedal assembly. Along with the battery, it offers pedal-assist operation so that boaters don’t have to work as hard to move the kayak on their own.

There’s a manual mode that switches off the motor entirely (and works with the battery removed as well). That’s good for when you don’t want to burn any battery and prefer to do all the pedaling yourself.

When you’re ready for a boost, there’s a pedal assist mode that multiplies the boater’s pedaling power with the motor and battery. And for those that want to go full “cruise control,” there’s also a fully electric mode similar to throttle control on an e-bike that lets users motor along without pedaling at all.

The kayak weighs 143 pounds (68kg) but can support a payload of up to 357 pounds (162kg).

There are five power levels, and just like we’ve seen on other small electric boats, the power level drastically affects the run time of the battery.

At full power in level 5, the 36V 20Ah (720 Wh) lithium-ion battery lasts for around three hours. Dropping down to level 1 will sip away much more slowly at the battery, with the company claiming 46 hours of run time. You should probably bring snacks.

Priced at $5,999, the Old Town Sportsman BigWater ePDL+ 132 is available through the company’s dealer network.

Electrek’s Take

I love seeing all of these new electric boats coming to the market, and electric kayaks make the sport even more accessible.

Sure, there will probably be naysayers doing the old “just pick up a paddle!” thing, just like the equivalent “just pedal!” folks in the e-bike community. But they’re simply missing the point in the same way. The whole idea here isn’t laziness but rather being able to push farther.

If you’re kayaking for adventure, then you’ll be able to stay out on the water longer and explore more places along the river or bay than you could with a paddle or by leg power alone. If you’re an angler, you’ll be able to reach spots that are further out or just explore more fishing areas in the same trip.

There’s also a safety aspect to consider here in terms of the ability to use motor power to help get back home or self-rescue in an emergency. Several years ago, I bought a new (to me) kayak on Craigslist and tossed it in the river the next day. I was having such a blast exploring the mangroves that I made it all the way out into the bay and eventually into the Gulf of Mexico. It was over a decade ago, but I still vividly remember watching the water turn from brown brackish river water to green bay water to blue ocean water. A school of dolphins joined me for a few minutes, and I paddled my heart out to keep up with them for as long as I could. It was freakin’ majestic, I tell you.

In fact, it was so amazing that I had forgotten to keep my own energy levels in mind. By the time I headed back in, I knew I was past my halfway point. To make matters worse, the tide was going out now, and the river was currently flowing out much faster. I don’t know how I did it, but I paddled 18 miles back, long since having run out of granola bars to keep me going. Just as I remember that blue water to this day, I also remember deliriously dragging my boat up onto the bank where I had put it in at the start of the day, collapsing next to it in the sand. What I wouldn’t have given for a little electric motor then…