UPDATED: Clone Wars: Kayak Motors Torqeedo vs Newport Vessels

Today I received a press release introducing a new motor that looked eerily familiar. Newport Vessels launched their new NK-180S kayak motor which shares a striking resemblance to the Torqeedo motors from Germany. The Newport motor boasts a price tag of $799 and similar specs as well.

***New Update Added at the end of this article***

Before I dive too far into the opinion, here is the press release:

[SAN FRANCISCO, Jan. 5, 2020] — Traveling farther and covering more water in one day just got easier for kayak anglers. Introducing the NK-180S electric motor by Newport Vessels. This new kayak motor launched today after two years of development with engineers and passionate anglers.

The innovative prop design delivers smooth, powerful acceleration with a 24-volt brushless motor and top speeds at more than 5 knots on most kayaks. The motor increases kayak anglers’ effective range and bolts to a 4-bolt Power-Pole style stern mount.

The lightweight NK-180S features integrated steering with a variable speed throttle controller. Steering cables can be set up to turn the motor like a rudder using the kayak’s OEM mounted foot-pedal systems. Or, a pin can lock the motor in a fix-position for use on many styles of fishing kayaks, paddleboards, and inflatables.

“Our goal is to make getting out on the water more accessible for everyone,” Josh Loseke, brand manager for Newport Vessels, said. “Upgrading your fishing kayak shouldn’t come at the cost of a house payment, so we worked for more than two years to develop an affordable motor unlike comparable products already on the market, while also delivering industry-leading performance. Our latest kayak motor gives anglers the ability to travel farther and the mobility needed to catch more fish in a day.”

The NK-180S features the latest brushless DC motor technology and is optimized to deliver high efficiency in a compact package. The propulsive power of the NK-180S is roughly equivalent to a 1.8hp petrol outboard motor, but with silent and emission-free power delivery.

The motor package can be easily installed on most fishing kayaks and set up to accommodate rudder steering or a fixed position for use with a paddle.

It is also significantly lighter than a conventional trolling motor, making it the perfect upgrade for your fishing kayak. It offers a quiet and affordable solution to upgrade your kayaking fishing experience forever.

Take it to the next level with a new NK-180S, available at [Newport Vessels]. Power up, enjoy the adventure and make your time on the water the best it can be.

ADDITIONAL PRODUCT DETAILS:

Cost: $799
SPECS:
Static Input Power – 600W/25A
Battery Type – Deep cycle marine battery – 24V
Optional Battery Type – 25.9V lithium battery
Steering – Cable steering or fixed
Propeller Speed – 1800 RPM
Max Overall Efficiency – 48%
Stow/Deploy Method – Cable lift
Trim Angles – 0*, 9*, 18*, 27*
Propeller Diameter – 5.9 Inches
Control Method – Digital controller
Mount Attachment – Four-bolt mount

ABOUT NEWPORT VESSELS
Founded in 2008, Newport Vessels is a California-based direct-to-consumer provider of high-quality inflatable boats and marine products at the most affordable prices. Newport Vessels sells inflatable boats, trolling motors, and boat accessories. Newport Vessels has developed a continuous process improvement policy to guarantee production of world-class products and customer experiences.

If your still with me, I have some thoughts. First, this quote seems like shad and also is remarkably bold considering the look:

Upgrading your fishing kayak shouldn’t come at the cost of a house payment, so we worked for more than two years to develop an affordable motor unlike comparable products already on the market, while also delivering industry-leading performance.

Let’s look at that.

Here is the Torqeedo image set for the 403 motor.

Now here is the Newport Vessels motor:

 

Am I wrong here?

I can talk about free market, patents, etc etc all day long but Jesus, Mary and Joseph, please change something other than orange to yellow. That’s not even trying to change it 25% to try to avoid image copyright.

I’ve removed the hyperlinks so as to not directly feed web traffic to them but if I were Torqeedo, I’d be calling the lawyers about right now.

 

 

Comments from Newport Vessels:

Comment from Josh Loseke, brand manager for Newport Vessels:

Hi Chris, thanks for reviewing our product!  I’m sure you’re a very busy man, so we appreciate you looking into and learning about our new product.  We chose to use this mount design for our new brushless motor because popular anchor mount systems are already integrated into most quality fishing kayaks.  When creating a product for the kayak fishing market, it was important for us to build the product specifically for the customers we intend to serve. While the design uses a mount that has some familiar characteristics, it’s an entirely new brushless direct-drive motor incorporating differing components, accessories, and technology. This new design is made exclusively by Newport Vessels. We invite you to dive further into our products details and specifications. You’ll see they are different from our competitors, intended to improve our customers’ experience, and the overall motor performance and functionality. Additionally, our motor is compatible with a Lead-Acid battery as a power source, instead of being limited to a one brand proprietary lithium battery.  Battery technology is constantly evolving & changing and it was important that our product could accommodate a variety of power sources. It uses an all-metal aluminum bell housing instead of a plastic motor head, and it uses direct drive technology (differing it from most products on the market). This motor is an all-new custom design made by Newport Vessels and we would love your continued feedback once getting it out on the water.  If you would like, I’d be more than happy to discuss our product further with you. Thanks, Chris!