Kayaks nowadays are often loaded with electronics. And you’ll need plenty of power to makes sure it’s all running properly. Having the best kayak battery you can buy is essential. It helps you worry less about your gear and focus on what’s important: having fun.
This guide will cover the best kayak batteries. We’ll cover lower powered batteries for just a few accessories to higher powered batteries that can power electric motors.
So, you’re looking to power your kayak motor or accessories. There are a few considerations that are different from those of boaters.
Here, we’ll cover the key features that you’ll want in a kayak battery.
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LightWeight Kayak Batteries
When you’re on a kayak, weight is going to be a factor. Yes, you need to consider how much capacity the kayak has. But another consideration is convenience.
You’ll oftentimes be pulling your battery in and out of the yak. So having a lightweight battery can be a big benefit.
Also, even if your kayak can easily handle the battery’s weight, You wouldn’t want your kayak to be low in the water on the side that the battery is on.
If your kayak is low in the water in either the front or the back it will slow you down and make paddling harder.
So, if you’re looking for a lighter kayak battery, you should consider lithium ion batteries.
Old style batteries use lead and acid to create power. New batteries use lithium. Lithium is much lighter than lead.
As a result, lithium ion batteries can weigh up to 60% less than a comparable lead acid battery.
This can result in a 10 amp hour battery that weighs less than 3 pounds.
A comparable lead acid 10 amp hour battery can weigh twice that.
While this is definitely not a big deal for small batteries like this., When you need a 100 amp battery for a trolling motor, it’s a different story.
Drawbacks Of Lithium Ion Batteries.
So, what’s the drawback of lithium ion batteries? The price. You can pay over 2 times the price for a lithium ion battery over a lead acid battery.
Of course some argue that the price difference is worth it. This is because you get many more charge/discharge cycles out of a lithium ion battery. In the end, a lithium ion battery can last much longer than a lead acid battery.
What Size Battery Should I Get For My Kayak?
Most kayakers have pretty light demand for electric power compared to boaters.
One of the most common electronics on a kayak is a fish finder. Fish finders are not huge drains on a battery. So, you can get away with a 10 amp hour battery.
So long as you’re not using a larger display like a 12 inch version a 10 amp hour battery should be enough.
A 10 amp hour battery should provide enough power to run your fish finder and charge your phone too.
This size battery should easily last you all day.
You can get a battery this size that weighs from 3 to 6 pounds.
Here are some top choices for a 10 amp hour battery.
Best 10 Amp Hour Kayak Battery
1. Dakota Lithium 12 Volt Rechargeable Lithium Battery – 12 V 10 Ah – LiFEPO4
The Dakota Lithium 10ah battery weighs just less than 3 pounds. It’s also compact. The size specs are 5.94×2.55×3.74 inches.
With specs like that, you could easily store this battery in a small compartment in your kayak. For example, you could store it in the front hatch of your kayak and not worry about the bow getting weighed down.
This battery comes with a BMS(Battery Management System). The BMS ensures that the battery is never overchareged or under-discharged. The BMS also balances the battery when it’s charged up.
About the only drawback of Dakota Lithium batteries is that they’re expensive.
2. Powerstar 10Ah 12volt SLA Battery
The Powerstar battery is a Sealed Lead Acid Battery. It will provide 10 amp hours at 12 volts just like the Dakota Lithium battery.
But that’s where the similarities end. You can buy 2 powerstars for the price of one Dakota Lithium battery and still have money left over.
Of course, you won’t get the same number of cycles from the powerstar.
Their dimensions are also different. The powerstar is L- 5.95 inches long, 2.56 inches wide and 4.37 inches high. It also weighs about 6 pounds.
While the Powerstar battery is a better deal on price, if longevity is a requirement, then you’ll want to consider a lithium ion battery.
Best 50 Amp Hour Kayak Batteries
If you’re running a trolling motor, then a 10ah battery just won’t do. If you want to motor around all day, you’ll need more power. Like 5 times more power.
So, you’ll want to look at batteries in the 50 Amp hour range. If you’re running a trolling motor with about 40 pounds of thrust, you should be able to easily run it for 8 hours if the conditions are right.
One of the key conditions for this to be true is that you don’t run your motor at full throttle. Running your motor at full throttle could empty your batter in as little as 1 hour.
So, I would only use full power in emergency situations.
1. Dakota Lithium 54 Amp Hour
For all day trolling power the Dakota Lithium 54ah battery is a great choice. This is a 54 ah battery that weighs less than 20 pounds.
The dimensions are also impressive. It comes in at 9.01 inches long, 5.43 inches wide and 8.38 inches high.
Compare this to a sealed lead acid battery and you’ll find that the Dakota Lithium battery weighs less than half.
Unfortunately, the cost issues with lithium ion batteries is magnified at this power level.
The Dakota Lithium 50ah battery costs over 3 times what a comparable SLA battery does.
Still, if you need a reliable battery that can be charged over a thousand times, then you may want to make the investment in a Dakota Lithium.
Still, if you need a reliable battery that can be charged over a thousand times, then you may want to make the investment in a Dakota Lithium.
2. Powerstar 12 Volt 50 Amp (50Ah) VRLA AGM Sealed Lead Acid Battery
If the Lithium ion batteries are too pricey for your tastes, then you’ll want to consider the sealed lead acid type. The dimensions of the Powerstar are actually pretty close to that of the lithium ion battery.
The powerstar comes in with the following measurements:
Length: 9.0″ Width: 5.4″ Height: 8.1″.
That however is where the similarities end. The powerstar weighs 38 pounds. So it’s about twice as heavy as a lithium ion. On the bright side, the Powerstar costs less than half of what a Dakota Lithium 50ah battery does.
So, it’s up to you to weigh the trade offs between these two.
I’ve used Powerstar batteries and had no real problems with them.
Amped Outdoors Batteries
Amped Outdoors is another lithium ion battery company. They’re a good alternative if you’re looking for a lithium ion battery that is more affordable.
Amped Outdoors has a 30 amp hour version. It’s worth a look because you can buy 2 of these and it would still cost less than a 50 amp hour battery made by the more expensive companies.
Users have been giving them good reviews too. So, the lower prices don’t seem to be compromising quality.
Conclusion
The kayak battery market is split between old style sealed lead acid batteries and newer lithium ion batteries.
As with most things, you’ll have to make trade off between prices and features. More charge cycles, longevity and and lightweight are the main benefits you’ll gain from a lithium ion battery.
