Watersnake T24 Kayak Electric Motor Review

The Watersnake T24 Kayak Electric Motor is affordable, well-constructed, and powerful enough for most kayaks.

I have previously reviewed the Watersnake Kayak Motor Mount, which pairs perfectly with this motor.

It is a good product but missing one feature that keeps it from a full 5 out of 5 stars.

That feature is the missing throttle control on the tiller for easy speed adjustment.

The switches for the speed and reverse settings are not adequate for several important reasons.

Let’s take a closer look.

Perfect Power for a Small Kayak or Dinghy

When considering pounds of thrust, do not confuse them with horsepower. The two measurements are not interchangeable.

Adding more pounds of thrust does not automatically mean you will go faster.

Therefore, the Watersnake T24 will not propel you much slower than a 32-pound motor. In my tests on a 10- to 12-foot kayak, the top speed was around 5 knots. At full speed, you might reach up to 7 knots if the current and wind are in your favour.

I found this speed to be great for getting from point A to point B.

In fact, it feels quite fast compared to paddling. However, for slow trolling on a kayak, it is too quick, even on the slowest setting.ing.

In a small tinny (a little over 12 feet long), the trolling speed was fine. The difference in speed comes down to the boat’s weight, as expected.

Reaching behind to turn the motor on and off is awkward

On a kayak, turning around to switch the T24 Watersnake on and off is inconvenient.

This is where a throttle on the tiller would be an excellent addition to this model and its little brother, the T18.

Reaching behind to use the switches tends to unbalance a small kayak. This is not a problem in a tinny but is an issue in a kayak.

On a kayak, you have to twist your body and reach behind you. I found this awkward, and it makes the kayak feel unstable. It helps control both power consumption and speed. The current two-speed switches make it an all-or-nothing system.

Slowing down using a throttle would make trolling in a kayak easier.

This is my biggest complaint about the Watersnake T24 Electric Trolling Motor. Larger models, starting with the 34 lb version, have a throttle on the tiller handle.

Essentially, the throttle is a grip—much like the one on a motorcycle or an outboard motor—that you twist to speed up or slow down.

Watersnake T24 Battery Consumption

An electric trolling motor requires a deep-cycle battery.

A regular car or boat cranking battery will not work well. It drains quickly and drastically shortens the battery’s lifespan.

Using a 60-amp-hour (Ah) battery, I easily got two and a half hours of runtime with the Watersnake T24.

Since this was the longest time I needed to run the motor, I haven’t tested its maximum runtime. However, I suspect it could run about 3 hours at high speed.

It is important not to drain deep-cycle batteries below 25% capacity; keep this as a rough guide. Heavy for a kayak. Mine weighs just over 17 kg (37 lbs), which is quite a bit. A lithium battery with the same capacity weighs less than 8 kg (17 lbs).

Lithium batteries are a great choice for this purpose, but their cost is still high. Even so, they are cheaper than what boat owners spend on a basic 6-horsepower outboard motor.

A lithium battery charges faster and provides full power until it runs out. Lead-acid and AGM batteries cannot do this.

Overall, I cannot fault the battery life of this motor. A larger battery might last longer, while a smaller one—like a 36 Ah—provides about an hour and a half of use. That might be all you need, and the lighter weight is appealing.

Two-Blade Plastic Propeller

The Watersnake T24 Kayak Electric Motor comes with a two-blade plastic propeller.

It is reasonably durable but can break. I strongly recommend carrying a spare propeller.

Given how electric trolling motors work, amp usage would be too high if the propeller were made of aluminium or other heavy materials. Given this, I cannot fault the use of a plastic propeller.

It works well, and I doubt a three-blade design would be more efficient for a trolling motor this size. It might even be less efficient.

Spare blades cost around $20, and it is definitely worth keeping one in your toolbox or tackle box.

Is This Kayak Electric Motor Any Good?

Yes, this kayak’s electric motor is an excellent piece of equipment. The engineering is first-rate. I have compared it to cheaper trolling motors, and there is no comparison. The quality is definitely there. More expensive trolling motors, so I cannot say if other brands are superior at the same thrust level.

The fact that it is saltwater-rated is a great bonus, especially if you want to use it in estuaries, bays, or inlets.

I have no problem recommending the Watersnake T24 for kayaks or small boats (like a tinny) that are under 13 feet long.

My only complaint is the lack of a throttle on the tiller handle. With a throttle, even if it raised the price slightly, this motor would be perfect.

This throtThis throttle issue bothered me enough that I upgraded to the Watersnake Venom 34 lb thrust motor. The Venom is more expensive and heavier but has a tiller throttle with 5 forward speeds and 3 reverse speeds. That model better suits my needs. Conclusion & Product Rating

Pros

• Lightweight and well-balanced for kayak use.
• Both the motor and the fittings are light.
• Easy to steer.
• Simple installation.
• Easy to raise and tilt out of the water.
• After two months of salt and freshwater use (I always wash my gear after use), there was no corrosion on the fittings.

Cons

• No throttle on the tiller handle. You must twist and reach behind to change speeds or turn the motor on and off.
• The propeller blades are plastic and can break if they hit snags. Make sure you carry a spare prop!
• Adding a voltage regulator helps reduce battery consumption. (There are videos on YouTube showing how to add this.)
• It is not fitted with a safety cut-off lanyard. If you fall off, your kayak could continue moving without you. (There are also videos on YouTube showing how to add this safety feature.)

Summary

This motor is very well made. It is nicely finished and well designed. It has been used over the last couple of years, including in saltwater. Not a single component has corroded.

My only real complaint is the lack of a throttle on the tiller.

Adding a throttle, even if it increased the price, would drastically improve this motor.

I can say this confidently because I also use the Watersnake Venom SXW 34 lb motor. The speed control on its tiller offers a far better experience than the simple switches on the T18 and T24 models.

Of course, the Venom 34 lb model is considerably heavier than the T24 and might not be suitable for smaller kayaks under 10 feet long.

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