Best paddleboard with motor

It might seem controversial to get a paddleboard with a motor, but these machines are incredibly useful during long stretches of SUP tours.

If you mostly engage in recreational SUP activities like touring, fishing, and yoga, then having a motorized paddleboard will help you make the most of your day, counter wind resistance, and minimize fatigue.

There aren’t as many motorized boards as there are non-motorized ones, but there are still enough to confuse you. In this article, I’ll show you the best ones to buy so you can start enjoying yours as soon as possible instead of worrying about what to buy.

My top picks include motor kits that you can attach to your existing board and paddleboards that come with motors. Here are my top picks for today:

Boost Motorized Fin

If you already own a paddleboard, buying this kit is the easiest way to take up motorized paddleboarding without spending a huge chunk of money.

This fin replaces the center fin on your paddleboard. It comes with an adapter that needs to be installed after removing the existing center fin. The motorized boost fin is then secured to the board using the adapter.

Boost offers adapters for different types of fin boxes, so this motorized fin should be compatible with your current board with the right adapter in hand.

With this product, you can cruise at a maximum speed of 10mph and adjust the speed according to your needs using the included remote control or the Boost Fin app.

The remote control offers three modes – a SUP assistance mode, a wind resistance mode, and a trolling mode. The SUP assistance mode boosts your SUP speeds so you can cover more distance and catch more waves with less effort.

The wind resistance mode makes paddleboarding on windy days and choppy waters much easier, while the trolling mode enables you to surf the waters without a single stroke of your paddle.

The Boost Fin’s battery life is relatively low and is determined by the selected mode. It lasts for 100 minutes on the SUP assistance mode, and this mode consumes the least amount of power.

Pros: This is the perfect solution to turn any paddleboard into a motorized board without spending thousands of dollars on a SUP package. It installs in five minutes or less and can be used with both kid and adult paddleboards. Additionally, its 10mph maximum speed is a respectable speed for a motor of its size.

Cons: The Boost Fin has a low-capacity battery that powers the motor for a maximum of 100 minutes, so you can’t use it continuously if you’re going on a long trip. This is the kind of motor you turn on only when you need some assistance or need to rest your hands for a few minutes unless you just want to SUP for an hour or so.

Sipaboards Drive All-rounder

Sipaboards specializes in manufacturing motorized boards, and the Drive All-rounder is one of their premium paddleboards designed for all types of SUP activities including touring, yoga, leisurely cruising, and perhaps some light fishing.

The Drive All-rounder is powered by the Sipaboards 2.0 jet engine optimized to deliver better performance and produce less noise than older models. The 3mph jet engine doesn’t just drive the board; it’s a multipurpose component.

If you have a hand or electric pump and you intend to buy this paddleboard, know that you’ll no longer need it as soon as this board arrives at your doorstep. It’s a self-inflating board that only needs the push of a button to inflate to the optimal pressure for stability and rigidity.

Once you push the button, the compressor built into the engine takes over and inflates the board in no time. The jet engine also powers the LED lights on the board.

The engine uses a battery pack as a power source and it lasts for six hours on a full charge, making the Drive All-rounder the perfect board for all-day water trips and adventures.

The board has a weight limit of 308 pounds and a length of 11 feet. It’s also a wide board, offering 35.4 inches of width that aids in balancing and provides room for an extra person or a pet.

The Drive All-rounder is built to serve and to last. It features a drop-stich core, double-rail side reinforcements, and an EVA-foam deck pad. It’s built with high-grade MSL (two layers of PVC fused with a layer of glass fibers in between). All of these combined form the rigid, highly durable, and rupture-resistant Sipaboard.

Pros: This board includes everything you need for motorized SUPing plus bungee tie-downs at the nose and enough D-rings to attach a SUP seat and other accessories.

A remote control for adjusting the speed of the engine, inflating the board, and controlling the LED lights; a battery pack; a leash; a carry strap; a three-piece carbon fiber paddle; and a backpack are all part of the package. You can also use the free Sipaboards app to control the engine.

Cons: This paddleboard will set you back a few thousand. If you have a low budget, then this package is not for you. It’s also a single-fin board, and it’s built this way because motorized boards work better with single fins. However, this would be a disadvantage when paddling manually on choppy waters.

Scubajet Pro All-in-One Kit

Don’t let the name confuse you. Yes, this is a scuba diving motor but it has been adapted for use on paddleboards. With its fin adapter, you can attach this amazing motor kit on any paddleboard with a US or slide-in fin box and enjoy paddleboarding at a speed of 7mph for 2 hours.

Scubajet offers a lot of upgrades, including a battery upgrade that increases the battery’s duration from 2 hours to 4 hours.

During nighttime paddleboarding, the LED light at the nose of the Scubajet Pro illuminates your path, but it’ll set you back a couple hundred as it’s an optional upgrade. If you don’t SUP at night, you probably won’t need it.

Even though this is a SUP motor package, it can be used for underwater activities like snorkeling, diving, and swimming. It comes with two remote controls, one for SUPing and one for underwater use.

The SUP remote control is a wearable device that looks like a smartwatch and displays important information like battery status, speed, and LED light status. The underwater controller is a handheld controller that displays similar information including depth.

This motor kit has a nifty feature that shuts off the motor when the distance between the motor and the remote gets to a certain point. This means you won’t be left behind if you fall off your board.

Pros: This is a complete motor kit with two remote controls for SUPing and underwater surfing and an upgradeable motor for longer motorized SUP hours. It’s compatible with a vast amount of paddleboards too and only adds about 7 pounds of extra weight to your board.

Cons: You can purchase a motorized paddleboard at the same price that this motor kit sells for. I also don’t like how Scuba charges extra for its LED light.

Onean Manta Electric Jetboard

The Onean Manta is a solid board made of laminated fiberglass with an EPS core. It can reach a maximum speed of 6mph on water and its battery lasts 6 hours.

A wireless remote control is supplied with the board that lets you select from three different speed levels, and it’s easy to use.

To move at 50% speed or 3mph, you press the button once. Pressing it twice gets you to 70% speed and pressing it a few times gets you to maximum speed.

This board has several built-in safeguards that stop the engine when something risky happens like the engine or battery overheating.

The Onean Manta package includes a safety leash connected to a magnetic key that needs to be linked to the board to start the motor. This is another safeguard that keeps the board from moving if you fall off. In the event of a fall, the key disconnects and the engine stops running.

This solid board is 35.4 inches wide and consequently has a lot of stability on water. At 7 feet 6 inches, it’s a short board and so is easier to maneuver, but it is slower than a medium or long board during manual paddling.

However, since this is a motorized board that can run automatically for 6 hours, you won’t be doing a lot of paddling, if any, so its paddling speed shouldn’t be a matter of concern. This board has anchor points for a SUP seat too.

Pros: This is a good electric hard board for SUPing. It can reach speeds of up to 6mph and its battery lasts for 6 hours and requires only 2.5 hours of charging time to reach full capacity.

The Onean Manta comes with four fins, a strator, and an impeller. Its bundle also includes a remote control, chargers, a footstrap, a leash, a tooling kit, a paddle, a battery, and a battery bag.

Cons: This board is pricey. You can get a cheaper version of it without the motor, battery, and accessories for half the price, but I wouldn’t recommend that. Also, this board is a hard board, so it has a lower weight capacity and is harder to carry around than an inflatable board.

The Onean Manta is perfect for touring large expanses of water and sightseeing with the motor running, but it’s not suitable for long periods of manual paddling.

Bixpy K-1 Outboard Motor Kit

The highlight of the Bixpy K-1 outboard kit is its K-1 motor, which is a lighter, quieter, and sturdier version of its predecessor, the J-2 motor.

The K-1 motor is capable of propelling your paddleboard for up to 12 hours at a stretch depending on the speed it’s running at. At its lowest speed it can run for 12 hours straight, and at its highest speed it can keep your board moving for about an hour and 20 minutes.

The motor and its battery are light, weighing just 10 pounds, and they are easy to install and remove. The motor is also capable of driving forwards and backwards, which is a huge plus when navigating difficult terrain.

A bluetooth remote control is included with the Bixpy outboard kit and it enables you to choose your desired speed. There are three speed options for reversing and 12 speed options for forward movement.

The remote control is a small device, and one of the top concerns regarding small devices such as this one is the possibility of losing it while SUPing. That said, this one is floatable, so if you ever drop it into the water, you can retrieve it in less than a minute and pick up where you left off.

Bixpy have lots of adapters designed for different kinds of fin boxes listed on their website, so you can use this motor kit with your existing board, but you’ll need to buy the right adapter separately as the motor kit doesn’t include one.

The package does include a battery, remote control, the K-1 motor, a magnetic kill switch, floating leash, and several more add-ons for operation and maintenance.

Pros: The Bixpy outboard kit is an easy-to-use feature-rich motor kit that can reach speeds up to 7mph. The heavier the load on your paddleboard, the slower it will be. Its battery lasts a long time too, so it’s perfect for all-day SUPing.

It’s compatible with a wide range of small watercraft too including kayaks and canoes. If you ever buy a new watercraft such as a kayak, simply buy an adapter for it and you’ll be able to use this motor kit with both your paddleboard and kayak.

Cons: You need to buy your adapter separately, but this is probably the only option Bixpy has. Given that this kit is designed for a variety of watercraft they can’t include 17 adapters in every kit, so it only makes sense to let customers choose and buy the adapter they need.

Aqua Marina BlueDrive S Power Fin

The Aqua Marina power fin is neatly packaged in a nice travel box so you can easily take it with you anywhere. Pair it with any decent inflatable paddleboard and you’ll have two easily transportable packages that you can assemble anywhere into a motorized paddleboard and SUP with.

The box includes the lightweight power fin that weighs just 5.5 pounds, a battery, a charger, and a remote control affixed to an armband holder to prevent you from losing it during trips.

This power fin is moderately fast with a top speed of about 4mph and can be installed in the center fin slot of paddleboards that come with slot box fin systems. If your paddleboard has a US fin box, you’ll need to purchase a US fin box adapter from Aqua Marina to install this power fin.

There’s a kill switch too in the form of a safety leash. The leash has a magnetic key that needs to be connected to the battery to power it on. One end of the leash has the magnetic key while the other end attaches to your ankle. If you fall off your board, the key disconnects and the motor stops working.

Three buttons on the remote control offer you all the controls you need to operate the BlueDrive S. One of the buttons is the power button for turning on and turning off the motor, while the other two buttons are speed buttons, one for low speed and one for high speed.

On the low speed setting, you’d move at a speed of about 3mph and on the high speed setting, your speed would be about 4mph. Obviously, the lighter your SUP is, the faster you’ll travel.

Pros: Aqua Marina’s BlueDrive S is a moderately fast power fin that is easy to install and attach to most paddleboards. It can last for an hour on the fastest speed setting if you have a small amount of gear on your paddleboard. That’s enough time to rest your arms during moderate or long trips or difficult trips in bad weather conditions.

Cons: 1 hour is a bit short for a motorized fin, making this fin a good assistant but not a good replacement for your paddle. If you want to paddle manually most of the time and only use this motor to give your arms a short rest or traverse difficult terrain, then this power fin will suit your needs.

Bote Rover 14 Paddleboard

Want a motorized paddleboard that offers exceptional speeds when paddling manually and using a motor? Meet the Bote Rover 14, a 14-foot board that is as stable as it’s fast thanks to its 40 inches of width.

Unlike other motor kits and motorized paddleboards in this article, the Bote Rover 14 is powered by a 9.9hp motor that runs on fuel rather than battery power. It’s also a more powerful motor than anything I’ve reviewed so far and can move your board at a maximum speed of 18mph even with a lot of gear on board.

This is the ideal motorized board for you if you’re an angler, a paddleboarder that carries a lot of gear, or one that loves to explore areas that are hard to reach.

The Bote Rover 14 has a weight limit of 500 pounds and so does the motor, so anything the board can handle, the motor can also handle. The board is made of Gatorshell plastic that is much tougher than epoxy to ensure it holds up well for years of adventure.

A two-piece paddle is included in its package so you can get a workout in whenever you need it. You won’t find a hand pump here because this is a solid board, but if you want an inflatable that is compatible with Bote’s motor, you can buy the Rover Aero instead.

The Rover Aero is almost three times cheaper than the Rover 14, but the downside of getting the former is you get a shorter board with a less powerful motor that is nonetheless still more powerful than any of the other motors reviewed here. The Rover Aero’s 6hp motor can reach 16mph with a maximum of 500 pounds of load.

Pros: The Rover 14 offers great value for money and has a ton of other features that make it worth buying. Its motor can reach high speeds and it has a 12-liter fuel tank, which means you can drive for hours with this board. It’s also compatible with many Bote accessories, making it an excellent all-rounder.

Cons: Its motor uses fuel, so it will require more maintenance, parts replacement, and other inconveniences associated with this kind of motor. Also, you can’t buy the motor separately from Bote, although you can from other stores, but it will cost you more.

Striker Jet Electric SUP

This is an impressive paddleboard that is built for fishing, but it’s also a great paddleboard for touring and cruising. It runs at a minimum speed of 3.7mph and its battery can power the built-in motor for 5 hours at a stretch at this speed.

Its maximum speed is 6.8mph and you can cruise for up to 2 hours at this speed. These speeds and a 5.2mph speed option make up the three speed options on the board’s smartwatch remote control. You can also download the Striker Jet smartphone app and control the board using it.

It takes only 2 hours to fully recharge the battery pack of this 38-inch board so you won’t have to wait long before you can begin your adventures.

The board is constructed with high-quality, durable PVC to withstand the rigors of water sports and fishing. It has a weight limit of 430 pounds, which is sufficient to hold all your gear and an extra person or pet.

Seeing as this is a fishing SUP, it has two fishing rod holders, one on the right side and one on the left side.

It has tie-downs for a fishing box that doubles as a seat too. You can store your favorite drinks and essentials in the box and SUP all day with total abandon. You can also make sure you never run out of power by bringing an extra battery pack with you.

Pros: This motorized board has all you need for recreational SUPing and fishing. It’s easy to inflate thanks to its electric pump, and it’s stable on water. If you want to explore remote paddleboarding spots and discover new fishing spots, this is the right board for you**.**

Cons: The Striker Jet electric board is almost perfect. I don’t see any significant downsides to buying this board. It has a fair price tag too, so check it out if it’s right up your street.

How to pick the right motor package

When deciding on what motor package to buy, the first question you have to address is whether to buy a paddleboard with a motor or just buy a motor kit for your existing paddleboard.

If you don’t already own a paddleboard or you’re looking to replace yours, then it makes sense to buy one with a motor. If you already own a board, then just get a motor kit, unless you’ve found a motorized board package you really like.

Here are other considerations to keep in mind:

Motor speed: How fast do you want to travel? Most motors offer decent speeds ranging from 3mph to 10mph. Pick one whose speed matches your needs.

Run time: How long can the motor run on a full charge or full tank? If you want to use the motor as an assistant, then 1 hour or less should be enough for you. However, if you want a long relaxing cruise devoid of any form of paddling, then you need a motor that can run for several hours.

Cost: Motor kits are cheaper than paddleboards with motors, so if you have a low budget, you should be looking at kits. However, if you have a few thousand to spend, then go for a complete board and motor package.

The final word

Paddleboards with motors can change the way you SUP in a good way. They can make fishing easier, make cruising easier, and help you reach remote spots faster and SUP longer.

Whenever you begin to miss handling your paddle (because let’s face it – paddling manually has a certain feel to it that a motor can’t replace), you can simply turn off the motor and paddle until you’re tired.

Before you get a motorized paddleboard or motor kit, make sure you’re ready to put in the extra effort to maintain it. Although the battery-powered motors require very little maintenance, you’ll still need to do a bit of extra work to keep them in good condition.

As always, carry all the safety gear you need, follow the rules, and stay safe out there!