Everyone has seen a kayak rigged with a trolling motor, electric outboard, multiple fish finders, GPS, deck lights, safety lights, underwater lights, cell phone charger and anchor system. The first question: how do you fit all that stuff on a kayak? The second question: how do you power it? As kayak batteries grow smaller, lighter and more powerful, the limits to rigging shrink. Now you can have your electronics and power to spare.
Shocking! The Latest Trends in Lithium Iron Batteries
The Buzz
At last summer’s ICAST trade show in Orlando, Florida, there were more lithium-iron battery brands on display than ever. Reviewing a list of the 2023 show exhibitors reveals a dozen battery companies with over half of the brands as first-time exhibitors.
Whenever I detect a trend in battery power, my first call is Craig Storms, national sales representative at Dakota Lithium. With so many new kids on the battery block, Storms is a veteran in the lithium-iron game.
Dakota Lithium was one of the first lithium battery companies to target the fishing market. Storms laughs, “We made all the mistakes.” He points to bringing lithium batteries to trolling motor power. “Trolling motors draw more amps and that caused problems,” he admits.
Since the early days, Dakota Lithium has made some of the most reliable and popular lithium batteries on the professional fishing scene. “We answered the call by becoming smaller and more energy dense,” Storms says. The result is a smaller, lighter and more powerful battery allowing anglers enough power to supply a full array of electronics and accessories.
Storms says the recent trend is due to a flood of cheap batteries manufactured in China. “China has made it so easy to get batteries into the United States, there’s nothing behind it.” Storms says, unlike cheap knockoffs, the best batteries use domestically engineered management systems that control the battery’s charging and discharge.
New Kids
One of the latest players is Newport Vessels. After storming the kayak motor market with high-powered trolling motors and electric outboards, Newport Vessels now offers a line of advanced lithium-iron batteries.
Howie Strech is a longtime Kayak Angler contributor who recently joined the team at Newport Vessels. “I’ve been using creative battery solutions since I started kayak fishing,” Strech laughs, referring to subpar sealed lead acid (SLA) and absorbant-glass-mat (AGM) batteries he used in the past. “The problem with traditional batteries is they are too heavy and not as powerful,” Strech explains.
Then came early lithium-ion batteries. “The first lithium-ion batteries were lighter than lead acid batteries, but they are volatile and susceptible to combustion if mistreated.”
The solution is lithium-iron or LiFePO4. The latest generation of lithium-iron perform almost as well as other lithium-ion batteries with a couple of advantages. First, the chemistry is more stable, so the batteries are safer. Second, iron is a more sustainable resource than cobalt and nickel used in other lithium-ion batteries.
“Lithium-iron is less than half the weight of an SLA or AMG battery,” Strech says, “but they have more usable capacity and exponentially more charge cycles.” This means a lithium-iron battery lasts longer between charges with a longer overall battery life. One battery powers electronics for years.
Light Years Ahead
The latest innovation, visible across the newest generation of lithium-iron kayak batteries, is the battery management system (BMS). Today’s lithium-iron batteries use a Bluetooth signal to communicate vital battery information to a smartphone application.
The feature allows users to monitor voltage, charge and temperature so they won’t be stranded with a dead battery. The app also charts battery life with total charges and identifies faults for preventative maintenance.
For kayak anglers, the app has other advantages. Howie Strech explains, “Using the battery with a motor I can maximize range and find an optimal cruising speed.”
With so many choices, it’s difficult to pick the best lithium-iron battery. Craig Storms at Dakota Lithium has two suggestions: warranty and versatility. “We’re offering an 11-year warranty,” he points out. That means the battery is expected to last at least 11 years compared to two years for a lead acid battery.
The most important consideration for kayak anglers is versatility. Storms adds, “No one has the amp hours in a smaller footprint.” A smaller battery fits better in the limited space of a kayak. Also, you can mount a lithium-iron battery at any angle, adding more options to rigging a kayak for power.
Charging Forward
And lithium-iron technology is still developing. Storms says, “Battery manufacturers continue to make energy-dense cells with a smaller footprint.” Strech sums it up, “we’re packing more juice in a smaller battery.” And, the experts expect battery management to improve. “As tech evolves, electronics manufacturers will make more seamless integrations for keeping tabs on battery performance,” Strech says. Eventually, price won’t be an issue. Storms points out, “Even a high-end lead acid battery is $600 now.” With a lifespan five times longer than lead acid, the investment in lithium-iron will pay off in the long run. Storms adds, “Lithium-iron is so new, we haven’t plateaued yet.”
Matching battery power to motor requirements assures worry-free fishing. | Feature photo: Courtesy Dakota Lithium
