OAP Pow-R-Pac
By Scott Clayton

Several times this year I’ve found myself in situations where I’ve had to row against stiff, gusty, wind for over an hour to get back to my vehicle. On other occasions I’ve opted not to go to a specific location because I had the feeling wind would pick up later and I didn’t have the time or energy to fight it. I’ve also been harboring the desire to explore some spots that are just out of the range of my pontoon boat. This has happened often enough to encourage me to explore my options. One option is the Pow-R-Pac.

The Pow-R-Pac can add power to most personal water craft. It is not designed to work with water craft that have a V-shaped bow. The Pow-R-Pac includes a mini-tube that holds the motor and battery, the same Minn Kota motor used by the Pow-R-Tube, and the same controlling switch box used to provide convenient access to the motor’s thrust controls. As with the Pow-R-Tube, you’ll need a deep cycle group 24 marine battery and a battery charger, neither of which are included.

After putting the Pow-R-Tube together the Pow-R-Pac was a breeze to assemble. Simply place the inner tube and motor bucket in the Cordura cover, making sure to align the motor shaft holes with the seam on the cover, and inflate. The only other thing to do at this point is to secure the control box some place on your float tube or pontoon boat.

At the lake, getting the Pow-R-Pac on the water is essentially the same as getting the Pow-R-Tube there. One extra step needed is to attach the Pow-R-Pac to your float tube or pontoon boat. This is easily accomplished using the straps on the side of the Pow-R-Pac.

The Pow-R-Pac attached to a pontoon boat is a great combination! Because a pontoon boat has less drag all thrust levels seemed to be faster than the speeds I experienced in the Pow-R-Tube. The battery seemed to last longer as well. I really like the versatility of the Pow-R-Pac. I can use it on my pontoon boat one week and then the next week I can attach it to my son’s float tube. If you want to add power to your water craft and you don’t want to replace your existing setup the Pow-R-Pac is a great option. The Pow-R-Pac gets my recommendation when it comes to motorized personal water craft.

The Pow-R-Pac retails for $449.

Scott Clayton is the Fly Fishing Editor at GearReview.com.

For more information, contact:
Outdoor Adventure Products, Inc.
704 Commercial St.
Plainfield, IL 60544
800-967-4627
dcarlman@powrtube.com