Are you looking for a budget-friendly electric trolling motor? Watersnake might make the motor for you.
Watersnake motors are produced by an Australian company that is in the marine products business. They have a long list of products to offer, including many electric trolling motors. We are going to discuss a few of their popular offerings in this article.
Note: most links in this article are Amazon.com Affiliate links, see Affiliate Disclosure, thank you.
Watersnake ASP T18 Saltwater Electric Outboard with Bracket
The Watersnake ASP T18 is a super lightweight electric trolling motor that is built to target the kayak user market. Weight is everything in the kayak game, and this motor comes in under 5 pounds.
A motor of this size and weight is also a perfect fit for a canoe. Let’s check out this motor and see what it has to offer.
Pros
- Lightweight
- Easy installation
- Low power consumption
- Extendable handle
- 1-year warranty
- Low price
Cons
- 2-speed settings
- Lightweight construction
- Design flaw with mounting bracket
Check out the price on Amazon.com
What you should know about the Watersnake ASP T18 Electric Trolling Motor
Out of all the motors we have reviewed, the Watersnake ASP T18 is the lightest and smallest motor by far. The size and weight can be a big advantage when dealing with a small boat like a kayak or canoe. This motor has 18lbs. of thrust, which is the perfect amount of thrust for a kayak.
I can carry this lightweight motor with one hand leaving my other hand free for a trolling motor battery or other gear. Additionally, anyone can attach the motor with ease because of how light this motor is.
The size of the Watersnake T18 is convenient because you can fit it about anywhere. Most people who buy this motor will be putting their boat on top of their vehicle, so the rest of the equipment for the outing will need to go in the trunk.
The included mounting bracket is ideal for use on a kayak deck mount. The bracket and the overall motor length are perfect for kayak applications. The directions have clear mounting instructions, but if you need more help, the manufacturer has more resources available.
However, many people have complained about the bracket. After looking at the complaints, we recommend that you buy a set of NyLock bolts or possibly some lock washers to help keep the motor secure. This motor is available with the standard transom mount option, click here to see it at Amazon.com.
The Watersnake ASP T18 has a forward and reverse switch for easy direction changes. Unfortunately, the 2-speed switch is disappointing in an age where every motor has at least 5-speed adjustments.
At 15 amps on high, this motor is one of the lowest power consumptions we have seen. Most kayak users will be using it at low speed, which is an amazing 7 amps. Almost any lightweight battery can run this motor for a few hours of trolling.
Click here to read our article on lightweight batteries.
We like the extendable steering handle because it is a nice length for good steering control. Another advantage of this design is your speed settings are not controlled by the handle, in case you would like to secure it for direction.
Finally, the propeller is just average. The two-blade, rather small size propeller is less than impressive but might match the low thrust setting well. The durability of the prop is definitely in question as it is made of rigid plastic. We recommend that you avoid hitting any objects and consider retrofitting the motor with a different prop.
Watersnake ASP T24 Saltwater Electric Outboard
The Watersnake ASP T24 is a 24lbs. thrust trolling motor that is geared toward small boats. This motor is small, lightweight, and a best buy electric trolling motor.
Watersnake makes this motor with an optional kayak mounting bracket. Since we covered the mounting bracket on the T18 review, we will be covering the transom mount on the T24 review.
Pros
- Lightweight
- Easy installation
- Low power consumption
- 1-year warranty
- Low price – best buy
Cons
- 2-speed settings
- Lightweight construction
Check out the price on Amazon.com
What you should know about the Watersnake ASP T24 Saltwater Electric Outboard
Watersnake motors are small and light, making them the perfect portable option. The price point on this motor is amazingly low. Keep in mind that motors in this price range are not heavy-duty.
24lbs. of thrust is plenty powerful enough to move any canoe or small rowboat through the water. This is enough thrust to make a nice companion motor to a 5hp gas motor for a 10 to 12-foot aluminum fishing boat.
The T24 has a transom clamp mount with the normal style tilt lock to raise the motor when not in use. A 24-inch shaft is a minimum for a fishing boat, but with the included adjustable depth collar, it is perfect for a canoe. You can lift the motor in shallow water and tighten the depth collar for the perfect depth adjustment.
If you are using a standard canoe, we recommend the transom mount motor and buying or making a canoe mounting bracket. Making a bracket for this size motor is cheap and easy.
Click here to check out our article on trolling motor brackets for canoes.
The Watersnake ASP T24 has a forward and reverse switch for easy direction changes. We still have the same issue with the speed control, 2-speeds is just disappointing.
At full speed, the T24 only uses 20amps and 9 amps at low speed. Some purchasers have complained about the speeds on this motor being too close, but the specifications show a 50% difference. If you are using a kayak, this motor might be too fast for a slow troll speed.
The steering handle is a short fixed shaft, and for that reason, we don’t like the handle. You can do an easy hack with a piece of PVC pipe and a hose clamp. If you buy a two-foot piece that will slide over the handle you can cut two slits the long way and use the hose clamp to attach it.
Finally, the propeller is not heavy duty, so you should use care around objects and when in shallow water.
Watersnake Shadow FWDR54-54 Bow Mount Trolling Motor
The Watersnake FWDR54 is one of the few bow mount motors available in 12 volts. 54lbs of thrust is a lot of power for a 12-volt motor.
This motor offers things that other motors in this price range can’t compete with, so let’s get into the details.
Pros
- Bow mount
- Foot control
- Lightweight
- Easy installation
- Low power consumption
- 2-year warranty
- Low price
Cons
- Lightweight construction
- No optional navigation or sonar electronics
Check out the price on Amazon.com
The construction of the FW 54 motor is with corrosion-resistant parts, like stainless steel prop shaft, and a composite motor shaft. I would think that would be a great start for a saltwater motor, but this motor is rated as a freshwater motor only. The circuit board is fully sealed and waterproofed to increase overall durability.
This motor includes a foot control with a multi-speed control dial. The foot control is not a pedal design, but rather a set of large buttons that are easy to press. This control style points this motor clearly toward bass fishermen.
The installation of this motor is very simple. There is a breaker provided and wires with ring connectors to attach to a battery or terminal block. If you mount this motor to a terminal block, you should use oversize wire and a fuse at the battery connection. The fuse is required here per Coastguard Code, and because of the high amps on a 12-volt system, we recommend not skipping it.
Mounting the FW 54 is so simple that it even fits the bolt hole pattern for the most common manufacturer. This opens up options for using quick-release mounting brackets that are abundantly available on the market.
54lbs of thrust makes this motor pack a large punch for such a small motor. We think the three-blade propeller might be a big plus in this model. Most three-blade props we have tested perform better than two-blade props of equal surface area.
Click here to check out our article on Propellers.
While this motor is not portable in nature, weight on the bow of your boat is still a big issue. This Watersnake motor weighs a total of 27lbs, and this is amazingly lite. A weight that lite makes this motor a great option for smaller boats.
The Watersnake FWDR54 can be purchased in two different shaft lengths, 48 or 54 inches. We recommend buying the 54-inch model unless you are short on stowing space. You can easily adjust the motor depth collar to suit any depth environment.
A manual deploy leaver is at the base of the mounting plate similar to most bow mount motors. Because of the overall lightweight, this motor is easy to stow. We recommend a motor retainer or ram mount to secure your motor while you are underway.
Overall motor performance is good for the cost. Our biggest concern with this motor is that some users have complained about defective motors. On the plus side, the company has stood by its warranty.
Looking through their website they appear to be updating their products and improving the quality along the way. I would still recommend this product to the budget-conscious buyer with a small boat.
Click here for our article about Tips on installing an electric trolling motor?
Verdict
If you are a light-duty fisherman that is not worried about advanced electronics, we can recommend these products. It is always possible to have an issue, but because the company is honoring their warranty if things go wrong we feel good about using these products on a small boat.
Click here if you would like to check out the Companies Website.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where are watersnake trolling motors manufactured?
Watersnake trolling motors are made and manufactured in Australia. The Australian company began manufacturing these trolling motors in 2004 to offer an affordable and accessible trolling motor to all that didn’t compromise on quality.
Their products are now available in various stores and online retailers in the US, allowing everyone to access their motors. Currently, little information is available about the brand or their website. It appears that the website is not available for those in the US at present, although this is subject to change at any moment.
It means that the information we provide is taken from limited sources. While the company is based and operates in Australia, we cannot 100% guarantee that the trolling motors are completely manufactured in Australia.
As they are listed as an important textile, and there is no information to dispute this, we can assume this is correct and that the trolling motors are manufactured in Australia.
How many amps does a watersnake motor draw?
How many amps a Watersnake motor draws will vary depending on the motor and the settings you are running it on.
For example, the T24 motor will draw 20 amps when running on high, but just nine amps on low. You can use these amps to calculate how long your motor will run before it needs to be charged.
Watersnake offers a rating on their motor batteries that you can check before purchasing. For example, it will have a ‘20 Amp-hours’ rating that you can use to calculate how long your battery will last when running on high or low.
It’s worth looking at the tables they offer, which list the amps your Watersnake motor will draw and the run time of the motor’s battery. Factors like weight and the water temperament can also impact the amps and battery life, so be sure you consider these factors too.
How do you install a watersnake electric motor?
Installing a Watersnake electric motor varies depending on the model of the motor you are installing. The best way to install it is to follow the manual instructions that come with the motor.
There are a few different types of Watersnake electric motors, making it difficult to give one answer to this question; the instruction manual should be your first port of call.
If you do run into difficulty, there are plenty of online tutorials to walk you through the process and help you install your Watersnake motor. They usually feature step-by-step instructions and diagrams that will help even beginners to install an electric motor easily!
Be sure that the video you choose is suitable for your motor to ensure it’s installed correctly.
Our favorite and most beginner-friendly video can be found here.
