OAP Pow-R-Tube
By Scott Clayton

It’s fall. Ice over is imminent. You race to your favorite lake to enjoy the feeding frenzy that signals the end of fishing season is near. You launch your float tube onto a surprisingly calm surface. Following the shore line 100 yards out, you travel to a spot where you've caught fish before. When you arrive, a single strike, that you helplessly watch as the fish leaps and then releases itself, is your only reward. A couple hundred yards further, you notice ripples on the otherwise calm surface. As you go towards the activity, your heart rate accelerates...

Several carefully released fish later, the wind picks up. Just then you realize it will take more than an hour of kicking, against the wind, to get back to your vehicle. And in order to make it home on time you need to be on the road in exactly ONE hour. The joy of the moment gives way to that sinking feeling, deep in your stomach, that accompanies your vision of the exchange you anticipate as you explain WHY you’re late.

Rather than punish yourself, kicking or rowing against the wind, and then chancing a speeding ticket, why not get some power?

These are the thoughts that ran through my mind as I left the Outdoor Adventure Products booth this year at the Fly Fishing Retailer Show in Salt Lake City. The products they displayed, the Pow-R-Tube and Pow-R-Pac, gave me hope for a different ending to my story.

The Pow-R-Tube is a float tube powered by a Minn Kota 30-lb thrust, electric trolling motor. A mini-tube, that carries the motor and a battery, is attached to the main float tube with a heavy duty zipper. The zipper makes it easy to separate the motor tube from the main float tube if necessary. The motor is controlled with a handy switch box that can be placed next to your hand as it rests on the tube. No more reaching around behind you to turn the motor on. This sturdy float tube utilizes a 1000 Denier Cordura shell that contains a large storage compartment on top of the backrest and four main equipment pockets. The Pow-R-Tube comes with everything you need except for a deep cycle group 24 marine battery and charger. When purchasing a battery charger try to get one with an automatic deep cycle setting, this will help prevent overcharging. I got a battery and charger from Sears; total cost was around $100. Also note, some states require motorized water craft to be registered. This is the case in Utah. Check with your local vehicle registration department before you head out.

As soon as I got the Pow-R-Tube home, I sat down and read every bit of the 12 page owner's manual. A couple of hours later I had the main float tube, the motor tube, the back rest tube, and the tube in between the two main tubes fully inflated and ready to go. This time included a trip to a local gas station for compressed air. Over inflation of any float tube can be very dangerous. The two main tubes are designed to work at 3 p.s.i., and the folks at Outdoor Adventure Products are thoughtful enough to include a gauge that makes it easy to check air pressure. Of all the steps required, step 2 "bucket" installation, is the one you want to ensure is done correctly. As the manual states: "Poor alignment [of the battery and motor bucket] will cause the Pow-R-Tube to steer to one side or the other." The Pow-R-Tube can be operated in the forward or rearward direction. If you want to change the primary direction from forward to rearward simply loosen the two set screws on the index plate (with the Allen Wrench that is included) and rotate the motor 180 degrees. Before I called it a night, I hooked everything up, aligned the motor and tried it in my garage. It’s much easier to make adjustments in the garage than it is on the shore when you’re eager to get fishing.

Once at the lake it’ll probably take at least two trips from your vehicle down to the water: Trip 1) main tubes; Trip 2) Motor and battery. More gear like multiple fly rods and fish finders may force a third trip. Before entering the water, flip the motor tube vertical and attach the motor by sliding the motor shaft through the motor holes in the motor bucket. The motor is held in place on the bottom of the plastic bucket with an index pin and on the top with a simple clamp. After the motor is in place and the tube is in the water, drop the battery into the battery box, and hook up the control box to the motor connector. All that is left is to connect the leads to the battery and you're off. It sounds complicated but after doing it once or twice it’s easy to be quickly on your way. Depending on how close you park to the water we're talking about 5 to 10 minutes to complete this task. The ability to travel quickly while on the water will easily negate the slow down in getting started.

My first time in the Pow-R-Tube was an expedition, I had to see how far I could go. To experiment, I traveled from the parking lot at Chicken Creek West to the inlet of the Strawberry River in Strawberry bay. I returned cruising along the south side of Strawberry bay, having confidence I could cut across the bay if the weather changed. When the wind picked up I headed across the bay directly into it. In order to feel like I was making progress I increased the thrust level from 3 to 5 and made it to the other side without a problem. The motor tube did a nice job of breaking waves. After 7 hours of nearly constant use, including my struggle with the wind, the power started to decline as I approached the shore near the parking lot. I estimate the total round trip was close to 2 miles.

If you want to cover a lot of water and enjoy the flexibility of a float tube the Pow-R-Tube is an excellent choice. On calm water, with the thrust level at the highest setting (5), there is quite a bit of drag. I never wanted to go any faster. While the manual states that fins are optional, I prefer to have them on. Even though the Pow-R-Tube is very stable it was a challenge to get in and out with fins on. While float tubing most people kick rearward. Using the Pow-R-Tube in the rearward direction felt very much like normal float tubing, especially at slower speeds. Steering came naturally. For me, traveling in the forward direction felt awkward, especially with fins on. I recommend trying both directions to see how you feel most comfortable.

The Pow-R-Tube comes in slate blue or camouflage and retails for $695.

With the Pow-R-Tube or Pow-R-Pac the ending to my story has changed, but only slightly. When the fish are biting I tend to lose track of time, so returning home late from a fishing trip probably won’t change. What will change though is my physical struggle to make it back, as well as the amount of time it takes. Another thing that will change is the distance I can cover from my float tube. This will be especially helpful when searching for new areas to fish. While testing the Pow-R-Pac and Pow-R-Tube I’ve fished places I considered unreachable by float tube. I can’t honestly say I’ve caught more fish. But I have had a great time exploring! If you’re exhausted after a day on the water or you just want to extend the distance you can cover, the Pow-R-Tube and Pow-R-Pac warrant serious consideration.

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