Six motors for paddle boards compared on thrust, mounting and how each unit is powered and steered.
Every unit in this list is in stock right now, and every figure below comes from the manufacturer. The field splits in two: fin motors that drop into the fin box and turn the board into an electric SUP, and handheld sea scooters that clip to the nose and can be taken off and used underwater.
Motor for paddle board: the six picks at a glance
A SUP motor is judged on three numbers: rated power in watts, thrust, and how long the battery lasts at the speed you actually use. Anything sold as a paddleboard thrust system also has to answer a fourth question, which is where it mounts. A fin motor needs a compatible fin box, a scooter needs a bracket, and a motor for an inflatable paddle board needs the adapter that fits a soft fin box rather than a hard one.
Below you get the short version first: three picks for the most common cases, then the full table with all six, then every unit in detail with specs, strengths and weaknesses.
- The best electric sup motor overallParadise Pad Electric Fin
- Most thrust and doubles as a dive scooterCAMOLECH CM7-1Pro
- The travel-sized optionWaydoo Subnado SUP Kit
- Cheapest way to add thrustBbqLiaxon 288W Fin
| Motor | Type | Power | Battery | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Waydoo Subnado SUP Kitbest for travel | Handheld scooter with slide-in board bracket | not stated, 100 W fast charging | 98 Wh, 1.2 hour charge | Packing the motor in hand luggage |
| Paradise Pad Electric Finbest overall | Fin box motor, hard and inflatable boards | 450 W | 13000 mAh at 36 V | Turning any board into an electric SUP |
| Mountocean Y03 B2 Kitlongest runtime | Fin box motor with both adapters | 350 W, up to 18.5 lbf thrust | 13 Ah LiFePO4, 291.2 Wh | Long sessions and saltwater |
| CAMOLECH CM7-1Promost thrust | Handheld scooter and board motor | 700 W brushless, 9.5 kg thrust | 16000 mAh, 352 Wh, removable | Diving and paddling with one unit |
| GENEINNO CM5-1best value scooter | Handheld scooter with detachable grip | 500 W brushless | 4400 mAh | A scooter first, a SUP motor second |
| BbqLiaxon 288W Fincheapest thrust | Fin box thruster, battery bag | 288 W brushed | not included, 12 V pack required | Adding assist on the smallest budget |
The six paddle board motors in detail
- Typehandheld sea scooter with a SUP kit
- Size14.84 by 2.75 by 2.75 in
- Weight3 lb
- Charging100 W fast charge, 1.2 hours to full
- Modesthree speed gears plus cruise mode
- Mountslide-in board bracket, twin engine handle bracket
Best for: Paddlers who fly with their gear and want the motor in the same bag
The Subnado is the answer to a specific problem: motors are heavy and awkward to travel with. This one is 14.84 in long, 2.75 in square and weighs 3 lb, and Waydoo builds the SUP kit around a slide-in bracket so the scooter clips to the board and comes off again in seconds.
It is a sea scooter first. Take it off the bracket and it works handheld for snorkeling, which is why the package includes a twin engine handle bracket alongside the board fittings. Three speed gears and a cruise mode cover the paddling side, and the proprietary 100 W fast charging system takes the battery to full in 1.2 hours. What you do not get is a published wattage, so judge it on size and convenience rather than on power.
Pros
- 3 lb and the size of a small soda bottle, so it travels with the board rather than in place of it
- Full charge in 1.2 hours, which means a lunch break is enough to reset the day
- The updated SUP kit uses a slide-in bracket rather than the old stick-on mount, so nothing is glued to the deck
- Cruise mode holds a speed without holding the thumb controller down
Cons
- No rated motor power published, so it cannot be compared on watts with the fin motors here
- A wired thumb controller means a cable running along the board
- The warranty is one year on the main unit but only six months on some accessories
- Typeelectric fin, fits hard boards, inflatables and kayaks
- Motor450 W
- Battery13000 mAh, 36 V lithium
- Runtimeup to 10 hours at speed one, 120 minutes at 6 mph
- Speedsfour forward, remote controlled
- RemoteIP67 Bluetooth remote with wrist strap
Best for: Anyone who wants their existing board to become a motorized paddleboard without changing how it is carried
This is the cleanest way to convert a board. The Electric Fin drops into the fin box exactly like the fin it replaces, the package includes both fin box fittings and an adapter for inflatables, and installation is quoted at five minutes. Once it is in, the board looks and packs the way it always did.
The numbers behind it are the reason it leads this list. A 450 W motor on a 36 V, 13000 mAh pack gives four forward speeds up to 6 mph on the remote, with a top figure of 7 mph, and runtime is quoted at up to 10 hours on the first speed or 120 minutes at 6 mph. The IP67 Bluetooth remote straps to your wrist, so speed changes do not cost you the paddle. The kit also includes the battery box, charger, ankle leash and mounting cords.
Pros
- Installs like a normal fin in about five minutes, and an adapter for inflatable fin boxes is in the box
- The 36 V pack is quoted at up to 10 hours on the lowest setting, the longest figure in this list
- An IP67 wrist remote with plus, minus and stop buttons, so both hands stay on the paddle
- Paradise Pad quotes seven times the distance you would cover unassisted, which is the point of an assist fin
Cons
- At around 550 dollars it is one of the more expensive units here
- The battery box sits on the deck, so cargo space shrinks
- Stock is thin and the listing runs out for stretches
- Typeelectric fin kit with both fin adapters
- Motor350 W rated, up to 18.5 lbf max thrust
- Motor weight1.24 kg
- Battery13 Ah LiFePO4, 291.2 Wh, waterproof
- Runtime60 min in gear 4, 110 min in gear 3, 251 min in gear 2
- Buildstainless steel motor housing, composite fin
Best for: Saltwater paddlers who want the motor to survive more than one season
Mountocean built the Y03 for the water that destroys cheap motors. The housing is stainless steel with a corrosion-resistant surface treatment, the fin structure is composite, and the battery is a waterproof LiFePO4 pack rather than the usual lithium-ion, which trades a little energy density for a much longer cycle life.
The runtime table is the selling point: 60 minutes in gear four, 110 minutes in gear three and 251 minutes in gear two, from 13 Ah and 291.2 Wh. Rated power is 350 W with a maximum thrust of 18.5 lbf, and the motor body itself weighs only 1.24 kg. The system is designed to cut power if it detects water ingress or weed entanglement, and the kit includes both fin adapters, a watch-style remote and the charger.
Pros
- 251 minutes in gear two is the longest published runtime in this list
- LiFePO4 chemistry lasts more charge cycles than the standard lithium packs here
- Stainless steel housing with corrosion-resistant surface treatment, which is the part that fails first in seawater
- Ships with both the inflatable and the hard board tail-fin adapter plus a watch-style remote
Cons
- The most expensive unit in this list at around 800 dollars
- 350 W rated power is below the CAMOLECH and the GENEINNO
- Stock is thin, with only a few units listed at a time
- Typeunderwater scooter and paddle board motor
- Motor700 W brushless DC
- Thrust9.5 kg, top speed 2.5 m per second
- Battery16000 mAh, 352 Wh, removable
- Runtime160 minutes at low speed, 35 minutes at high
- RatingIP68, anti-salt ABS shell, 30 m depth
Best for: Paddlers who also dive or snorkel and refuse to buy two machines
The CM7-1Pro is the most powerful thing in this list and it is not really a fin motor at all. It is a dive scooter with a 700 W brushless motor producing 9.5 kg of thrust and a top speed of 2.5 m per second, which mounts on a stand-up paddle board when you want it to push instead of pull.
The battery is what makes it usable both ways: 16000 mAh and 352 Wh, removable, quoted at 160 minutes at low speed or 35 minutes flat out. The body is IP68 with an anti-salt ABS shell and corrosion-resistant hardware, rated to 30 m, and there are two built-in buoyancy fins so it does not sink if it comes loose. The remote works to 20 m and the handle angle adjusts and folds for storage.
Pros
- 700 W and 9.5 kg of thrust, the highest figures in this list
- A removable 16000 mAh battery, so a spare pack doubles the day rather than ending it
- IP68 with an anti-salt ABS shell and a 30 m depth rating, which no fin motor here matches
- Ten speed steps rather than three or four, so the assist can be dialled in finely
Cons
- It hangs off the nose rather than sitting in the fin box, so it changes how the board trims
- Max load is quoted at 150 kg, which is lower than the capacity of most touring boards
- The handle folds but the unit is still bulky next to a fin motor
- Typehandheld sea scooter, usable on a SUP
- Motor500 W with a brushless 6050 unit
- Battery4400 mAh
- Runtimeup to 40 minutes
- Depth40 m rated, ships with a 30 m waterproof bag
- Gripdetachable quick-release handheld grip
Best for: Someone who wants a scooter for snorkeling first and board assist second
GENEINNO sells the CM5-1 as a sea scooter and it is priced as one, which is why it is the value pick. A 500 W propulsion system with a brushless 6050 motor sits inside a one-piece injection-molded shell that shrugs off knocks and does not rust in salt water, and it is rated to 40 m of depth.
For paddling, the relevant part is the detachable quick-release grip: take the handle off and the unit mounts on a SUP or a jet surfboard instead of being held. The compromise is endurance. A 4400 mAh pack gives up to 40 minutes, which is a session rather than a day, and there is no swappable battery. A 30 m waterproof bag is included for transport.
Pros
- 500 W for around 320 dollars, the best power per dollar in this list
- The quick-release grip comes off, which is what lets the same unit work on a paddle board
- A one-piece injection-molded shell resists impact and does not corrode in saltwater
- Ten speed steps and a 40 m depth rating for a mid-range price
Cons
- A 4400 mAh battery gives up to 40 minutes, the shortest runtime here
- No dedicated fin box mount, so board use depends on the bracket you rig
- The battery is not removable, so a long day means a charger and a break
- Typemotorized fin with battery bag
- Motor288 W brushed, 12 V
- Speed2.48 to 3.11 mph
- Loadrated to 440.92 lb maximum
- Weight6.7 lb, 7.09 by 9.45 in
- Controlsingle-button switch
Best for: Adding a push to a long paddle home without spending fin-motor money
This is the entry point to an electric SUP and it is honest about what it is. A 288 W brushed motor at 12 V pushes the board at 2.48 to 3.11 mph, controlled by a single button: on or off, no speed steps, no remote.
Two things make it worth listing. The construction is aluminum alloy, copper and reinforced nylon rather than the plastic you expect at this price, and it is rated for a 440.92 lb load, so it will move a fully loaded board. The catch is in the specification: the battery is not included, so budget for a 12 V pack and a way to keep it dry, and remember that the whole unit weighs 6.7 lb before you add that pack.
Pros
- Around 180 dollars, roughly a third of what the fin motors above it cost
- 6.7 lb and small enough to go in the gear bag rather than a second case
- Rated to a 440.92 lb load, which is more than any board in the SUP range carries
- Aluminum alloy, copper and reinforced nylon rather than plain plastic
Cons
- You have to supply your own 12 V battery, so the real cost is higher than the sticker
- A one-button switch means no speed control at all
- A brushed motor wears faster than the brushless units above
Checklist: What Makes Great Motors for Paddle Boards
- Motor Power: Assess the motor's ability to deliver efficient and high-performance propulsion. It should provide ample thrust to propel the paddleboard across calm or moderately challenging waters effortlessly.
- Battery Life: Long-lasting battery life is crucial for extended outings. An ideal motor should offer a reliable power source that supports prolonged sessions between charges, reducing the need for frequent recharging.
- Weight & Portability: The motor's weight should not impede the maneuverability of the paddleboard. A lightweight and compact design enhance the paddling experience and make transportation to and from the water simpler.
- User-Friendly Attachment: The attachment mechanism should be straightforward, enabling a quick and secure connection to the paddleboard. Simplicity in setup and detachment defines a well-designed motor for paddleboard users of all levels.
- Safety Features: Motors should incorporate safety elements such as a kill switch or leash to ensure user protection in the event of a fall or unexpected disconnection from the board.
- Eco-Friendly Operation: A motor that operates quietly and efficiently without disrupting marine life or contributing to pollution is essential for conserving aquatic environments while enjoying motorized paddleboarding.
FAQ
Can a motorized propulsion system improve my paddleboarding experience?
Yes, a motorized propulsion system can enhance your paddleboarding by reducing fatigue and allowing for longer, more enjoyable outings on the water.
What should I consider when choosing a motor for my paddleboard?
Consider the motor's power, battery life, weight and portability, user-friendly attachment, safety features, and eco-friendly operation when selecting a motor for your paddleboard.
How does a motor affect the maneuverability of a paddleboard?
A well-designed, lightweight motor should not impede paddleboard maneuverability, allowing for easy transport and an enjoyable paddling experience.
