Lake and river legally without a boat license: engines for inflatable boats, SUP & Co.

In summer, water trips are a must – they promise coolness and entertainment. The beach and the water near the coast are accordingly full. You can escape on a rubber canoe, bathing island or SUP. Even better if you don’t have to row or paddle in high temperatures – thanks to the motor.

Everything that is fun is forbidden in Germany anyway – or is it? In principle, there is nothing wrong with exploring the local waters and waterways with your boat or SUP – even if you do not paddle, but use a motor. In Germany, boats with a combustion engine of up to 15 hp or 11 kW and a boat length of up to 20 m usually do not require a driving licence. Boats with an electric drive can be driven without a licence with a maximum of 7.5 kW (approx. 10 hp) in continuous operation (operating mode S1 according to DIN EN 60034-1).

No! Motorized boats or water sports equipment are not permitted on all water bodies. What specifically applies locally can be found in the respective water regulations of the local shipping offices or asked at the district office.

Regional exceptions are particularly common in Bavaria. But you should always also find out about local regulations in other federal states before buying!

This depends on the specific engine type. Beyond 3HP there is usually a labeling requirement, which goes hand in hand with insurance. However, drives with lower power do not require any additional approval.

You have to look closely when it comes to electric motors for inflatable boats, as there are license-free motors under 3 HP and up to about 10 HP. The latter do not require a driver’s license, but they do require registration, including license plates – this is usually applied for at the local district office. Diving scooters and motorized fins for SUPs are usually under 3 HP and therefore no registration or labeling is necessary. You can therefore drive without any restrictions.

Motors from brand manufacturers such as Torqeedo are significantly more expensive, but also more powerful. The Torqeedo Travel 1103 CS model we use personally costs 2250 euros in a set with charger and integrated 915 Wh battery. According to the GPS on our smartphone, the boat for six people reaches about 10 to 11 km/h in no wind. One battery charge lasts about 2.5 to 3 hours at moderate speed. However, at full throttle, the battery runs out after about 50 minutes. Equally equipped brand engine Haswing Pulsar 3.0 Available from 1950 euros including battery. Unlike no-name engines, not every battery can be used with branded engines. The stylish but of course expensive batteries cost between 650 and 950 euros, depending on their capacity.

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Stand-up paddling boards, or SUPs for short, have been an integral part of the lake and beach for many years. From about 200 euros However, the lightweight, inflatable boards available are not just suitable for paddling. With an electric motor, the sports equipment becomes a real fun cruiser in no time.

But you should look carefully when buying, because the offers differ not only in price and performance. While some motors have the battery integrated directly, in other models you have to fasten it on board. You should also check whether the motor fits in your fin box before buying. Especially with cheap motors, the battery is often not included in the scope of delivery and must be purchased separately.

Most drives are controlled via remote control and operated using pedals and weight shifting. You can choose between forward and reverse and different speeds on the controls. Electric Fin from Jayke for 700 eurosor even has an integrated pedal sensor in its remote control. Then the motor does not work permanently, but only works when pedals are used – similar to pedal support on e-bikes. Depending on the operating mode, up to six hours of driving time is possible from this branded motor with internal battery.

This is approximately 434 Euros Engine from Aqua Mariana It’s a lot cheaper, but the battery is on board and there’s no pedal sensor. Battery life also can’t keep up with the more expensive version.

The maximum speed of a SUP drive is between 5 and 12 km/h, depending on the price range. The motor on a SUP should generally be seen as a support. It should not be seen as a replacement for a motorboat, e-foil or e-surfboard, but especially the cheaper models lack performance. Top models cost 1,500 euros and more. They achieve good speeds of up to 12 km/h and a very good battery life of up to four hours. In addition, some models also offer the option to use the motor as an underwater scooter. More on this in the next section.

Even if you are traveling without a SUP or inflatable boat, you don’t have to do without an electronic drive. So-called diving scooters with electric motors can be found on Ebay & Co. for around 120 euros. But be careful, such a competitive price usually does not include any battery.

The price starts at around 215 euros including battery and charger. The cheapest one Yamaha sea scooter Aquanaut However, it is only suitable for children and young people weighing around 45kg and up to a depth of three metres. Our 500 watt no name sea scooter However, it is suitable up to a depth of 30 metres and can even pull adults through the water at a speed of 6 km/hour. 390 Euros This expensive underwater vehicle has two speed levels and, depending on the driver and the speed, the battery lasts for about 35 to 60 minutes, after which it has to be put back on the charger. To be able to dive deeper with this scooter, you have to put water in the housing – if you use the device with children, you leave the air in the chamber. The scooter then floats up on its own and cannot get lost.

If you can’t decide between a diving scooter and a SUP drive, you should take a look at combination engines. Here the motor handle can be replaced with an insert for a SUP fin, making the drive suitable for swimmers and SUP riders. Electric motor from Generic for around 339 euros is such an all-rounder. Depending on the application scenario, speeds of up to 10 km/h and a battery life of around 50 minutes are possible.

If you want to drive across the water and don’t want or can’t paddle yourself, an electric motor that doesn’t require a license is a good purchase. However, before buying, you should always find out about local water regulations and for outputs of 3HP or more, registration and labeling are also required. If you don’t feel like setting up a SUP or boat, you should take a look at diving scooters. They are also a lot of fun and are available for less than 400 euros.

Simple electric drives do not turn swimmers, inflatable boats and SUPs into racing boats, but speeds of up to 12 km/h are perfectly adequate in good weather. If you don’t want to overwork yourself in summer temperatures, you don’t need a sailing license and you can still have fun.