Rivers punish gear. Shallow shoals, relentless current, and long runs up-river means a river rig has to be light, balanced, and properly motorized before. Every Friday we're breaking down a real build from an angler who fishes it hard.
First up: Jimmy Entwistle, a collegiate kayak angler for Campbellsville University, and his Bonafide RVR 119 running the Newport NK180 HD.
The Build
| Component | Spec |
|---|---|
| Kayak | Bonafide RVR 119 — river-specific hull, 11'9" |
| Motor | Newport NK180 HD — 1.8 HP / 600W, 24V, 14.3 lbs, brushless direct-drive |
| Power | Newport LoPro lithium battery, mounted under the seat |
| Storage | Tackle crate in the rear well |
| Anchoring | Anchor Wizard |
| Accesories | NK180 Series Control Foil & Rock Guard |
Why It Works on the River
Motor: power without the weight penalty
At 14.3 lbs, the NK180 HD adds propulsion to a small river hull without loading down the stern. It runs on 24V, draws 25 amps at peak, and is built on the NK HD durability standard — reinforced composite steering and retract architecture, oversized communication connectors, precision bearings, and conformal-coated internal electronics. For a boat that spends its life bumping rock and getting dragged across gravel bars, that construction matters more than top speed. Add a NK180 series foil and rock guard to the system and you've got a machine built for dominating the river.
Mounting depth is the whole game
Entwistle's point about mounting is the most useful thing in this build. The NK180 HD's redesigned angled lift arm sits at a minimum depth of roughly 15.5" from the center of the prop to the base of the bracket. If you need to run shallower — and on a river, you will — add a second clamp or reposition the bottom clamp above the black plastic stern bracket. That raises the motor and keeps the prop out of the rocks.
Battery placement: stability you can feel
The LoPro is designed to fit under the kayak seat rather than in the rear well. Keeping that weight low and centered instead of behind the cockpit is what preserves the RVR's stability when you're standing to fish or working through moving water.
Anchoring: the overlooked piece
An anchor system is the difference between fishing a good spot and drifting past it. Current doesn't let you sit still. Entwistle runs an Anchor Wizard so that when he finds a hole or a current seam holding fish, he can lock in and work it properly.
In Entwistle's Words
Here is my Bonafide RVR 119! This is the perfect river setup for multiple reasons. Paired up with the Newport NK180 HD this kayak is truly unstoppable. When your motor is mounted correctly the RVR can go in any water the kayak can float in. Another perfect addition to the kayak is a LoPro battery which fits directly under the seat evenly distributing your weight making the kayak stable. I have also added a YakAttack BlackPak to store all my tackle needed for the river. Finally a sneaky addition to this kayak is my anchor wizard, some people forget about a helpful tool like this but when you find a juicy hole on the river nothing is better than dropping anchor and keeping yourself on the fish. Overall, in my opinion this is the best kayak and motor setup you can buy for the river that will continuously put you and keep you on the fish!
— Jimmy Entwistle, Campbellsville University
On the Board
Jimmy Entwistle, far left, hold up his recent second place check in the Bassmaster College Kayak Series on the Susquehanna River.
Build Your Rig
The NK180 HD is the lightest motor in Newport's NK HD Series and the one most river anglers land on. Full specs, mounting depth details, and the range calculator are on the product page.
Featured Rig Friday runs weekly. Newport Vessels is the title sponsor of the Bassmaster Kayak Series.