The AutoPilot Story: How Two Iconic Brands Came Together To Innovate The Most Revolutionary Kayak In History

It’s hard to argue that Old Town and Minn Kota are not innovation leaders. In their collective 212 years of experience, each brand has introduced countless products that have improved the way anglers and on-water enthusiasts experience time in the great outdoors.

Old Town, founded in 1898, is a leader in watercraft innovation. Over the years, the Maine- based Old Town company has pioneered materials, hull designs, and propulsion technologies.

Minn Kota, founded in 1934, has revolutionized how anglers propel their boats for fishing pursuits. The first true trolling motor maker, Minn Kota is an industry leader and one of the most respected brand names in the fishing industry.

Whether sneaking up on fish in a stealthy fishing kayak or virtually anchoring your bass boat in rough, windy conditions, Old Town and Minn Kota have paved the way for a lot of creature comforts anglers experience today, and that is by no accident. As part of the Johnson Outdoors family of brands, innovation and understanding an angler's needs are core to who they are.

That is why both brands partnered to design a product that leveraged technology and expertise from each to deliver the most revolutionary fishing kayak in history.

Although both Old Town and Minn Kota have many experienced anglers who work for them, the idea which spawned the Old Town Sportsman AutoPilot kayak was developed based on deep consumer insights.

"Johnson Outdoors is passionate about understanding consumers’ motivations, needs, and ways to improve their experience," explained Ryan Lilly, Brand Evangelist for Old Town. "We don't pursue new projects without validating them through extensive research."

When the Old Town Sportsman AutoPilot project began, feedback from kayak anglers propelled the project objective. "We learned that customers desired a stable fishing platform that is simple to maneuver, is customizable, and easily anchored when fishing," said Lilly. "It was clear that kayak anglers wanted a craft that allowed them to focus all of their attention on fishing rather than maneuvering their craft."

So, Old Town and Minn Kota engineers teamed up to design a product to address the consumer’s needs. The goal was to leverage the power of Minn Kota's GPS Spot-Lock anchoring technology with an Old Town fishing kayak hull design. The outcome resulted in a fishing kayak with a seamlessly integrated motor that propels the kayak and remotely anchors when Spot-Lock is engaged.

Sharon Scott, Senior Director of Brand and Product Marketing for Johnson Outdoors Watercraft explains, “The power of cross-team collaboration across the Watercraft and Fishing/Marine Electronics businesses was uniquely available to us at Johnson Outdoors. Our teamwork and expertise allowed us to bring a revolutionary watercraft to market at a value no other U.S. brand can match”.

As a result, a revolutionary new kayak fishing experience was born. Motorized kayaks are not new, but integrating a motor with GPS Spot-Lock was unique. Before the AutoPilot, anglers had to commit to an expensive and intimidating DIY project to add a GPS Spot-Lock-enabled motor to their kayak. The AutoPilot offers a ready-to-fish experience, allowing anglers to hit the water and start fishing.

The power of collaboration and understanding a consumer’s needs speaks for itself. After launching the Old Town Sportsman AutoPilot in 2020, the revolutionary kayak won ICAS's "Best In Show" award, the most prestigious accolade in the fishing industry. 

“It’s been extremely gratifying to see the market’s response to our innovation,” states Scott. “AutoPilot is still winning awards and accolades nearly 2 years after its launch. But the most rewarding part is when we see and hear stories from people who are able to enhance their adventures and share their passions thanks to our products.”

This is a great example of the benefits that can be achieved by having a parent company like Johnson Outdoors instill the importance of innovation in its family of brands. To read up on other exciting cross-collaboration between Johnson Outdoors’ brands, visit the Outdoor Adventure Blog. To learn more about the Old Town Sportsman Autopilot, featuring Minn Kota Spot-Lock technology, visit oldtownwatercraft.com/sportsman.