Designing the electric motor, battery system, and wireless remote control for the world's first purpose-built bellyboat propulsion system
Client: Float Plus
Industry: Sports / Consumer Electronics
Service: Hardware Design, Motor Control, Embedded Software, UX/UI Design
Technology: Bluetooth, Display, Power Motor Control, Mobile Application
Award: Best New Product in category
Float Plus is the first electric propulsion system purpose-built for bellyboat fishing. Where conventional trolling motors were designed for rigid boats and adapted for float tubes, Float Plus was conceived from scratch around the specific needs of the bellyboat angler, compact, lightweight, powerful enough to handle wind and current, and controlled wirelessly from the water.
Our team designed and built the complete system: the motor, the battery and control unit, the charging point, and the wireless remote with a full-colour LCD screen.
Client and Goals
Bellyboat fishing, where an angler sits in a float tube and moves across the water using fins, had never had a purpose-built electric motor. Float Plus set out to change that, creating the first electric propulsion system specifically designed for bellyboats. They came to SPINNOV to design and build the complete system: the motor itself, the battery and control unit, the charging point, and the wireless remote control with a full-colour LCD screen that the angler uses to manage everything from the water.
Challenges
Designing a motor for a bellyboat is a different problem from adapting an existing trolling motor or outboard. A bellyboat sits low in the water with the angler's legs submerged. The propulsion system has to be compact and lightweight enough not to compromise the boat's balance and agility, powerful enough to move meaningfully against wind and current, and robust enough to survive regular immersion in freshwater environments. There was no off-the-shelf solution to reference, the geometry, mounting, and power requirements had to be worked out from first principles.
The control system introduced its own constraints. The remote control is operated by an angler sitting in a float tube, likely wearing gloves, with wet hands, in variable weather. The interface had to be readable in bright outdoor light and operable without fine motor precision, a full-colour LCD screen that showed the information the angler needed at a glance, with controls that worked reliably in the conditions they'd actually be used in. Bluetooth communication between the remote and the motor unit had to be stable across the distances and orientations typical on open water.
Battery life was a continuous design consideration throughout. Every feature, motor power, display brightness, Bluetooth transmission rate, control unit processing, had to be balanced against the goal of maximising time on the water on a single charge. Optimising for battery drain wasn't a finishing touch; it was a constraint that shaped decisions from the architecture stage onwards.
SPINNOV’s Role
SPINNOV selected the technology stack, designed the system architecture, and built every component of the Float Plus propulsion system. The result won recognition as the Best New Product in its category. Specifically, we:
Designed and built the Twin Force electric motor, engineered in glass-fibre-filled polycarbonate for strength, durability, and resistance to freshwater immersion
Designed the integrated case housing the battery, control unit, and charging point in a single compact unit
Developed the motor control electronics managing power delivery, speed control, and protection logic
Built the wireless remote control with a full-colour LCD screen, designed for outdoor readability and gloved-hand operation
Implemented Bluetooth communication between the remote and the motor unit, optimised for reliability on open water
Developed the embedded firmware managing motor control, battery monitoring, and remote communication
Designed the user interface on the remote — prioritising clarity, usability in field conditions, and minimising unnecessary battery drain throughout
Now available across Europe
The Float Plus Bellyboat Motor remains the only electric motor on the market purpose-built for bellyboats. The motor is now available across Europe, used by anglers fishing everything from still reservoirs to fast-moving rivers, and it still holds its Best New Product award.