Motor question/experiences?

Post by **TrollingThunder** » Mon Nov 24, 2008 9:47 pm

Well now that there's no, or very little open water (tried on the weekend and smashing through ice with an anchor gets tiring) I'm looking into researching some more additions for my boat. This year is a transom mounted trolling motor. Few questions for you folks

My boat is a 14' Lowe Sea Nymph, fairly wide for a tinner.

What's the power that would be decent for this type of boat. I'm assuming more powerful the better, I was thinking 46lbs would be suficient. What are your thoughts/past experiences?

Thanks in advance

Post by **orrsey** » Mon Nov 24, 2008 9:54 pm

How much does your boat weigh? Is there a floor? livewell? Basically the hevier the boat the more power you will need. I have a 16 foot mod-v crestliner full floor, casting deck, livewell, 30hp, console etc...I use a 42# bowmount and that is lots. So I would think 46# would be lots. You could probably get away with 36# but if your bank account can handle it jump to the 46# you will never complain about too much power.

orrsey

Post by **Mr.J.** » Tue Nov 25, 2008 5:31 am

I think orrsey has the right advice

I have a 16 foot Princecraft and only a 32lb on it

No issues with lack of power and I can and do use it to troll too

One thing to keep in mind, more thrust = more battery power required

Do you want your battery to last all day or a few hours?

Post by **Bass Addict** » Tue Nov 25, 2008 6:15 am

Mr.J. wrote: One thing to keep in mind, more thrust = more battery power required

Do you want your battery to last all day or a few hours?

Sorry Dude the other way around , The bigger the motor the less battery power it uses , because of the size of the magnets and winding in the ''Foot ''

Post by **DropShotr** » Tue Nov 25, 2008 6:25 am

I would think 46 lbs. should get the job done on your boat.

DropShot'r

Post by **troutnmuskiehunter** » Tue Nov 25, 2008 6:55 am

I have a 40lb Maxxum on my 14' Smoker Craft which has a 68" beam and is heavier than the Lowe...I've been able to troll 1 1/2 days on one battery when I'm fishing for trout in the back lakes...Lots of power yet easy on batteries..

Le Baron has this particular Minn Kota on sale now for $279.00

Post by **Fishing 24/7** » Tue Nov 25, 2008 5:01 pm

i have a 30 lbs thrust ....

always jammed with weeds..

if you like fishing in the thick cabage/angel hair/ lillypads

i suggest you go more than 30.

something that will rip the vegetation form there root . magle the plant . and make soupe with!

nothing more madning than having to pull oput the elec. motor 50 times befor switching spots!

Post by **cprince** » Tue Nov 25, 2008 5:25 pm

I have used a 35lb - 46 and now a 50lb on my little 14 foot Springbok. (This thing is narrow and super light!!) There is no such thing as "Too Much Power" when it comes to 'lectric trolling motors. It just comes down to a simple equation;

$ available
+
Convenience
= X

If you have a budget, it makes the choice a lot easier.

If you have constraints with regards to the way you transport your boat; (Don't leave the battery in the boat when trailer or do not have an on board charger) this will limit you to a 12volt (Under 55lb thrust) motor.

My advice is simple; Get the most thrust you can afford. If it has the maximiser all the better as it will extend your day drastically.

Get a good battery. If you can and don't mind lugging around the weight, get two big butt 6volt tractor batteries. They will last a lot longer than any class 12 volt you can buy. (not so sure about Group 24...) But the obvious problem is that they are in the way!!

Get an on board charger. This will save your shoulder... believe me... I lug mine upstairs into my house daily to charge.

Get the thickest gauge 12volt wires possible. 4 gauge may be over kill... but if you can afford it DO IT!
Check this site out; http://genuinedealz.com/voltage-drop.html and you will see what kind of loss you get with thin gauge wire. A 55lb thrust motor draws around 50 amps. If you are using the standard 14 gauge wire (this is the gauge I have seen over and over...) over 4 feet your trolling motor is only getting 10.96 volts so the motor has to draw more and this will impact the motors performance, but more importantly, it will burn out MUCH quicker. Don't bother with marine grade (tinned) wire unless you plan on being in salt water. Tin the ends yourself and seal them with a liquid silicone (Liquid black tape).

Post by **Mr.J.** » Tue Nov 25, 2008 6:43 pm

Bass Addict wrote:
Mr.J. wrote: One thing to keep in mind, more thrust = more battery power required

Do you want your battery to last all day or a few hours?

Sorry Dude the other way around , The bigger the motor the less battery power it uses , because of the size of the magnets and winding in the ''Foot ''

REALLY

So how come my 36lb on my canoe sucks the battery harder then the 32lb on my boat

Post by **Fishing 24/7** » Tue Nov 25, 2008 10:09 pm

Mr.J. wrote:
Bass Addict wrote:
Mr.J. wrote: One thing to keep in mind, more thrust = more battery power required

Do you want your battery to last all day or a few hours?

Sorry Dude the other way around , The bigger the motor the less battery power it uses , because of the size of the magnets and winding in the ''Foot ''
REALLY

So how come my 36lb on my canoe sucks the battery harder then the 32lb on my boat

id say you have a real cheap k mart batterie!

850 deep cycle marine #1 energizer

they keep going and going and goingand going and goingand going and goingand going and goingand going and goingand going and goingand going and goingand going and goingand going and goingand going and goingand going and goingand going and goingand going and goingand going and goingand going and goingand going and goingand going and goingand going and goingand going and goingand going and goingand going and goingand going and goingand going and goingand going and goingand going and goingand going and goingand going and goingand going and goingand going and goingand going and goingand going and goingand going and goingand going and goingand going and goingand going and goingand going and goingand going and goingand going and goingand going and goingand going and goingand going and goingand going and goingand going and goingand going and goingand going and goingand going and goingand going and goingand going and goingand going and goingand going and goingand going and goingand going and goingand going and goingand going and goingand going and goingand going and goingand going and goingand going and going

Post by **Bass Addict** » Wed Nov 26, 2008 6:24 am

Mr.J. wrote:
Bass Addict wrote:
Mr.J. wrote: One thing to keep in mind, more thrust = more battery power required

Do you want your battery to last all day or a few hours?

orry Dude the other way around , The bigger the motor the less battery power it uses , because of the size of the magnets and winding in the ''Foot ''
REALLY

So how come my 36lb on my canoe sucks the battery harder then the 32lb on my boat

No problem , but first you tell me why my 40lb thrust uses less than my 30lb thrust

Post by **cprince** » Wed Nov 26, 2008 7:53 am

Bass Addict wrote:
Mr.J. wrote:
Bass Addict wrote: orry Dude the other way around , The bigger the motor the less battery power it uses , because of the size of the magnets and winding in the ''Foot ''
REALLY
So how come my 36lb on my canoe sucks the battery harder then the 32lb on my boat
No problem , but first you tell me why my 40lb thrust uses less than my 30lb thrust

I will go out on a limb here and say that the 30 did not have the Maximizer and the 40 did?

Or....

The 30 was older than Christ's loin cloth and the 40 was new and used power more judiciously due to the modern construction rather than the Lbs thrust?

Or....

You got a new battery when you bought the 40?

Or...

Your crazy?

Post by **Fishing 24/7** » Wed Nov 26, 2008 2:22 pm

cprince wrote:
Bass Addict wrote:
Mr.J. wrote: REALLY
So how come my 36lb on my canoe sucks the battery harder then the 32lb on my boat
No problem , but first you tell me why my 40lb thrust uses less than my 30lb thrust
I will go out on a limb here and say that the 30 did not have the Maximizer and the 40 did?

Or....

The 30 was older than Christ's loin cloth and the 40 was new and used power more judiciously due to the modern construction rather than the Lbs thrust?

Or....

You got a new battery when you bought the 40?

Or...

Your crazy?

SOOOOOOOOOOO true!

Post by **Mr.J.** » Wed Nov 26, 2008 4:59 pm

Fishing 24/7 wrote:
cprince wrote:
Bass Addict wrote: No problem , but first you tell me why my 40lb thrust uses less than my 30lb thrust
I will go out on a limb here and say that the 30 did not have the Maximizer and the 40 did?

Or....

The 30 was older than Christ's loin cloth and the 40 was new and used power more judiciously due to the modern construction rather than the Lbs thrust?

Or....

You got a new battery when you bought the 40?

Or...

Your crazy?
SOOOOOOOOOOO true!

Don't have anything to add

Just keeping the quote boxes going

Post by **TrollingThunder** » Wed Nov 26, 2008 5:17 pm

Good info so far, as for the whole trolling part of it, I would be strickly using it for positioning, I fish muskie 98% of the time so if I do troll I'd be using my main motor. I've been looking at the Endura model, $200 for the 46 lb thrust seems to be a pretty decent deal. Money is not necessarily an issue, but I'm just thinking the 55 would be overkill...perhaps a waste as I would be using it strickly for positioning, so I would never or rarely be running it constantly.

Batteries?

Weight not being an issue, I'm pretty sure I anything under 200lbs I could easily manage, I'm assuming mounting the battery under the front seat would help counterbalance the weight issue...so long as it lasts a day on the water it would be sufficient. What brands do you fellow hawkers use?