Trolling Motors

Last season i started using an electric trolling motor on my 18 foot center console for fluke drifting and trolling on the north shore.I used a 36 lb. thrust minn kota and it was quite effective in the bay.Also helped getting into bunker schools.You need a deep cycle battery and a 3 stage charger is a good idea.Don't run it off the starting battery or you will be rowing home!

Bobfish,
Did you run the trolling motor off a bow rig or from a stern bracket ?

Bobfish,
Thanks for the info. Do you use one battery or two? Is the charger hard-wired in the boat or do you recharge the battery at home?
Thanks,
David

I used the motor off the stern on one seperate battery.The charger I use is hard wired,waterproof that can charge 2 batteries at the same time.It is a Guest 2611.My boat is light weight,it might be a good idea to use 45-55 lbs of thrust on a bigger boat.This size will still be 12 volts.Battery life was suprisingly long if you don't use full thrust all the time.

Don't forget to get a saltwater model like a Great White or riptide. I just put a Great White w/ 67 lbs. of thrust on the bow of my 19" Bay Boat and it works great. If the motor is 24 volts u will need 2 batteries. I also hard wired a 2 bank cabela's (made by quest) charger in the boat. They also have chargers that work off the boats'
alternator at cabelas or bass pro shops.

186Logic,

Thanks for the feedback. I'll likely go with a bow-mounted motor but don't want to leave the motor on the boat overnight. What type of mount do you use? I understand there is one that allows the owner to slide it on and off.
Also do you have the two batteries at the bow or stern?

Question: planning on using a canoe in the Nissequoge River. Wicked currents in there. Going to be using a 16 foot canoe (plastic). Want to mount an electric trolling motor to the stern (do the backs of canoes merit being called a stern?). Already bought the mount - what "thrust" should I be looking for?

Remember - wicked current.

Thanks....

wader
I have a 28lb minkotta if you would like to try it, in northport
email me [email protected]

I don't know about the slide-off mount. I put both batteries in the front storage compartment of my boat (it's behind the casting deck). This worked out great for me as the boat rides much better due to the weight transfer (I have a fairly heavy 4-stroke 115 Suzuki on the back). This may or may not apply to your boat.

I'll likely adopt the same front compartment placement to balance my 150 Johnson. With respect to your charger, doesn't it drain power from your main battery?