kiltedcelt
Cadet
- Joined
- Mar 17, 2012
- Messages
- 8
Hello,
I'm new to the forum, so forgive me if I wasn't able to find my answers whilst searching through the forum. I have this boat:
Saturn 14' inflatable KaBoat - SK430
http://www.boatstogo.com/kayaks_sk430.asp
this motor:
Haswing 55# 26" short shaft trolling motor - 50 amp max draw
http://www.boatstogo.com/Electric-Trolling-Motor.asp
and this battery:
Cabela's AGM group 27 battery
http://www.cabelas.com/product/Boat...=SBC;MMcat104794380;cat104698080;cat104446080
Now this is my first experience with trolling motors, so bear with me. My motor has a digital readout on the top that will show you battery life left (apparently), as long as you switch it to the off position. I tooled around with the boat yesterday for approximately 3 hours, quite a bit of it fighting a little wind and some current with the motor cranked up to the highest output setting (5). Do you think this meter on the motor is to be believed in terms of giving an accurate representation of battery life left, or at the very least give you some idea of when you should ease off so that you don't get stuck rowing all the way back to the put-in? I've also been looking at "smart" battery boxes like the ones made by Minn Kota which have push button battery charge level indicators. I suppose I could always invest in a second battery but that would be another 70# to lug around. I mainly will be using this boat to allow me to get out and photograph wildlife and observe wildlife. Much of what I may be doing is using the motor to get me to a certain spot, or upstream on a river or creek, with using the oars or a kayak paddle to maneuver as needed, or using the motor to maneuver if necessary. In my case the motor is a primary method of propulsion. A lot of the places I like to go don't allow gas outboards. In addition to that, I live in an apartment, hence the need for an inflatable boat, so storing a gas outboard is pretty much out of the question. So, is there any easy way to keep an idea about how much battery life is left? Can the meters be trusted, be it on the motor or the batter box? Any suggestions to keep me from running out of juice somewhere that I won't have to face a 2 or 3 hour paddle back to the put-in? Thanks.
I'm new to the forum, so forgive me if I wasn't able to find my answers whilst searching through the forum. I have this boat:
Saturn 14' inflatable KaBoat - SK430
http://www.boatstogo.com/kayaks_sk430.asp
this motor:
Haswing 55# 26" short shaft trolling motor - 50 amp max draw
http://www.boatstogo.com/Electric-Trolling-Motor.asp
and this battery:
Cabela's AGM group 27 battery
http://www.cabelas.com/product/Boat...=SBC;MMcat104794380;cat104698080;cat104446080
Now this is my first experience with trolling motors, so bear with me. My motor has a digital readout on the top that will show you battery life left (apparently), as long as you switch it to the off position. I tooled around with the boat yesterday for approximately 3 hours, quite a bit of it fighting a little wind and some current with the motor cranked up to the highest output setting (5). Do you think this meter on the motor is to be believed in terms of giving an accurate representation of battery life left, or at the very least give you some idea of when you should ease off so that you don't get stuck rowing all the way back to the put-in? I've also been looking at "smart" battery boxes like the ones made by Minn Kota which have push button battery charge level indicators. I suppose I could always invest in a second battery but that would be another 70# to lug around. I mainly will be using this boat to allow me to get out and photograph wildlife and observe wildlife. Much of what I may be doing is using the motor to get me to a certain spot, or upstream on a river or creek, with using the oars or a kayak paddle to maneuver as needed, or using the motor to maneuver if necessary. In my case the motor is a primary method of propulsion. A lot of the places I like to go don't allow gas outboards. In addition to that, I live in an apartment, hence the need for an inflatable boat, so storing a gas outboard is pretty much out of the question. So, is there any easy way to keep an idea about how much battery life is left? Can the meters be trusted, be it on the motor or the batter box? Any suggestions to keep me from running out of juice somewhere that I won't have to face a 2 or 3 hour paddle back to the put-in? Thanks.
