Motor Swap Questions

[KYBeachBum]

Good evening,

I would like to start by saying that I have learned a LOT from simply lurking this site. You guys are great! I'm sorry if this has been asked before, but I went back several pages to try and find an answer with no luck. Here's my question/dilemma:

I have a Traveler aluminum bass boat with a 60hp Mariner motor on the back (S/N 0B157648,1986 model, I believe) that I just about have running the way it should. My problem is that there are at least 5 horsepower restricted lakes within 30 miles of home, and a 9.9hp would really be the way to go. Then again, there's good fishing a little farther away that I would rather have the 60 for. The question is this: Is it feasible for me to buy a smaller motor and swap back and forth? I've done some reading about the wiring harness, and assume that they need to match up. Do I need a Mariner of similar year or would a Merc. or other motor work? Is there anything else that I need to do?

 

[reddogg]

Re: Motor Swap Questions

Sounds like to much work to me, Buy a small boat and a tiller stear motor for it for the restricted lakes and go fishing. I can tell you for one thing the bolt holes for a 60 and a 9.9 most likely wont match up and it would be a pain in the rear to constantly be swapping motors. You can find an inexpensive (relatively) small boat/motor combo. My 2 cents.

red

 

[KYBeachBum]

Re: Motor Swap Questions

reddog,

Thanks for the reply. I've had the same thought about a second boat, but I have a storage issue, and a second boat is pretty much out of the question. I've thought of the bolt hole issue as well. The way I figure it, I'll probably put the small motor on and leave it on 95% of the time. I'd just like to have the option if it isn't a ridiculously difficult/time consuming thing to do.

 

[Redneckhick]

Re: Motor Swap Questions

Can you put the small motor on next to your big motor? And keep your big motor up? I don't know if is legal or not. But I would sure check into it. Or get a smaller boat to fish the smaller lakes.

 

[Fishing Dude too]

Re: Motor Swap Questions

Had that issue on a boat we had. The main reason was because of wake wash. Was told by the rangers limit power, to about 10 hp. Never had any trouble, used once to rescue a boater who swamped his boat.

 

[KYBeachBum]

Re: Motor Swap Questions

Thanks everyone for the replies so far...I guess at the end of the day, I don't care about the bolt holes and the fact that it would be a pain to do. I'm just hoping that the whole thing can be "plug and play", for lack of a better term....Unhook the wiring harness, throttle and shift cables on the big motor...replace with the small motor and re-hook. Just not sure what will match up from motor to motor.

 

[Fed up]

Re: Motor Swap Questions

have you thought of something like this?
http://www.minnkotamotors.com/products/trolling_motors/electric_outboard/edrive.aspx

 

[Gomer50]

Re: Motor Swap Questions

Ever thought about one of these.

 

[KYBeachBum]

Re: Motor Swap Questions

Fed up,

Actually I have thought of an e-drive. I have a buddy that has one on his 'toon. Awesome system, but it'd be almost twice as much as what I have in the boat...Minn Kota makes a motor that mounts on the cav plate as well, but I was looking at 9.9 for the advantage of maximum speed that I could obtain from a gas motor. Maximum speed = maximum fishing time!

have you thought of something like this?
http://www.minnkotamotors.com/products/trolling_motors/electric_outboard/edrive.aspx

 

[Fed up]

Re: Motor Swap Questions

I understand wanting to stay with a gas motor, but the swapping will get old quick. Check this out about 1/4 the price and runs off of a 24volt system. 80 lbs of thrust should move you pretty good. I have 70lbs of thrust on my 15ft fiberglass bass boat and it will pull in a heavy current and heavy wind for as long as I want to fish.

Here is the link
http://www.minnkotamotors.com/products/trolling_motors/freshwater_transom_mount/traxxis.aspx

 

[KYBeachBum]

Re: Motor Swap Questions

I'm sure this will end up being one of those "I told you so" moments, but I'm 100% set on swapping back and forth between gas motors. The 9.9 will be on the boat 95% of the time, so there really won't be a lot of swapping. (Yes, I usually insist on doing things the hard way!) One thing that I definitely DON'T want to do is run cabling everytime that I do this...if I can do it by just unplugging and re-plugging, I'm good to go regardless of how old it gets.

I understand wanting to stay with a gas motor, but the swapping will get old quick. Check this out about 1/4 the price and runs off of a 24volt system. 80 lbs of thrust should move you pretty good. I have 70lbs of thrust on my 15ft fiberglass bass boat and it will pull in a heavy current and heavy wind for as long as I want to fish.

Here is the link
http://www.minnkotamotors.com/products/trolling_motors/freshwater_transom_mount/traxxis.aspx