Trolling motor questions from a noob

hagfan72

Recruit
Joined
May 21, 2014
Messages
4
Hi all, new to the forum, new to boating. I just picked up a 1977 Orrion tri-hull 15 foot boat, and had a couple questions regarding trolling motors. First, can you steer a transom mounted trolling motor from the steering wheel, or do you have to steer it like a tiller. I know there are remote control options, but those appear a bit pricey. Second, is there some sort of formula/cheat sheet when it comes to figuring out how much thrust a particular boat needs? Or is thrust like money; you can never have enough? WHat would be too little thrust? What about a kicker opposed to a trolling motor? Sorry for so many questions, but thanks in advance for your help.
 

gm280

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Jun 26, 2011
Messages
14,605
Lots of folks claim to buy the biggest thrust output you can afford. However, I owned a few trolling motors over the years and with the exception of channel trolling for schooled fish, I never ever used my trolling motor on its highest setting to the casual bank/structure trolling along a bank or such. In fact I usually just touch the foot switch occasionally to quietly glide along and fish. So it really all depends on what YOU are going to do with your trolling motor. If you are using it to fight current and wind, then yes buy big and have equally good batteries to support it. But if you are using yours for easing along, you can get by with a lot less thrust... Of course this is just my assessment and others will have theirs... As for the transom mount, some folks make an attachment to their regular OB and use the steering wheel to guide it. But I will say that any boat is easier to control and guide from a bow mounted trolling motor then a transom mounted one. It is just the physics of the boat hull design. JMHO!
 

Silvertip

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Sep 22, 2003
Messages
28,771
A heavy tri-hull benefits from more power than a light aluminum boat of the same size. A bow mount is also much more desirable than a stern mount from a control/positioning standpoint. Your boat should, in my view have 40# motor minimum. Yes, while just poking along using a momentary bump of the "go button" would work with a smaller motor, there are times when you must fight current or wind or both and a low thrust motor just won't cut it. It is always better to have more power so you have it available if needed rather than wish you had more power and not have it. You generally buy this stuff once/boat so do it right.
 

Star

Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Sep 21, 2010
Messages
481
A 55# thrust should get you by. And do go for the bow mount and a 27 or 29 deep cycle and a good charger. Rob a bank or don't pay your taxes like your
congressman does. You can find some good deals, and Minn Koda's are supported well by the company.
 

hagfan72

Recruit
Joined
May 21, 2014
Messages
4
I have a lead on a Minn Kota Maxxum 101 for $325. It's a bow mount. I'm about 90% sure I'll buy it.
 

Silvertip

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Sep 22, 2003
Messages
28,771
You need three batteries in series to run a 36 volt motor. Got room for them? You need a three bank smart charger to charge three batteries in a series configuration. Four bank if you want to charge the starting battery as well. These are not cheap. You can use a single 12 volt charger to charge all batteries but you need to charge them one at a time so it takes four times as long. Lastly, you have a 15 foot boat. four batteries at about 35 - 40# each means a lot of extra weight to lug around. It's like having one extra person in the boat all the time. I think this motor would be huge mistake. You do not need anywhere near that amount of power. Even if it was free, you have some serious coin tied up in batteries and a charger.
 
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