trolling motor

[produceguy]

I am going fishing in the morning and I want to stop and buy a trolling motor just in case we have any problems with the v6. I have a 19ft fish and ski and I think she weights around 1200 I'm not sure.
Would a trolling motor with 30 pounds of thrust be enough to get us back to land if we have a problem?
Thanks for any input.

 

[dooma_Flatchy]

Re: trolling motor

Make sure you use a separate battery. 30 pounds is not very much. If you were to go against current and wind you would suck the battery dry and I doubt you would make it very far. A minimum that I would use is 45lbs. I had a 45 lb on my 15 foot bass boat with me and my gear it was just good enough on calm water to last a trip with just enough extra to use if needed. High wind days and strong current drained my battery fast.

 

[fishrdan]

Re: trolling motor

I doubt that rig weighs 1200#, seems pretty light for a 19'er with a 205HP,,, I/O? If it's an I/O your engine/drive weights around 1000#

A 30# troller won't do much good on a 19'er unless it's dead calm, even with dead calm conditions it won't move you very fast or far. Enough to get to shore, probably, back to the launch ramp, probably not.

Where are you going to mount the trolling motor. If you have an outboard then it could be easy to mount it next to the OB, but mounting it on an I/O bout can be challenging.

Also, most 30# TM's have short shafts, 30 or 36". On that big of a boat, that might not get the TM deep enough into the water to push the boat well, with the motor sitting below the hull of the boat.

That said, it's better than paddling. I had a 42# transom mount TM on my old boat which probably weighed around 2500#. It broke down 1/2 mile from the launch ramp and it took a long time to get back, but it did make it back.

What lake are you going to?

 

[produceguy]

Re: trolling motor

Thanks for the input. Looks like I need at least 45 to 50#. Just trying to save a few $$ with the 30#.
Were heading out to canyon lake, nice lake but has lots of (dabree). Have to be carefull their.
I can't spell for shet.

 

[keninaz]

Re: trolling motor

I hope you realize that a trolling motor is only supposed to troll, or propel the boat at 2-5 MPH. And more thrust does not equal more speed, it's only to maintain speed for water and wind conditions.
They are really not meant for an auxiliary power source

 

[produceguy]

Re: trolling motor

I don't need it for speed, just need it to get back to the dock incase the v6 fails.

 

[keninaz]

Re: trolling motor

OK, but I have to think you are a long ways off on the weight of that boat too.
Make sure you have enough thrust and battery to get you back.
The 40# class will run around 40 amps of draw and can take a battery down pretty quick.

 

[Silvertip]

Re: trolling motor

If you are more than a mile from shore when/if you have an issue, you had best have more than just a starting battery to power the troller. Batteries are not an inexhaustable supply of power and the bigger the motor, the more current they pull from the battery. Then you still have the mounting problem. Picking up a trolling motor on the way to the lake involves the least amount of time. Installing it on the boat involves a fair amount of time. Unless you have an outboard, you have some bracketry to design, build and install, or else pop for a bow mount which requires a couple hours to install.