Trolling motor recommendation or How do I get off the shore

jaeger

New Member
First time I went out I was alone and the wind was coming straight to shore. No dock shallow water etc. In any case I eventually made it out. Second time out I brought my wife same thing happened. Does anyone have a recommendation for a trolling motor? I have the factory motor mount on the boat. Sports Authority has a Minn Kota Endura 30, 30 LBS thrust with a 30 inch shaft for $94.95. The batteries seem very heavy!

1) What lbs thrust is appropriate for the Capri 14.2
2) What is the ideal shaft length?
3) Where do you store/secure the batterey in case you capsize?
4) Does the prop make a difference?


Any other insight or suggestions would be appreciated

Thanks, Art
 
Re: Trolling motor recommendation or How do I get off the sh

Jaeger: Most of with Capri 14.2's use a canoe paddle for those times when the wind is so light we can't get to where we want to go. If you have a crew, he/she can paddle while you steer with the tiller. Works fairly well though not nearly as nicely as paddling a canoe. My canoe paddle of ca. 5 ft long works much better than the ca.3 ft paddle that the previous owner passed on to me, and it still is short enought to fit in the forward compartment (Model 3 boat) when not in use. I think a trolling motor is overkill on the Capri 14.2, unless you want to go on canals or to troll for Marlin! Dick K.





jaeger said:
First time I went out I was alone and the wind was coming straight to shore. No dock shallow water etc. In any case I eventually made it out. Second time out I brought my wife same thing happened. Does anyone have a recommendation for a trolling motor? I have the factory motor mount on the boat. Sports Authority has a Minn Kota Endura 30, 30 LBS thrust with a 30 inch shaft for $94.95. The batteries seem very heavy!

1) What lbs thrust is appropriate for the Capri 14.2
2) What is the ideal shaft length?
3) Where do you store/secure the batterey in case you capsize?
4) Does the prop make a difference?


Any other insight or suggestions would be appreciated

Thanks, Art
 
Did we lose something here? I thought others already posted a response to this message, but it seems like their posts were lost. Could those people, whoever they were, please repost?

Paul
 
Paul, yes we seemed to have lost some post a few weeks back. This occurred just after "WEB site is not available" messages that I got for at least a half a day. Hopefully, that this was just a startup hiccup.

Dick,
In order to get my wife interested, I need to have her feel comfortable that I can bring her back safely in a quick storm, extra heavy or light winds.

In addition, her request is that sometimes we cruise around without the shade of the sails and movement, so she can "get a tan".

I really wanted a sailboat so this is the compromises that I must make.

So, if I want to go out more........enough said

I purchased a Minn Kota Endura 34 (34 Lbs of thrust and 36 inch shaft). I have not tried it out yet..I will post the results when I do.
 
Kim,

I hope you read this and can repost to this thread. You said something about a certain gas powered moter you bought and reconditioned. You said something about it having an internal gas reservoir. (At least, I think it was you).

I didn't write any of this down because I figured it was captured here and I could always go back to it when I needed it. Now, because of some kind of glitch, it is lost. Lesson learned for me!

Thanks.

Paul
 
repost

I found a small 1.5 hp outboard with an internal fuel tank that I use. Its an atique and runs like a top. I realized when I tried to start off on a lee shore in 10-12 mph winds in a cove that I needed more than a paddle. I've been caught several times in storms when I am several miles down the lake and need to get in quick. I like the gas better than electric because you always hve full power when needed and it only weighs 22 lbs(probably less than a battery) and nothing to charge up when you get in. I got it on e-bay, there are plenty of old small outboards around. If I go to a place that doesn't allow outboards then I just set the motor off and use a paddle. I made a mount so the motor hangs off the back and doesn't interfere with the traveler when kicked up and sailing. Before I went with gas I looked at several different electric setups that people had. I didn't know what to do if the boat capsized with a battery in it (acid, etc.) I ran a small cable from the motor down to the eye below the hiking strap incase the gas motor came loose for any reason I wouldn't sacrifice it to the lake. When I am sailing and the motor is kicked up, I can hardly tell its on there. I can run hull speed (around 5.5mph) easily in light wind and usually throttle back to save fuel. In a real hard wind at full throttle, I can run around 3 mph(checked with gps). I can run between 1 and 1.5 hours on a tankfull at full throttle. I have never run out a full tank at one time when not at full. I carry a 1 gallon plastic gas can from wal-mart with spare fuel in the cuddy(good to mix the fuel in as well). I have been satisfied with this setup, although electric does have advantages as well. I may keep an eye out for an electic as well for lakes that don't allow gas. I just don't have much luck with batteries. If interested I saw an interesting setup for electric that involves a permanent mounted motor that is unseen from the water that I told Jeager about. Good luck, there are plenty of options out there. It is very hard to fight the wind with a paddle.
 
Tried out the Minn Kota Endura 34 (34 LBS thrust with 36 inch shaft. Light wind. Felt like it had plenty of power on a half charged used battery that was donated to my cause. The motor has 5 speeds forward and 3 reverse. The handle extends in and out. When leaving the shore into a light wind itperformed very well. I was able to raise it up to go in a little more than a foot of water. I left it running pointed into the wind at slow speed while I hoisted the main dropped the center board, turn it off, raised it up and turned it sideways to clear the traveller.

The wind died when I was ready to come in. So I used it along with the rudder to steer. This time I dropped the motor down at least 12 inches (recommended depth) below the surface untill close to land then raised the rudder and the motor and used the motor to steer. I even used reverse to slow the approach to land.

All in all I am happy with the performance. As Kim has pointed out the battery is the large style and is very heavy, it needs to be charged, it's another thing to mount before getting to the real reason that your at the lake, what happens to the motor or the battery when capsizing occurs.....

I just could not afford the gas engine right now, but, I do feel that a small gas engine is probably the best idea. I read somewhere that Honda has a 2hp motor like Kim has with internal gas tank, here is the link http://www.honda-marine.com/mod2hp.htm#. I believe that this runs between $800 and $850 and is a 4 cycle.
 
My first reply got deleted. I have a 36 pound thrust Minn Kota and it works fine to get me in and out of the dock, and cruising around if there is no wind. I measured the current flow and it is 7 amps at the lowest speed setting, 1 out of 5. That drives me at about half hull speed, which is just fine for me. Bought a 54 amp-hour gell cell, so I should get a good 5 hours out of it before recharging. Just to make sure, I have an old solar panel from another boat that I connected to the battery, so the sun keeps the battery charged. Everything is strapped down in case I capsize.
 
Nelp,
Thanks for reposting. What is the weight of the Gel Cell? Someone gave me a a LARGE size battery (longer than the typical car battery) and it seems way to heavy for the boat. 5 hours would be more than enough for my use. Is there a special charger required for Gel Cell batteries? Do you have it strapped down at the stern around the hiking strap? Where do you purchase Gel Cell batteries? As I understand it, the Gel Cells are pretty much sealed, so in case of a capsize there would be far less danger of caustic materials leaking out, is this correct?
 
gas motor

Anonymous said:
Tried out the Minn Kota Endura 34 (34 LBS thrust with 36 inch shaft. Light wind. Felt like it had plenty of power on a half charged used battery that was donated to my cause. The motor has 5 speeds forward and 3 reverse. The handle extends in and out. When leaving the shore into a light wind itperformed very well. I was able to raise it up to go in a little more than a foot of water. I left it running pointed into the wind at slow speed while I hoisted the main dropped the center board, turn it off, raised it up and turned it sideways to clear the traveller.

The wind died when I was ready to come in. So I used it along with the rudder to steer. This time I dropped the motor down at least 12 inches (recommended depth) below the surface untill close to land then raised the rudder and the motor and used the motor to steer. I even used reverse to slow the approach to land.

All in all I am happy with the performance. As Kim has pointed out the battery is the large style and is very heavy, it needs to be charged, it's another thing to mount before getting to the real reason that your at the lake, what happens to the motor or the battery when capsizing occurs.....

I just could not afford the gas engine right now, but, I do feel that a small gas engine is probably the best idea. I read somewhere that Honda has a 2hp motor like Kim has with internal gas tank, here is the link http://www.honda-marine.com/mod2hp.htm#. I believe that this runs between $800 and $850 and is a 4 cycle.
Look around in newspapers, ebay, garage sales, etc. There are plenty of the little outboards around that are in running condition or won't take much to get them running. 800$ was way too rich for my blood. I got mine for less than 100$ and put about 20$ into it and it runs well. Working name brand ones in good shape can be had for around 300$.
 
How 'bout using a motorcycle battery for the trolling motor?

Often, we just need a bit of assistance for the first 200 yards away from the dock and the last 200 yards back -- manuevering in or out of a crowded marina under sail is an "exciting" experience, particularly in a stiff wind without reef points. We usually sail in a cove that's about 1 to 1 and half miles long off the main lake so I'm wondering if a motorcycle or lawn tractor battery would be sufficient to power the trolling motor. sure would be a lot lighter and smaller. Any thoughts?

Bill
 
I could've had a V-8

Bill, where were you in April when I went to the local Autozone and purchased a spare anchor? I don't know about a tractor or motorcycle battery, but it dawned on me, what about an electric wheelchair or electric scooter battery? I think it would be wise to stay with a deep cycle battery because the electrical output from a starter battery is not intended to be used more than a few seconds and is really not designed to be discharged to the degree that a deep cycle battery is. You would end up with a battery that suddenly does not hold a charge. OK to get out, but if you need to get back in you will need to grab a paddle. So I took your idea and started to look for replacement batteries and then I had that V-8 moment! I remembered there is a Batteries Plus store in Nashville. If there is a store, there might be a web site. Sure enough. Although there may be a scooter or wheelchair battery that might fit our needs, I discovered that they carry a marine deep cycle battery that has a 12 volt, 45 minute capacity battery that weighes 23 lbs.! It is roughly 8 x 5 x 7 in. is size. Sure beats the you know what out of my anchor from Autozone. I will try to check them out tomorrow and will post what ever I find out about price, etc.
 
I'm still deciding between gas and electric. I would like something for more than just getting to/from the shoreline. I would like something that could run for a bit if the wind completely dies (which it sometimes does where I live).

I found this: http://www.batterymart.com/battery.mv?p=SLA-8GU1

Does anyone have enough experience to advise how long it would last?

Paul
 
Paul,
See Nelp's post from 9/22. He states that he has a 54 AH Gel cell and estimates he would get 5hours. Teh battery in your post is only 32AH so I would say you might have 3 hours. This is all a function of the motor, what speed setting it is on, the weight of the boat etc... I would also try to find a deep cycle battery. As mentioned in previous posts these are designed to go through deep discharging and recharging cycles. The other thing that I would be concerned with, would be the type of charger that you would need. These are sealed so I imagine that you would need to charge them slower than a vented style. See the charger that goes with the battery in your post. it is a 1.25Amp charger. A reular chargers high setting is 12 amps. So I wonder how long it would take to recharge the battery with the 1.25 amp charger. This may not be an issue. I am glad that I got my motor (Minn Kota but the battery is very heavy).
 
Jaeger

Sorry for the delay. I just rechecked my gell cell, and I made a mistake on the size of my battery in my earlier post. My gell cell battery is rated at 33 Ah, it is the EverOn EVA12-33J, and I got it at my local Batteries Plus store for about $60 as I recall. It only weights about 10 pounds, so is easily carried on and off the boat.

I use a MinnKota 36 pound thrust, with five speed settings, and I usually run at 1 (lowest), sometimes 2 if I want to go a little faster. On a 1 setting I cruise around our lake at 1-2 knots when there is no wind. If the wind picks up, I turn it off and let the sails do the work. I did check the amperage at a setting of 1 and it draws 7 amps. My meter didn't go about 8 amps, so I don't know how much it draws at higher settings. I've not run out of power, so don't know how long I could run before it totally stops, but I've gone 3 hours between charging with no loss of speed. Theoretically, I suppose I should get almost 5 hours but in reality 4 hours is probably max. I've heard one should not run marine batteries all the way down, so it's best to recharge it after an hour or two.

To keep from bringing it for charging (I don't have power at the dock), I hooked up a solar panel I had from an older boat, it is the UniSolar USF-5 that I got from West Marine. It delivers 5 watts at .3 amps, 16.5V max. This is specifically made to charge batteries, you just hook it up and forget it, it's always on when the sun is hitting the panel. Plus, it's a flexible panel so you can bend it to match whatever contour you want. I just leave it on the seat close to the stern, it's out of the way but if you need to sit on it you can.

I have my gell cell in a battery box with a strap and I have the strap around the hiking strap, so if I capsize I won't lose it. I put it on the floor at the stern, at it never gets in the way. Being a gell cell, it's all sealed so even if you capsize nothing comes out. The Minn Kota is on the starboard part of the transom, at does not interfere with the rudder. When I'm sailing I can raise it up so it's out of the water.

Like I said, I configured my boat this way so I have the option of either sailing or cruising around my 100 acre lake, where there is little chop, and where many days there is no wind. 2-3 hours between charges is fine for this purpose, and with the solar panel I don't have to recharge at all. If I was using this same configuration to take the boat out in chop, or needed speed for example to get in and out of a harbor, I imagine I'd have to up the motor to a 3 or 4 setting, which would significantly drop the time between charges, maybe to an hour or two with the small gell cell. But it should still do the job.

Hope this helps, and sorry for the earlier error.
 
One other thing about the solar charger. Keep in mind that it provides only a small trickle charge, so you can't depend on this to keep your battery charged if you are using the battery every day. My charger delivers .3 amps in good sun, so that's only 3 amps over 10 hours, which equates to a bit under 30 minutes of my motor at the lowest setting. This is under ideal conditions. In practical terms, a full week of charging under good sun might be needed to top off my 33Ah battery from half charge. Solar charges are good if you only use your boat every week or two, and only for an hour or two at a time under power.
 
Gell Cell versus car battery

I used to work for a battery charger manufacturer.

for the type of load that a motor this small causes, either type (Gell or regular) of battery will work well. I would recommend getting an inexpensive battery charger in the 10-15 amp rating. The other possibility is to hook the boat battery to your towing vehicle battery through a new trailer connector. It should be fused(60 amp)(at the vehicle battery), and you should use 10 gauge wire or bigger to hook to the boat battery. If you have any distance to the water, your battery could be well charged by the time you get there!
The amp hours rating on the battery should be fairly relevent to the real amps your motor runs and time. You should be able to get 80-90% of the rating.
The big difference between the performance on the Gell cells is they do not work the best on high cranking amps. They also don't charge well at really high rates. Both of these concerns are way beyond the amp rating of the motors. If you talk about 100 amps or so then you have some concerns.
HTH Mike
 
Trolling Motor Experiences

It's been a while since the last post about this - What are your experiences with battery-powered trolling motors - what type of motor do you have, is it capable of pushing 2 adults against a medium wind, and where have you installed the battery?

I am thinking that a Minn Kota with 55# of thrust will do the trick for my wife and I since we sail mostly in lakes but it would be very helpful to hear your experience.
 
You bring up a great point and it seems to come up from time to time. I know I had questions about this last year and this site and its members seem to have a good deal of information and exprerience with this topic.

Once you have decided to go with an electric motor (vs. outboard), what amount of thrust do you need?

I purchased the minimum 30 lbs last year and although I was able to navigate the lakes with ease, I was concerned that it would not be enough if I ever went sailing down the Jersey shore to sail in the bay, with the tide and stronger winds to deal with.

I was able to return my twice used 30 back to walmart and purchased a 40 (for the same price!!!) to give me that added insurance. I have not gone down to the shore just yet but I have taken it out on the local lakes and I now feel very confident.

If you are or have bought a 55, your golden.

I now need a better solution for the batery which I will post seperatly.

Enjoy,

Bigsky
 
Anyone use a motor with a 20" shaft?

Has anyone tried using an outboard with a 20" shaft? I've poured through this forum and I know that many of us had success using a 25" shaft, but these are a bit harder to find used.

I've done a little research and I am wondering if 20" could be sufficient. According to a few websites (http://www.smalloutboards.com/shaft.htm ), the shaft length equates to the height of the transom, plus or minus 2 inches. On my 1st gen the transom is 19.5 inches so I am thinking that a motor with a 20" shaft would be sufficient. Maybe if I mount it further to the port side it might not interfere with the tiller.

Thanks, your thoughts would be appreciated!
 

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