Trolling Motor/battery For Tracker V17

[bass1980]

I have an old 88' Tracker Bass boat V17. Currently has a 35lb trolling motor. I'm not sure if 35lb is sufficient for this boat or not. I just bought a new size 29 battery hoping that replacing the old 5 yr old battery would give me more thrust but still slow.

Would a 55lb be better? Then next question is will my size 29 be good for it? I hope I don't have to get a new battery.

[slonezp]

Yes and yes

[Way2slow]

Yes and yes with a but. If you have the funds, while upgrading the motor, upgrade to a 24 volt and buy you another battery just like the one you have. This would be the ideal time to do it, while the one battery is still new and both batteries should be the same type and age when run in series. If you use the TM a lot, this is something you are gonna end up having to do in the future anyway. It will save you a bunch of money doing it now.

You can still stick with a 55-60# thrust, just do it with 24V. Now, there are going to be those that will say get an 80 or more, it's not needed on that weight boat unless you fish fast moving riivers or large lakes with extreme winds. For my personal use, I would stick a 60# variable speed, 24V motor on it. Variable speed, not one of those with set speed numbers on it.

One other thought, if you think you might go to 24 volt in several months, get the battery now and just run the two in parallel until you upgrade the motor. That way the batteries will still be the same age with the same run time on them. Keeping the batteries the same is extremely important when in series for 24 volt use. If they are not it will damage the stronger battery fairly quickly.

[bass1980]

Hummmm my compartment can only fit 2 batteries. One for trolling motor and one for engine. Hummmmm

[scwildman]

I have a 1993 Tracker Pro 17 with the same battery as you have and a 55# thrust trolling motor. This combo has worked fine for me for years. I fish both lakes and a tidal river. When i fish the river and am fighting both current and wind i have to run it on high constantly, which puts a lot of drain on the battery. Most times when i am doing this, the battery will not last all day. Fishing a lake or an area with little or no current i have no problems with this set up at all.

[bass1980]

Thank you sir. I rarely fish rivers and when I do there isn't much currents or at least I'll avoid it.

I am surprised that a 35lb motor doesn't move this light aluminum boat much. Well, I don't have much knowledge in trolling motor power anyways.

[scwildman]

When i first got my Tracker, it had a the 35# thrust trolling motor and for several years it worked well. But after 10 years of steady use,it started going down fast. I replaced it with the 55# and i have noticed that this trolling motor is starting to wear out as well. I will probably replace it before too much longer and may go a little stronger. In no hurry now as my son just bought a new Triton, so I will start fishing in his boat and let mine rest.