Trolling motor lbs thrust rating / Tiller or foot?

[livemusic]

I am undecided but leaning toward keeping my boat versus buying a new one... for this year. One thing that drives me nuts is my crappy trolling motor that is noisy due to the steering slop and not powerful enough. It is a 1997 Tracker Pro17 boat, 40hp Mercury Marine Tracker motor and the trolling motor is a Minn Kota 37 lb thrust foot-control. It is a 12v (one battery) motor. I have considered a few things.

First, I could spend as little as possible on a new or used one with more thrust. (Might buy a new boat in, say, one year.) Whether to go with foot-control or hand steered tiller... not sure what to do there. I am accustomed to using a foot control, both hands are free. Anyone use a tiller handle on a bassboat? Why do you like it if you do? Do you have an extended handle? Do you steer with your knee ever? Do you have an on/off footswitch?

Second, I own a 50 lb thrust tiller handle Minn Kota Endura, transom mount, that I used on my jon boat and my puddle jumper. I wonder if this could serve on my Tracker on the bow? 50 lbs is certainly more than 37 and I guess it might be more efficient with battery drain. And I don't know how I could bow mount it.

Third, I fish some Cypress tree-filled lakes and have to troll between scattered trees (they hold fish) in some lake sections, so the faster I get there, the better. So, lbs thrust is key. I can't see going to more than a 24v 2-battery system due to my boat is not a large boat and room for batteries is an issue. But I wonder about buying one with quite a bit more thrust. A 70 lb thrust motor would be roughly twice as much as what I have.

I generally favor Minn Kota but I'm open to considering another. Thanks if you have any input.

[crypt]

i have a hand controlled 82 lb. great white on the bow of my 18 ft. ranger. like hand controlled for 2 reasons 1 keeps me from tripping over foot pedal,going in the drink because of that,LOL. 2 ,can control steering a little more precise. I do use a t-h marine steering extension,and a foot mounted switch. but that's the way I like the setup you'll have to decide which is right for you.

[Further North]

I know a few people who love hand controlled front mounted trolling motors - Minn Kota offers a hand controlled version of the Edge for very reasonable money: http://www.minnkotamotors.com/Trolling-Motors/Freshwater-Bow-Mount/Edge/

As I've posted here often, I don't think there's such a thing as having too much power to your trolling motor, that's why I run a 36 volt, 112 lb thrust Ulterra (I just upgraded from a 101 lb thrust Terrova) on an 18 1/2' ft aluminum boat.

That Terrova was on three different boats - trolling motors are easy to move.

There's a good chance you can use your transom mount Endura on the bow as a hand controlled unit - you should be able to carefully remove the screw where the head connects to the shaft and rotate 180° - make sure you don't put the screw through the wires when you put it back on....don't ask how I know about this...  I know this works on the older units.

I don't like transom mounted trolling motors - lack of control and the bow getting batted around in the wind turned me off them years ago...but here's another idea:  Hang your Endura on the back, use the front mounted unit to steer.  Yeah, it's a cobbled up mess, and you'll have to move from the front of the boat to the back in a hurry a lot...but it might get you through this year until you upgrade the boat, and it'll increase the speed you move through the water a bunch; 37 + 50 would be 87 lbs thrust through two props...that'll get that Tracker moving right along.

[tbone1993]

3 hours ago, Further North said:

I know a few people who love hand controlled front mounted trolling motors - Minn Kota offers a hand controlled version of the Edge for very reasonable money: http://www.minnkotamotors.com/Trolling-Motors/Freshwater-Bow-Mount/Edge/

As I've posted here often, I don't think there's such a thing as having too much power to your trolling motor, that's why I run a 36 volt, 112 lb thrust Ulterra (I just upgraded from a 101 lb thrust Terrova) on an 18 1/2' ft aluminum boat.

That Terrova was on three different boats - trolling motors are easy to move.

There's a good chance you can use your transom mount Endura on the bow as a hand controlled unit - you should be able to carefully remove the screw where the head connects to the shaft and rotate 180° - make sure you don't put the screw through the wires when you put it back on....don't ask how I know about this...  I know this works on the older units.

I don't like transom mounted trolling motors - lack of control and the bow getting batted around in the wind turned me off them years ago...but here's another idea:  Hang your Endura on the back, use the front mounted unit to steer.  Yeah, it's a cobbled up mess, and you'll have to move from the front of the boat to the back in a hurry a lot...but it might get you through this year until you upgrade the boat, and it'll increase the speed you move through the water a bunch; 37 + 50 would be 87 lbs thrust through two props...that'll get that Tracker moving right along.

I don't see how this could go wrong. Please do this and go pro the comedic gold lol.   They make adapters for transom TM http://www.basspro.com/Pro-Controll-EZ-Mount-for-Transom-Trolling-Motors/product/10210607/  

[livemusic]

8 hours ago, Further North said:

...here's another idea:  Hang your Endura on the back, use the front mounted unit to steer.  Yeah, it's a cobbled up mess, and you'll have to move from the front of the boat to the back in a hurry a lot...but it might get you through this year until you upgrade the boat, and it'll increase the speed you move through the water a bunch; 37 + 50 would be 87 lbs thrust through two props...that'll get that Tracker moving right along.

Now, that is innovative, lol. Are you serious? Are you talking about wiring the Endura in with the same switch on the bow mount troll motor so that they are powered in tandem? If I could get the slop out of the steering in my current front mounted motor, that could make sense. But one of the main complaints about the front mount is the steering slop. Makes lots of noise and is herky jerky to steer.

OTOH... wanting more speed is for one reason, primarily, and that is to get between one target (Cypress tree) to the next target (another tree). If the steering slop problem is solved, I don't need to go faster for general use, but trying to go between trees faster, it would help to then engage the transom mounted Endura to get it more gas, lol. A negative for hanging a TM off the transom is getting snagged on underwater logs, we have a lot of those. With the big motor, just hit the tilt switch.

An interesting exercise, anyway. Both of these units are 12v motors, must they act independently on separate batteries?

On a side note, about the max thrust I have seen for a 12v system is 55lb thrust. That's only 5lb more thrust than my Endura. If I were to want to buy a 70+ lb thrust motor, I would need to add another battery. I just checked my boat, I do have room for another battery at the transom, as I could take the onboard charger out, because it doesn't work. I use a portable charger. I guess I could also move both TM batteries up front into a storage compartment. But, hmmm... they would be subject to a beating running through rough chop and I have heard that is not good for batteries.

 

[WIGuide]

Just buy the tm you want for your next boat and install it on your current setup. Then whey you buy the different boat in a year, remove it and put it on the new one. 

[livemusic]

29 minutes ago, WIGuide said:

Just buy the tm you want for your next boat and install it on your current setup. Then whey you buy the different boat in a year, remove it and put it on the new one. 

That is something I have def considered.

Does anyone know if you can cut down the length of the TM shaft? If you have a TM with a much longer shaft than you need for your boat, I guess it will work, but it just sticks up higher above the bow.

[webertime]

Sell both TM's and get a Battery and a 70lb thrust model.

You can cut down a TM shaft, depending upon how handy you are with wiring things it could be considered simple up to "I'll just buy a new one."

[WIGuide]

2 hours ago, livemusic said:

That is something I have def considered.

Does anyone know if you can cut down the length of the TM shaft? If you have a TM with a much longer shaft than you need for your boat, I guess it will work, but it just sticks up higher above the bow.

I believe you can cut most down, but it can be tricky. It's probably best just to get the correct size and not have to mess with it.

[Further North]

5 hours ago, livemusic said:

Now, that is innovative, lol. Are you serious? Are you talking about wiring the Endura in with the same switch on the bow mount troll motor so that they are powered in tandem? If I could get the slop out of the steering in my current front mounted motor, that could make sense. But one of the main complaints about the front mount is the steering slop. Makes lots of noise and is herky jerky to steer.

OTOH... wanting more speed is for one reason, primarily, and that is to get between one target (Cypress tree) to the next target (another tree). If the steering slop problem is solved, I don't need to go faster for general use, but trying to go between trees faster, it would help to then engage the transom mounted Endura to get it more gas, lol. A negative for hanging a TM off the transom is getting snagged on underwater logs, we have a lot of those. With the big motor, just hit the tilt switch.

An interesting exercise, anyway. Both of these units are 12v motors, must they act independently on separate batteries?

On a side note, about the max thrust I have seen for a 12v system is 55lb thrust. That's only 5lb more thrust than my Endura. If I were to want to buy a 70+ lb thrust motor, I would need to add another battery. I just checked my boat, I do have room for another battery at the transom, as I could take the onboard charger out, because it doesn't work. I use a portable charger. I guess I could also move both TM batteries up front into a storage compartment. But, hmmm... they would be subject to a beating running through rough chop and I have heard that is not good for batteries.

 

...I kinda left a part out: Most electric steer bow mount trolling motors have a long enough cord on the foot peddle to get at least near the back of the boat, so that's where this would work - you stand near the back and steer, then cut power to the front TM first.  My Lund Pro-V was rigged this way when I got it...and it's ugly, but it works.

FYI: I immediately upgraded it to a Terrova...that's how ugly it is...by "immediately", I mean I picked up the boat on a Saturday, had the Terrova installed by the end of the weekend...

[BaitMonkey1984]

5 hours ago, livemusic said:

That is something I have def considered.

Does anyone know if you can cut down the length of the TM shaft? If you have a TM with a much longer shaft than you need for your boat, I guess it will work, but it just sticks up higher above the bow.

I have never heard of anyone cutting down a trolling motor shaft. I think it becomes more of a headache than starting over and buying a new TM. On any given day, most people are on their trolling motor throughout the day. Also, TM last many years if not abused. Therefore, spend the money and get the right TM for your application. If you are worried about the TM shaft length, do not forget that MG allows you to adjust the depth of the shaft with a single knob. When I fish shallow, I move my 45" shaft up 10" or so, so I do not bang it into every rock, stump etc on a stretch of bank. 

[Further North]

2 hours ago, BaitMonkey1984 said:

I have never heard of anyone cutting down a trolling motor shaft. I think it becomes more of a headache than starting over and buying a new TM.

There are some kayak/canoe folks who short shaft them - I've seen videos on YouTube as a "How Too", and there's a step by step photo guide out there as well...but I've long since lost track of where it is.

[tiredbobmarley]

my older minn kota transom mounted tm was able to turn the top piece 180 degrees to accommodate using it on the bow.  It was just two screws on the shaft with an implement to keep it bolted to the shaft.  Unscrew those, turn the head and your done.