Canoe Accessories

[AustinHellickson]

I just finished building a canoe, 16' long and I want to get a trolling motor,  fish finder, and other things... What are my best options for those 2 things and what else is easy to transport and would look really good on a canoe? Total price range for all is around $300, thanks.

[Goose52]

If your budget is REALLY $300 for everything, then you're sorta limited in what you can get. The very FIRST thing to buy is a good PFD ($40 on up). Then, you would only have enough left to get a good trolling motor (~$220)...and you would still need a battery. OR, you get a bottom-of-the-line TM (30lb 5 speed), a battery, and the PFD and come in at or under $300. AND, you will still need to make, or buy, a mount for the TM.  You already started a thread about selecting a trolling motor so no need for any additional discussion here.

THEN, there are other things you need to take care of right away or will eventually want to consider:

• a decision on where to place your TM battery and whether you will need to fabricate extension cables
• a battery box for your TM battery having circuit breaker protection
• rod racks/holders
• anchor system
• canoe seat
• a good sonar - a model with a color display and down imaging capability would be ideal
• a method of mounting the transducer for your sonar and determining how you will power the sonar (off the TM battery or a separate battery)
• ...and whatever else you think of

In addition to accessories/equipment for the boat, have you considered how you will transport and store it. Do you need any rack system for your vehicle?  Do you have a place to store it when not in use?

Good luck !

 

 

[Gundog]

Try looking on CL for used equipment. You can get some really good deals especially this late in the season. Good luck and good fishing. Btw nice canoe. Not many people have the skill or patience to build one themselves. 

[AustinHellickson]

  On 8/7/2016 at 6:40 PM, Goose52 said:

If your budget is REALLY $300 for everything, then you're sorta limited in what you can get. The very FIRST thing to buy is a good PFD ($40 on up). Then, you would only have enough left to get a good trolling motor (~$220)...and you would still need a battery. OR, you get a bottom-of-the-line TM (30lb 5 speed), a battery, and the PFD and come in at or under $300. AND, you will still need to make, or buy, a mount for the TM.  You already started a thread about selecting a trolling motor so no need for any additional discussion here.

THEN, there are other things you need to take care of right away or will eventually want to consider:

• a decision on where to place your TM battery and whether you will need to fabricate extension cables
• a battery box for your TM battery having circuit breaker protection
• rod racks/holders
• anchor system
• canoe seat
• a good sonar - a model with a color display and down imaging capability would be ideal
• a method of mounting the transducer for your sonar and determining how you will power the sonar (off the TM battery or a separate battery)
• ...and whatever else you think of

In addition to accessories/equipment for the boat, have you considered how you will transport and store it. Do you need any rack system for your vehicle?  Do you have a place to store it when not in use?

Good luck !

 

 

Expand  

Thanks, helped a lot. 

[the reel ess]

BPS has a 30 lb thrust tiller trolling motor for $99.99. I can't imagine needing more than 30 lb for a canoe unless it's so windy you wouldn't want to be in the canoe. To go cheap on the battery to begin with you can pull the one from your vehicle to use while fishing. I know that sounds pretty stupid, but I did it often when I was young and broke-a small trolling motor won't drain it quickly. Go where others can get to so they can jump you off!

http://www.basspro.com/Bass-Pro-Shops-Prowler-T30/30-Trolling-Motor/product/1211200228/

If it were mine, I'd just paddle the thing. There are better platforms for electric motors. And if you fish in the shallows as much as I do in the kayak, a trolling motor will be hitting bottom a lot.

PFD, 2 paddles, anchor and rope will get you started.

[the reel ess]

  On 8/7/2016 at 12:18 AM, AustinHellickson said:

I just finished building a canoe, 16' long and I want to get a trolling motor,  fish finder, and other things... What are my best options for those 2 things and what else is easy to transport and would look really good on a canoe? Total price range for all is around $300, thanks.

Expand  

Nice job on the canoe, BTW.

[AustinHellickson]

  On 8/9/2016 at 5:31 PM, the reel ess said:

Nice job on the canoe, BTW.

Expand  

thanks