Trolling Motor/Boat Size Question...Problem???

[ball_coach_1]

I have a '97 17foot Stratos with a 115 Evinrude Intruder.

I bought it off my buddy a little over three years ago, and about 6 months before he sold it to me he

put an upgrade of a 55 lb. thrust MinnKota Trolling Motor on it, so it is not 4 years old.

I am just about certain that is the max thrust I can use without using my 24 volt wiring and a bigger trolling motor.  

The first couple of years, I NEVER thought I needed more thrust, but late last year on a windy day, and this weekend (another windy day) it seemed that my trolling motor was laboring almost at full speed.  

I have put TWO new batteries in the past two years.  

I do not want to go spend 700+ dollars on another motor with more thrust because I think 55lb thrust should be plenty on a 17 foot boat, but does someone have an explanation or some advice to what the problem is I suddenly seem to have?  Would going to a three blade prop help at all?  Any reason the motor wouldn't be getting full power from the battery??

Hoping for some help and sound opinions.  Thanks.

[ball_coach_1]

Trying again....back at the top.

[Muddpuppy]

Minn Kota has some troubleshooting tips on their site, you may be loseing a little votage if the wireing is to small.  It tells how to figure what size you need on there.   You can try hooking the batteries parallel, on those days if your not already.  I have a 50hp. on my 16' and it's tough some days, if I try to use the on/off feature on the foot pedal when set on high in windy rough water conditions it starts throwng the breaker after a while, I have to let it run constantly.  Sometimes I can catch everything where dragging a sea anchor helps out but not often.

[ball_coach_1]

Muddpuppy,

Thanks for the input, I will check out the site.  I am not certain if the size of the wiring is the problem though, because the problem seems to be "new"....I have only noticed it the past few trips on the water dating back to last year.

[Muddpuppy]

I guess I read that like it was just a couple of abnormally windy days, which isn't unusual on my part.  I would check to make sure nothing like fishing line is wrapped around the inside of the prop and slowing it down and that all conections are tight and clean.  If you have a meter you should be getting a reading of at least 12.5 or even a little higher when they are fully charged anything lower one of them maybe going bad so you could have those checked if you don't.  You should also be getting that at the motor and if it's lower it might be in the wireing.   I'm not sure that would explains the noise you hear though.   That's about all the things I can think of now up to the motor itself or mechanical.    There have been some pretty good tips given for things to check on some of the other recent posts dealing with t motor troubles, if I missed something.