best size tm battery for canoe/jon boat

[Guest avid]

thanks for all the good wishes, but the news is not good.  I will need surgery.  doc says the bursa in my right shoulder has to be removed and the tendons in my elbow repaired.  The good news is that I can fish again, with moderation, till the surgery is set up.  And that after the surgery and P/T doc assures me I will be fixed up good as new.  Can't wait,

Gotta get my mojo working.

[Canoenut]

Hi, AVID

I know where you are coming from, I too have RA in my hands, shoulder, knees, back and ankle. This changes your life in many ways and it's not fun. I also have an OT canoe, 14ft 7in Guide. I can't paddle very long without pain and have gone to a trolling motor 2 years ago. The side mount is OK but does not steer well for me. I bought one trailer 2 years ago and if you put any weight in the canoe it would twist the trailer at the ball making the canoe tilt. That trailer was designed to carry only the canoe and you could not carry anything in your canoe or launch from the trailer. It also was painted metal and rusted no matter how much you washed it. I have since bought an aluminum trailer from Castle Craft (on line) a Trailex SUT-200 great trailer, won't rust. You can carry some weight in your canoe without any problems, trolling motor, tackle boxes, ect. (use a pad under theses items) but I do not carry heavy batteries inside the canoe for fear of hull damage from bumps. You can launch your canoe from this trailer with all your gear just don't put the trolling motor on the bracket until the canoe is in the water. To your original question about battery size, I would get the biggest deep cycle battery you can. When I go fishing it is from dawn till dusk (fresh and salt water) and I have been in trouble more than a few times due to wind, current or I just went to far to fast. I now carry two Everstart Maxx from Walmart.

Good luck with what ever you decide to do.

I like Joshkeller's solution.

Keep the open side up :~) Dave

[kurtis]

I have a 15 ft canoe with a 40 lb thrust minn kota and the big yellow battery from walmart. I can go three days out on the lake fishing and camping using the battery for the motor, the lights and lights at the campsite while getting ready for bed. Just want to let you know when I am in the back of the canoe and there is no wieght in the front, on five with 40 lbs of thrust I am looking at the sky and water is coming in the back of the canoe.

[Guest avid]

This post was resurected but I'll give another update.

I have a MK vector 55 3x on a side mount.  

I have a trojan group 27 agm deep cycle marine battery

I have two stabilizers that add tremendously to stability.

I can fish all day and not have to worry about having plenty of power to spare.

this peace of mind is worth $$ to me.  Here in SE Florida it is always windy and some wicked storms will blow up, literally out of nowhere.

I rigged up a pulley block system to make loading easier.  Works pretty well.  I have to take out the battery but depending on the angle I can sometimes leave the motor in the canoe (dismounted)  I just bought two ramp ends so I can rig up a loading ramp.  The idea is not to have to do any lifing at all.  The block pulley really moves the canoe forward with ease, but I still have to lift, and if it wasn't for the shots doc gave me a few weeks ago I would be in trouble.

I'm scheduled for my surgery on Oct 19th and then P/T.  The shots should keep me in the game till them.

Right now I"m working on increasing the motor mount supports, I really like the Vector 3x.  It has great power and features, but it's too heavy for a canoe (42 lbs.)  So I have to distribute the torque or I just might split the gunwale.

Anyway, thanks for bringing this up again.  I'm really enjoying dreaming up all these ways to keep myself fishing.  

Now if I could just catch that 8lber..........