Monday, April 8, 2024

What Size Trolling Motor Do I Need For My Boat

The Newport Vessels Thrust Eight Speed Trolling Motor

How To Select The Right Trolling Motor For Your Boat

Do you want a high quality motor with enough thrust to power the average pontoon? If so, this Newport Vessels model is perfect for you. Its easy to set up built from durable aluminum as well as composite fiberglass materials, which means that its able to withstand the wear-and-tear from saltwater fishing.

If you want to purchase a budget trolling motor that doesnt have the frills of the high-tech models, but can withstand heavy usage and not break down, this is for you. Its adjustable shaft length makes it fit nearly any type of pontoon boat, and since its lightweight and portable, youll have no problems quickly mounting it to your boat.

Have a look at this video to see it in action:

Setting up this trolling motor is easy. As a battery-operated clamping motor, all you need to do is attach it to a convenient part of your pontoon and give it a battery, then youre good to go. Have a look at these cool settings that makes this Newport Vessels trolling motor a great functional trolling motor to have:

  • Can be powered with either a deep cycle battery or a 12V marine.
  • Comes with five forward and three reverse speeds, giving the engine a total of eight speeds to choose from.
  • Its built with durable materials that are strong enough for use solely in salt water if needed.
  • Comes with an easy-to-read LED battery meter.

Trolling Motor Recommendations For 16ft Rebel

The side by side location as in the picture didnt work as well as the front to back.

On my Rebel I ran a Motorguide 55 lb. 12 volt. The 55 was more then enough to pull the boat around but it ran around 6 hours of foot controlled use and was ready for a charge. I ran a 60 shaft and glad I did. With almost 2 ft in the water I had around 8 10 inches left on top. I wouldnt go with anything less then 60 shaft.

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What Size Trolling Motor For Inflatable Boat

Bigger is nearly always better. Larger boats need more juice, but when choosing a trolling engine, we recommend considering wave action, wind, and current. Erring on the stronger side has its benefits because stronger motors work at lower speeds more efficiently and offer a safe cushion for wind, waves, and current handling.

Trolling motors differ slightly in the measurements required to purchase correctly. Trolling engines need not be aligned with the bottom of the hull to operate at high performance. In order to perform a trolling motor correctly, the motor compartment must be submerged 10-12 below the water surface. This measurement will be useful later.

You still have to start measuring at the top of the transom, but you only have to step to the waterline. This measurement will vary according to weight, sea conditions, and boat type. In this measurement, add 10 below the water to the recommended minimum shaft length. To make it more comfortable, add 12 to the waterline measurement. If the length is equal to or in between sizes, move into the longer length.

You have to measure from the bottom of the motor head to the propeller housing to measure the shaft length on a rolling engine. This length may vary by an inch or two, but the rated motor shaft length may be round to the closest number.

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Operating Deck Boat Trolling Motors

What about when actually putting;the motor into practice? Deck boat trolling motors have two forms of operation: Foot-control and hand-control. Its exactly what youre expecting:;A foot-controlled trolling motor is pedal-operated,;and the;hand-control is manually operated.

When it comes to your deck boat,;consider the foot-controlled trolling motor. Due to the vessels size, being able to control the motor with feet is far more convenient .

Recommended Motor Thrust Levels

What size trolling motor do I need for my boat?

You can see a rough guide on how much thrust is required for different boat sizes in the chart below.

Boat Weight
over 100 lb 3 Batteries

As you can see, depending on the amount of thrust, a trolling motor requires a different number of batteries.

For 60 lbs of thrust or less, youll need a single 12V battery. 70 to 100 lbs of thrust will require 2 batteries , and above 100 lbs of thrust, youll need another battery for 36 Volts in total.

Also Check: What Size Boat Battery Do I Need

How Important Is To Get A Trolling Motor With The Correct Shaft Length

Choosing the right shaft length for a bow mount trolling motor is one of the most critical aspects of shopping for the best product.

You have to be sure that the shaft of the trolling motor has an adequate length in order to safely and consistently keep the propeller submerged underwater irrespective of the conditions. However, you have to be sure that it isn’t so long that gets caught at the bottom or is a bother to stow.

When it comes to a bow mount trolling motor, which is what a majority of people use, you cannot neglect the size of the shaft, which isn’t an issue with transom mount motors.

The average distance from the bow to water significantly varies depending on the type of boat you have. Plus, the bow is designed to have a lot more movement on water compared to a transom motor.

So, if you have a bow motor, you should get the shaft length right. You can start by properly measuring the total distance between the horizontal mount area on top of the bow and the waterline. After determining the measurement, throw in another 20 inches to the total.

As a rule of thumb, get a shaft length that exceeds the total of your measurement. But never settle for less.

Using A Fuse Instead Of A Circuit Breaker

You may receive recommendations for using a fuse instead of a circuit breaker for short circuit protection. However, the two are not interchangeable. In the case of a fuse, the extra current flowing through the circuit causes it to heat up. Once the melting point of the conductor is reached, the fuse blows out, and the circuit is broken. A fuse relies on the accumulation of heat to provide protection. Once it is blown, you will have to replace it with a new fuse.

A circuit breaker, on the other hand, makes use of an electromagnet or a bi-metal strip to provide circuit protection. When any extra electric current passes through the circuit, the magnetic force of the strip increases. This causes a metal lever in the circuit breaker to switch off and the breaker trips. In the case of a bi-metal strip, the strip bends when it receives extra current. Once again, this causes the metal lever to switch off, and the connection is broken.

Unlike the fuse, the circuit breaker does not get destroyed during this process. When the electrical fault is fixed, you can turn the switch back on and reconnect the circuit. However, repeated breaker tripping can damage the bi-metal strip resulting in a low amperage tripping and eventually complete failure.

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Additional Tips For Purchasing A Circuit Breaker

To ensure adequate circuit protection, you will also have to keep the following in mind when purchasing a circuit breaker for your trolling motor:

  • Make sure you choose a trip-free circuit breaker that can be reset manually
  • The circuit breaker must have an adequate ampere interrupting capacity
  • The circuit breaker must remain operable after a short circuit or any other electrical fault
  • In some cases, you may need to add a fuse before the circuit breaker. This can help increase the ampere interrupting capacity of the circuit breaker.
  • Make sure the circuit breaker has been checked for ignition protection. This is done by running a test and supplying electric current that is 4 times the amount of the breakers current rating
  • To prevent short circuits, you can keep the positive terminal of the battery/batteries covered with electrical tape or a protective shield. This can prevent it from coming in contact with metal objects, stray wiring, or anything else that can cause a fault.
  • It is advisable to use a circuit breaker for all wire connections in your boat.

How Much Hp Your Boat Need With Trolling Motors

How to find correct size trolling motor for your boat

Lets start with the trolling motors which are usually measured with thrust by lbs instead of hp. Its a perfect tool for fishing especially on the electric-only waters.

What size trolling motor do I need for my boat? Is there a general horsepower to weight ratio formula for boats? The answer is YES.

Usually its recommended to get at least 2 lbs. of thrust for every 100 lbs. of fully loaded boat weight .

Here is a quick table for your reference in terms of how to determine what size trolling motor you need for your boat:

Boat Weight
36 25

And as a general rule a little more thrust is always suggested to ensure proper boat performance in high wind and current conditions.

Not sure what the thrust of power means? Check out this post to learn how much horsepower you will get from it.

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How Much Thrust Do I Need

Most boat owners have experience with gas outboards, but not with trolling motors. When given the ratings in pounds of thrust most wonder exactly what they mean, since most full size boat motors are rated by horsepower. That can make buying the perfect trolling motor in one attempt a little difficult for some people, but it doesn’t have to be. Electric motor ratings can be roughly converted into horsepower, which helps bridge the gap between gas and electric motors. However, other factors like the kind of water you’re going out on plays a role, as does your boat type. The biggest thing to remember when choosing a motor is that you’re not really looking for speed, you’re looking to apply enough thrust to control your drift so you slowly work your way in a specific direction. If you’ve got the right trolling motor, it often feels similar to drifting downstream on calm water. If you want to actually build some speed, you generally need to invest in an electric or gas outboard. That is, unless you’re in a fairly light or small kayak. A light kayak with a powerful trolling motor can get some respectable speed on still water. However, a lot of people can still paddle faster.

What Trolling Motor Is Best For You

Trolling motors are great for controlling the subtle movements of your boat when you are fishing in shallow water or along the shoreline. The right trolling motor can make a big difference in your fishing experience and there are a lot of things to consider. Ideally, you want a motor that is quiet; however, you also want one that has the right amount of thrust for your boat and one that will match your fishing conditions. Here are the main things to consider before you purchase:

Thrust

This is the most important thing to consider when purchasing your trolling motor. Thrust is the measure of how powerful a trolling motor is and its measured in pounds . The larger your boat, the more thrust you will require. To find the appropriate amount of thrust, you can refer to this chart from TrollingMotors.net:

Bow or Transom Mount?

Where you choose to mount your trolling motor is really a matter of personal preference. Transom motors are usually the most cost effective and ideal for smaller boats. They are generally operated by hand and have less precise steering than their bow counterparts because they have to push the boat through the water.

Bow motors require a flat bow to be installed and can be controlled hands-free using a pedal. They are generally more expensive but can offer precise steering and have more robust features, such as autopilot.

Shaft Length

Fishing Conditions

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Trolling Motor Buyers Guide

Thereare numerous things to take into account when trying to purchase a trollingmotor. If you ignore one or more of these factors, there is a good chance thatyoure going to make the wrong choice. In return, youre going to regret it.Below, youll learn about some of the most important factors to consider.

Performance First and foremost, you should consider the performance of the motor. Does itwork reliably? Does it have enough power to get the job done correctly? A goodtrolling motor should not compromise in terms of performance.

Handling Youllalso want to consider the handling or steering of the motor. Since youre goingwith a trolling motor, it will be slightly more sensitive to even the smallestchanges. Therefore, you may have to get used to handling a pontoon that has atrolling motor.

Thrust This isreally the most important factor of all. Some motors will have the very samethrust. Therefore, you need to figure out exactly what is needed to drive theboat. Be sure to make this decision first, because it is going to help determinewhat range youll end up buying in the end.

Voltage Trollingmotors are available with various volts. They range from 12 to 36. So, whichone is best? Well, going with a 24 or 36-volt system will ensure that youreable to remain out on the water longer. However, you can connect 36-voltbatteries to a 12-volt system and youll probably get more impressive thrusts.Therefore, you have to consider what you want and go from there.

A Comprehensive Trolling Motor Buying Guide

What Size Trolling Motor Do I Need For My Boat?

Unfortunately, you cant just buy the first trolling motor for sale. They are designed for different purposes and for different vessel-types, so you have to do a little bit of research before hitting the buy button. Here are the most important things you should keep in mind before investing in a new motor.

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How Fast Will A 55lb Thrust Trolling Motor Go

You can expect your 55lb thrust trolling motor to travel roughly 5 miles per hour. The speed of 5 mph will depend on the conditions of the water. You will only see the top speed when you are riding in perfect conditions, along with the best fuel and weight of the load.;

To achieve five mph, you will want a moderate load. The more weight that you put on, then the slower your motor will go.

When running at five mph, you can expect your battery to last for about two hours. A deep cycle battery will last for two hours before it is drained completely, and it will need to be recharged.;

Two hours and a speed of 5 mph are more than enough for most people, though!;

What Size Trolling Motor Do I Need For A 15

You will also want the motor to run on 12 volts. The size of the motor is also determined by the boats weight. For a 15 foot boat, you will want 40 to 45 lbs . If your boat weighs more than 2,000lbs, you will need a larger boat.;

These are just rough guidelines and will depend on your boat. In most cases, you can enter the details of your boat and find the exact size motor that will be perfect.

Most motors will come with specifications that will state what size boat they are best for. Be sure to check these before making any purchases to ensure they are the right size.;

Providing that it does not exceed 50 thrusts and runs on 12V, the motor should be suitable for your 15-foot boat.;

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What Size Trolling Kicker Outboard Motor For 23 Ft Boat

ondarvr said:Trolling in smaller fresh water lakes, or protected salt water locations, or for certain types of fish require far less power than some other types of water and/or fish. Plus if he’s fishing in the open ocean he may want a larger kicker to help ensure he’ll still be able to control the boat in bad weather if the main motor has problems.

How Do I Know What Size Trolling Motor Shaft I Need

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To know what size trolling motor shaft you need, you will need to do some measuring! You must get the size right so that your motor can run properly and not make any noises that will spook the fish!;

To do this, you want to measure down from the mounting surface of the transom or bow to the water level. Add five inches to the waterline measurement if you fish in rough water.

You should then add 12 inches to the waterline measurement for steering a hand-controlled motor when standing. We generally say that the top of the motor section should be submerged by 12 inches.;

Once you have these measurements, you will be able to determine what size trolling motor shaft that you need! You can also check size guides on product listings too; these can be helpful if you arent sure what size you need.;

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Where Are You Going For Fishing In Trolling Motor

This is yet another thing which you need to consider before buying trolling motor if you want it to last for a longer period of time. Such little thing matters a lot to help you avoid certain issues.

In saltwater Using a trolling motor in saltwater can cause issues like rusting and you need to buy a motor with better protective coatings.

Freshwater You wont face too much trouble in using the trolling motor in freshwater and easier controls.

These are some of the things which can help you with buying a trolling motor. You can do the installation of trolling motors yourself as all you need to do is follow some simple steps. You can find various installation guides online to help you with it. Just make sure that you do not compromise on the quality for the price as you do not want to get stuck in the middle of the lake due to issues with your trolling motors.

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