Need a trolling motor .. Recommendations
 

Just picked up an 18x48 all weld with 40 HP

I want a hand control . What thrust should I get ? Also you know anyone got one for sale?

just my 2 cents but you are better off buying new rather then second hand and end up with someone elses troubles or have it crap out on you in less then a year.

one important thing to consider is how many batteries you want for it since most are for use with 2 or 3 batteries, and only a small few are for just one battery so 50-55 lbs is about the biggest you find that's for 12v. if you want to keep weight down and only use one battery you only have one or maybe two to choose from.

if you have room for two trolling motor batteries then I would look for around 70-100 lbs. of thrust so it can handle a little wind or strong saltwater tides and a light chop fishing the bays.

I have the Motorguide X3 on my Aweld 17x52 with Suzuki DF40 and it works great but on windy days (10+ mph) it struggles a little unless im on high speed so I have to go sideways or with the wind to run on #2 or #3 setting. it pushes the hell out of the boat as long as I don't have to fight the wind or try to move against a fast tide.

seen here:
http://motorguide.factoryoutletstore...egory_id=24611

I prefer Minn Kota but whatever trolling motor you get make sure it is a 24 volt system for sure. I would go with the 70 lbs thrust on that boat.

I have a boat of similar size and use a minn Kota 74lb thrust. I would not go less than 70 lb and 24 volt. You don't need a 36 volt.

I have a 70 lb TM on my 16' Alumweld. I love it compaired to the 55lb TM that I had on a 15' boat.

It can move the boat at 2.9 mph when needed.

A lot of TM can purchased as reconditioned... GO with a 80# riptide bow-mount extend-A handle control 52-60" shaft.... It's more than U need.. But If you need it it's there.. Wind seas, tide etc... U are already going 24 volt..

Make sure its a digital control..

I(f U fishing Freshwater only.. 55# is enough.. If u going to fish both go with the 80#...

JUST MHO..

i agree. 70-82 lb thrust is more than enough for that rig. the only advantage to 36v would be that you could run all day for 2-3 days without charging. if you're like me, you'll never run it that much.

Good info . Kinda wish I had not let my lil girl sell the one I had off my old bay boat in a garage sell for like 30 bucks:eek:

I think you guys might be over estimating what he needs for the boat he has.

http://www.alweld.com/custom_boats_vee_bottom.html

remember guys, hes got an aluminum flatboat there so its not a big heavy fiberglass bay boat, his boat is only drafting like 3-4" and likely weights around 400 lbs at the most (mine weighs 250 lbs.) plus the 240 lb motor and gear so he has around 700 lb to push around so I think he can do just fine with a 55 lb thrust 12v system and if its the amount of amp hours that concerns you, you can easily hook up 2 batteries in a 12v configuration to double your amp hours with it.

I have the same boat as him but 1 ft shorter and I have never run out of power or battery with just the one 12v battery and I fish an average of 5-6 hours each day running the trolling motor constantly so the only times I was limited was in open water on the days it was too windy to be fishing in open water anyway because it got choppy.

not to mention there is a good deal of cost savings with only one battery as well as the space saved, a 12v 55 lb. TM is going to run around $400 while those 80 lb 24 v motors are around $700-$900 and then another $100 on top of that for that extra battery.

im not saying more power isn't always better but with a light weight rig like he has there is no reason to spend twice as much for a big 80 lb motor is all. the amount of thrust a boat needs is based on its weight and draft because that's what the motor is pushing so there is what he needs for the boat and then there is the "if money doesn't matter" what would you like to put on it thing.

I wouldn't mind having an 80 lb thrust motor on my boat too but I cant see spending that extra $500 just to have more power then I need unless I want to fish into very strong winds all day which I still wouldn't do if I had all that power to use.

every situation is different depending where and how you fish but I think we need to separate what he NEEDS for his boat with what would be the ideal if money didn't matter situation.

yep, she made somebody real happy that day


if you want a 24v 75 lb thrust motor this might fit your needs: http://motorguide.factoryoutletstore...egory_id=24611

up to you but IMO a 55 lb 12v will do everything you want it to

Nothing under 80


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My buddy has a 74 on his 18 and it's pretty good.


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When you are fishing a school of fish that are moving, that 55 lb trust trolling motor will not keep up with the fish. OR....if you see a fish hit the water surface 150 yards away, the fish will long gone by the time you get there with a 55 lb TW.

IMO....you will catch more fish with a 70+ lb trust trolling motor.

I kept hoping that the old 55 lb TM would break so I could justify replacing it with a bigger TM.

Always buy the maximum when getting trolling motor. 12v may work fine on a calm day. But, when you have to fight the wind and / or tide you will be dead on the water by noon. if not before. 24v 70 - 80 lb will give you more power than you need on high speed . But you don't have to run it on high.

[QUOTE=keakar;665961]I think you guys might be over estimating what he needs for the boat he has.

http://www.alweld.com/custom_boats_vee_bottom.html

remember guys, hes got an aluminum flatboat there so its not a big heavy fiberglass bay boat, his boat is only drafting like 3-4" and likely weights around 400 lbs at the most (mine weighs 250 lbs.) plus the 240 lb motor and gear so he has around 700 lb to push around so I think he can do just fine with a 55 lb thrust 12v system and if its the amount of amp hours that concerns you, you can easily hook up 2 batteries in a 12v configuration to double your amp hours with it.

I have the same boat as him but 1 ft shorter and I have never run out of power or battery with just the one 12v battery and I fish an average of 5-6 hours each day running the trolling motor constantly so the only times I was limited was in open water on the days it was too windy to be fishing in open water anyway because it got choppy.

not to mention there is a good deal of cost savings with only one battery as well as the space saved, a 12v 55 lb. TM is going to run around $400 while those 80 lb 24 v motors are around $700-$900 and then another $100 on top of that for that extra battery.

im not saying more power isn't always better but with a light weight rig like he has there is no reason to spend twice as much for a big 80 lb motor is all. the amount of thrust a boat needs is based on its weight and draft because that's what the motor is pushing so there is what he needs for the boat and then there is the "if money doesn't matter" what would you like to put on it thing.

I wouldn't mind having an 80 lb thrust motor on my boat too but I cant see spending that extra $500 just to have more power then I need unless I want to fish into very strong winds all day which I still wouldn't do if I had all that power to use.

every situation is different depending where and how you fish but I think we need to separate what he NEEDS for his boat with what would be the ideal if money didn't matter situation.

Sorry but I disagree. 70lb + and 24 volts. I know too many people who have traded up to a 24 volt TM. and don't know any that went from 24 to 12. JMO.

don't get me wrong, if I had a choice for a bigger 12v motor I would do it (who wouldn't like to have more power) but they don't make any bigger motors in 12v so I use the biggest 12v they make.

I agree with you guys that there aren't that many situations or many boats where a 12v system has the power to do the job in salt water situations, but the OP boat is one of those situations were a 12v TM will serve all his needs and not feel underpowered in any way.

I use a 12v trolling motor with almost the exact identical boat he has and I never feel underpowered in any way.

I regularly use the very system you guys are saying isn't enough to do the job so that's why I so strongly disagree with such a notion that it wont do the job well since it HAS been doing it well for me for years now.

im trying to give him advice about HIS boat and not whats best for the average guy out there using a much heavier boat then his. if anyone else were out there asking about anything other then a lightweight flatboat I would say they NEED a 24v system for it.

if he wants to use the 12v system it will do the job very well (for his boat) and it is a good option should he choose to do that and you guys made it clear that the 24v system is what most people go with.

all this is moot anyways since im sure the OP has already made up his mind on what he wants by now

The 55 lb TM I have referred to was on an Aluminum 15' by 43" boat. It drafted about 6+ inches.

We will just have to agree to disagree on what size trolling motor is need on this boat.

I have a 1848 Southfork with a 80lb ipilot. I wouldn't even think of putting a 12 volt tm on it.

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If he plans on doing a bit of marsh fishing, good luck with 12 volts. You won't be fishing much vegetation. I have a freezer full of bass from the marsh, fishing thick vegetation, we just don't catch many in open water. I want to fish, not push pole, I run an 82# thrust motor guide digital with an aluminum propeller. I have never wanted for more power. It is a vegematic. Like I said, I go to fish, not to pole a boat through vegetation. Neat thing is, if it is too much power, I simply turn the handle and it slows down:shaking: I have yet to run the batteries down, even fishing 8 hour days in the marsh.
D

If you fish a pond 12 volts works great.


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