Trolling motor question
 

I have a small flat that I would like to put a trolling motor on.. It will be used in both salt and fresh water. Do I need a salt water trolling motor or will anyone work? My flat is only 14 ft so I have been told I only need a 30lb.

Thanks in advance


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30-40lb minnkota will be fine


"Go ahead, share your opinion! I won't cry"

i use my minn kota in salt at least once a week...i have a foot control and i put coating of liquid electrical tape on all the exposed terminals...never had a problem...when i buy a new one i take the prop off and put a thin coat under it and if you scratch the finish on the motor itself just brush it good and pass a coat on it....after 5 years or so it usually time for a repaint....

I would go with the 50-55 lbs thrust. it uses one 12v battery and has the power you need for salt water.

30-35 lb is ok in fresh water but you need more for saltwater tides and winds.

also go with the fresh water motor and it saves you an average of $100, you just have to rinse it off well after you go and occasionally spray a little wd40 on it to prevent corrosion. I had em on my 14 & 15ft flatboats for 20 years and mainly fish saltwater without any issues, less then 50 lbs thrust is not enough for saltwater

So wind and tide/currents are stronger in saltwater than freshwater ....:confused:

Yes wind and tides are stronger,if u r in the open no place to hide in the salt,also get the largest thrust u can on a 12 volt!

So if im in the open on a freshwater lake a 12 mph wind has less force than a 12 mph wind on a saltwater lake . Or a 3 knot current is less in freshwater than a 3 knot current in saltwater.

I guess I need to go back to school cause this dont compute in my mind .

Lol... No need to go back to school. Ur right on track. Keep in mind this is a small boat. I'm sure he wouldn't be in the wide open in a 12mph wind.


"Go ahead, share your opinion! I won't cry"

You have stronger tides in salt water than fresh water!


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Back to the original question.

Go with the biggest troll motor you can put on it. You never hear "man, I wish I had less power".

As far as the saltwater, if you are using it in salt, I would get that one.

the biggest they make that runs on one 12v battery will be the 55lbs thrust motors, after that you need 2 batteries.

I used a 55lb trolling motor on 14ft and then a 15ft flatboat for many years in salt water and got sick and tired of having to only fish in the direction of the winds and tides.

I hated being pushed backwards and having to use the outboard to cross a 20 or 30 foot wide cut with just a normal regular tide coming through it.

anything over 6mph wind and I was running full time on #4 and sometimes #5 all the time unless I went with the wind so I basically used it to guide how I drifted with the wind. I learned to adjust but it wasn't ideal at all.

the ONLY reason I didn't go bigger was I had no room or money for 2 trolling motor batteries in the front storage compartment

If you get a 12 volt get 55lb or if you go 24 volt get an 80lb.... As said before you will never want for less but you always want more....we're guys for crying out loud

Same thing goes for grass or shallow water. The more power you have the easier it will be to cut through the grass and pull through shallow spots along with going against wind and current.

Thanks for everyone's feedback fellas! Time to get my prices together ...will only be running 1 battery so max is 55lb



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