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Location: Northern Wisconsin | me and my dad are probally the only muskie guys who dont have a bow mount yet and the b.m. is
the next on the list. what kind do you have or recomend? we haven't been too happy with our minn
kota stuff but are willing to give them another try. what about motor guide? are they quality or not?
our boat isnt huge its a 16.5 foot with a 25 hp which does move pretty good when its just the two of
us. |
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Posts: 1335
Location: Chicago, Beverly | Get the biggest trolling motor you can afford. A boat like that using a 12volt trolling motor I'd go with no less then a 40lbs thrust motor, but would try and get as close to 55lbs as I can. Otherwise if a 24V motor doesn't sound bad to you go with one of those.
The big decision is whether you go with a electric type of foot pedal(like a minn kota power drive) or a cable type of pedal(minn kota all terrain). If you go with a Minn Kota Power drive you can always get one of those Co-Pilot attachments which makes the motor like its remote controlled.. |
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Posts: 2112
Location: The Sportsman, home, or out on the water | I have a 48 pound thrust (I think) Minn Kota power drive, that is 12 volts, and pulls my 16' boat along all day. I would reccomend, like before, getting the biggest one you can afford, even if it is 24 volts. I have had motor guide products before, and will NEVER go back to their products. |
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Posts: 32958
Location: Rhinelander, Wisconsin | I think a 12 volt 50 PD Minn Kota would be about perfect. |
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Posts: 938
Location: NeverNever Lake | I agree with Steve totally! I have a similar setup as you. The Maxxum 55/12 volt is unbeatable as far as reliability/dependability! I hated mine at first, and now, because of the height of the pedal itself, I walk with a permanent limp......but the motor operates as good as the day I bought it........ |
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Location: Contrarian Island | I'd get one with AutoPilot...I love that feature!
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| I have a 12v 55pd power drive with 2 batteries in parallel and its perfect for my 16 ft boat. The other thing that I like about the PD is the low-pro foot pedal. |
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Posts: 1764
Location: Ogden, Ut | I too recommend a 55 lb. thrust Autopilot. It pushes my 16 1/2 footer around easily. Just bear in mind that whereas all of the posts offer real good advice, adding a battery (or two) and the weight of a trolling motor WILL slow you down a bit, unless you can find a way to jettison an equal amount of weight somewhere else. My boat went 31+ mph (GPS) before I started adding 'fishing equipment', now I top out at about 28; if I take off the trolling motor and battery, I can get back up close to 30 again.
Sorno |
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Location: Northern Wisconsin | i am looking toward 12 volt 50 power drive like some of you mentioned. wil it work fine with one battery
or is two batterys essential? |
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Posts: 1764
Location: Ogden, Ut | If you plan on weekend trips where no charger is available, 2 would be nice. If you do day trips and can re-charge each night, one is almost always enough. Of course, longevity depends on your use patterns, wind, age of batteries, etc. If you run from spot to spot and use the electric for positioning while there, as opposed to working miles of shoreline w/ the electric, it will seem like one lasts forever. Conversely continuous use of the electric at a power level of half or more...  I'd start w/ one and see if it works for you; a second one is easy to add.
Sorno
Edited by sorenson 8/21/2005 1:20 PM
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| About a year or so ago there were threads about the merits of hand operated vs. foot operated bow mounts. I too have a 16 ft boat with a 25 Hp. I built a casting deck at the front of the boat and replaced the bow plate with a larger one I made where I mounted a Minnkota All Terrain 40lb, hand operated. I can operate the motor and fish comfortably while standing. I'd hate to have to operate the motor with one foot and try to balance on the other in rough water. And I refuse to sit and fish, unless I'm trolling. The only things I lack with this trolling motor setup is longer shaft length and more power in windy, rougher conditions that the PowerDrive would definately give you. There are options for the PowerDrive not available to other motors that would make it more convenient. Good Luck.
Don
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Location: Des Moines IA | The 50 lb Power Drive was the best thing I bought last year. Couldn't fish with a transom mount near as much. Always leaning down to adjust the trolling motor. I get to fish twice as much now! I bought the biggest 12 volt battery Bass Pro had and haven't had a problem. But I have always been close to electricity. The 1 battery wil last 2 days. But we troll some also , so the trolling motor doesn't get used every minute of every day. |
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Posts: 2091
Location: Stevens Point, WI | Something around 50#'s of thrust should definatley be enough. |
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