What size trolling motor?

Hi everyone,

I just purchased a 2003 Princecraft Starfish 15. It is 16', 73" wide and weighs 304lbs. I am looking for a transom mount saltwater trolling motor. I am not sure what size to get. The previous owner only used a 36 lb. thrust motor. I checked the Princecraft site and was directed to ask a dealer. All suggested 50 - 60 lb. thrust. Some were adamant about large others said the 50 would work fine. I am asking because the motors (Looking at the Minn Kota Riptide series) has a pretty good jump in price after the 50 lb thrust motor. The 45 and 50 are both under $350, but the 55 is over $500.

This is my first experience with trolling motors. With the smaller motors, I would have one battery for the fish finder and motor. The larger motor may require 2 (24 V)? Is there a way of estimating how long a battery will run the motor (a tiller without a charging system)? Obviously the way the motor is run would be a factor, but just looking for some first hand info.

Thanks,

Charlie

Re: What size trolling motor?

my suggestion is this.boat is small and light so lb. thrust isnt really an issue.i would go with largest 12v you can afford easily.you said 50 and 55 are quite different in price,you will never notice 5lbs difference.get best deep cycle battery you can afford for the motor and take a cheap car battery or marine for depth finder.they use very little battery,but save all for your troller on marine battery.then you will have a back up for the uh oh situation!this is assuming the trolling motor isnt your sole means of propulsion.if it is then i strongly reccomend a 24v.doesnt have to be 100lb thrust.just smaller(65-70lb.range).with 12v should use another battery for depth finder,w/ 24v,definately use another for it.also remember shaft length for wave factor.

Re: What size trolling motor?

starcraft,

that is a good point about using the second battery for the fishfinder/backup. the motor will not be the primary propulsion.

thanks,

charlie

Re: What size trolling motor?

I have a 16' boat also, but mine is quite a bit heavier-- with the motor it's probably around 900 lbs. I picked up a transom mount trolling motor last season-- a Minn Kota 55lb thrust 12 volt. It moves my boat fine. So a much lighter boat like yours should be ok with a 40-50 lb thrust I would think. I'm always on smaller inland lakes though, if you're on bigger, rougher water you might want more power.

you mentioned the cost being an issue-- you might want to keep an eye out for used trolling motors on your local Craigslist. That's where I picked mine up--$160 and it didn't look like it had ever been used.

Re: What size trolling motor?

Mike,

You know something? I never took into account the weight of my 25 hp outboard. That is a good point as it will add about 110 lbs (2008 Yamaha 2 stroke).

Craigslist is a good idea as that is where I found my boat.

Keep the ideas coming, guys. They are much appreciated.

Charlie

Re: What size trolling motor?

A 40 - 45 # motor will work just fine on your narrow and very light boat. Unless you are fishing in very windy conditions constantly, that motor will work fine. You would be far better off however with a bow mount. Provides far better control, especially in windy conditions. Motors up to 55# thrust are 12 volts and require one battery. Anything over that is 24 volts and requires two 12 volt batteries making a total of three which your boat probably does not have room for anyway.

Re: What size trolling motor?

silvertip,

it is a utility and really not set up for a bow mount. i have 2 year old twins and trying to keep this as simple as possible for me. thanks for the advice on the motor size.

charlie

Re: What size trolling motor?

hi guys,

just as a follow-up, i purchased a used minn kota riptide 46 lb. thrust trolling motor. i figure that is a cheaper (hopefully) solution to figuring out what i really need. i took all of your suggestions to heart and appreciate your input.

i have another question for you guys. the previous owner had a 3 prongplug wired into the positive an negative wires. i planned on wiring it directly to the battery. there are 2 red and 2 black wires going in. so, my questions are:

1. can i just put 4 circular battery connectors on - 2 on the red wires and 2 on the black?

2. should I wire a 3 prong female plug directly to the battery and just plug it in?

3. should i put an in line fuse in this system?

am i making this harder than it should be?

thanks,

charlie

Re: What size trolling motor?

no ideas?

Re: What size trolling motor?

You lost me in your last post. You say it was wired to a 3 prong connector but there are 4 wires (2-red, 2-black) ?????. I've never seen an electric motor that had more than 2 wires for power, 1 red 1 black. Could you clarify this please? You should use an inline fuse in the positive wire, or better yet a circuit breaker(a little more trouble and expense but worth it if anything bad ever happens). That being said, I have to add I have run my 40lb Minnkota for quite a while now with no fuse or circuit breaker protection at all. Not recommended but it is done a lot.

Re: What size trolling motor?

Hi Wishin,

Sorry for the delayed response. Life gets in the way sometimes. I ordered a manual from Minn Kota, but it hasn't gotten here yet. I clipped off the 3 prong and crimped on circular terminals to the wires. I picked up the terminals at West Marine (they are a pricey bunch overall) and asked one of the guys there. He suggested that some manufacturers used 2 smaller gauge wires instead of a larger gauge to save money. I have no idea of that statement's validity But, she turned when I hooked her up to the battery. I can't wait to get her out on the water.

Thanks,

Charlie