So I before the summer I started ripping the wood/carpet flooring out of my 14 ft v-hull. Since its hot as hell here in Florida close to all year, I just finished it with the recent colder weather. During this time I found a used Minn Kota AT40 I installed it on my bow charged up my battery and set off with my friend.
We get to the dock and was having some trouble starting my 1969 Johnson 9.5 so I spray some ether in it and get it going. I wasnt too concerned since I've always had to do that and its a 40 yr old motor. We get to the spot we want to fish and drop the trolling motor and nothing happens. we keep drifting. I tried all the different settings and nothing works. No big deal. The wind was blowing into the shore so I drop my anchor and fish for a bit. No bites so we head to another shoreline and let the wind push us along it. We get no bites there either. We start to head back to the dock and the engine dies. BAD GAS! I could keep it running with the either but I ran out of it before I get back to the dock. Ended up getting a tow back in.
Today I decided to look at why the trolling motor wasnt working. I wasnt sure if the battery was bad since it came with the trolling motor. I hooked up another battery and still nothing. I pull my car up and hook it up and nothing. I finally get out a ohm meter and start checking voltage. Checked the battery and its good. I follow the wires back into the foot pedal and their good. As im turning the foot pedal back upright I notice a switch on the side. Opps. The switch was off the whole time. I guess you learn the hard way when you never had something before. I saw there was a variable speed switch that had an off position so I didnt think there would be another switch.
Anyways Im looking forward to another day when I can get out and enjoy my new trolling motor.
We get to the dock and was having some trouble starting my 1969 Johnson 9.5 so I spray some ether in it and get it going. I wasnt too concerned since I've always had to do that and its a 40 yr old motor. We get to the spot we want to fish and drop the trolling motor and nothing happens. we keep drifting. I tried all the different settings and nothing works. No big deal. The wind was blowing into the shore so I drop my anchor and fish for a bit. No bites so we head to another shoreline and let the wind push us along it. We get no bites there either. We start to head back to the dock and the engine dies. BAD GAS! I could keep it running with the either but I ran out of it before I get back to the dock. Ended up getting a tow back in.
Today I decided to look at why the trolling motor wasnt working. I wasnt sure if the battery was bad since it came with the trolling motor. I hooked up another battery and still nothing. I pull my car up and hook it up and nothing. I finally get out a ohm meter and start checking voltage. Checked the battery and its good. I follow the wires back into the foot pedal and their good. As im turning the foot pedal back upright I notice a switch on the side. Opps. The switch was off the whole time. I guess you learn the hard way when you never had something before. I saw there was a variable speed switch that had an off position so I didnt think there would be another switch.
Anyways Im looking forward to another day when I can get out and enjoy my new trolling motor.
