Trolling motor for this 16 footer?

sjcslk

Seaman Apprentice
Joined
Sep 23, 2017
Messages
38
I have a used 16' Lund Rebel I recently bought and am thinking about a transom electric trolling motor for it. The boat listed weight is about 500 lbs. I'm thinking maybe a Minn Kota Edura c2 and then maybe down the road adding a Nav Pro. So I'm trying to deterermine: Will 40 lb thrust be enough to keep me moving along the weedbeds or keep my line straight down while jigging the river? What length shaft, 36" or 40"? Will this motor accomodate a Nav Pro? Thanks
 

JimS123

Fleet Admiral
Joined
Jul 27, 2007
Messages
8,163
What's a trolling motor? Do you want to move around the weeds and structure, while casting a lure? Or, do you want to move in a straight line at low speed with a lure on a long line trailing the boat?

If the former, you need a bow mount with a seat and foot pedals, If the latter, you need a transom mount gas engine attached with a steering rod to the main engine.

Based on my 60 years of boating experience, a transom mount electric motor is just about useless.

And, naturally, this is an opinion....
 

GSPLures

Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Sep 3, 2019
Messages
564
I have a used 16' Lund Rebel I recently bought and am thinking about a transom electric trolling motor for it. The boat listed weight is about 500 lbs. I'm thinking maybe a Minn Kota Edura c2 and then maybe down the road adding a Nav Pro. So I'm trying to deterermine: Will 40 lb thrust be enough to keep me moving along the weedbeds or keep my line straight down while jigging the river? What length shaft, 36" or 40"? Will this motor accomodate a Nav Pro? Thanks
I just looked at the nav pro web page it looks like it is only compatible with a bow mount trolling motor unless I missed something. I have the endura 40 on my 14' aluminum which with gear my 10hp motor is probably only a couple hundred pounds. It moves my small boat at about 2.5 to 3 mph depending on wind waves chop etc. Keeping you on the weeds or vertical jigging is possible with mine but needs constant attention which would be difficult on a larger boat with how far back the motor will sit and it requires a hand to move which takes a hand away from fishing. You would probably be better off with a bow mount for the type of fishing you want to do. As for big enough I cannot answer that with any accuracy because I have never used it on my bigger boat. I would go for the endura 55 bigger in this case will probably be better if you go the transom mount direction.
 

roscoe

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Oct 30, 2002
Messages
21,739
I had a transom mount on a light 16', worked fine.
But since I position fish, back troll, jig, most of the time, I ran my motor in reverse most of the time.

When I sold the boat to my buddy, he spun the head around 180* , then ran it in forward, because he said it gave him better speed control.

Depending on the year of your Rebel, I can see why you wouldn't want to mount a big motor up front, there just is a shortage of space.

Get the shortest shaft you can for transom mount, just as long as the motor and prop are below the bottom of the hull.
 
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