What size trolling motor?

CWCW

Petty Officer 3rd Class
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Oct 30, 2007
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88
If im looking at an aluminum bass boat in the 17' to 18' range that will weight anywhere from 1000lbs to 1300lbs empty what size trolling motor would be sufficient? I dont fish tourneys and it is not that windy here in North Texas, i just dont want to get pushed around in a little wind. Most of the boats im looking at are packaged with a Minn Kota 40. Is there a real difference if i bumped up to the Minn Kota 55?
 

Barnacle_Bill

Admiral
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Feb 8, 2004
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6,469
Re: What size trolling motor?

It never hurts to have more power in a TM than you need.
 

azlakes

Senior Chief Petty Officer
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Jul 8, 2007
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720
Re: What size trolling motor?

... this site has a section on "select a motor". it will ask you about the type of use , on what type boat, material of boat and lastly size. it will then recommend a thrust value for you...


"http://www.minnkotamotors.com/products/motors/detail.asp?pg=fbm_terrova"
 

Silvertip

Supreme Mariner
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Sep 22, 2003
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Re: What size trolling motor?

Put a 55 on it. You will be glad you did.
 

Texasmark

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Dec 20, 2005
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Re: What size trolling motor?

Hey CWCW, I don't know what part of N. Texas you are talking about when you say the wind isn't that bad. Scuse me but 90% of the time it is undesirably high on every lake up here, and the big ones are horrible.

Like my last outing was on 1000 acre Lake Bonham. I have a 17' alum BB with a Motorguide 68# brute 12-24 and with fresh batteries, charged the night before, I had to go to 24V pos 5 (max thrust) to maintain any kind of position. I will admit that this was unusual for this small lake, but a Norther (cold front) hit that morning (unbenonced to me) and it was serious about getting to the coast in one day.

Mark
 

CWCW

Petty Officer 3rd Class
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Oct 30, 2007
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88
Re: What size trolling motor?

Thanks for the link. I think i will go ahead and at least go up one more size than what is packaged with the boat, like a 55. In another forum, someone suggested a 24 volt set up with like a 70/71 TM. Is that overkill for this size boat? I mean, if i had a 21ft fiberglass rig it would be different but this isnt that big of a boat.
 

Barnacle_Bill

Admiral
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Feb 8, 2004
Messages
6,469
Re: What size trolling motor?

I use a 70 on my 17' alum bass boat and love it. With a 24V system your trolling time is a lot longer than with a 12V, 55 lb motor.
 

RobDar

Petty Officer 3rd Class
Joined
Jul 19, 2004
Messages
82
Re: What size trolling motor?

Hey CWCW...I am following you!!! LOL!!! ( delee from BBC)


I would go with a 55.
 

Texasmark

Supreme Mariner
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Dec 20, 2005
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14,648
Re: What size trolling motor?

Something is haywire tas. I went to the site and it's a panel adhesive site.

Mark
 

Paul DuLaney

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
Mar 17, 2007
Messages
145
Re: What size trolling motor?

cwcw, I have a 2001 Taho Q3 F/S and it has a 52lb 12v motor guide,now I don't fish tourney ether but do use it to troll for walleye ,striper's & work the banks for bass.For me if it's to windy to hold it's time to get off the water .Now I'm looking to get the wireless model and I know to go up never down in power as I had a 115 hp opti and have a 150 hp efi on the back now. But this is just my view on what has been my experience.
 

tashasdaddy

Honorary Moderator Emeritus
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Nov 11, 2005
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51,019
Re: What size trolling motor?

here it is ebay #270210213526 70 # wireless MG reconditioned.
 

CWCW

Petty Officer 3rd Class
Joined
Oct 30, 2007
Messages
88
Re: What size trolling motor?

Hey CWCW, I don't know what part of N. Texas you are talking about when you say the wind isn't that bad. Scuse me but 90% of the time it is undesirably high on every lake up here, and the big ones are horrible.

Like my last outing was on 1000 acre Lake Bonham. I have a 17' alum BB with a Motorguide 68# brute 12-24 and with fresh batteries, charged the night before, I had to go to 24V pos 5 (max thrust) to maintain any kind of position. I will admit that this was unusual for this small lake, but a Norther (cold front) hit that morning (unbenonced to me) and it was serious about getting to the coast in one day.

Mark
hahahaha! Where is Lake Bonham? I have never heard of it. I live south of Fort Worth and the wind is worse now than it ever is in the summer where i live. May be i just have been to the lake on non windy days. haha!
 

CWCW

Petty Officer 3rd Class
Joined
Oct 30, 2007
Messages
88
Re: What size trolling motor?

Hey CWCW...I am following you!!! LOL!!! ( delee from BBC)


I would go with a 55.
HAHAHA! You STALKER!!!! :D I wasnt smart enough to change my name from forum to forum. haha!
 

Texasmark

Supreme Mariner
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Dec 20, 2005
Messages
14,648
Re: What size trolling motor?

hahahaha! Where is Lake Bonham? I have never heard of it. I live south of Fort Worth and the wind is worse now than it ever is in the summer where i live. May be i just have been to the lake on non windy days. haha!

NE of Dallas about 75 miles. On your comment "May be i just........ " yeah I'll join you in the hahahaha. Texas lakes with no wind........hold your breath as you apparently know. That's one of two reasons I go to this little "city owned" lake. The second is that they have a dock where you can launch alone and not scuff up your boat or get wet....something severely lacking in most of our Texas hot dog lakes.

Mark
 
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