Any suggestions on putting 2-2.5Hp motor onto the MadRiver 14Adventure (double-end) which made of polyethylene. To me personally, I really prefer gas motors rather than electric trolling ones – the only thing questioning me is that the weight of gas motor if it would be too heavy for the plastic canoe. I always use this canoe for fishing in the bay area and i realize that 2HP would work better to scoot through the wind & current.
Thanks in advance!
weight no prob…
just balance the trim by keeping an extra gas can in the bow to even out the trim…
then take your MOTORized ass to a POWER board we all PADDLE here!
Just kidding…just figured I’d roast you first to prevent a REAL flaming later!.. 
electric much more peaceful
I used an inexpensive 30 lb thrust elec Motorguide trolling motor on a OT Disc 158 years ago and was surprised at how well it did with 2 men, a wet seine, and equipment,total of ~500 lbs - used it for work, sampling fish. Much better than paddling upstream…the elecs are tougher than they look.
You’ll need to build or buy a mount…
…for the motor, a job that’ll be pretty-much the same whether it’s gas or electric. You MIGHT be able to just reinforce a section of the gunwale and hull and clamp the motor there (to do this, your motor must be able to spin 360 degrees or you won’t have enough turning angle in one direction or the other), but a better system is a bracket that attaches to both sides of the boat, and sticks out on one side where the motor hangs. Make sure such a bracket fastens to half a foot or more of gunwale on each side, to give it the ability to resist the twist imparted by the motor. You can buy side-mount motor brackets, but after you see one, you may decide to build one instead.
Whether you choose to use a gas or electric motor is a matter of priorities, not a matter of which is “better”. A gas motor with two or three gallons of extra fuel will push you at least 50 times farther than an electric motor can on a single charge, and it will weigh less than half as much, maybe even one-third as much (remember that the battery of an electric will be 50 to 70 pounds). I suspect that the cost of a good battery, taking into account the number of full charges and travel distance it is good for before it’s shot, is more expensive than gasoline even these days, but that’ll be a pretty miniscule cost on a per-trip basis. An electric is certainly quieter and cleaner. It sounds like you already have a gas motor, and if it were me, I’d start with what I already have and make changes later if need be.
Great Question!
…for a Paddler’s message board!