I was hoping that a few questions I had could be answered. I’ve tried using the search function but haven’t really been able to find the proper threads to my questions. Here’s the scenario, currently, I have an Old Town Guide 147 that my girlfriend and I take out fishing primarily in rivers/lakes around new england. I am looking to purchase a trolling motor/mount/battery that would best suit our needs. The total weight of myself, girlfriend and gear is roughly 300lbs. Is a 30lb thrust trolling motor going to be enough to handle 300lbs + weight of battery? Also, from what I can tell the general consensus seems to be that a 30inch shaft is plenty, but if the 30lb thrust motor isn’t enough, is a 36inch shaft with 45lbs going to be able to power us? Thanks for all the help.
Depends
On a lake, a 30 ft/lb thrust will push you if there’s not much wind. A friend and I had a 14’ jon boat and used a 28 ft/lb thrust trolling motor on it for years at a lake. It goes. It doesn’t go fast, but no trolling motor will. Fast is not their job.
That said, I generally use a 45 or 55 ft/lb thrust trolling motor on my canoe now, when I’m not using a gas engine. The gas engine is better, but is not welcome at all places.
If you are in current, get as much push as you can.
The advice with the Maximizer is good in the previous post. You will get more effective run time with a Maximizer. Using it with a good battery is important. A used car battery will work, but it won’t work well and it won’t work long. The advice on preventing hang-ups and flips in the previous post is also good.
I know it’s been a while since you asked
but since you are living in New England and might be just getting on the water again, thought I would throw this out - if you haven’t bought a mount yet, don’t. You’ll save money and have a better mount by making your own mount. I made mine by bolting two pieces of aluminum angle iron to the insides of my canoe, opposite each other behind the rear seat, just below the gunwales. Then I took a 2X4 made of pressure treated pine and cut it to fit to span the canoe back there. I took two pieces of the thickest finishing plywood I would find and glued them together to make a double-thickness. I then bolted that into the 2x4 (bolts going all the way through 2x4 with washers and locknuts), perpendicular, as the place to attach the motor. I then drilled holes in the ends of the 2 x 4 as places to pass through the bolts for holding the mount to the angle iron, and I slathered the mount with 4 coats of marine varnish. 4 years later, it looks like new. I can send you detailed pictures and a drawing to help you assemble it if you like.
TM search
Instead of doing a search go to the bottom of the Fishing from Kayaks and Canoes page and click back on the page numbers and you will find all you ever wanted to know about trolling motors and canoes. The search gives you old posts past the pages at the bottom of this page.
I have cut my TM shafts to 26” for my canoe. Good luck.