Does anyone have any experience using an electric trolling motor on a Pack canoe? I recently bought a Pack and took it out on a windy day. The breeze was so strong that I couldn’t turn the bow into the wind. I was afraid I wouldn’t be able to get back to the shore. Finally the wind died down enough for me to make it back, but I really had to dig the paddle in. Would a small trolling motor be too powerful for the ultra light Pack?
trolling motor on the Pack
The downside to using the trolling motor is the additional weight of the battery and motor. Capacity is low in the Pack. Otherwise I can’t imagine any problems using a motor. . Many people, myself included, use a kayak paddle in the Pack. I seem to be able to make that particular boat cooperate much better when I use the kayak paddle (240cm.) over the single bladed paddle. You might try that next time in the wind. I like the Pack, but it is sluggish to get going. Once I started using the double blade, it moved right along. Good luck!
Second the kayak paddle.
The trolling motor will tend to lower the stern and raise the bow which is a problem in the wind. It probably won’t be as powerful as you think in the wind. It will probably make the small Pack more unstable in the wind.
3rd on the paddle
I don’t think a trolling motor is the answer to handling a Pack in the wind. A double bladed paddle makes the Pack a smooth operator real quick. I use a 270 cm and that little canoe will scoot with it. I have no problems with wind whatsoever when using it either. It has a pretty low profile so it will not react like bigger canoes to the wind.