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| Electric Trolling Motors |
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Electric trolling motors allow you to get to places you would not be able to access otherwise and to hold your boat on an exact location and in the correct position. Gas engines can scare fish away before the angler has the opportunity to make a cast. Electric motors by their definition are small and quiet. All of these benefits should mean more catching rather than just fishing.
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A lot of boats get equipped with electric trolling motors. Today, electric trolling motor manufacturers have provided so many options that it can get very confusing in choosing the right motor for your boat. To make an educated decision as to motor choice does require some homework. This article will assist you in making the proper choice.
Bow or Transom Mount
Electric trolling motors can be mounted to the boat’s bow or transom. This will be the first consideration of your purchase.
A bow mount motor provides greater maneuverability and control in comparison to transom mount motors. This is similar to the advantage of a front wheel drive car. A bow mount trolling motor is more efficient as it pulls the boat through the water versus pushing the boat as a transom mount motor does. This translates into longer battery life on a single charge.
Bow mount motors offer several steering systems – hand control, foot control, and remote control (wireless).
A bow mount motor typically is not as easy to remove from your boat as a transom mounted motor.
Unless you are a straight-line troller, or intend to use the electric motor as the sole power for your boat, I would suggest a bow mount motor.
If the boat is outfitted with a tiller handle gas engine, especially 16’ in length or shorter, it may be better suited for a transom mount electric troll motor. In this case, the angler does not have to move to the front of the boat to control a bow mount.
A transom mount electric trolling motor is only available with tiller steering.
You can easily remove a transom mount motor and move it from boat to boat.
Thrust
Unlike your gas or diesel engine, the power ratings for electric trolling motors are measured in “pounds of thrust”. The length of the boat generally determines the pounds of thrust required.
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The following chart can be used as a reference. The chart will determine the minimum pound of thrust required for “normal fishing conditions”.
Another school of thought applies to your selection of choice of thrust. This deals with the total weight of a loaded boat. In this case you would take the total weight of the loaded boat and divide by 70. For example, if your boat, with gear and people, weighs 4,200 pounds divided by 70 equals 60. This means you should have an electric troll motor with at least 60 pounds of thrust.
Type of Steering
As mentioned above, a bow mount electric trolling motor is available with several steering methods – hand control, foot control, and remote control (wireless). Each has its advantages and disadvantages.
Hand control models provide instant steering, eliminate clutter on the deck, and have fewer parts to break or malfunction. The main disadvantage is they are not hands-free operation. As well, you have to be within reach to control the motor.
A foot control trolling motor allows hands-free operation; therefore you are always in control of your fishing rod. While the length of the cables determines the distance you can be from the motor in order to control it. In a lot of cases, you can operate the motor from anywhere within the boat.
The disadvantages of a foot control model are they have more working parts susceptible to failure, electric steering models have a slower response time, and the pedal clutters the deck.
Remote control foot pedals are wireless. By virtue of being wireless there no cables to trip over and you can put the foot pedal anywhere in the boat.
Voltage and Batteries
Electric trolling motors are available in three different power systems – 12-volt, 24-volt, or 36-volt. A 12-volt trolling motor is run off a single 12-volt deep cycle battery, while a 24-volt motor runs off two batteries and a 36-volt motor runs off three batteries.
A 12-volt system is the cheapest and the easiest to maintain. A 24 or 36-volt system will allow the angler to stay out on the water longer as there is not as much current draw on the individual batteries because of the higher voltage rating.
It is imperative to use deep cycle batteries. This style of battery is built to take the constant discharge and re-charging of the battery.
A deep cycle battery weighs about 50 pounds. Keep this in mind when determining the amount of thrust you require (weight load) and where to place them in your boat.
Shaft Length
The shaft length is very important. Continuous shallow water operation may pose a problem if the length is too long, even though some adjustment can take place. The propeller may only be partly in the water if the shaft length is too short, or worse yet, not even touch the water. If the shaft is too short, electric trolling motors can cavitate in rough water or if people move to the opposite end of the boat. When the propeller breaks through the water surface, this causes noise, which will spook the fish.
If you are installing a transom mount electric trolling motor, you need to know the distance from the top of the transom to the waterline when your boat is loaded. Take that distance and add at least 20 inches to it.
For a bow-mounted motor, you take the length from the top of the bow to the waterline when the boat is loaded. Then add at least 20 inches to that measurement.
Regardless of the mounting location, always round up to the next longest shaft if you have to.
Electric trolling motors allow you to maintain a silent approach and fish inaccessible waters, and by perfecting boat control, should mean more fish for you, the angler. It’s like having two boats in one.
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