Troll motor

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boocat
Posts: 269
Joined: Sun Aug 28, 2016 8:09 am
Location: Texas Hill Country

Troll motor

#1 Post by boocat » Thu Jul 06, 2017 2:54 pm

on an 18ft. What do you have, do you like it? I'm struggling with this 12v or 24. I know bigger better blah blah. I'm thinking the 68lb Minn Kota pontoon motor 24v. Are the 55lb working for you guys?

DWRAT
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Re: Troll motor

#2 Post by DWRAT » Thu Jul 06, 2017 3:26 pm

No wind and the 55 will be fine.
In wind, forget about it unless you get over a 100 pound thruster.
2012 SouthBay 722CRO 115hp Merc 4-stroke. Edit, make that a 150hp Merc 4-stroke now.

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joe20toon
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Location: Central Florida

Re: Troll motor

#3 Post by joe20toon » Thu Jul 06, 2017 4:08 pm

I'm glad I spent more money and got an 80 pound thrust trolling motor.
The remote control is very nice...
2016 20 foot Sylvan RPT (V Pontoons)
Yamaha Vmax SHO 115HP
80 Pound Thrust RipTide Trolling Motor
Humminbird Helix 7 Side Imaging

JLester273
Posts: 241
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Location: Cincinnati Ohio

Re: Troll motor

#4 Post by JLester273 » Thu Jul 06, 2017 6:17 pm

I have a 24 ft boat and a 74 lbs.

it will motor us along at 2.5 mph. I've never had it in terrible winds though.

24 v is nice. Draws less current that way. So I think you'll get longer run time.
My rebuild thread.
http://www.pontoonforums.com/viewtopic.php?f=16&t=24807

grandfishingtoon
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Location: Grand Lake St. Marys

Re: Troll motor

#5 Post by grandfishingtoon » Fri Jul 07, 2017 5:16 am

my 18' get used for bass fishing and crappie fishing. The 12v 55lb wireless is more than i need. i use is on the lowest few speeds almost all of the time, but most of my fishing is done in channels where there isnt much wind. If your using it for a different style fishing you may need more but the 55lb is more than enough for mine.
2016 Sun Tracker 18 Bass Buggy with Mercury CT 60
1991 Bass Tracker 16' flat bottom with Mercury 40

boocat
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Joined: Sun Aug 28, 2016 8:09 am
Location: Texas Hill Country

Re: Troll motor

#6 Post by boocat » Fri Jul 07, 2017 3:13 pm

thnks for the info

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toondog
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Re: Troll motor

#7 Post by toondog » Fri Jul 07, 2017 3:25 pm

I have a 20 ft fairly light toon. 55lb thrust has been OK for me. Two batteries just seems like too much weight and hassle.
96 20 special Grumman 50hp evinrude
13 Blazer outboard jet boat
11 12ft Perception Kayak
18 250 6.7 powerstroke

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SeaBreeze
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Location: SE Tennessee

Re: Troll motor

#8 Post by SeaBreeze » Sat Jul 08, 2017 3:50 am

I have a 23'er with a 55lb remote controlled TM on one battery, I have no problem fishing in all but the worst winds on the lake and in that kind of wind, really do not need to be fishing anyway. Most of the time, it is around half speed or less. But you will always hear to go as big as you can but the cost of TMs go up as you get more thrust and features. I only thing I would change is to use two batteries vice one, I do run out of juice 4-5 hours in heavy use.

I really like the remote control feature as I can be anywhere on the boat and control what is happening. My unit is the MotorGuide Wireless W55 trolling motor.
2012 Cypress Cay Seabreeze 230 Fish 90hp Merc
Lifting strakes and under skinned

boocat
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Location: Texas Hill Country

Re: Troll motor

#9 Post by boocat » Sat Jul 08, 2017 6:51 am

Yes ,I was planning on 2 batteries if I go with the 55 so my next concern was weight. I checked the weight for both the 55 and 68 Minn kota pontoon motors and they both said 44 lbs. If that was true it would make more sense to go with the 68. I'm not too worried about the price difference but both motors being 44 lbs as listed on amazon just didn't sound right. Couldn't find the weight on minn kotas web site.

illinoid
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Re: Troll motor

#10 Post by illinoid » Sat Jul 08, 2017 2:01 pm

Placement can male a big difference, I had my 55 on the center front of a 24 ft and could get over 3 mph, when I moved it back to the back over the side, I could never get 2 mph.
[color=#FF0000]SOLD[/color]1975 24 ft Kayot, 1980 70hp Johnson formerly "Joy Toy", now named "Waterlogged" Sold
'03 F250 Powerstroke
2 60's 17ft Richline canoes Sold one

A place for everything...Everything out of place!

JBO
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Location: Kansas

Re: Troll motor

#11 Post by JBO » Sat Jul 08, 2017 2:42 pm

We have used a 80lb 24V Minnkota on a 22' Pontoon & Deckboat and it works great. I wouldn't want any smaller of a motor, at least for the fishing we do. We have plenty of space so the extra battery isn't an issue.
2017 Lowe SD224 w/ 150HP Mercury

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rancherlee
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Re: Troll motor

#12 Post by rancherlee » Tue Jul 11, 2017 5:08 am

I have a 55# on mine if I tilt the outboard out of the water It will pull me 2.5mph, enough to make headway into a 20mph head wind. I could go 24v but I use the 2 trolling motor batteries for all the accessories, stereo, lighting and I like being able to charge them off the outboard as mine has a 40amp @ 1000rpm. I definitely recommend a Auto Pilot + Copilot remote no matter what size you choose, I NEVER use the foot pedal anymore.
1988' Kennedy 20' "Haley's Comet"
Rebuilt 2016 with 25" single strake outer tubes and a 25x23" straked U-tube
2003 Suzuki DF140 - Yamaha 9.9HT kicker - 39.1@6300rpm

JLester273
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Location: Cincinnati Ohio

Re: Troll motor

#13 Post by JLester273 » Tue Jul 11, 2017 5:49 am

"I definitely recommend a Auto Pilot + Copilot remote no matter what size you choose, I NEVER use the foot pedal anymore."

I would love to have one of these. But I was pretty excited to get my 74 lbs foot petal one.

I'm sure if I ever get to try one I'll never go back.
My rebuild thread.
http://www.pontoonforums.com/viewtopic.php?f=16&t=24807

jadeboy
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Joined: Wed Mar 18, 2015 3:19 am

Re: Troll motor

#14 Post by jadeboy » Tue Jul 11, 2017 7:44 am

Or you could put Mercury troll control on if you have a fuel injected motor it's the best thing I ever did can move Rpm up or down depending on wind conditions I can get down to 2 mph with my 115 on 22 foot Sylvan

Retired OG
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Re: Troll motor

#15 Post by Retired OG » Tue Jul 11, 2017 12:23 pm

I'm gonna use the 15 hp that I took off the fishing boat I sold...I may be able to get it mounted by next week...eventually I'll hook up full control from the console....for the time being though it will serve dual purpose as a kicker, because I'm a little leery of the old (1972) Evinrude. I'm surprised more of you guys don't use gas motors...
1973 Kayot with 1972 Evinrude 50 hp Lark

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