trolling motor queston

[speck chaser]

I just purchased a minn kota 12 volt 55 autopilot my concern is the speed it will
move my boat on the lowest setting I currently have a 43 pound thrust
my boat is a 17.5 sketter with a 50 yamaha on it.Does any one have a simalar set up.I long line troll.how would you controll boat speed if this motor
is too fast.This iwas the Smallest thrust i could find

[Crappie Chatt]

SC, most of the trollers that I know drag a chain to control their speed. Get yourself 8 to 10 ft of 1/2 log chain, install a cleat to the center of the transom close to the motor. Lower the chain till it starts dragging, tie it off. Add rope if to fast, pull it in if to slow. With this system you can even troll with the wind. If it gets stuck, a quick jerk and your free. Hope this helps. <*)}}}><

[Don G]

I just purchased a minn kota 12 volt 55 autopilot my concern is the speed it will
move my boat on the lowest setting I currently have a 43 pound thrust
my boat is a 17.5 sketter with a 50 yamaha on it.Does any one have a simalar set up.I long line troll.how would you controll boat speed if this motor
is too fast.This iwas the Smallest thrust i could find

I used the same setup for 3 years with good results. I long line trolled and the motor(variable speed) did just fine. If you have a problem with the wind adding speed, use a drift sock. It will also keep your boat straight.

The 55AP is a great motor for trolling and I never had a problem with it.

Good Fishing

[tool]

Might could try a drift sock or putting two buckets out on either side. I have a 43 ft lb motor on a tracker 185 aluminum and I clock along at .5 mph. That is plenty slow enough to troll. If you want to go slower than that I would dry the drift sock or bucket method. Head into the wind, never at your back. This works for me while trolling. :D

[Barnacle Bill]

I just purchased a minn kota 12 volt 55 autopilot my concern is the speed it will
move my boat on the lowest setting I currently have a 43 pound thrust
my boat is a 17.5 sketter with a 50 yamaha on it.Does any one have a simalar set up.I long line troll.how would you controll boat speed if this motor
is too fast.This iwas the Smallest thrust i could find

I use to have the 55 AP and it had the variable speed control with an infinite number of settings. So the lowest setting was 0. Is this something new?

[Darryl Morris]

Or, if you don't want to run your trolling motor all the time, you can add a trolling plate (BPS's Happy Troller) to the big motor to control speed and use it instead of the trolling motor. If you're fishing in high winds and rough water, you will want the big motor. That'll get you on the water to long line when most can't. Use a GPS to identify exact speed and use the tracking feature to see where you've been. When you get several good hits or catches, mark a waypoint, use your tracking so you can run back over the same spot.
http://www.basspro.com/servlet/catal...=SearchResults

[TAE73]

Just be carefull if you have troll with the big motor say 75 hp and up. I was told idling a motor this size for long periods is not good. The mechanic told me that doing this will build up carbons faster on the pistons and vavles. Causing you to have replace sparkplugs more often, and do a decarb to the motor. Unless you have a new 4 stroke then you are ok, they do not have this problem of idling for long periods of times.

[kunes]

Just be carefull if you have troll with the big motor say 75 hp and up. I was told idling a motor this size for long periods is not good. The mechanic told me that doing this will build up carbons faster on the pistons and vavles. Causing you to have replace sparkplugs more often, and do a decarb to the motor. Unless you have a new 4 stroke then you are ok, they do not have this problem of idling for long periods of times.

I used a Happy Troller plate for years and the plugs and carborator experienced alot of fouling. Went to a 5 horse kicker motor.

[TAE73]

Yep thats what he said would happen, they say the smaller hp motors will not foul plugs running low rpms.

[kunes]

Yep thats what he said would happen, they say the smaller hp motors will not foul plugs running low rpms.

In addition to the fact that eventually you will forget to put the trolling plate in the up position when you take off at full speed and it will bend. However that bend causes you to throw one very impressive rooster tail