Need advice on a transom-mounted trolling motor

[SkyChimp]

I just bought a Tracker Grizzly welded 1448 14' jon boat with a long transom. It has a 9.9 hp outboard. But I'd like to buy a transom mounted electric troller for it for no-gas lakes.

The bare-boat weight is around 360lbs. I 'm about 300 lbs myself. Add a couple of small kids and normal gear and I'm sure it's pushing a 850 lbs or more.

Any recommendation on thrust I will need?
Should I go with a 12 volt or a 24 volt system?
Minn Kota or Motorguide?

Thanks.

[Barnacle Bill]

If it were me I'd get the smallest 24V motor Minn Kota makes. That will give you max efficiency with enough power to get you out of trouble if needed. I'm sure some people like Motorguide but I for one will never own another. Too many horror stories and unforunately I can tell some of them from my own experience..

[SkyChimp]

If it were me I'd get the smallest 24V motor Minn Kota makes. That will give you max efficiency with enough power to get you out of trouble if needed. I'm sure some people like Motorguide but I for one will never own another. Too many horror stories and unforunately I can tell some of them from my own experience..

I like Minn Kota. I have a 30lb thrust 30" 12v for rental jon-boat use. I like their flexible shafts. Never had a minutes trouble, and it gets heavy use.

I'd probably go with a Minn Kota Maxxum 70lb thrust 24v model. 70lbs seems to be the least thrust available in a 24v model. And it seems like plenty for my needs.

[Shellback]

Have you considered a bowmount Powerdrive or Autopilot? I've recently bought a used 15 foot Sea Nymph Jon boat. For power I have a 9.9 four stroke which I use as a kicker on my other boat. I also have a Maxxum 55# transom mount electric, and a 36# Powerdrive bowmount. Believe it or not, the 36# bowmount pulls the boat around much better than the transom mount motor, and it's about 8 years old. The Maxxum is only a couple years old with less than 10 hours use. With a Powerdrive or Autopilot motor you can control the boat from wherever you are sitting with the corded foot pedal, or a co-pilot remote if you buy one of those. I don't know if it has something to do with it being easier for a bowmount to pull the boat threw the water verses a transom mount trying to push the boat threw the water. Depending if you selected a 40# PD motor or a 50# PD motor, at Cabelas one would be $30 cheaper than the 70# Maxxum, and the other would $40 more. I have a quick release bracket that allows me to take the PD on and off with just a thumb knob. The bracket also has a place for a lock so keep itchy fingers from getting to it. That Grizzly is a good looking boat, I had my eyes on buying a new one when I found this 1990 Sea Nymph with a trailer, 3 swivel seats, brand new deep cycle battery and an old transom mount electric for $500! What a Deal!

[jigdragger]

The best advice I can give on trolling motors is to buy the biggest, thrusts and volts, you can afford.

[VietVet68]

I put a 70# Minnkota Powerdrive w/autopilot on the front of my 24' pontoon and it does everything I wanted it to do. I have trolled with only the Minnkota for 6-7 hours straight and the most I have done is depleted the batteries 50% (according to trolling motor gauge/meter.)

[PanMan_VA]

SkyChimp,

I'm going to second Shellback's opinion on this one. I have a similar boat with a trolling motor on each end plus a 9.9 hp four stroke (you can see the boat with the modifications I made and descriptions by using the url in my signature). I figure my total weight to be about 900 pounds. It is much easier to use the Powerdrive. The transom motor is 36 pounds thrust and the bow is 50 pounds thrust. Each individual motor can propel my boat at 2.6 mph. The combination of the two motors will do 3.7 mph. You can get a reconditioned Powerdrive or Autopilot from Cabela's at a nice discount.

Both trolling motors are Minn Kota with pulse width modulation. I can run them at 75% power for several hours and they are still showing good when I put the boat back on the trailer.

We live near each other. Let me know if you want to come by and take a closer look at the modifications I made.

[SkyChimp]

Thanks for all the input, guys.

Keith, thanks for the offer. I will probably take you up on that. We do live close. I live near Warwick Yacht Club in Newport News.

The boat should be here in the next week or two weeks. I ordered it two weeks ago from the Tracker dealer at Bass Pro and there was a 3-4 week delivery time. When I pick it up, I may tow it by and so you can give me some pointers. I'll contact you via your website.

My plan for now, due to money restrictions, was to simply have a transom mounted motor, with an eventual addition of a bow mounted motor. I've perused your site and like what you've done to yours. I want to floor the boat myself with marine plywood and carpet in a similar manner to yours, as well as carpet the rear bench seat and front deck. Of course, I want to add cleats and some rod holders.

[Shellback]

Skychimp, Check out the swap and sell board, Ranger 375 has a bowmount for sale. I believe it's a Powerdrive by the numbers he gave. He says reasonable!