Thread: How much thrust?

175 stinger 80lb terrova ipilot calm day 3mph , pull cranks 1.5-2.0 mph all day (6-8hrs )

I think I have decided on the xi5 with the sonar and pinpoint. I think so anyway. If I change my mind and go with a 899 hb instead of the hds7 touch, I may end up with a minn kota I pilot instead. Good night there is so much to think about when its snowy and the lakes are frozen!

With a boat your size upping the TM thrust will not be as much benefit as the extra battery you will have aboard the boat.

12v 48#, 24v 80#, 36v 109#. Each step adds a battery to the equation. Will you ever use the 109# of thrust? Occupationally when you don't want to power up the outboard to move from here to there. But I bet some day you will be grateful you have the extra reserve capacity you get with each battery. In most cases you will be using the same amount of thrust depending on wind and fishing style at the time. Fishing thought flooded timber using 25# of thrust. Any of the TM i listed will work fine. If you have a 36v system you will be able to do this 3 times as long as the 12v system. If you are going to pull cranks using 45# of thrust the first TM will still do this but not for very long. Again the 36v system will get you three times as much time fishing this style.

Main lesson here is the amount of thrust needed is seldom what we should be looking at. The amount of battery reserve you need to accomplish the style of fishing should be at the top of your list.

Good luck

I use a minn kota edge 45 foot control trolling motor I use it on 12volt although it can be used with 24 volt also it is a very quiet running motor. My boat is a 1991 aluminum pro 16 tracker and it works fine in the 480 acre lake were I fish. I have ran it all day with my group 27 marine battery. Some days I don't even crank the outboard motor. I do have a second cranking battery for the outboard motor. I mainly troll on slowest number, but when wind gets up I have to go to next number setting. If the wind gets any harder it is time to go home anyway although it does have 5 number setting I can go too. This one is in the $350 to $400 range.

With your deepV I would be equally concerned about shaft length since your considering pulling cranks which is usually done from the middle or back of the boat. I would strongly suggest the 60" version. (you can always lower the collar to shorten the shaft when needed) Shorter lengths will have your TM spinning in the air on windy days when using an auto-pilot. If decide on a 55# Troller you could also run a second battery in parallel to give you the duration you need instead of pulling power required for a heavier boat. I have a deepV and learned from experience.

Parratt1, you didn't tell us about your favorite fishing holes & that can make as big a difference as your favorite styles.

My main hole is a 1,000 acre TMO reservoir that is over 3 miles from the launch ramp to the most distant point. That means the TM has to work hard to get me to the fishing spots, troll all day, and then get me back home. In the past I relied on 12V motors, but after getting a 24V Terrova I never looked back. The faster running speed means more time with bait in the water. Longer running time is strictly a function of the number of amp hours your battery(s) can deliver.

My main fishing boat is a 16' Sea Nymph full V with an 80# 24V Terrova. I carry two sets of 100+ amp hour batteries and have never "limped" back to the dock. One word of caution--if you set up redundant batteries, don't hard-wire them in parallel. Use a switch. A-B-Off is best, but cheaper setups are just as effective. Batteries age at different rates and when you hook them parallel, the stronger one(s) feed the weaker ones. This wastes power you want delivered to your TM.

Yikess makes a good recommendation about shaft length. Mine is 60" and that works very well.

I pull crankbaits a lot and I have a 54" shaft and it is short for the job.

Have a 75# on a 1756 g3. 3.7mph high speed. Low speed not slow enough for pushing jigs. I second the digital speed, my only regret when I upsized. Also second the fact of never enough thrust, can maintain 3+ mph into whitecaps, all day.