Accurate trolling speed

[ljohns5582]

I am interested in using the fan blade that's attached to waterproof motor as a speedometer which will be mounted on the trolling motor. Hopefully i can get a constant speed
indication this way. I guess i will have to convert this signal to some other one or use the current that's generated etc. Anyone have any ideas on this ? Thanks...Larry

[SeaRay]

Good grief! You can get a used handheld GPS off ebay for a few bucks. Wouldn't that be a lot easier and more accurate, or do you just like a challenge? Rofl

By the way, my wife is from just down the road in Laurinburg.
SeaRay

[ljohns5582]

I want something that is highly accurate at very low speeds. I will use it to make sure my speed (hopefully) is where it needs to be.
Has anyone ever built one of these contraptions?

[quikcarl61]

Yep, what kind of df you got

[wilbur]

Why do you want to reinvent the wheel ? just do what searay said. You cant get any more accurate.

[Crappie Chatt]

Seems like I remember a device like a pendulum that hung over the side. Guage at top measured what speed. Very simple and would show current speed/mph. <*)}}}><

[Dutch552]

My older Garmnin GPSMap 76 registers to 0.4-0.5mph for the slowest of spider rigging in the winter time. You can find them for less than $50 used if you look around. Every paddle wheel that I have ever used was not accurate at lower speeds due to the construction of the wheel on the axle. You'd need one with sealed bearings on it so that the slightest water resistance would spin your paddle at the lowest speeds. I'd talk to CanePole to see if this is a viable endeavor or you're spinning your wheelss-he's the electronics guru.

[ljohns5582]

I have the humminbird 787c2i but according to some enthusiasts the gps signals are not very accurate at very low speeds. Another reason i am interested is that i saw one of these contraptions on a ranger that
was being used by two pro's which by the way, were spider rigging and had some of the largest crappie that i have ever seen.

[filletfetish]

I don't know what type of places you're fishing, but most likely, this is going to lead to even less accuracy than GPS (Lowrance). You won't be able to gauge the rate at which the water is moving. Whether it's wind, wake, or current, it's going to give false readings. I've been going 2 MPH on a river and I've been going backward....but my gps said I was only going backward at .4 MPH.
I mentioned Lowrance due to the fact that my HB 798 will jump around from .2 to .9 to the blinking O. The Lowrance will stay at a pretty steady .3, .4. I can't speak for Garmin or any other's GPS, but at this point, Low is better then HB.

[shuorc]

Luhr Jensen, luhr speed, trolling speed indicator on Ebay for $54.99 or at Cabela's for $62.99. Has a ball on a string that moves an 'indicator', just had to have one. Other than people wondering what you're up to, never showed me much. Gps map on Lowrance fishfinder works best for me.--shu