Fishing Forum

I have a Scadden Assault kick boat.
I never use a trolling motor, but on a couple overnight trips a year, I have to do a 2.5 to 3 mile pool on the river, right at the very end to take out. Rowing this section is slow to say the least and I am usually tired after 2 days fishing.
I am wondering if I could use a wheel chair battery to run my 35# elec. motor for an hour or 45 minutes at the end of the trip to get through this section? Would give an extra hour fishing too. I know there is a formula to figure out run time. Just wondering if anyone uses a small battery for short run situations?
Any input, opinions or thoughts are welcome...thanks.
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Any battery in the 12 volt family will run your trolling motor. You will get an hour easy on any battery I have ever seen in a wheel chair.
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[#0000FF]I have experimented with several different sizes and types of batteries for running electric motors on my tubes and pontoons. One of those was a 24# AGM wheel chair battery, made by Werker. I don't think those are still available but there are similar on the market. Just make sure they are deep cycle and keep them charged between uses.

Mine was a 33 amp/hour battery. That means it will put out 1 amp per hour for 33 hours...or 33 amps for 1 hour...THEORETICALLY. In reality, the output declines as you approach total drainage.

Check the amp hour useage listed for high speed on your motor. I had a 30 pound thrust motor that showed 30 amps per hour at full speed. Your 35# may do better or worse, depending on whether or not you have a "maximizer". But bottom line, you should be able to count on the 45 minutes to an hour needed.

If you are in doubt, measure the available space you can store your battery and then do some shopping. There are a wide range of battery sizes and shapes with amp/hour ratings up to about 50...with some that will fit in much smaller spaces than full size auto batteries.

I have a Scadden Escape. Not much room for a battery. But I manage to carry a large series 27 battery and I fabbed a motor mount for it. See the attached pics.


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Thanks for the input guys...!
TubeDude, Great insight too. Your pictures are worth a thousand words.
I have been thinking about adding the motor mount using PVC pipe also. I love using PVC to make stuff.
I am thinking about a spring gate hinge on wood block that the motor mounts too. I did this many years ago with a canoe troll mount. Gate hinge that is spring loaded will let the motor bounce up if it hits a rock and the spring will push it back in the water once cleared. The spring on the gate hinges are adjustable for torque also. It may be a while, but once I make something, I'll post some pictures.
Thanks again.
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[#0000FF]I would be very interested in seeing your final setup. The spring loaded thing makes sense if you are going to be on moving water. I took a float tube down some streams in California in my earlier days but it was strictly floating and kicking...no motor. Had to scoot through some shallows and even get out and portage a few places so I can appreciate the potential for dinging a motor if you aren't prepared for it.

Where are you located and what waters will you be fishing mostly...and for what species?
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No problem. I'll share what I eventually come up with. When the motor is on, you have the potential to hit a rock or log, so that is why I added the spring gate hinge to my canoe motor mount. It worked like a charm. Didn't have to guess if I would clear a submerged stump. I went over it with no worries.
I am in South East PA. I normally float the Delaware River, Lehigh River and sometimes the Susquehanna River. All are loaded with big boulders, above water and just below the surface. All Small Mouth Bass waters.
I only anticipate needing a motor maybe 4 trips a year. But, would make those trips much nicer. Thinking about it, I could use a motor on some lakes too just to get from one end to the other.
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I've had my Assault for about 7 or 8 years now. I use a Walmart #29 battery.
Also have the Assault XX 8 years. Battery works great for multi days


Great boat.
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Flygoddess, Thanks for the input and pictures. I am looking to try a smaller battery than the usual marine battery like the Wal-mart. Looking for smaller and lighter since I would use it primarily on an overnight river trip. I like the Assault XX with the extra room up front. When I load up for a trip, I lash down a supermarket bread tray...big plastic tray that they deliver bread on. It gives me a good solid area to store items. The XX has that space included in the design, even though it is for a second person.
Nice picture of you boats...!
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I get that on the smaller battery. I also have an old 24 Werker battery. I had a friend that did not have the front flap on his Assault like I do, he attached his battery at that ends and extended the wiring back to the motor.
With 36" inseam I need all the leg room I can get but it was a sweet mod.
I have never lacked for room but I have had a battery go dead in a storm with waves. That is the reason for the over sized battery. Sure I loose a little space, but the front is open.
Glue on Scotty mounts work awesome too.
I have the head turned around on my motor to pull me instead of push. Get more time on the battery that way too.
Good luck.
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[quote schiff]I have a Scadden Assault kick boat.
I never use a trolling motor, but on a couple overnight trips a year, I have to do a 2.5 to 3 mile pool on the river, right at the very end to take out. Rowing this section is slow to say the least and I am usually tired after 2 days fishing.
I am wondering if I could use a wheel chair battery to run my 35# elec. motor for an hour or 45 minutes at the end of the trip to get through this section? Would give an extra hour fishing too. I know there is a formula to figure out run time. Just wondering if anyone uses a small battery for short run situations?
Any input, opinions or thoughts are welcome...thanks.[/quote]

Battery ratings are usually stated for absolute perfect warm conditions, and at low 20 hour rate (about 1.6A on a 33 amp hour Werker). The capacity will be considerably less under cold conditions (maybe 50% loss below freezing) and if used continuously at maximum power (maybe 30% loss at 30 amps for a 30# troll motor). Also the cold decreases thrust rating and as the battery discharges thrust decreases (the last 20% capacity mostly not usable). If you have to continuously fight head Winds, Waves or Currents in the open water section at full power, a small battery may not be enough.

If you can plan your trip at a time and on a route where you don't fight temperature and WWC, a small lead battery may work well enough. Your boat should be able to easily carry a heavy battery and troll motor. If your battery weight considerations are because of lifting issues, you might consider a lithium 12v battery which would weight 25% of the lead types for the same capacity, but the cost will be much more.

Hope this helps.

PM
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PM, thanks and yes all information helps.
Cold is not an issue for me. I only float in the Spring/Summer. Lithium is out of the question due to price as you said. It is an issue of carrying the battery.
It sounds like everyone so far uses the full size marine battery and not a small wheel chair battery. I have to take in consideration that there is a good reason for that, as mentioned in the above posts.
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[quote schiff]PM, thanks and yes all information helps.
Cold is not an issue for me. I only float in the Spring/Summer. Lithium is out of the question due to price as you said. It is an issue of carrying the battery.
It sounds like everyone so far uses the full size marine battery and not a small wheel chair battery. I have to take in consideration that there is a good reason for that, as mentioned in the above posts.[/quote]

Schiff,

If you are far from your launch point and your terrain allows it, you might try an adapted folding balloon tire dolly or compact game hunter's dolly to carry all the bulk and weight at one time. Some customized wheel transports can be carried on board with you so you don't have to return the wheels to your launch vehicle. Otherwise, a lightweight homemade troll motor system might be the way to go, if you like to tinker. There are some ideas to get you started if you search under the cordless drill challenge/races held in England.

PM
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I have fished with an 84 year young Gentleman. Ron Jackman. He has a Renegade. He hauls his own boat to the water (surprised the heck out of us at Little Dell with that steep hill up and down, but he did it)
He uses wheel chair batteries, but he is not on the water real long.
If there is only 10lbs difference in smaller battery and the #29 I use, I prefer the bigger.
But I look at fishing as exercise. I am not young, have several broke crushed bones so I welcome the cardio and the weight lifting.
Good luck on your quest.
I have fished with Tube Dude on lakes in which we shared ICE. Always had enough power for a few hours. Toes usually won out over battery life.
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[#0000FF]As I previously stated, I started out with the small wheel chair batteries...and they worked for the minimal applications I had for them at the time. But as I expanded my fishing tactics and techniques to take advantage of having a motor (and battery) I moved up through a couple of larger sizes.

I now use a series 27 AGM battery. I rarely stay on the water more than 5 or 6 hours and I only use the motor for long moves and/or for coming back to the vehicle after a day of fishing. I have been glad to have that sustained motor power a few times...after a long tiring day or when beating my way back against a breeze. And I have never run the battery below about 70 percent on the meter upon returning.

But...as they say about raincoats..."better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it."
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When we going again?????
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[#0000FF]Ha! I made a note to myself to PM you...with the same question. Still waters are opening up and the fish will be on the chew. Still cool but that iceout fishing can be great on some waters.

I will be making my first tube trip on Utah Lake tomorrow...and maybe Willard next week. Got some new big size "hot head" flies to try for walleyes and wipers. Gonna fish them both with spinning...as dropshot...and with my 10 foot 7 weight with sink tip.

I've heard that Deer Creek is kicking out some good 'bows. Even heard of a couple of nice browns.

Also planning a trip to Minersville...for both the rainbows and those big wipers that are now showing up in there.

Lemme know your schedule and we can hatch a meetup.
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Wait a Minute...! You two are planning a fishing trip in my Battery Thread?
This hurts me deeply...!
Not that you are planning a trip, but that I am stuck in PA and can't get out. []

Good Luck...!
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[#0000FF]Sorry about the hijack. But we have always been a bit relaxed about protocol on this forum. We don't take ourselves too seriously...but we do take fishing seriously.

Sorry about your shut-in status. We are just thawing out of a heavy winter here and we are all anxious to hit the water.
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Ha...! No problem! I added the y face to let you know I was just kidding. A Fishing site where people talk fishing any chance they can? Sounds like a plan to me...
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To add salt to the wound, I am riding my Motorcycle too...HA!
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