My parents have a 24' Crownline ski boat that we like to take up to Deer Creek and Jordanelle Fishing every once in a while. We usually troll Rapalas for trout. My mom is very anal about the boat being a ski boat and not a fishing boat, and wants something non-intrusive. So we are looking for a trolling motor that can mount on the swim deck which we have added on the back. I've included a picture here of the back of the boat. My dad talked to a salesperson at a Bass Proshop in California and came home excited about MotorGuide's new wireless series, but the more I looked into it the more it appeared that this is a bow mount trolling motor. Here is the link to the motor he liked. [url "http://sites.mercurymarine.com/portal/page?_pageid=125,56450&_dad=portal&_schema=PORTAL"]http://sites.mercurymarine.com/portal/page?_pageid=125,56450&_dad=portal&_schema=PORTAL[/url]
The salesperson also told us we would need at least 75 lbs. of thrust for our big boat. Do you people that know out there think this motor could be used at the rear of the boat, if not can you PLEASE give me some other recommendations.
I also looked at Minn Kota's freshwater Engine Mounts, but was afraid that with the trim all the way up the trolling motor would hit the swim platform. I also was worried about installing this one myself because it would require a wire leading into the engine compartment and would need to be sealed properly, also didn't know how much drag this would add to the boat while tubing, skiing, or boating in general.
Any comments or suggestions would be greatly appreciated, you can see my attachments for the specifics of my parents' boat.
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[black][size 3]Just my humble opinion, but I would be concerned about an electric trolling motor, no matter what the thrust is, used as a trolling motor for a boat that size.[/size][/black]
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[size 3]I think that it would be impossible to control in any type of breeze with a large boat.[/size]
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[size 3]Gas motor is the way to go.[/size]
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Add one of these [url "http://www.remotetroll.com/products/rt-75.php"]Link to remote troll mount[/url] and then add a gas powered kicker that you could easily remove if you are using the boat as a ski boat. This is your best bet. With a boat of the size you have an electric is not the way to go (in my opinion). You do have the option to mount these type of electric trollers to your main motor instead of the wireless electric that you indicated. [url "http://www.basspro.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?storeId=10151&catalogId=10001&langId=-1&partNumber=73581&hvarTarget=search&cmCat=SearchResults"]Click here for the link.[/url] That way there will be nothing on your swim deck and the electric troller steers from the steering wheel since the motors are mounted to either the cavitation plate on the main engine or on the trim tabs if you have trim tabs on the boat. These type of electrics probably are the best bet for larger boats
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Sorry but the others are right that boat is to big for an elc. motor think of it as a kit when you have a wind, + with the motor on the back its hard to control in close to shore....
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Thanks for the info quys, I'm now looking into a gas powered trolling motor that would mount to the swim deck and would have to be removed and put back on when in use, it sounds like a nightmare but it may be the only option. Also, I am looking into Minn Kota's dual Engine Mount motors that can thrust up to 202 lbs. these are a bit pricey though, and I'm still worried that with the trim all the way up the propellers will hit the underside of the swim platform. I'm just trying my best to make our ski boat work for this type of fishing, my Dad is almost 60 now, and likes to fish in the comfort of the nice ski boat, so buying a designated fishing boat that is fairly inexpensive right now is out of the question. Thanks for the info
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Why not use a troll plate? I've used one for years with great results.
-DallanC
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With gas at $3.00+ per gallon, using a big motor can go through hundreds of dollars of gas not to mention the wear/tear on big motors kept a exteme low idle speeds for hours on end is a good way to foul plugs, etc.
The Minn Kota's that mount directly to the motor are pricey but should do fine even with the motor trimmed up. That is what they were designed for. There are other types of the same type of electric mounts. I think one is called the Navigator or something like that. Yes, it is the Navigator. Here's the link. L[url "http://www.panthermarineproducts.com/navigator/navigator_master.php?catID=1"]INK TO NAVIGATOR.[/url] I've seen them used before with good success on larger boats on the Great Lakes
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For the price you are going to pay for an electric rig (motor(s), installation, batteries) you are much better off with the gas motor. You'll eat up alot of juice from a battery trying to navigate a boat that big.
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Just mount a remote troll plate on the back and tell your mother to get over it!
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You wouldnt be able to troll that big rig long with batteries. Add wind and it will kill them even quicker. A small all in one motor would be best. I've seen them with the gas tank mounted on the little motor so that you wouldnt have lines and another tank to deal with.
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