I posted this over on the Float Tube forum but thought I would post it here as well.
I am adding a trolling motor to my outcast sportmans warehouse 8 pontoon. I have looked through this site and others to see what I need for this. Below is some things I have learned and some questions I still have.
1- Need motor mount for boat. An email to Outcast with photos of my boat solved this one. Mount is ordered.
2- Minnkota Endura c2 30 seems to be the popular motor.
Would the one with the 30 inch shaft be ok or should I go with the 36?
3- When i get the motor turn the prop around so it is the same way as the handel. This will allow you to steer with your flippers.
4- Use a deep cell batery. A wheel chair or golf cart battery takes up less room.
Where in the slc utah area can i find such a battety?
What type of battery charger?
5- I need to register my boat.
What info do i need to take yo the DMV? How much does it cost?
What is the best way to display my registration numbers?
Anything else I need to do or consider?
Thanks for the help!!
Mark
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[reply][/reply][quote MBM1969]I posted this over on the Float Tube forum but thought I would post it here as well.
I am adding a trolling motor to my outcast sportmans warehouse 8 pontoon. I have looked through this site and others to see what I need for this. Below is some things I have learned and some questions I still have.
1- Need motor mount for boat. An email to Outcast with photos of my boat solved this one. Mount is ordered.
2- Minnkota Endura c2 30 seems to be the popular motor.
Would the one with the 30 inch shaft be ok or should I go with the 36?
3- When i get the motor turn the prop around so it is the same way as the handel. This will allow you to steer with your flippers.
4- Use a deep cell batery. A wheel chair or golf cart battery takes up less room.
Where in the slc utah area can i find such a battety?
What type of battery charger?
5- I need to register my boat.
What info do i need to take yo the DMV? How much does it cost?
What is the best way to display my registration numbers?
Anything else I need to do or consider?
Thanks for the help!!
The motor should be fine on that 8'er. Shaft length should be fine unless the mount is too high out of water, but I haven't seen that.
Not sure where Werker batteries are Sold but they are great smaller batteries.
They will not give you the hours and higher speed time as the big deep cycle 27s.
You will have to decide that.
Don't forget to always have a PFD on board, a whistle, a rope is good too.
Mark[/quote]
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[quote MBM1969]
5- I need to register my boat.
What info do i need to take yo the DMV? How much does it cost?
[#ff0000]You need to bring a bill of sale, or a receipt of some sort.[/#ff0000]
[#ff0000][/#ff0000]
[#ff0000]Expect to pay $30 or so. Have your pontoon in the car just in case they need to see it.[/#ff0000]
What is the best way to display my registration numbers? [#ff0000]I bought a plastic type of board that I cut 2 holes into and ran some thin rope through them. [/#ff0000]
Anything else I need to do or consider?
[#ff0000]Lights for night travel, whistle or a horn of some sort, and anchor. Consider buying two batteries for a multi day trip, or for a long day. Leave one in the car.[/#ff0000]
[#ff0000][/#ff0000]
[#ff0000]ALWAYS BRING YOUR OARS ALONG! Just in case.[
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Mark[/quote]
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IMO a 27 is just too big to lug around, a 24 will do nicely. You won't have much room on your platform as it is after a battery is on it. I have trolled around for 8 hours with mine ,and still had battery life. Again IMO you are better off buying a quality battery. I prefer a sealed AGM battery , bought mine from Cabelas on sale ,but still a bit spendy, but after the third season of use still holds the charge as long as it did new. After having both styles of batteries sealed ,and the ones you have to check for water, there is no way I would go with anything but a sealed battery, using them portable as we do moving them around I don't want to have to worry about the acid. Can't appreciate one until you have had one. I have seen what a tipped over battery will do it is ugly.
One of my son's has the Sportsman 8 , not a bad boat, but like you say no motor mount, I made one for him ,and added a larger platform . I have the Sporstman 9, with motor mount ,but added a large aluminum platform to it. Makes all the difference in the world, because once you have a battery on yours you will be pretty much out of room. I like room for a small cooler or whatever ,and before I made the larger platform I couldn't put really anything back there but the motor ,and battery.
I have had both the Minnkota , and Motorguide motors , I prefer the Motorguide Varimax 40 over Minnkota 30 . The biggest deal is the Motorguide is variable speed , has the digital maximizer , which is much easier on the battery. The C2 has none of that. Minnkota does sell a motor with the same features as the Motorguide I have, just not in the 30 C2. I would go with 36" shaft, you can I always raise them up to where you want them. 36" shaft works well on the sportsman boats with the stock motor mount, I built my sons to the same height as what come on mine ,and 36 works nicely.
Actually when you turn the motor around then you can run in forward instead of reverse, you are still going backwards but running in forward, leave like it is you run the motor in reverse to go backwards , with mine ,and the variable speed I can't see where it would make any difference, I just go in reverse to go backwards. Seems to go the same speed forward or backwards . Minnkota 30 obviously will need to be turned around if you want to go as fast as possible in reverse, you only have 3 speeds in reverse, and 5 speeds forward.
I have the Schumacher Ship, and Shore charger It will charge Standard,AGM like mine ,and Gel Cell batteries . Has three amperage setting's 2, 6 ,10 . Slower charging gives a better charge if you have the time.
On edit: I have sent you a PM
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You will need to fill out this form and take it with you. When I went to register my wifes tube They tried to charge me utah sales tax but I had the receipt with me that showed that I had already paid utah sales tax at cabelas in lehi.
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The Maximizer motors are nice but probably cost more than the boat. And there is more a chance of problems with a max. Read reviews. I have both in Minn kota. The max does act up.
As for batteries, I have been using a Walmart $79. Special for 4 years now and sure I will get a couple more. But I highly recommend a battery box. I have always used a 27 even on my 6' Bucks Bag, on my Renegade, and even my Assault. Never had one tip over enough to leak anything, but just my experience.
You will be fine with a $100 motor and a $80. Battery. I have been doing it for many years.
One more thing, I turned the head around on all my motors including the max, but I was able to take the head off my 30 with extended wire and put the control right next to me.
I use a minn kota charger and love it.
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I guess I got a good motor, or just lucky. I have had both motors Motorguide, and Minnkota, no comparsion between the Minnkota 30 ,and the Motorguide Varimax 40, not only in battery use , but performance, but then you would have to had both to know that. You can find bad reviews on anything sold if you look hard enough. As far as cost goes I gave 43.00 dollars more for the Motorguide , after having both it was money well spent. No bad reviews here.
I run two 27's in my fifth wheel ,no thanks, I will stick to a quality sealed AGM 24 series for the pontoon boat, as I said I have fished with it for 8 hours ,and still had life left. I would venture to say my AGM will run as long as those cheaper 27's will, but without fishing side by side for a day, it is just a guess , but fished with a friend at Strawberry last week with one of those cheaper 24 series batteries, and he was dead in the water, when mine was still going strong. His was a new battery this year, mine is three years old. IMO , in the last 40 years of rv'ing I have had lots of RV or if you will marine batteries, deep cycle call them what you like , and this AGM is hands down the best deep cycle battery I have owned. I have never tipped over a battery either, but as I said I have seen what they do if they get tipped over., but then I don't have to worry about it either, or checking water, etc .
As far as turning the motor around I see the point on the Minnkota 30, makes no sense on mine it seems to run the same either way. I guess that is the beauty of running a variable speed rather then those 5 speeds forward ,and three speeds reverse . I guess I could turn the motor around if I could see the point. I seldom run forward with my pontoon boat so my motor is running in reverse most of the time, I guess I could turn the motor to run in forward, but again what's the point .
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Minn Kotta has come out with a new Endura model called a Endura Maxx comes with Digital Maximizer, Veritable speed the same tech that's on there more expensive models like the Traxxis. The new Endura motors advertise to run 5x longer then the normal Endura... but will see.
I ordered one fro Bass pro shops a few weeks ago with free shipping everything came to 219.00 have put it in the water yet but will report later on
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[quote sinergy]Minn Kotta has come out with a new Endura model called a Endura Maxx comes with Digital Maximizer, Veritable speed the same tech that's on there more expensive models like the Traxxis. The new Endura motors advertise to run 5x longer then the normal Endura... but will see.
I ordered one fro Bass pro shops a few weeks ago with free shipping everything came to 219.00 have put it in the water yet but will report later on[/quote]
Some have a different opinion of the variable speed ,and digital maximizer, I for one would not have a motor without those features. I never cared for having certain speeds to chose from, that's the reason I have the variable speed, and after using a 30 C2 Minnkota, I found out how much less battery the digital Motorguide uses. At the time I bought my Motorguide Varimax for 143.00 the similar Minnkota Traxxis was around 350.00. If they would have had the Endura you are talking about I would have considered buying one . Have nothing against Minnkota just don't care for the 30 C2, had one .
It will be nice to hear how that new Endura does. I have put around 40-50 hours on my Motorguide in the past two weeks still running great, and thats not counting all the other hours I have put on it the past three years . Not bad for a motor with bad reviews. [laugh]
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[quote up2nogood]. Have nothing against Minnkota just don't care for the 30 C2, had one .
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Your sentiments are what I've hearing from allot people, initially when I was looking for a trolling motor I too was going to buy a Kota C2-30 but after asking around and reading some online reviews, all are have similar view points.
Hopefully this new Endura model is better and not just some advertisement.
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[quote sinergy][quote up2nogood]. Have nothing against Minnkota just don't care for the 30 C2, had one .
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Your sentiments are what I've hearing from allot people, initially when I was looking for a trolling motor I too was going to buy a Kota C2-30 but after asking around and reading some online reviews, all are have similar view points.
Hopefully this new Endura model is better and not just some advertisement.[/quote]
Don't miss that Kota at all after getting ,and using this Motorguide Varimax 40 for the past three years. I think you will be happy with the Endura if it does the same as the Motorguide as far as the variable speed ,and the digital maximizer . Mine seems to be real easy on the battery .
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Sin with the Renegade, don't be afraid to run a 30. I have done it for Years. I am going back to the 30 for my 8' Assault & Predator. It is probably on more pontoons than any other out there. My brother ran a motor guide and it ate batteries. I will agree that the variable speed saves on batteries. I have both. I run an Endura 45 and hubby runs the Maxxum 40. We both use Walmart batteries #27 never a#24 and again these are old batteries. Never run them all the way out, but an easy 7 hours Today. The Max battery was charged in about 30 minutes the other a couple hours.
I use this motor only on my X5 (which is a big pontoon) and our 14' aluminum boat.
For all other the Endura 30 has always been enough.
Not trying to spark a debate and if you go the extra cash to buy a Maximizer motor and an Agm battery, go for it. I just never saw the need and I have been motoring a very long time starting back with a float Tube.
Myself and I know up2nogood got our Maximizers on sale so that does happen. And I do think they are fantastic. Just saying that the Endura are great.
Aren't the Endura 30 around $100. Anymore?
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I don't think anyone is disputing the 30 on what it does ,only what it does not do. I didn't need years to figure out that the Motorguide motor I have today out performs the Kota 30 that I had before. Not just thrust because that would not be fair comparing 30 to 40, but, and I will repeat battery life ,and overall performance. Some may love the 5 speeds forward ,and the three speeds reverse, but everyone has a different idea of what they like, I personally prefer a variable speed motor .
There is nothing wrong with using a Kota 30 ,many do, but there are other choices, I chose different ,and I am glad I did, bad reviews and all. It is far from eating batteries, and it certainly does not need a 27 battery to run all day. I have seen plenty on how conventional 24 series marine batteries perform, so I do see the need to go to the bigger conventional 27's . I will stick with my AGM 24 .
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We basically agree, just different directions. If you can afford it by all means. If not, the cheap battery and 30 (which was asked) will work for many years. [
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Good to hear, the negative things I heard and read were just with he Endura C2 model, from what people were telling me was it drains batteries and has allot of vibration. But at the same time but its only 100 bucks at wally world so ....
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Thanks for all the advise i have learned a lot. Hopfully my motot mount comes in today and i can start putting everything together. I stopped by the DMV and picked up the forms i need. You guys have methinking about what motor though. Any thoughts on the watersnake brand motors?
Mark
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Watersnake trolling motors I've heard of them never used one nor have any friends that have.
By no means am I an expert on trolling motors but from what I've accrued is the shaft should be flexible or composite material. That way if it hits something the shaft flexes and bounces back
The Watersnake ASP & Tracer use steel shaft, I don't know what happens when you hit something with a steel shaft maybe the more experienced folks can chime in.
The Watersnake Venom uses a Composite shaft but depending on were you buy it looks like the price is more than Motorguide or Endura.
Just FYI the Endura C2 & MAxx both come with a composite shaft.
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My Motorguide is a steel shaft, and I have run into more then one submerged stump in Quake lake . It wakes me up ,but so far no damage to anything [
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I am not familiar with Watersnake either. Go with what you feel the best. I am just telling you that a 30 will do the trick...
If money is not an issue, then totally go with a Variable speed Maximizer.
The one I have was actually recalled 5 years ago, but hey, mine is still working like a dream. Go figure.
But, my 30 I bought back in 2000 and used it to power my 12 foot pontoon with no problems.
I am done.
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Motors are definitely by personal preference as you can see. The motor I use is a Minn Kota 34. I like it because it has the 36" shaft and sonce I had to manufacture my own mount the 30 would be too short.
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