Pontoon motor advice

[Drillguy33]

I need some advice on a trolling motors for an inflatable 9' pontoon. I currently have a Minn Kota endura 30. It works great but when the lakes get choppy the motor comes out of the water. I am thinking of upgrading to a max. My question is do I go with a 36" or a 42" shaft? Does a longer shaft affect the performance?

If I go with a 45 or 55 thrust I know that's a bit overkill but somedays I want to go full throttle across the lake to get to a spot. Does the thrust slow down enough for a very slow troll?
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[albinotrout]

The 36" shaft will help a lot. I have a mInn Kota 34 and a Newport 55. The min. Kota is a few inches longer. I just started using the 55 so I am still getting used to the differences between the two.
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[flygoddess]

No over kill. I use a 50 and a 45 and 36" shaft. Never used a 42". Not sure if it would be a problem other than packing it. Sounds like you have the right idea.
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