trolling motor vs trolling plate?

[Tin-Can]

I've had a small 14' Lund for 7 years now. It has a 15 HP 4 stroke Merc that has always been pretty good at trolling slow down to about 1.5 mph. But last year the throttle started sputtering at low settings. So this year, I got the motor serviced (finally) AND I invested in a trolling plate. I had the chance to test both last Saturday up at Hyrum. The water was calm to light ripple, with the plate full down and the throttle set where motor ran smooth and quite at bottom end, I was moving along at .4 to .6 mph (GPS indicated). With the plate up in the 45 degree notch (not a factory option, modified by me at recommendation of others) I could vary my throttle slightly and troll from .8 to 1.4 still with very little noise and running at the lower 20% of throttle. NIce by-product of that troll plate, acts like a hydrafoil when in full up position and my little Tin Can planes better, handles better.
Wish I had made that investment years ago.
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