what size trolling motor?

[bryan]

what size troling motor would you guys recomend for a 14 ft aluminum boat. i'll be fishing mostly the delta and clearlake. i was thinking a 70lb 24 volt motor, but if i can go bigger i will. i just wasn't sure if it's over kill on a light boat like that. i have a 30lb on it right now and it makes fishing in the wind, grass and current
very difficult.

thanks!

daniel

[185vsfrog]

70 lb thrust should be plenty enough for a little aluminum. The only thing u should think about is the weight of the two batteries for the 24 volt + your starting battery. That is alot of extra weight in the boat and might slow your top speed up a little when on the big motor. I am running an 80lb on my 18 1/2 foot ranger that weighs alot and it works fine in the delta even in big wind and current.

[Smile_n_Jax]

I have an old, '89 model, 56# on my 16'9" Statos fiberglass running 24V. I works fine in the winds at Berryessa. Never had it in the current and winds of the Delta. I would think a 70# would be more than adequate for your boat.

[Casey]

I also have a 14 ft. aluminum, I have a 45 lb motorguide and i've fished the delta and Clear Lake and have not had any problems getting around during winds. Just stay off the main body during the higher winds and waves and you should be fine.


Casey

[Fish Chris]

Hey Bryan, I have TONS of experience with T-motors on small aluminums.... As I fished out of a 12 ft aluminum with "only" a t-motor for 3 years, then, with a 9.9 Honda, and the t-motor for 7 more. For the last year, I have fished out of my dream boat, a 14 1/2 ft aluminum, with a 25 hp.

Anyway, during this time I have come to learn, that t-motors and the lbs of thrust they produce, are a really odd subject. The way your boat sits in the water, and the drag this creates, has SO much more to do with how fast your t-motor will pull your boat, and how it will hold in wind, than the actual pounds of thrust of the t-motor.

It used to kill me when I'd see 3000 lb boats, with a 55 lb t-motor, able to go faster, than my 450 lb, 12 ft aluminum, with the same 55 lbs t-motor !
Now I have a bigger, heavier aluminum boat (about 900 lbs) and it goes faster, and holds better in wind, with the same 55 lbs, than in the 12ft'er I used to have.

Bottom line is, for a small aluminum, I wouldn't consider anything that had to have two batteries, as I think you would see very little difference in performance between a 55 lb 12volt, and a 70lb 24volt.... or heck, even a 101 lb 24volt, for that matter.

Peace,
Fish