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I'm gonna be operating a 14 foot fiberglass runabout and want to get a trolling motor on the thing. My question is this:
What's the minimum thrust I should be pushing the boat with?
I'm not looking to speed troll or anything, just wanna be able to slowly move about, including up the creeks and against the wind.
And since it's a runabout, I'm probably looking at a transom mount, right?
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I think a 55lb thrust should be min to push your boat. It works well for my 16' alum. Lund. You could put a platform on the bow if you want to mount it there.
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i have a 15 ft tri hull fiberglass,and a 30# thrust motor handles the boat very well,not looking at the boat i would agree with you a transom mount
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Thanks gdn. The only problem with a bow mount is that I have a full windshield. I have no way to raise and lower it.
Tom, that's what I was hoping to hear. I found one for $75.
The boat can be seen in the boat photo section here on the site.
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Hey there partner. Let me ask you these questions:
1. How much does the boat weigh roughly?
2. Is the water of primary use tidal? Like a saltwater marsh or inlet?
The reason I asked those questions are for this reason. If you take a fiberglass boat of any proportions in OUR local inlet, and try to navigate it with a 55 pound thrust trolling motor during a tide change, you're at the mercey of the current, and you'd better have a good anchor. Also take into consideration i'm looking at it from a full sized fiberglass boat perspective, which even in just the 14 foot range, can weigh in the general area of 2000 pounds ice down.
My 16 foot basstracker has a Motorguide 45 pound thrust on it, and it moves my boat against wind and current pretty good on the local freshwater rivers and lakes; But doesn't cut the mustard on the inlet. Against the wind, Yes. Against the current and wind, No.
Also if you check out the smaller inshore center console's in the 14 to 16 foot range, the majority of those guys come with a harder pulling 80 pound thrust motor as well. (very expensive though)
Needless to say, if the current isn't too bad, and the boat doesn't weigh too, too much, i'd say a 55 would be fine.
You may also want to bring a battery just for the trolling motor too. Nothing drains a battery down like hard use on a trolling motor, especially fighting current and wind.
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If you found one for $75.00 you better grab it. Transom mount is your only option.
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Hey Tarpon4me, I'm in Minnesota so I don't think there's going to be much of a tidal change. LOL. I'm guessing the boat is roughly 650 lbs total. There's not much to it, basically just the hull, transom, windshield, and now seats and outboard. There's about 2 inches between the bottom of the boat and the floor that is stood on.
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] If that's the case, then a 55 lb 'ought to make that little boat feel like a rocket ship. [cool] 75 bucks, you can't go wrong!