Trolling motor, how much thrust?

Have a 14 ft aluminum Duranautic
V-Hull and picked up a 36 lb thrust Newport NV series trolling motor. What are your thoughts if this will be powerful enough or should i pony up the xtra
$60-70 and get the 55lb thrust. It will not be its main source of power as it has a 25 hp mercury 2 stroke. Thanks!

The 36 will get you fishing.

However, a modern 45 to 55 or so with electronic speed control (ESC) will work better and run longer much longer. If you haven’t bought it yet, get ESC if it’s in your price range.

The old school variable speed controls are cheaper but they dump power to a resistor when running the motor slower than 100%. Running slow probably uses about the same amount of current as running fast. This results in a faster battery discharge.

ESC basically chops the current rapidly to obtain speed control. This technique uses less current so the run time with the same battery capacity is longer.

Deleted duplicate post

How will you be using your electric motor ?? Rough or smooth water? Trolling or ocasional positioning ?

jl_rotary said:

Have a 14 ft aluminum Duranautic
V-Hull and picked up a 36 lb thrust Newport NV series trolling motor. What are your thoughts if this will be powerful enough or should i pony up the xtra
$60-70 and get the 55lb thrust. It will not be its main source of power as it has a 25 hp mercury 2 stroke. Thanks!

Click to expand...

I kinda answered in your thread on wiring. I haven’t heard of that model, but for the small difference in price, I’d get the 55. You would have to upgrade wiring but the 60a breaker will be fine.

FuzzyGrub said:

I kinda answered in your thread on wiring. I haven’t heard of that model, but for the small difference in price, I’d get the 55. You would have to upgrade wiring but the 60a breaker will be fine.

Click to expand...

OK, I looked up the model and looks to be a transom mount one. My comments pertained to bow mounted. I haven’t used on transom in too many years to give good feedback. As already stated, your water conditions and how you plan to use it is key.

I’ll second the bow mount. It’s again more coin out of pocket but, you will spend more time fishing and less time fiddling with the motor.

Still Afloat said:

The 36 will get you fishing.

However, a modern 45 to 55 or so with electronic speed control (ESC) will work better and run longer much longer. If you haven’t bought it yet, get ESC if it’s in your price range.

The old school variable speed controls are cheaper but they dump power to a resistor when running the motor slower than 100%. Running slow probably uses about the same amount of current as running fast. This results in a faster battery discharge.

ESC basically chops the current rapidly to obtain speed control. This technique uses less current so the run time with the same battery capacity is longer.

Click to expand...

It is a modern trolling motor, it saysbit has efficent speed control, wonder if that is even somewhat similar...

airshot said:

How will you be using your electric motor ?? Rough or smooth water? Trolling or ocasional positioning ?

Click to expand...

Basically as back up, occasional fishing and on some non powered lakes. Will be mounted on the stern. Plan for nice weather days.

Your 36 will work fine but is minimal power. If your budget is tite, then use it until you can get something bigger. Electric motors only go so fast no matter how much thrust you have. Jumping up to a 50# thrust will not gain much speed, barely any, but it will get you moving faster especially if you add more weight like a passenger or two. With people updating frequently nowadays, you might find a good buy on a bigger used one. Having a really good battery is also a big help. Now matter how big and bad your electric motor might be, a poor battery will kill its performance.

Go with bigger troller if you have the ability.

I have a 55# TM on my Lund 14' boat. Plenty of power, even in windy conditions.

I started with a 30, and it worked well for fishing, and I was happy... Until I was out there on a windy day. Then I traded for a 40, and again, I was pretty happy with it... until it died.

Then I got a 55, and I've never looked back. Eventually, I found a bow mount, and it's easier to steer, for sure. Now, the transom mount sits in the shed, just in case I need one.

The last few motors, I've gotten used at great discount. A few years ago, I found a Minn Kota Riptide Terrova 55 CP/AP new in the box for $400. So you might want to look at FB marketplace or CL.

Not sure if my experience helps, but there it is. I would steer you toward the 55, if you only have one motor. Bow mount, if you do a lot of shoreline or dock fishing.

Way back when I had my first bass boat it came with a 36lb thrust 24v set up, it was fine for moving around the shallows or holding position but useless as real propulsion, and it ate batteries. When I moved to NJ, they don't allow gas motors in freshwater ponds, so I needed to run the trolling motor as my main source of power.
Thinking that bigger was better I bought a 4hp 24v Mnn Kota motor. It did fine but required two huge group 27 batteries to run and it barely got the boat around most lakes. In fact to get a full day of fishing I ended up adding a second pair of batteries wired in series at 24v.
That motor died after about 4 years, and by then I had gotten more into fishing the saltwater so I just bought a cheap 28lb thrust motor. To my surprise it wasn't any slower, it had less power to drag the boat through vegetation but it fought the current about the same. It just lasted 10 times longer on a charge.
The bottom line is they all run similar sized props at the same RPM, so barring trying to run in 50 mph current, quite often the motor that will get the job done and not leave you stranded is the better choice.
I did repair the old 4hp motor, and did use it again but more or less just to test it out. I wasn't up for spending nearly $800 for batteries to power it.
My 1994 MInn Kota 28lb thrust does just fine 99% of the time, and if I need more power, I have an early 58lb thrust Riptide motor I can use but even that, at 12v, will kill the batteries completely after about 4 or 5 miles.

jl_rotary said:

It is a modern trolling motor, it saysbit has efficent speed control, wonder if that is even somewhat similar...

Click to expand...

Probably not. It sounds like a play on words to fool buyers into thinking that it’s really ESC (electronic speed control.)

A easy way to tell is to look at the electrical schematic. If there is a resistor in the motor circuit it’s most likely the less efficient variable speed control.

If it has 5 speeds in forward and 3 in reverse, it's the old style. Either way, just use it.

Here is a guide. I have a 55 bow mount now because I got a deal on it but previously had a 40 lb transom mount on my 16 ft Naden utility vee. 40 was plenty to move it around. Probably 1200 lbs with 2 of us in it.

thill said:

I started with a 30, and it worked well for fishing, and I was happy... Until I was out there on a windy day. Then I traded for a 40, and again, I was pretty happy with it... until it died.

Then I got a 55, and I've never looked back. Eventually, I found a bow mount, and it's easier to steer, for sure. Now, the transom mount sits in the shed, just in case I need one.

The last few motors, I've gotten used at great discount. A few years ago, I found a Minn Kota Riptide Terrova 55 CP/AP new in the box for $400. So you might want to look at FB marketplace or CL.

Not sure if my experience helps, but there it is. I would steer you toward the 55, if you only have one motor. Bow mount, if you do a lot of shoreline or dock fishing.

Click to expand...

Check local dealers for "take-offs".

Guy buys a new boat but wants a different trolling motor. They sell the "take-offs" at a deep discount.

Here's what I get today on my FB and CL search for aluminum boats
Assuming most will likely sell for less than they're listed for, some are pretty good deals, almost all of them have been listing for weeks, if not months. There's a lot more listed but I didn't go past the second page on each site.
I don't think you need to be a FB member to browse but you likely do to reply to an ad. Do like most people do and just make up a name and register.

FB

https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/1052075489609997

https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/1324394078533827

https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/424613880291734

https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/447224134879774

https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/938655678060368

https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/767604785443021

https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/954576636441446

https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/437647595152263

https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/1515556835837146

https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/527262466429190

https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/1262559397695451

https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/2718027015022525

https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/462178523051132

https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/482468727725375

https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/885985656685139

CL

https://southjersey.craigslist.org/boa/d/vineland-14ft-starcraft-aluminum-boat/7777150211

https://southjersey.craigslist.org/boa/d/winslow-boat-motor-trailer/7777388916

https://southjersey.craigslist.org/boa/d/berlin-2019-tracker/7770773446.html

https://newjersey.craigslist.org/boa/d/highland-lakes-14ft-boattrailer/7776370881.html

https://albany.craigslist.org/boa/d/delmar-mirrocraft-12/7776847068.html

https://delaware.craigslist.org/boa/d/milford-14-mirrocraft-aluminum-boat/7766616928.html

https://jerseyshore.craigslist.org/boa/d/tuckerton-14-foot-mirrocraft/7773813310.html