Propeller

[Mike Redmond]

Got this 15 hp honda cant get it to slow down enough for properly trolling ,prop is 9 1/2 x9 1/2,,,there is another prop in the owners hand book 9 1/2x8 5/8 tis intended for long leg or extra long leg,,just wondering if if I bought one of these if it would somehow slow down the trolling speed.

 

[Weldorthemagnificent]

If your rpm is correct for the motor at full throttle, I wouldn't change props or you risk overrevving on your way to the fishing spot. That would be the first thing to check before making a change.
Some guys drag a bucket to slow down, one guy I know tows an old backpack and it works great.

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[LDUBS]

Or I suppose you could get a trolling plate. Everything I hear says they work pretty well. Guys also use the trolling socks. Kind of like the backpack Weldor mentions. They recommend having one on each side tied off towards the bow.

I have a similar problem but with a 50 hp. I normally want to be trolling at 2.3 to 3+ mph. However there are times of the year, lure types or species where I want to be below 2 MPH. I"m still considering options at this point.

 

[jethro]

Is this your primary motor or a kicker? And what is the boat exactly? There are a bunch of ways you can slow down a boat for trolling but only a few I would recommend. 1st, how fast are you? If it's only 1 or 2 mph, have you tried trimming the motor way up, as far as it can go? Thrust goes up rather than back thus slowing you down. The other way is by using drift socks, aka trolling bags, aka sea anchors. Buckets are fine but I personally think they are a pain to deal with. Trolling bags can be attached to the forward cleats so you aren't dragging a bucket in the fish fighting area. You could drag a bucket off the forward cleats too but it bangs against the boat. Trolling bags have a release to open the back of the bag/sock to empty the water and make it easy to retrieve. And they don't take up much space to stow. Other options are having a prop shop cut down the radius of a stock prop, I do not recommend this unless it's a dedicated kicker used only for trolling. Then there are trolling plates, but they make boat control miserable and I would consider them a last resort.

The best trolling bags I have seen are from Amish Outfitters. https://amishoutfitters.com/catalog/

EDIT: LDubs posted while I was writing. I had a boat with the exact trolling plate you show above and it was miserable. You ever try to troll at a slow speed with a really stiff headwind? Taking your hands off the wheel for more than 5 seconds is basically impossible due to constant steering input. A trolling plate is like that when it's dead calm and 3 times worse in a blow.

 

[LDUBS]

EDIT: LDubs posted while I was writing. I had a boat with the exact trolling plate you show above and it was miserable. You ever try to troll at a slow speed with a really stiff headwind? Taking your hands off the wheel for more than 5 seconds is basically impossible due to constant steering input. A trolling plate is like that when it's dead calm and 3 times worse in a blow.

I have heard of guys drilling holes in the trolling plate or even cutting them down to help steering. Anyway, I would bow to your hands on experience as actual experience always trumps. I think I just took a trolling plate off my list of options. LOL

And yeah, it can be a royal pain when you are out by yourself trolling on a windy day.

 

[jethro]

EDIT: LDubs posted while I was writing. I had a boat with the exact trolling plate you show above and it was miserable. You ever try to troll at a slow speed with a really stiff headwind? Taking your hands off the wheel for more than 5 seconds is basically impossible due to constant steering input. A trolling plate is like that when it's dead calm and 3 times worse in a blow.

I have heard of guys drilling holes in the trolling plate or even cutting them down to help steering. Anyway, I would bow to your hands on experience as actual experience always trumps. I think I just took a trolling plate off my list of options. LOL

And yeah, it can be a royal pain when you are out by yourself trolling on a windy day.

Yeah I've heard of that too and maybe it would help, but no doubt trolling bags are far superior for boat handling. If you get a set of two, they actually make the boat track better than not having anything at all. As you know, I have a dedicated kicker and there are times I still want to use the trolling bags just because they keep the boat so stable and tracking so well. Especially when the wind comes up.

 

[GYPSY400]

I drag a bucket with 5/8 holes drilled in it so I can let it drain as I hoist it out of the water. My 30 mercury doesn't like the low rpm so it gives me a little wiggle room to idle it up about 100rpm.

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[onthewater102]

Would dragging a std. drift sock work for you guys or is that too likely to tangle up in the prop/ no good for other reasons I'm not aware of? I ask because they're inexpensive and easy to store on board when you're not using them.

 

[jethro]

Would dragging a std. drift sock work for you guys or is that too likely to tangle up in the prop/ no good for other reasons I'm not aware of? I ask because they're inexpensive and easy to store on board when you're not using them.

Check out my post above, #4. Drift sock (or trolling bag or sea anchor- they are all basically the same thing) off the forward cleats directly next to the boat. The Amish Outfitters company in my link sells pairs which really work awesome for boat control. No need to drag them anywhere near the prop or the fish fighting zone. If you tie the drift sock(s) to the forward cleat and tie the back of it to the rear cleat, you can reach down and grab the rear of the sock and get it in the boat without even leaving the helm. Just don't forget you are dragging it when you throttle up. They are easy to forget about when rigged this way.

 

[LDUBS]

Would dragging a std. drift sock work for you guys or is that too likely to tangle up in the prop/ no good for other reasons I'm not aware of? I ask because they're inexpensive and easy to store on board when you're not using them.

I wondered the same thing about the differences in cost. I assumed the trolling socks are heavier built because they have to deal with a lot more force than a drift sock. But, really don't know because I've not used either.

At this point I just use lures that are intended to be trolled at higher speeds. Some day I'll probably do something to slow things down. Just another item on my list of "to do" things for the boat. LOL

 

[LDUBS]

Just don't forget you are dragging it when you throttle up. They are easy to forget about when rigged this way.

Kind of hard to get the boat up on plane. LOL