Too much boat for electric only????

[Hass]

After building my 1436 I want to build another boat. There are so many things that I want to try again and improve on.

I would also like to go a little bit bigger this time.

Have any of you modded a boat this size and is is too big to use w/o a gas powered outboard? I fish on electric only lakes, and will most likely never put an outboard on it.

Any information or experiences are welcome, probably wont be able to afford this till next year so I have plenty time to learn from my mistakes.

https://www.loweboats.com/Page.aspx/pageId/810/pmId/111622/Lowe-Jon-Riveted-1652MT.aspx

Thanks,
Brandon

 

[Waterwings]

I have the Lowe 1652VT, and it weighs (dry hull. no additions) 95lbs more than your rig. I have a MotorGuide 54# thrust tm on the bow, and a MinnKota (BPS didn't have the MG I wanted) 40# thrust tiller-type on the stern. I wish I could have gone up to more thrust on the stern, but I was impatient and bought what they had that day :roll: . I run two batteries. One takes care of the front tm, and the other one provides power to the stern tm, depth finder, and bilge pump. Normally it's my wife and I in the boat, fishing gear, and a small cooler. It does fine.

 

[heavy-chevy]

I don't know if i would go any bigger then what you have if your limited to electric power. unless they are small lakes and you don't mind going slower.

 

[Waterwings]

I don't know if i would go any bigger then what you have if your limited to electric power. unless they are small lakes and you don't mind going slower.

That's a good point.

Hass, how big are the electric-only lakes you plan on boating on? I run mine on a 360 acre lake and a 135 acre lake, and typically spend 3-5 hrs on the water.

 

[bassboy1]

My boat (1542) will have the option for electric only, when I get the money for the motors, and ideally, will have two transom mount 70 pound thrust motors, and my bow mount 40. Now, I would buy the motors one at a time, and if I found that one motor pushes me close to 4 or 5 mph (my estimated hull speed), I wouldn't bother with the second, as I would just be pushing water at that point. But, if I needed more speed, a second 70 would be slapped on the back.

I have seen 20 foot aluminum mod vees that people make into electric only boats, and a couple 21 foot glass boats that people that live near only electric waters buy for the cool factor, then realize they have to drive 200 miles to get to a large lake, so they sell the 250 and put all electrics on it.

There is a group around east Atlanta that has a tournament trail that fishes just electric only, and a couple 10 horse lakes. Some of these guys get real serious about it, and will have incredible power on these larger rigs.

 

[Waterwings]

...My boat (1542) will have the option for electric only, when I get the money for the motors, and ideally, will have two transom mount 70 pound thrust motors, and my bow mount 40...

bassboy1, how many batteries are you gonna run for that (I'm thinking about weight)? Just curious

 

[Andy Taylor]

You will be fine. I have a 16' flat bottom with a 48" wide floor. I have a 40# thrust on the stern that I use on a couple small lakes by me.

 

[bassboy1]

...My boat (1542) will have the option for electric only, when I get the money for the motors, and ideally, will have two transom mount 70 pound thrust motors, and my bow mount 40...

bassboy1, how many batteries are you gonna run for that (I'm thinking about weight)? Just curious

If I end up needing two transom motors, it will be 5 - 6. I will have 2 batteries for each of the transom motors (sized my fuel hatch to hold such) and have probably one up in the bow box. For gas motor configuration, sonars and lights are powered off the cranking battery, but for electric setups, I will probably remove the cranking battery, and attach those leads to the bow trolling battery. If I find that I get too much sonar interference, I will leave the cranking battery in there for the accessories. All that is way down the road though. I may have a different collection of boats completely by that time.

 

[Waterwings]

If I end up needing two transom motors, it will be 5 - 6...

That's a bit of weight with all those batteries :shock:

 

[bassboy1]

Keep in mind, the rig has two batteries at the current, a 150 pound motor, a 50 pound kicker and a 6 gallon fuel tank, which when full, equals 45 or 50 pounds. Assuming I leave the 2 batteries in the bow (as opposed to just one) I will be pulling off 250 pounds of outboard motor/fuel tank. I believe a group 27 battery weighs 60 - 65 pounds, so adding those would 240 to 260 pounds. 'Bout equal to what I have now weightwise. The trolling motors aren't going to ad much proportional weight either. Also, I think it would actually be a better balance with elec. setup, as the majority of the weight is in front of the transom, under the stern deck, as opposed to hanging behind the transom as the outboards do.

 

[Waterwings]

Looks like you've got it covered. Good figurin' ! 8)

 

[Hass]

Good post, thanks for the input.

The places that I will be fishing are very small, biggest being about 30-40 acres. I was just worried that #55 lbs might not even push one of those 16 foot jons loaded with a deck and everything in it. Speed is really not an issue at all so I think my questions were answered.

thanks