04-25-2005, 06:45 PM
Hey all,
Wondering if you can help me with a decision on a trolling motor. I had pretty much decided I wanted an electric instead of a gas because of the quiet approach and the safety benefit of having a more reliable power source if the main motor quits. My boat has deck rails up front, making a bow-mount impossible to mount unless I cut them off. Even then, at the bow I have no access to the underside of the gunwhale, which could make mounting problematic.
So, I decided to get a transom-mount electric. My boat is 18.5' fiberglass, boat & motor weigh 2300 lbs., not including gear or passengers (usually only me and my wife and very little gear). Most people I've talked to have said 40 or 50lbs thrust would be plenty. I figured I'd go with a 55 or 65 to increase my power and maneuverability. I became a bit concerned when I talked to a guy at a local boat store (who obviously wanted to sell me a gas motor). He said that an electric trolling motor, even at the highest thrust available, would do a terrible job pushing an 18' fiberglass boat. He told me I'd only be able to troll in a straight line and wouldn't be able to turn or steer the boat at all.
Some non-biased advice would be greatly appreciated. I don't need it to perform well on high-waves or into a terrible wind as I would have gone to shore already anyway. I just want to be able to follow the shoreline/structure on mild to moderate days.
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Wondering if you can help me with a decision on a trolling motor. I had pretty much decided I wanted an electric instead of a gas because of the quiet approach and the safety benefit of having a more reliable power source if the main motor quits. My boat has deck rails up front, making a bow-mount impossible to mount unless I cut them off. Even then, at the bow I have no access to the underside of the gunwhale, which could make mounting problematic.
So, I decided to get a transom-mount electric. My boat is 18.5' fiberglass, boat & motor weigh 2300 lbs., not including gear or passengers (usually only me and my wife and very little gear). Most people I've talked to have said 40 or 50lbs thrust would be plenty. I figured I'd go with a 55 or 65 to increase my power and maneuverability. I became a bit concerned when I talked to a guy at a local boat store (who obviously wanted to sell me a gas motor). He said that an electric trolling motor, even at the highest thrust available, would do a terrible job pushing an 18' fiberglass boat. He told me I'd only be able to troll in a straight line and wouldn't be able to turn or steer the boat at all.
Some non-biased advice would be greatly appreciated. I don't need it to perform well on high-waves or into a terrible wind as I would have gone to shore already anyway. I just want to be able to follow the shoreline/structure on mild to moderate days.
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