electric motor for small boats

[sirslurpee]

i'm considering getting an electric motor for use on my 8' jon boat and 14' v hull aluminum boats.. i don't really know anything about them other than i need the motor, and a deep cycle battery (or two if 24v)
i'd like to stay as cheap as possible, while keeping decent durability, lasting, and enough power for the boats. i know bow mount is best but i don't think it will work on a square bow jon boat so transom mount would be preferred. would a minn kota endura 30 be powerful enough for the 14' to troll with? will the battery die after 30 minutes on high?
i've got a gas motor but i'd like the electric for stealth, speed (SLOWWW) and some lakes i want to fish that are electric motors only..

just to add: i've been reading through a few reviews and they get mostly good reviews. it seems like guys are going with the 40lb models for similar boat sizes.. also it seems like the most problems are with the mounting hardware (only a few problems with it though) and i saw a couple of electrical complaints. I'm pretty good with electrical stuff, so taking it apart and fixing electrical issues isn't a big problem. however the mount hardware problems kind of make me wonder. i don't know if i will use it on the river.. it would be nice for floats but i KNOW i would hit stuff with it. if it's going to break the mounting hardware then it's probably not an option. in lakes, i doubt i will hit anything. the difference in price between 30 and 40lb models is pretty drastic (almost $70!) it would be nice to just find a used motor for around that price or less then i could afford a good battery (or two) for it.

[chamookman]

I'd want atleast a 55lb. motor for Your needs - will last longer & better performance. Minn Kotas maxicimizer (sp?) last a LONG time w/ a good battery. I've beat the He## out of My Minn Kotas (Bow & transom mount) and they keep on ticking. Good luck , C-man.

[sirslurpee]

man 250 is almost twice what i paid for the boat :yikes:
if anyone has a used transom mount 55 they wanna get rid of i'd be willing to take it off your hands :D

btw there are some factory reconditioned 55s on ebay for about 200 shipped.. a little cheaper and it still has a 1yr warrantee..

[Hookineyezz]

In a boat that is small you really dont wanna lug 2 batteries around. I would buy the biggest 12v one you can buy which is probly a 55 lb thrust.

[slowpoke]

In a boat that is small you really dont wanna lug 2 batteries around. I would buy the biggest 12v one you can buy which is probly a 55 lb thrust.

:yeahthat:
You want be sorry. You can troll 8 hours with a good batt. if there is not much wind in a 14' aluminum boat.

[Kenifish2]

I would go to wally mart and get the 30lb minn kota for $100, i used one on my 14 alum polar kraft and it worked fine, pushed the well overloaded boat for hours on a crappy battery.;)

[john warren]

i have a 12 footer and 24 pound thrust minnkota, its way faster then rowing and a decent deep cell lasts all day. and its quiet and doesn't stink.

[DaveW731]

I have a 30lb motor on my 17' ft canoe and wish I had a bigger motor.

[flinch]

A 30 is plenty for your needs. It's less than 200 dollars for the motor and battery so you are talking a really small outlay. And if you decide you want something bigger then I am sure someone would give you 75 bucks for the motor and you could then upgrade. When it comes to used, I wouldn't buy used electronic anything from anybody, but that's just me (I know, that contradicts what I just said about selling used electronics but not everyone feels the same way I do). For reference, I have a 55 bow mount on my 16 foot starcraft starfire and it is overkill.

[sirslurpee]

oh I might want to add.. I'm a pretty small guy at a whopping 130 pounds.. by myself the 30 might be okay but even if i fish by myself i load up a lot of gear.. worst case scenero, i am fishing the 14ft, with 2 people other than myself, loaded with gear, and a HEAVY 10hp 4 stroke and gas tank in the back..
one of my biggest concerns would be running constantly for 6+ hours at a time (not on 5) and having it run out of juice.. hopefully, it wouldn't take that long to catch a bunch of fish ;) but i've trolled for about that long with the gas motor before and not gotten CRAP
also, in the wind, i may end up back trolling to keep the bow from blowing all over the place... i dunno i think i'm still not decided on what route to take.. but thinking about it and making a wise decision is always better than going out and just pulling the trigger on something i'm not gonna be happy with.

[flinch]

Then you might want to consider shopping quality and not price. Look into the minn kota traxxis 40 or 55 which has the latest and greatest features including infinite variable speeds and something called a "digital maximizer" which gives you up to 5 times the run time on a single charge. Then add a decent 30 series AGM battery along with an onboard charger to plug the battery in anytime you are not on the water. Now you can go all day with plenty of power and you have invested about 600 to 700 bucks for that privilege.

[sirslurpee]

Now you can go all day with plenty of power and you have invested about 600 to 700 bucks for that privilege.

that would be so nice but there's no way i can take a hit like that..

[sirslurpee]

Does anyone on here use a brand other than minn kota?

[sirslurpee]

sorry i ask so many questions.. it just helps to talk about it and debate it with someone
i appreciate all your guys help though

so it just came to mind: boaters world is going out of buisiness.. maybe i can snag a deal :D