Electric Trolling Motor for Canoe

[RuralMT]

Good afternoon all.  I'm sure I can google search this and make an informed purchase, but I was hoping to get some  I was hoping to solicit some recommendations and ideas regarding a trolling motor and mount for my 11.5 ft solo canoe.  This will be my first foray into motors, and was wondering if any of you are quite pleased with/opposed to certain brands, size of motor, etc.

Also, if it's not terribly inconvenient, if any of you have a creative way that you mounted your motor on the canoe, pictures and/or a description would be greatly appreciated.  Thanks!

[TinkerS]

I did it years ago, only once with a stern drive tiller minnkota.  I built a plywood and 2x4 removable mount for the stern of the canoe, 2 pieces of plywood the width of the canoe and probably 10 inches in the direction of bow to stern.  One 2x4 bolted to one piece of plywood so the 2x4 extended out one side of the canoe at a right angle, this was the top piece that sat on top of the gunnels, the other piece of plywood was a little smaller as it was inserted into the canoe under the gunnels, those 2 pieces were bolted together with long 1/4-20 carriage bolts and wing nuts to make for a removable mount.  The trolling motor was clamped to the 2x4, the 4 inch edge being vertical and the 2 inch edge horizontal.  You will probably want to slip a piece of rubber in between the plywood and gunnels to prevent slippage. 

As I first stated I only did this once.  My canoe has no keel and pushing a 16' canoe was a major battle to actually steer, this is the same case with my 14' lund fishing boat (pushing is just a bugger to control in any kind of wind). You will be better off pulling with a bow mount but those are likely going to add weight and a much larger footprint for mounting.  Actually there is no reason you couldn't do the same mount with a tiller but put it in bow, the trolling motor I have you could actually pull one bolt spin the head and re bolt to make it a bow mount tiller.  You will likely need to extend the tiller handle with a piece of PVC or I think you can buy some pretty nice tiller extensions with knuckle joints that give you much more turning ability.

Don't forget to check the laws as I believe you now have a motorized watercraft and I think you have to license it.

In the end I found (especially since I also have a 14' fishing boat) that the licensing, pain of packing a heavy battery to the shore line and amount that I was likely to use this outfit just wasn't worth the hassle.  I can paddle. 

One thing I was sure to do was not mount the battery to anything and use alligator clips for attaching the wires, I figured if I swamped I wanted the battery to go to the bottom without taking my canoe with it.

I have found if I can put a rod holder on the canoe I can paddle quite a bit and do a fair amount of trolling.   Or get a drift sock/sea anchor and paddle into the wind, deploy your drift sock and drift downwind.  Cast or drag bait and repeat.

Hope this helps, Good Luck!
     

[RuralMT]

Tinker, you've definitely given me something to think about.  I certainly enjoy paddling, and have caught a lot of fish drifting nymphs with the aid of the wind, as well as paddle-trolling as you mentioned.  However, I want to target some larger bodies of water this season like Bull Lake near Troy, Lake Koocanusa, Flathead Lake, etc.  While I like to paddle, I don't like the prospect of paddling that far, haha.  Also, I wanted to try out the river stretch between Upper and Lower Stillwater Lakes, and figured a motor would make the upstream return-journey much more enjoyable.

I had never considered a bow mount though.  Do you think an 11' canoe would be as difficult to control as your 16'?  My only other vessel is a 16' drift-boat on which I'd rather not place a motor. 

Thank you for the design tips, that definitely gives me something from which to start.  Much appreciated!

[MTHank]

FYI... Just in case you are not aware of this, if you put any kind of motor (electric motors included)
on "any" boat in the state of Montana anyway it must be registered and have stickers. Something else
to consider and to stay legal with the state laws. I had to do it to put an electric motor on a one man
inflatable pontoon boat.

[RuralMT]

Thanks MTHank.  I was aware, but it's good to be reminded.  I understand the need for fairness in licensing requirements, but it just seems a bit ridiculous that an inflatable pontoon would require one.  Does your setup work to your satisfaction?

[RuralMT]

In case anyone was considering a similar project, I did find the following tutorial.  Judging by the (admittedly brief) video clip, it seems to perform well on the water and looks extremely easy to duplicate.

http://www.instructables.com/id/The-Super-Quiet-Electric-Canoe/

[boondox]

I own a bass pro motor mount 39.99 when I bought it and a old town motor mount I got off ebay.. just a word of advise when all is done with it you will notice you would be better off buying a gas motor like a colmen 1hp to 3 hp or even mercury or any other brand..  for one your carrying a lead acid battery that don't have much output while weight a ton...  for their weight and the fact that trolling motors will suck batteris dry in moments...  then you got to recharge them..


I am sure it will propel that solo canoe nicely but so will a little 1.5 hp gas motor the bass pro motor mount was rated to 3 hp were my old town mount was rated to 2.5 hp should say on the manufactures Web site.. a half gallon of Gas will run a small motor for hours were a trolling motor and battery may last a hour to 3 ..


if you have not yet tried a kayak paddle on the boat is what I would use to paddle any canoe solo..  batteris sell for 59.99 all the way to $300 depending what you buy.. trolling motors sell for 89.99 all yhe way to $3,000 at the high end I have had luck with minkota  motor guide  trolling motors  I think I seen at cabelas for  $130 a non flex shaft the kind that mounts to a transom of a boat..  that what you need for those mounts.. all so got to look at up front costs  your spending $200 for motor and battery if you bought a small battery for $60 then another 40 to 90 for a mount for it..

I think a few gas motors sell for around 399 to 499 depending on the horse power.. that's for a dinky 1.5hp that's perfect for a solo canoe that will be lighter and faster then a solo with battery and motor.. and with out that bsttery you will draft shallower... seen them at cabelas and bass pro that cheap so shop around..I am sure places like west marine etc...  have thier prices to...  but have never heard bad about mercury..  but that price was from a while ago they may sell for $699 to $899 today could even try craigs list for a used motor...

These are just suggestions I an throwing out with good reasons behind it .. like once you suck that battery dry your paddling it back with you that's why while fishing I paddle and use my motor to get to the fishing spot then shut it off.. etc etc..

[boondox]

Some thing like this but this one is 4 hp and is too big for a canoe mount..  but for $375 not that bad of price..


https://detroit.craigslist.org/okl/bpo/6063674050.html

[Lundin-loading]

I can troll at 2mph all day long (8+hours) using my 30lb thrust minnkota on the back of my 15' smoker Craft pushing it with a 4 year old blemished battery from interstate. The same motor and same battery will push my 15' coleman canoe 7mph all day long. I usually lock the steering on the minnkota, then paddle along, steering with the paddle and now pushing the canoe at 10mph. This is with a 99$ minnkota and 60$ battery. I built the motor mount for the canoe based off this design
https://www.google.com/search?q=canoe+motor+mount&client=ms-android-americamovil-us&prmd=sivn&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwijj9mEoo7TAhUQ22MKHXTwCPUQ_AUICCgC&biw=640&bih=279#imgrc=c0zKz7gcbDBsrM:
 I used maple for the wood

[MTHank]

Thanks MTHank.  I was aware, but it's good to be reminded.  I understand the need for fairness in licensing requirements, but it just seems a bit ridiculous that an inflatable pontoon would require one.  Does your setup work to your satisfaction?

Morning RuralMT

The pontoon/electric trolling motor set up works very well with one exception...
don't try to steer with the motor, lock the motor int the straight ahead position.
Then put one of your oars along side of one of the pontoons sticking out the back,
all you have to do it twist the oar and the steering works very smoothe. It is almost
impossible to steer a straight line or anything close to straight with the motor you
will go back and forth. Well there is a second exception... With the bad back I have
it is very painful to try to twist around to use the tiller handle. This year I am goin to install
a remote on/off switch.

So to answer your questions yes it works to my satisfaction with mods. Also I use
a lawn mower battery... Not as heavy and this time of year they are on sale at auto
parts stores. Also get the highest Cold Cranking Amps you can afford, you will get
longer use time on the water. Hope that helped.