Kevin Van Dam Forums

I know I’m getting a 55# trolling motor for my 12’ modV.  I also wanted to get a gas motor too.  I know I could put a 10hp on it and it would move.  The issue is I fish small lakes.  Some are no wake.  If I run a 2 cycle at lower throttle does that hurt the motor?  I was going to get a 3hp so I can open up the throttle, but I’m afraid it won’t move much better than the 55# trolling motor.  Then I’ve wasted hundreds of dollars.  What do you guys think?

I’m sort of in the same boat (HA HA).

I have a 13ft v-hull with a 40# TM mounted on the front.  I want to put a little motor on the back just to save battery life.  I’m looking at 3-7hp motor.  I know a 3hp won’t push me around any faster than the TM, but I will be able save the battery when I’m actually fishing.

Most lakes Heather and I fish are 10hp or less so I don’t want anything huge.

Check your regs, most of the time no wake areas are also defined as 5mph or less.

I fish an area of the river where its no wake from the launch to where I fish, about 1/4 mile and I have not had any problems with my motor after idling that long. But you do have to open it up every once n a while to “blow it out”, but you can do that at your house with some muffs.

if it was me i would do it like flyman, i would tend to get the smaller one, because they cost less and take some of the wear and tear off my trolling motor and save the battery and you could open it up so you are not in idle all the time. plus it’s always good to have a backup in case something unexpected happens and you need it.

I have a 9.9hp and a 20hp and have had them for years. I run them as slow as I can for long periods of time and have had no issues with them.  They are both 2 stroke.  You just have to make sure that they are pumping water out all the time.  If it is only spitting out a little bit then they can heat up.  Make sure the water flows out real good.  If it doesn’t come out good at a low speed you may need to replace the impellar.

get the biggest motor your boat is rated for you’ll be kicken yourself in the ars if you dont! JMHO

riverfish - 07 September 2011 09:09 AM

get the biggest motor your boat is rated for you’ll be kicken yourself in the ars if you dont! JMHO

X2

I appreciate everyone’s feedback.  I ended up picking an old Evinrude 3hp today for 200.  It started on the second pull and the motor was cold to the touch. The guy ran it a garbage can and it ran fine.  It will push me up river.  Maybe not on plane, but it will work.  It will be a few years I get the bass boat I dream of.  Notice the pool toys in the boat.  Not cool.  I have a saltwater pool.

http://s1097.photobucket.com/albums/g352/seahawkII/?action=view&current=DSCI0003.jpg

http://s1097.photobucket.com/albums/g352/seahawkII/?action=view&current=DSCI0003.jpg#!oZZ2QQcurrentZZhttp://s1097.photobucket.com/albums/g352/seahawkII/?action=view&current=DSCI0002.jpg

I dont know riverrat, those old evinrudes dont have much thrust… not sure it actually would get you up river. Most guys use 6hp outboards for “kickers”, and these are high thrust motors, I know for a fact a 6hp kicker (about 5X as much thrust as yours) will not push a 16’ tracker upriver here.. I watched a guy try it. We put a 1960’s 5hp evinrude like yours on a 14’ canoe to use as a chase boat for duck hunting on a small river here, it would not push it upriver. Depending on how it is propped, it may or may not work. Make sure you have a way to get back if you take that on a river and it doesnt work, a big anchor and a cell phone to call a buddy.

Most of those old 3, 4, and 5hp motors were used as portable motors on small canoes.

BBK - 07 September 2011 09:58 PM

I dont know riverrat, those old evinrudes dont have much thrust… not sure it actually would get you up river. Most guys use 6hp outboards for “kickers”, and these are high thrust motors, I know for a fact a 6hp kicker (about 5X as much thrust as yours) will not push a 16’ tracker upriver here.. I watched a guy try it. We put a 1960’s 5hp evinrude like yours on a 14’ canoe to use as a chase boat for duck hunting on a small river here, it would not push it upriver. Depending on how it is propped, it may or may not work. Make sure you have a way to get back if you take that on a river and it doesnt work, a big anchor and a cell phone to call a buddy.

Most of those old 3, 4, and 5hp motors were used as portable motors on small canoes.

Having a chase boat is a good idea.  My friend offered offered towing services.  When I get a chance I’ll get a GPS mph and some feedback on how it works.  Even it fails it worth posting for reference.