Conference wahoo::fishing

    I have the same set up with exception to the length (16'). I had
    a transom mount electric motor, but soon went out and bought the
    bow mount 28# thrust with foot control. It is the way to go if
    you want to spend more time fishing and less time steering. But
    that might be more money than you want to spend. It was about $300.
    I did have to get the longer shaft because of the V hull. 
    
    Rich

    If your going to be doing much bass 'type' fishing, meaning standing
    up, casting alot, moving alot, then I'd suggest going for a foot
    controled 28lb thrust model.  However if your going to be trolling,
    drifting, stillfishing, etc, then you could probably get by with
    a less expensive transom mount type.
    
    Don Mac 

    I've been looking at trolling motors, for use on a 17' canoe. It
    seems that one of the chief mistakes you can make is to get a motor
    that is too small, because the main regret of the people I talked
    with was that they wish they had gotten a larger motor. From what
    I've learned lately, a 15-20lb motor would be adequate for you, 
    especially since you have that whopper gas motor (for the size of 
    your boat), but a 25-30lb would really do the trick. The 15-20lb
    motors can be found for $90-120, and the 25-30's for $140-200,
    depending on make and where you buy them. Looks like Spag's, Service
    Merchandise and probably K-Mart are good, as well as Bass-Pro and
    Cabala's mail order. Stay away from Sears - too much $$$!
    
    Also, consider that a larger motor would probably drain the battery
    faster. General wisdom says get a deep-cycle battery, too - don't
    use a car battery. Mucho problemos...
    
    Ed

    The Minnkota remote control electric is a good choice -- I did just
    this last year for a 12' V-hull.
    
    The remote control (765-MX?) is an electric foot switch that controls
    both direction and speed, and can be located anywhere in the boat.
    
    If you are bass fishing, a foot controlled motor in the front of
    the boat is the only way to go -- you can finally fish and steer
    at the same time!
    
    This Minnkota is 28lb thrust, and has built in Maximizer, so you
    use very little electricity at part power.
    
    The only drawback is that it costs about $300 -- but, after using
    it, it is worth the money!
    
    Regards,
    Russ Doty

       Try the electrics at Zylas' in Merrimack.
                                                          Denny

    I have the 565MX (bow mount remote foot cable driven) on my 14' semi 
    V and like it alot... Keith Dilsworth had his 765MX (bow mount remote 
    foot with power drive) on his 15'(?) semi-V, and now has it on his Ranger,
    and he likes it alot... someone else out there probably has the
    365MX (bow mount twist grip handle) and likes it also...
         
    MinnKota makes good motors, and the bow mount 28lb thrust models
    are real popular.  As I recall, Ranger Ron had a twist grip style
    MinnKota on his Ranger, but he probably has the 12/24Volt model.
    (41lb thurst 399M?)
                 
    Don Mac

    I just installed a 765MX on my 14 foot deep "v" bass catcher and
    its the cats as_. I know you were looking for cheap too, but when
    you can do it once, do it once. I got mine at Service Merchandize
    and I went to N.H. to beat the Duke out of his campaign money, Service
    had the best price and if you have problems, like I did with my
    first one, you can bring it right back. I used it yesterday trolling
    and with the maximizer after 3 hours of trolling there was still
    plenty of juice left in the battery. My 2 cents. 
    
    good trolling.
    Ray

     The cheapest bow mount motor I've seen is the Motor Guide 720,
     which was around $200 through Cabela's.  It's only 18lbs,
     but if that's enough for your boat (I seem to remember seeing
     a rule of thumb of 1 lb. minimum thrust per 100 lbs. of 
     weight), it's a good deal for a foot operated bow mount.

     -gw

           
>>   a rule of thumb of 1 lb. minimum thrust per 100 lbs. of 
           
    I've heard similar rules, but they sound low to me.
                                  
    My boat (loaded, with people, gas, etc) is under 1000 pounds 
    and I don't think that 10lbs of thrust would be near enough power, 
    except possibly on flat water with no wind.        
                                                                     
    Even my old 21lb motor had barely enough power when going against 
    strong current and strong wind...  I now have 28lbs of thrust and 
    like it alot, I can now make way up river against strong wind AND 
    strong current.                             
                                                
    Don Mac           

    Well, I finally went for it. I bought a Minn Kota 28lb thrust motor
    on Saturday, and tried it out om the canoe yesterday. Not bad! Not
    bad at all! My brother picked up a Sears Die Hard deep cycle battery,
    which we used fresh from the store. The motor zizzed (is that a
    colloquialism?) us around the pond just fine, against the wind was
    no problem. I personally don't feel it was overkill to get such
    a strong motor. My canoe, fully loaded with my brother and I, motor,
    battery, and gear, probably doesn't exceed 600lb, but I'd never
    consider going with a six-lb thrust motor, then again, it is the
    primary motor, not supplemental, which it would be if we had an
    aluminum boat with a gas motor, etc. I like it a lot, but I've got
    to make some sort of mount for it other than clamping on the side,
    because I get the handle right in the armpit when I try to steer
    very far to the right.
    
    Question: I have a 4 amp charger with a little dial (ammeter) on
    the front that I am using to recharge this battery. Assuming I just
    leave it on for a while, do I have to be real careful it doesn't
    harm the battery? Is it easy to overcharge with such a small charger?
    When I first put the battery on, the dial read about 6 amps. This
    morning it read about two - the same level as most trickle chargers.
    Can I safely leave it on for a long time? How do I know when's enough?
    Thanks for any advice...
    
    Ed

    re:11
    
    	Your probably going to have to play it by ear. I've heard some
    people say a deep cycle will never drop down to 0 on the amp meter.
    I have a Sears 10 amp automatic charger which I connect to mine and 
    leave it over night. Usually it is down to 0 by the next morning.
    It does drop to 0 though. I also have the Sears 9652 deep cycle
    (I think) and it has the battery charge indicator so I can tell
    roughly what the charge is.
    
    	If you don't decide to go for the automatic charger, you may
    want to just check the battery with a volt/amp meter. This may tell
    you how far it's down and give you an idea as to how long you should
    recharge it. Your just going to have to watch it and time it the
    first few times though.
    
    	RAYJ

    The best way to find out if your battery is fully charged is to
    use a battery hydrometer. The literature that came with your Diehard
    will list different hydrometer readings verses charge status of
    your battery. You can get one for a couple of bucks at any automotive
    store.
    
    Wayne Field

    re .12
            Is it accurate to put a volt meter on the battery without
    a "load" (the engine running)? A fully charged battery should read
    ~12.6v. 
                                                   NIGHTCRAWLER~~~~~
    

    re. .14
    
            NO!  You want to know the current output of your battery
    not the potential across it.  Even a battery that is low on charge
    will read 12 Volts.

    Hey NC
          I wrote the whole explaination in a note today but the system
    went *%*#$&#@@.  Call me if you want and I'll tell you
    
    6767

================================================================================
Note 712.0                FAST HELP NEEDED w/ Electrics                  1 reply
CHET::BEAUCHESNE                                     24 lines   6-MAY-1988 08:44
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    HI!  I'm kind of new to this notes file, although I've read, or
    browsed through a good portion of it.  I have just purchased a used
    11'6" Jon boat (Sears).  I have been looking around at trolling motors
    but have no idea how much POWER I should get.  I know the
    recommendation is one lb per hundred pounds weight, but that seems
    awfully conservative.  I've narrowed the choices down to the following:
    
    	a) MinnKota 3HP w/Maximizer	   $259.99  Service Merchandise
    	b) MotorGuide 30lb w/VariAmp(sp)   $220.00  Zyla's
    	c) MotorGuide 24lb w/VariAmp(sp)   $190.00  Zyla's
        d) MinnKota 28lb w/Maximizer       $209.00  Gander Mountain (?)
    
    I'd like to make a decision soon (2-3 days) so that I can get the
    new "baby" out on the water.  (I would be using the boat in small
    lakes and the Merrimack River in Hooksett.)
    
    Anyone out there have any suggestions or comments????  Any help
    would be much appreciated.  I'd hate to pay for horsepower that I'll 
    never use!
    
    THANKS IN ADVANCE,
    
    Moe (no nickname,yet) Beauchesne
    
================================================================================
Note 712.1                FAST HELP NEEDED w/ Electrics                   1 of 1
FEISTY::TOMAS "Joe"                                  17 lines   6-MAY-1988 09:04
                             -< Jump on the 3HP! >-
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Moe,

I guess a lot depends on what you're expecting.  If the type of fishing 
you're planning to do is all fairly close to the launch ramp, then I'd 
recommend a 24-28 lb thrust electric.  But considering the price you quoted 
for MinnKota's 3HP, I'd go for that one.  The 3HP will give you the abilty 
to move along faster and allow you to venture a little farther.  The only 
thing I would strong suggest is that you invest in a 105 amp/hr battery as 
the 3 HP electric does draw more current than the smaller units.

Also, you'll find the 3HP unit is better at fighting the current on the 
Merrimack!

Good luck!

-HoleShot Joe- 

    I've recently purchased a Minnkota 3hp motor w/ Maximizer for my
    11' jon boat.  Now it's time to get a battery, and I'm not quite
    sure what size will do the job right.  I looked at a very LARGE
    Sears battery that was 105 amps/hr for $104!  That seems like a
    lot, and I was wondering if anyone has info on another store that
    has a more reasonably priced battery that would provide adequate 
    performance.
    
    -Bluto
    

    where are you located?
    

I'm sure you can get a much better price on a 105 amp/hr battery.  But 
whatever you do, you'll need a battery of that size due to the current draw 
of the 3HP Minn Kota. 

Keep shopping!    

    Can anyone give a way to compare these motors on the basis of 
    advertised thrust or HP.  Specificaly how much "thrust" would a
    three horse motor have or conversely how much HP would a 28 lb thrust
    motor have.     Why are different standards used.

    In need of some help concerning anyplace to purchase parts for a
    MinnKota 565 . While getting ready for our pilgrimage to the LCI
    derby in Vt this Thur , one of the guys going with me developed
    a broken cable on his trooling motor . Does any one in BTO know
    of a shop or dealer over there that has parts in stock ?????
    This happened at a very bad time as there is not enough time to
    operate in the standard mode for repair . If anyone  can give me
    a name it would be greatly appreciated .
    
    Thanks ,
    
    
    Al
    

    RE: .18
    
    I too have an 11' Jon with the 3HP maximizer.  I bought a Sears
    battery on sale for ~$65.00.  Although they did not rate it in amps,
    the other figures (CCA, Reserve) were comparable to the 105 Amp.
    The size was 27M.  The non-sale price is $81.99, no. 9652.  The
    one I bought was special purchase, so you may want to check with
    local Sears outlets to see if they have any left.
    
    As far as performance? TERRIFIC!  I used it all day Saturday (10hrs), 
    and half of Sunday (4hrs) and it still has a >70% charge.  I was mainly 
    trolling at about the 40-60 mark on the stick, with 20-30 minutes at 
    full power.
    
    
    RE: .21
    
    From the Sears Boat/Fish, they have a chart which shows:
    
    	3HP - 45lbs
    	2HP - 35lbs
    	1HP - 17lbs
      1/2HP - 12lbs
    
    
    
    MoeB
         

    While fishing last night I suffered a broken cable on my Minn Kota
    28# thrust foot control electric trolling motor.  I really haven't
    had a chance to look at it yet since it was getting dark, and today
    and tomorrow it's going to be raining.  Has anyone ever had this
    happen before?  Can I use the existing cable depending where it
    broke?  Reply .22 in this note asked about parts, but there hasn't
    been an answer yet to his note.
    I had a quick look in it last night.  There's a series of pulleys
    and wires inside.  The cable looks like it broke next to what looks
    like an anchoring bolt of some kind which is now loose and I have
    no idea where it goes.
    Since everything is attached to the boat, I'll probably have to
    wait until it stops raining before I can have another look at it.
    
    Down and out since it will be tough to fish without it...
    Mike_L

    I just sent an order for a new push putton (the one on the pedal
    that kicks in the momentous switch) to MINN KOTA, the part was
    $.70, cheap enough...  On the parts blowup that came with the motor
    there was an address to order parts, I'll try and remember to bring
    it in tomorrow.
    
    donmac

    I got the number for the Minn Kota manufacturer in Minnesota.  I
    called them up and they gave me a list of service centers in
    Massachusettes.  One of them is only 15 minutes from work, so I'm
    going to drop off my motor there tomorrow.
    In case anyone wants to know where the service centers are in Mass
    for Minn Kota, they are:
    Dedham - Tropicland Marina
    Pepperal - Bert's tackle
    Upton - Fin and Feather
    Pittsfield - didn't get the name of the place
    The Minn Kota manufacturer in Minnesota said they'll also send me
    a copy of the owners manual since I bought my boat used and don't
    have one.
    They also told me that the *older* 565 which is the 565W (the new
    ones are the 565M) have a problem with the ceramic cable guides.
    These should be replaced also when you get a new cable.  Apparantly
    the tension and constant twist due these guides will eventually
    cause the cable to snap.  The *newer* 565M trolling motors have
    beefed-up cable guides and don't have a problem.
    In case anyone is interested, the number for Minn Kota is 
    (507) 345-4623.
    Mike_L

Mike,

I hope you're not taking it to Bert's in Pepperal (sp?).  A friend of mine 
took his to Bert's just to get his 565 shaft straightened out.  It took 3 
weeks for him to get it back and then the motor was 180 degrees out.  My 
friend had to open up the top and play around with the chains to get it 
fixed right.

Another friend of mine tried calling Bert's a number of times for some 
warranty work on his NEW (less than 2 weeks old) 565.  They never answered 
the phone.  Finally he called Minn Kota direct and the service rep said 
she'd try for him.  She wasn't able to get thru and got so frustrated that 
she just sent him out a new 565 and told him to send his defective one back 
after he got the new one.  Now THAT's pretty good service!

-HSJ-

    Well thats a plus for me...I tried calling Bert's first since it's
    close to where I live, but the phone was busy for four hours.  So I
    called the next closet one which is in Upton.  It's only down 495
    a little ways from here in Marlboro.  I plan to drop off my motor
    during lunch and maybe have it ready tonight or tomorrow.
    I'll let you know how they do.
    Mike_L

    I received my motor back (the same day), and it looks like they
    did a good job.  I haven't had the boat out yet, but it turns just
    fine, maybe a little better than 360 degress.  The total cost was
    $33.00 and that was both cables being replaced.  Apparantly the
    other cable was frayed.
    In case anyone else is interested, FIN and FEATHER SPORTS number
    is (508) 529-3901.  They're on North Main Street (RT. 140) in Upton.
    
    Mike_L