Anyone using a trolling motor????

I’ll look into the weed guard I really can’t think of any lakes other than maybe one that I would deal with lots of weeds in

 

Even for the suspended twigs, they are worth it

 

Perfect thank you

 

Check Minn Kota's website but they list the Endura Max #1352140 and the Endura #1352240 as 36"/40lbs. If you find a longer shaft it's usually pretty easy to cut it and reinstall. 40Lbs is probably going to be more than ever need on that size inflatable but with the modern bigger is better mindset it can be hard to find the less powerful motors. Check yard sales in your area as well.

 

I have two, both 12v Minnkota and I run both with a group 24 deep cycle battery.

A cheap 36 pound, 5 forward speed unit I put on the back of a 12 aluminum boat. Pushes it along at a walking speed for most of the day. I have a fancy (for late '90s) bow mount 42 pound(?) one on a 2200 pound fiberglass bowrider. It's power retract/deploy/steer from a remote. Dead reliable and can also go a slower walking pace (trolling flies for trout) for 6+ hours.

A buddy has a 36 pound wally world close-out Minnkota on his 8' Livingston (fiberglass catamaran) and it can move at nearly a running pace.

 

Update....

I don’t know how soon I’m goin to get one. I found out I would have to title and register my 9’ inflatable pontoon boat if I put ANY motor on it.

 

How did you find this out?

different state, Washington, and it's been a while but when I bought my 12ft aluminum boat they said it was optional and asked if I wanted to register it. Sounded like the major benefit was if it got stolen they might try to recover it - which didn't seem like a benefit to me. So mine is unregistered and have never been hassled...

 

I found out when I called about my kayaks because there’s a new fee for anything over 10 foot you now have to have an invasive species permit I also saw something online about pontoon boats needing to be titled and registered if I had a motor so I called about both of those things and I said even if the trolling motor is battery powered and small I have the title and register it and they said yes no matter the propulsion if it has a motor it has to be titled and registered


If I remember they said $49 one time title fee and $50 per year registration

 

Wait, did you or they use the term pontoon boat? Because what I saw in the pictures isn't a pontoon boat.

 

Yeah... every 2nd gen owner in the 3rd gen forums has a trolling motor

 

Yes I did... it’s a small 9’ inflatable pontoon boat

 

Gotta fleece the citizens for everything they can. It's ridiculous they want registration for a small inflatable with a trolling motor. Under 5hp doesn't require registration here (5hp or greater does).

OP, where'd you get that and what brand is it?

 

I got it from Costco it’s the wilderness 9’ inflatable pontoon boat
The company that makes it is called classic accessories... you can’t find this one on the companies website because it’s made for Costco but there are ones just like it.

 

Mmmm...not meaning this as a dis or anything...while what you have are pontoons and it is a boat, and it shows up as an image when googling for "pontoon boat", I have a hard time thinking it's classified as a pontoon boat. That licensing site is talking about this:

 

No it’s not. I called them and throughly walked thru what I was asking about.

 

that's sucks man....

 

Well welcome to Oregon. Where they try to suck you dry with fee after fee after fee. Like $17 to have an invasive species permit on ANY boat 10’ or longer... beginner plastic kayaks included.

 

I would say most states in the US would have the "must be registered if motorized". Any modern day trolling motor whether it be Minn Kota, Motorguide, Lowrance, Garmin or the older DieHard ones would all be sufficient to how much you're going to be using it. There isn't must difference in most of them. Composite or SS shafts or the little lights on top would be the only differences in the ones out now. They all last IMO. Keep a check on line getting around the shaft and it'll run for years and years. Someone mentioned weeds and trolling motors....they all come with props now to cut through them pretty well. I've beat up 2 Motorguide’s and I know of at least 20 guys that fish tournaments and I've never heard them really knock any particular brand. These guys and myself run the dog piss out of them all day long and I know run one in heavy river current with no concerns or problems.

I will add that the cheaper ones do not hold up as long as the $500-1000+ ones but that's for obvious reasons and you won't be abusing yours like we do.

 

If you need it "shorter" you could always take the head off and cut the shaft to whatever you need it to be and drill a new hole and reinstall the head back on it. They retrofit trolling motors to kayak all the time this way.