From: plheron@eos.ncsu.edu (Pat L. Heron)
Subject: Re: Electric Trolling Motors
Organization: North Carolina State University
Date: Mon, 25 Jan 1993 19:18:10 GMT

In article <1993Jan25.175339.23731@draco.macsch.com>, jfc@salmon.macsch.com (Jack Castro) writes:
|> Does anyone out there have any recommendations on electric trolling motors?
|> 
|> I want to purchase an electric trolling motor for an 11.5 foot aluminum
|> boat. I plan on trolling flies for trout. How powerful of a motor do I
|> need? What are some useful options I might consider?
|> 
|> Thus far, I have only been to Sears and saw a 1 H.P. motor for $129.00 and
|> a 1.5 H.P motor for $219.00. Are these prices reasonable? I have heard the
|> horror stories about the gas powered Sears motors. Are the electric motors
|> just as bad?
|> 
|> Are there any good catalogs that I should look at for electric motors?

		as usual, 1-800-bass-pro

Jack, 

If you are using your electric motor as sole propulsion in your boat, 
and you like to fish for long periods of time 10+ hours, I recommend 
a trolling motor that has a "maximizer" type feature.  When moving 
at full speed, a trolling motor has the full battery voltage impressed 
across the motor terminals.  To reduce the speed you need to reduce 
the voltage that is applied to the motor.  Older or less expensive 
motors use a variable resistance in series with the motor to 
reduce the voltage across the motor.  The bad thing is that the 
current flowing through this resistance heats it, wasting power 
(i.e. draining power from your battery which is not used for propulsion).
This problem has been solved by using a pulse-width-modulator circuit 
to vary the average voltage applied to the motor.  This will
significantly increase the time required for the battery to drain.
With a good battery and your light boat, you should be able to cover 
several miles in a day.

Another good feature of these modulated power supply type motors is that
they have almost continuously variable (at least a very large number)  
speed control.  This way you can adjust the boat to the exact speed 
you want (keep in mind changing wind conditions and boat loads...).

I know that Minn-Kota and Motorguide make this type of motor. 
I have owned a 12v Motorguide HG-34-DA (Motorguide calls their modulation
circuitry "Dura-Amp.") for 4 years and cannot recommend it.  I find that
is is noisy, it has been in the shop 6 times in the first 2 years. 
I sent Motorguide a check for extended warrantee, they cashed my check 
but have no record of owing me an extended warrantee.  I hit a stump 
with my motor once, a big piece of the cast-metal mounting bracket 
broke which cost me $18 to fix (last time I sent the damn thing to the 
shop it cost me $72 because Motorguide would not honor their extended 
warantee.  The pulse width modulator creates so much electromagnetic 
interference that I cannot read my LCD below 15ft while the motor is 
on.  I have tried isolating my cables and building filters for the 
sonar and motor, but can't solve the problem.  A friend of mine has a 
Minn-Kota "maximizer" (on a motorguide motor)
and the same model Eagle LCD, he has no interference problems.

I have talked to many people who love their motorguides.  I doubt I'll 
buy another one, and I hope the customer service personnel rot in Hell
(or is that burn?).

			-Pat.