# What sized trolling motor for a 12' V?



## wihil (Apr 7, 2012)

Hey gang, I'll admit it - I'm confused as all heck.

I'd like to get a trolling motor for my boat, but I'm stuck trying to decide which I should go with. My boat is a 12' V, weights around 110# with NO MODS (I know, I know - don't kill me), so the only weight in it is me, the anchor, the gas tank and a tackle box. Hoping to add a Fishfinder this summer too, but I don't think that'll break me.

Main motor is a 7.5Hp (model puts it as an 8hp), 15" transom (more like 14).

What I'm looking for is a motor to using trolling crawler harnesses (1-2mph), reposition the boat when drifting in traffic, and a backup in case the motor craps out (I do have oars). Transom mount would be close to my financial perspective than a bow mount.

Would a 40ftlb motor be enough? What size shaft, the 30 or 36?

Not really brand loyal to anything, and it seems there's rebates for both MG and Minn at the moment. 

Help? :lol:


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## shallowminedid (Apr 7, 2012)

go with the best u can afford. i had a 12 ft flat bottom n a 40 n 46 both went like 3 mph, u can usually pick up a good used one off craigslist for like 50 75$ if its not black in color stay away from it


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## wihil (Apr 7, 2012)

Been watching Craigslist around my area. Everyone seems to think their 15yo beat up trolling motor is worth $100, and the few "newer" trolling motors are selling for retail. :? If I'm going to spend retail, I might as well buy new, then I'll have a warranty.

I think both companies make a 45# on a 12V system (which is what I'm looking at).


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## shawnfish (Apr 7, 2012)

whatever size shaft you get just make sure its long enough so the prop/drive housing is 1 foot below the surface. imo, 40lbs of thrust should move that boat plenty good, remember too that even if you get a 40 and cannot get the 1-2 mph on the lowest speed you can always add some weight to your boat. and if your trolling into the wind a bow mount has way better control than a transom mount. oh and make sure ya get one with wings if ya know what i mean....


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## wihil (Apr 7, 2012)

shawnfish said:


> whatever size shaft you get just make sure its long enough so the prop/drive housing is 1 foot below the surface. imo, 40lbs of thrust should move that boat plenty good, remember too that even if you get a 40 and cannot get the 1-2 mph on the lowest speed you can always add some weight to your boat. and if your trolling into the wind a bow mount has way better control than a transom mount. oh and make sure ya get one with wings if ya know what i mean....



I've got a drift sock I could throw out if I need to slow down more. I've never run it behind the boat, but I'm sure it's doable. I thought about getting the 36" shaft for the front, but I know that's not long enough - I'd need one at least in the 40+" range which I can't find locally. 

What are "wings"?  You mean the flares on the external edge of the prop blade?


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## ShadowWalker (Apr 7, 2012)

I had a 40 lb bow mount on a 14ft aluminum and a 15 ft fiberglass tri hull and it moved both boats good enough for me. And that was 2 people, a generator, high pressure sodium lights, and 2 or 3 batteries, plus the outboard. And depending on the night, 200 or 300 lbs of fish. There were very few times where I thought I NEEDed a bigger trolling motor.


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## shawnfish (Apr 7, 2012)

wihil said:


> shawnfish said:
> 
> 
> > whatever size shaft you get just make sure its long enough so the prop/drive housing is 1 foot below the surface. imo, 40lbs of thrust should move that boat plenty good, remember too that even if you get a 40 and cannot get the 1-2 mph on the lowest speed you can always add some weight to your boat. and if your trolling into the wind a bow mount has way better control than a transom mount. oh and make sure ya get one with wings if ya know what i mean....
> ...




lol! humminbird wings......brand.


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## aeviaanah (Apr 8, 2012)

I just purchased a terrova with i pilot 55lb thrust. It gets me moving around 2-3 miles per hour, two people up river. I have a 12' mod v.


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## wihil (Apr 8, 2012)

aeviaanah said:


> I just purchased a terrova with i pilot 55lb thrust. It gets me moving around 2-3 miles per hour, two people up river. I have a 12' mod v.



Nice motor, but $900 is a little more than the C2 Endura that I was looking at.


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## aeviaanah (Apr 8, 2012)

wihil said:


> aeviaanah said:
> 
> 
> > I just purchased a terrova with i pilot 55lb thrust. It gets me moving around 2-3 miles per hour, two people up river. I have a 12' mod v.
> ...


55lbs of thrust should be a good starting point.


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## parkerdog (Apr 8, 2012)

wihil said:


> aeviaanah said:
> 
> 
> > I just purchased a terrova with i pilot 55lb thrust. It gets me moving around 2-3 miles per hour, two people up river. I have a 12' mod v.
> ...



I have a 55 lb endura on the back of my 18 foot. Use it for getting away from the dock and going to the bank to get unsnagged.(happens more than you would think. lol)

My fishing buddies nephew works at a dunhams and I paid under $180 for it with a charger I don't use.

Theres deals out there just have to look for them.


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## Frogman Ladue (Apr 10, 2012)

I've got a 45# on a 12' shallow v. It does very well, for pushing me and another guy with gear and a cooler. It has a 36" shaft, I wish it had a 30", I have a low transom.

I got a MG Varimax...though it's gentile on the battery and nice to dial in a particular speed, long term reliability reviews are dismal. I lost reverse just out of warrenty. Go with the Minn Kota.


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## wihil (Apr 11, 2012)

Just wanted to thank everyone again for the help.

I did some measuring again last night on the boat - I've got a low transom also, so a 30" shaft would work with no problem, where a 36" would sit a little tall. If I wanted to get a transom mount and do some surgery to fit it up front, I'd need to go with a 42" it looks like.

The other thing that's odd about my boat is how narrow the transom is across. The outside top dimension is 45", but the corner brackets/supports are HUGE - leaving only a 27" section across to mount the motor dead center on. With the motor on the transom, I've only got 9" on each side on the motor to mount anything to the transom without trying to fabricate a mount for the rear somewhere. With the motor turning lock to lock, there's not a lot of room to even mount the bracket for the trolling motor, much less trying to get a trolling motor back there.

Not a whole lot of room anywhere.


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## Dman23 (Apr 11, 2012)

I have a 36 lb on my 14 ft and it is plenty good. My buddy has the low end 30 lb on his and it does just fine too. If your on a budget go for the low end minkota and ull be just fine


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## FuzzyGrub (Apr 12, 2012)

A 40lb should be plenty for your tasks. Many harness jockeys like to go slower than that. Many back troll. Most transom mounts can be easily changed to 180 degrees to do that.


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## richg99 (Apr 12, 2012)

with regard to your narrow transom...I'd bet that with a 2 x 6 and some clamps, you could extend the TM outside of the gunnels on the transom. Lock it down well, of course....you might even throw a rope around the TM and tie it off permanently inside of your boat, in case it were to work loose.

That said, I much prefer a bow mount. But, I fish off of the bow deck all of the time.

I have an MG Endura for which I made a bracket; turned the head; and it is used at the front of my 16 ft fiberglass Carolina Skiff. If it will haul that big hull around, your little boat won't be any problem. Mine TM is a 40 lb thrust. 

IMHO the longer the shaft...for bow mount... the better off you are.

If needed...You can get longer pull times by doubling up on your batteries and connecting them in parallel (not series). 
regards, Rich


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