# how fast should my 45 lb trolling motor push me



## John Redcorn

I just lucked out and found a new 45 lb thrust motor at Dick's for $90, on a 12' Jon about how fast should i be able to go?
Thanks,


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## Captain Ahab

2-3 mph with a tailwind

Will not go all that fast, but better then rowing


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## redbug

Captain Ahab said:


> 2-3 mph with a tailwind
> 
> Will not go all that fast, but better then rowing


better be a strong tail wind...you cant talk about speed in reference to a trolling motor


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## Critter

Ya mph is not a real big concern with the troller. My fishing buddy has a 30 lb thrust on a 12 foot and it moves the both of us just fine. Just don't be in a big hurry to be anywhere.


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## skimsucka

I have taken my 40lbs motor some very large distances and in chop and currents as well. Yours should run about 2-4mph  4mph on glass. If you have the day off id take the slow electric piece and quiet option on any trip any day


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## John Redcorn

i took it out a couple days ago and it got me and a friend moving pretty good, probably somewhere round 3-4 mph


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## robr3004

John Redcorn said:


> I just lucked out and found a new 45 lb thrust motor at Dick's for $90, on a 12' Jon about how fast should i be able to go?
> Thanks,


I lucked out on the same deal from Dick's as well. Really wanted to find a 55lb, but they were all out of stock.


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## rusty.hook

redbug said:


> Captain Ahab said:
> 
> 
> 
> 2-3 mph with a tailwind
> 
> Will not go all that fast, but better then rowing
> 
> 
> 
> better be a strong tail wind...you cant talk about speed in reference to a trolling motor
Click to expand...


Are you talking about a new fully charged battery or an older lesser charged battery, makes a difference with speed and distance. If you really want to know how fast your moving, take a GPS with you, it tells the speed.


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## John Redcorn

rusty.hook said:


> redbug said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Captain Ahab said:
> 
> 
> 
> 2-3 mph with a tailwind
> 
> Will not go all that fast, but better then rowing
> 
> 
> 
> better be a strong tail wind...you cant talk about speed in reference to a trolling motor
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> Are you talking about a new fully charged battery or an older lesser charged battery, makes a difference with speed and distance. If you really want to know how fast your moving, take a GPS with you, it tells the speed.
Click to expand...


The battery we used was at most half charged, when I get some time, I wanna string together a few batteries so i can go out for a while at a time


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## mtnwkr

My 40# riptide would move my 12' smokercraft V at 4.3 mph with me and the dog in it. Pushes my 13.5' gregor 3.2mph with the same weight in it. your jon is pushing more water so i would expect lesser speeds.


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## Brine

My 13ft v-hull runs 3.2 with a 55# on the back. I added a 55# up front and got 3.8 #-o 

1 40# TM pushing a 12ft boat 4.3 is impressive. Most guys here that run all electric run 150# of thrust or better to get 4.5mph. That's with 2 adults, gear, 4-6 batteries etc...


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## Butthead

2006 Tracker 1436, speeds based on hand held GPS.

690lbs of people/batteries/gear, 50lb MK Endura transom mount trolling motor w/ Kipawa power prop: 4.4 MPH top speed (Speed setting 5, 100% Throttle) w/Walmart EverStart DC27 Batteries

695lbs of people/gear, but 80# MK Traxxis transom mount w/ Kipawa power prop: 4.9mph top speed (75% throttle) w/Kirkland DC27 batteries. We run the 80# @ 75% because there is no speed gain from 75%-100% and that gives us more run time.

The only thing to note when running all electric is that you need to move more of your weight to the front of the boat!!! I can't stress this enough. The flat cut transom creates a lot of drag in the water at trolling speeds and the more of it you get out of the water the faster you will go. Seems stupid but it's true. We gained literally 0.5 MPH just by moving the batteries to the front of the boat.

While this seems miniscule, that 0.5mph saves me 15 minutes of running time throughout the day, and it doesn't cost me anything to get it. 

One last thing, EverStart DC27 batteries *SUCK*!!! Over the past 3 years I went through 6 of them. Luckily 4 where under warranty and got replaced for free. Every one of them leaked battery acid after just a couple months of use and it was evident that their maximum charge capacity would slightly diminish after every charge. I had plently of occasions where the front mount TM battery would die before the end of the day. After switching to the Kirkland batteries it's been a night and day difference. I will never buy another EverStart battery ever again.

And with electric only power displacement hull>flatbottom>Mod V>V-Hull.
If I could take two 1036 jon boats, cut the transom and 2 feet off the back of each, then weld both boats together, I would have the fastest TM powered boat on the water, haha.


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## John Redcorn

Butthead said:


> 2006 Tracker 1436, speeds based on hand held GPS.
> 
> 690lbs of people/batteries/gear, 50lb MK Endura transom mount trolling motor w/ Kipawa power prop: 4.4 MPH top speed (Speed setting 5, 100% Throttle) w/Walmart EverStart DC27 Batteries
> 
> 695lbs of people/gear, but 80# MK Traxxis transom mount w/ Kipawa power prop: 4.9mph top speed (75% throttle) w/Kirkland DC27 batteries. We run the 80# @ 75% because there is no speed gain from 75%-100% and that gives us more run time.
> 
> The only thing to note when running all electric is that you need to move more of your weight to the front of the boat!!! I can't stress this enough. The flat cut transom creates a lot of drag in the water at trolling speeds and the more of it you get out of the water the faster you will go. Seems stupid but it's true. We gained literally 0.5 MPH just by moving the batteries to the front of the boat.
> 
> While this seems miniscule, that 0.5mph saves me 15 minutes of running time throughout the day, and it doesn't cost me anything to get it.
> 
> One last thing, EverStart DC27 batteries *SUCK*!!! Over the past 3 years I went through 6 of them. Luckily 4 where under warranty and got replaced for free. Every one of them leaked battery acid after just a couple months of use and it was evident that their maximum charge capacity would slightly diminish after every charge. I had plently of occasions where the front mount TM battery would die before the end of the day. After switching to the Kirkland batteries it's been a night and day difference. I will never buy another EverStart battery ever again.
> And with electric only power displacement hull>flatbottom>Mod V>V-Hull.
> If I could take two 1036 jon boats, cut the transom and 2 feet off the back of each, then weld both boats together, I would have the fastest TM powered boat on the water, haha.



I was planning on placing my batteries in front of the front bench, but i am unsure of the best way to connect them to the motor. If i am running 2 or 3 batteries in a series, what kind of wire would i use to connect them to the motor and can i just run them along the floor?


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## Captain Ahab

Good stuff about having the weight forward


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## Butthead

John Redcorn said:


> I was planning on placing my batteries in front of the front bench, but i am unsure of the best way to connect them to the motor. If i am running 2 or 3 batteries in a series, what kind of wire would i use to connect them to the motor and can i just run them along the floor?



Wire choice is based upon the amperage you would draw and the length of the wire being used. 8 gauge wire will work great on a 45lb motor with the length you will need. Decent crimp ring terminals should be adequate to connect to the batteries too. You'll have to decide how you want to connect the wire to your trolling motor though. Anderson quick disconnects are relatively cheap and easy. I made an insulated mounting bracket out of a thick plastic cutting board. I mounted it to the rear bench and then Drilled two holes for the stainless steel bolts to act as posts. I used crimp ring terminals on the power wires and the trolling motor wires, one nut to secure each bolt to the board, then a wing nut to tighten down the crimp rings. If you do something like this just make sure the bolts and wire connectors stay far enough away from each other and from the metal of the boat so you don't short anything out. 

On my boat I have the hull chines that I can run wire through. It's fine on the floor just as long as you're not going to trip on it. Also, power wire for installing car audio gear tends to be pretty good for this kind of use.


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## Brine

Captain Ahab said:


> Good stuff about having the weight forward



This is good when you consider making long runs in the boat under electric only power, but not so good when it's time to stop and fish. I have experienced it first hand with the back end of the boat wanting to run circles around the bow heavy rig with little wind.

If there are two people in the boat, I'd keep the majority of the weight astern of the centerline, and simply have the guy in back move to the bow during the long runs. If it's only 1 person, I'd wire the boat to be able to run the motors from the bow. 

I'm sure this all varies somewhat with hull design, total weight, size of boat etc.... but before anyone decides to put all their batteries and gas tank under the front deck to increase speed .5mph, you may see how you like fishing from it first. It's also worth noting that once trailered, all of that weight will usually be over something less substantial than the support at the rear of the trailer, and I've seen trailers bent that are bow heavy.

That said, I'll have 2 batteries up front in mine :mrgreen:


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## tripleup05

Off topic I know, but I gotta ask...Are you a KOTH fan, John?


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## John Redcorn

tripleup05 said:


> Off topic I know, but I gotta ask...Are you a KOTH fan, John?



Yea, i figure the name gives it away, but im a pretty big fan. I can tell by your pic your a fan too


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