Help deciding..elect or gas...

daddy1

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Joined
Nov 4, 2007
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1
Ok here is the deal, I live on a big lake with lots of stumps etc so I refuse to put my 17' wellcraft on it. I want to fish on it though so I bought a 10' aluminum flat bottom.
I fish alone most of the time so the lighter the better. WHEW!
I need to add a motor.

gas or electric?

I cannot find much info on this. I want "of coarse" the best from day one.

Thanks
 

tashasdaddy

Honorary Moderator Emeritus
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Nov 11, 2005
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51,019
Re: Help deciding..elect or gas...

if the lake is large a 6hp johnson/evinrude, with a trolling motor to work around the stumps fishing. if it's just a small lake the a 24 volt electric.
 

aspeck

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May 29, 2003
Messages
19,100
Re: Help deciding..elect or gas...

Got to agree with TD on this one. If you want the best to start out with, and it is a "Large lake", an electric motor will not do well at getting you from point A to point B. Depending on your strength, and what "not weighing much" means, go with a 6 - 9.9hp johnnyrude for "underway" power. When you stop to fish, put out the trolling motor - I think a 12V would be enough for that application (save on battery weight, and you can get good thrust from a 12V, although, a 24V would be better).

But from the limited info we have from your post, I think you would be best served with BOTH powerplants, if that is in your budget.
 

Silvertip

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Sep 22, 2003
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Re: Help deciding..elect or gas...

On a 10ft aluminum flat bottom, 5 - 6 HP is very adequate to get you where you need to go so I agree on the gas engine. 24V is overkill on that boat and a needless expense. A 40# troller is more than adequate for that size boat. If you feel the need for more power, a 50 or even 55 is available at 12V. I have a 50# PD on a 17 ft walleye boat that probably weights three times as much and it does just fine.
 

QC

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Mar 22, 2005
Messages
22,783
Re: Help deciding..elect or gas...

On a 10ft aluminum flat bottom, 5 - 6 HP is very adequate to get you where you need to go so I agree on the gas engine.
Yeah, I can plane and run 12 MPH with 5 hp on my 14 ft. tinny . . .
 

steelespike

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Apr 26, 2002
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19,069
Re: Help deciding..elect or gas...

Ok here is the deal, I live on a big lake with lots of stumps etc so I refuse to put my 17' wellcraft on it. I want to fish on it though so I bought a 10' aluminum flat bottom.
I fish alone most of the time so the lighter the better. WHEW!
I need to add a motor.

gas or electric?

I cannot find much info on this. I want "of coarse" the best from day one.

Thanks

If your thinking weight the electric isn't practical a good deep cycle battery will be in the 50# range.If you want the most power for the weight look for the 8 hp Jonnyrude weighs about the same as the 6.
This motor should troll all day without any problems.Should run over 3 hours
wot on a 3 gallon tank all day trolling.
 
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