Looking for any help before pull trigger on trolling motor

[badbowtie]

I have a 1974 starcraft holiday 18' that I just picked up and have gone thru everything and replaced everything and ready to order a trolling motor. I am thinking the terrova 24v 80lb 60" shaft with foot control and i pilot remote. This is the one I am looking at I will have more in the trolling motor than what I paid for boat so dont want to regret ordering please give me all your input.
I think 60" will work and here is a picture of the boat it is going on. I also am going to mount on bow and trying to make sure when in stowed position the head will not hit the windshield and not sure how to check that.

 

[redarndt]

That is a great trolling motor. I would not hesitate to pull the trigger. 60" will be long enough. 80lbs is plenty. No less though for your boat. I pilot is a great feature. If you have Humminbird electronics, this is the time I would consider spending a the extra few hundred dollars to get the Link feature as well.

 

[redarndt]

Wait a sec... is that a closed bow? Do you have easy access to the bow to deploy the trolling motor? Might be a pain to do so with a closed bow.

Minn Kota now makes the Ulterra that has an auto deploy feature. You can also trim it higher or lower from the remote.

 

[fhhuber]

Measure overall length of trolling motor.

Measure from tip of bow to the corner of the windshield it will potentially hit. You need the second measurement to be about 4 inches more than the first.

The long shaft CAN be shortened... and you probably don't need 60 inches. Its just disassembling the motor, cutting off tube with a pipe cutter and reassembling (need to drill 3 holes in the tube to remount the upper "box") You just need the top of the prop to be a couple of inches underwater. The trolling motor doesn't need to have the prop a foot below the keel.

Terranova i believe has the remote steering... no issue there. you can extend the release and haul-up lines (light ropes) going through a pulley or two and raise/lower the trolling motor from behind the windshield. If you had to use a foot control it would be a problem with that hull.

 

[badbowtie]

It is a closed bow but the windshield opens to walk right out on the bow so no problem there. I looked at the ulterra also just cant spend that much more. I dont have hummingbird I have lowrance and not looking to upgrade them this year also so I figured I will wait on the link cables. I also am not sure why the foot pedal would be hard to use it has a 15' cable so I am not sure what I am missing. I also will measure from the point to windshield and see what I got. I havent seen any measurements on the terrova yet.

 

[fishin98]

Have you considered a transom mount motor. Is there room back there to mount one? If your adamant about mounting one on the bow, is there support underneath to support the motor and bracket, along with the stress? I recently owned a Bayliner 1802 Capri Cuddy, which is heavier than your boat, I used a Minnkota Endura 55lb thrust motor on the back for fishing..,.It pushed it around smartly. Your fixen to spend a lot of money!....Just My 2cts

 

[badbowtie]

Yea I have considered mounting on rear but I like the way the boats handle with them mounted on front. I also believe there is enough bracing on the front to mount if not I will have to fab something up. You can walk on the bow so I figure it is built pretty well and I can get under the bow to help with tying it all in. I just measured and from the bow point to the lower corner of the windshield I have 72" so It should work good and figure I can always set the mount over the bow little bit also. I also thinking I will mount both batteries under the bow right there also.

 

[redarndt]

Yea I have considered mounting on rear but I like the way the boats handle with them mounted on front. I also believe there is enough bracing on the front to mount if not I will have to fab something up. You can walk on the bow so I figure it is built pretty well and I can get under the bow to help with tying it all in. I just measured and from the bow point to the lower corner of the windshield I have 72" so It should work good and figure I can always set the mount over the bow little bit also. I also thinking I will mount both batteries under the bow right there also.

Sound like you're good to go. I like the 60" shaft. It's long enough when trolling in waves. That way it doesn't come out of the water. Don't forget a mounting bracket!

 

[gm280]

Just my $0.01 1/2 cents worth. If you don't know the actual size to get, go for the longer one. You can easily cut it off, but you can't add length to one very easily.

 

[badbowtie]

That is why I figured 60' shaft for sure and you said dont forget mounting bracket I am confused because it should have the mount with it or am I missing something.

 

[redarndt]

That is why I figured 60' shaft for sure and you said dont forget mounting bracket I am confused because it should have the mount with it or am I missing something.

I would recommend getting a bracket like this... I'm pretty sure they are not included.

http://www.iboats.com/Aluminum-Quic...155075--session_id.347952040--view_id.1183615

 

[badbowtie]

Okay well I thought I new for sure I wanted the terrova know I am not sure I am also looking at the motorguide xi5 since it seems it hooks to lowrance which is what I have and it also has wireless foot pedal included and seems to have all the same features. So from you guys that have used both plus and minus of each. I am looking at the motorguide 940800240 I have a older lowrance lms-520c so I am going call motor guide and see if it is compatible.

 

[fishrdan]

I have used MotorGuide's in the past and some of the older ones worked well, but I wouldn't buy a newer one, personal preference. MinnKota just seems to "work", so I wouldn't roll the dice on MG. Let others chime in, but it's my perception that MG has more issues, electronics and so forth.

I have a 70# MK PowerDrive on an 18'er and it works well for my boat, and I bet my Crestliner is much heavier than your 74 Starcraft. I use it for trolling and it works perfect, even in wind and waves. If I were buying new, I would go with the 80# like you are looking at. My MK PD has a 60" shaft and there are times when I'm out fishing in snotty conditions that I need to have the TM lowered all the way, so the prop doesn't suck air. But the boat is rocking pretty good at those times, 3-4' waves...

 

[badbowtie]

Everything I have read on the motorguide has been positive. So I dont know I am heading to a big travel and boat show today and hope I can look at both of them real close and make a final decision up there today and then beable to order one when I get home.

 

[badbowtie]

Well I spent all day at indy travel and boat show and no one had trolling motors to talk to and one guy I did talk to said he only was a minnkota dealer so had no suggestions. So I am completely confused on what to buy.

 

[badbowtie]

Well Thanks for all the input but everything I have searched and raid was positive about the xi5 with pin point gps and wireless foot pedal. I ordered from here at iboats and will have tomorrow. I need to get two batteries still and I already have a 60amp breaker been back and fourth on using that some say can get warm and trip always in the worse position but I understand why they are used. But also can't believe if that important why do the manufactures not supply with unit. But I also still have to figure out a battery charger. I guess I will go with the onboard 3 bank unit so I can charge trolling batteries and gas motor battery at all times.