Lost/sunk trolling motor - worth going after?

[sidechoke67]

I lost a Minn Kota 55# Endura trolling motor in a fresh water lake last Monday. It was really windy at the time, and I had no luck finding it. I know about where I lost it though, and have been considering going back to the lake to drag a hook or magnet through the area. It was only in 10 feet of (very weedy) water or so...if I found it, I could easily dive down and recover it. Surface water temp has been around 80 degrees on the lake.

My question is - what are the odds that it work again if I did find it? At this point, it has been sitting at the bottom of a fresh water lake for 3 days....

Thanks for any thoughts!

 

[Scorpion8]

Re: Lost/sunk trolling motor - worth going after?

I'd go get it just for the purpose of getting (your own) trash off the bottom of the lake. Who knows how much fishing hear will get lost getting snagged on that.

 

[dingbat]

Re: Lost/sunk trolling motor - worth going after?

Tear the thing down and clean it out. Don't see why you couldn't get it back working. May to change a few componets. Shouldn't be too bad.

 

[jspansel]

Re: Lost/sunk trolling motor - worth going after?

Was it on when it was dunked? If not, it should be fine as long as you let it completely dry before using it again...

 

[Silvertip]

Re: Lost/sunk trolling motor - worth going after?

There is not much magnetic material in the motor however if you have a good stout magnet on a rope, you might just be able so attract the motor end since it does contain magnets. A good fish finder may help as well provided you know how to set the sensitivity and understand how to read what you are seeing. Turn Fish Symbols off and use arches.

 

[donberry]

Re: Lost/sunk trolling motor - worth going after?

I'd get it. I'd probably try to use my fish finder and drag for it. I'd almost bet you can just leave it out to dry and it will work just fine

 

[TerryMSU]

Re: Lost/sunk trolling motor - worth going after?

There is not much magnetic material in the motor however if you have a good stout magnet on a rope, you might just be able so attract the motor end since it does contain magnets. A good fish finder may help as well provided you know how to set the sensitivity and understand how to read what you are seeing. Turn Fish Symbols off and use arches.

Actually, the whole motor is going to be magnetic. IF the unit was not powered when it got wet you may be lucky. If it was powered when it got wet, you may be buying a new control board. I am not sure, but I wonder if the shaft is hollow and un-sealed. If so, that is another potential problem. On the other hand, what does it hurt to give it a try.

TerryMSU

 

[football004800]

Re: Lost/sunk trolling motor - worth going after?

my guess is most likly its okay, even if it was turned on theres a high chance it turned off when it started to fall in because the cables would have come unattached. Im hoping you didnt have very much extra cable. But even if it is broken it would be nice for you to get it out of the water for everyone else. if its been sitting in there that long you might need to take it about and clean the electrical contacts. I would go by contact cleaner, and brute force is amazing if you are careful with it. Wish you the best of luck finding it.

 

[reddogg]

Re: Lost/sunk trolling motor - worth going after?

I'd try to recover it, esspecally since the water is still warm enough for swimming.

Red

 

[fishrdan]

Re: Lost/sunk trolling motor - worth going after?

I wonder if the shaft is hollow and un-sealed.

I'd almost bet the shaft is unsealed and the motor is full of water right now. If you find it, you'll need to take the motor housing apart to dry everything out. I'd bake the armature in the oven at low heat to dry out the windings, 150-200* for several hours. The switch is probably full of water and I'm not sure you'll be able to dry that out, I guess it's worth a try, pop it in the oven too.

 

[GA_Boater]

Re: Lost/sunk trolling motor - worth going after?

Finally something that WD-40 is made for - water displacing. Open it up as much as possible and spray the heck out it. Switches, control board and motor. Let it dry and shoot the juice to it. Saltwater, different story. Oven idea really isn't good - too many plastic parts and no idea about melting points. Electronics don't like heat. either

 

[CheapboatKev]

Re: Lost/sunk trolling motor - worth going after?

Finally something that WD-40 is made for - water displacing. Open it up as much as possible and spray the heck out it. Switches, control board and motor. Let it dry and shoot the juice to it. Saltwater, different story. Oven idea really isn't good - too many plastic parts and no idea about melting points. Electronics don't like heat. either

Yep..The WD does mean Water Displacement.
The "40" is because it was the 40th attempt of forulas that worked. It was being developed for military applications to keep motors running after getting swamped.

Its main ingrediant? fish oil..

Hear a rumor that you can spray it on a jig and use as a fish attractant.....

 

[fishrdan]

Re: Lost/sunk trolling motor - worth going after?

Oven idea really isn't good - too many plastic parts and no idea about melting points. Electronics don't like heat. either

Low heat will not affect the armature or switch, I wasn't saying to pop it in the oven with Mama's meatloaf... Low heat... The armature NEEDS to be completely dry before putting power to it or it will cook the windings. And, this is an Endura TM, no electronics in that TM, only a switch.

(FWIW, I used to work on typewriters long ago. To clean them we would spray on cleaner, hose it off with water then bake them with low heat for a couple of hours. If the heat was too high it could melt things, that's why you need to use low heat. If the unit wasn't heated long enough, and the motor completely dried out, it would instantly POP the motor when it was powered on. Water in a electric motor is not a good thing.)

 

[Tig]

Re: Lost/sunk trolling motor - worth going after?

No problem. Fish it out pull the covers off the head and blow it out with 50 psi of compressed air. Dunk or rinse the head in methyl hydrate and blow out with air again. Repeat the methyl hydrate a few times, blowing out each time. Let it sun dry for a bit before you put power to it. Alcohol fires are nasty and invisible in daylight.
Methyl hydrate absorbs water. It is commonly used as gas line anti freeze.
I've saved every dunked phone and digital camera ever brought to like this.

 

[fishrdan]

Re: Lost/sunk trolling motor - worth going after?

It's not the head to be worried about, it's the motor.

 

[Tig]

Re: Lost/sunk trolling motor - worth going after?

If the motor isn't sealed, it shouldn't be under water in the first place. Has any one ever pulled one apart to check this? Seems like a basic detail to me.
Methyl should be fine for flushing windings, but I'd keep it away from the bearings.

 

[fishrdan]

Re: Lost/sunk trolling motor - worth going after?

The motor is sealed, but the motor shaft is not sealed where it goes into the head. So while the motor remains water tight under normal use, it will not remain water tight if the entire TM is completely submerged.