Trolling motor for emergencies?

[phaven]

I just puchased a 1989 17' Four Winns 170 Freedom with an I/0. My feeling is that paddles won't get me very far with a boat of this weight, and I'm wondering if it would be worth having a trolling motor on board in case of engine failure, etc...

Any advice would be appreciated - thanks!

 

[Silvertip]

Re: Trolling motor for emergencies?

A trolling motor definitely beats paddles but if you are five miles from port, the battery will be dead about half way home. You would be better off installing a 6 - 9.9 HP kicker on a bracket at the stern. Nearly the same weight and much more range. Faster than the troller as well.

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Trolling motor for emergencies?

totally agree. the cost of an electric troller large enough to move that boat, at any speed, against the wind, will be a large down payment of something that will work. also run the kicker frequently, so the carb doesn't gum up. some poeple hang them on their boat, and never use them, and wonder why the won't start, when they need it.

 

[Kevin W]

Re: Trolling motor for emergencies?

It depends on how far you travel, weather you want it for more than emergency use and another thought of a kicker is fuel.
If your main motor quits because of fuel problems and if the kicker shares the tank with the main motor the fuel issue may effect the kicker too.
a gas kicker most likely larger than a trolling motor.
adding a troller and battery would most likely weigh more though.

I have used both and i like the gas kicker i little better because its got more grunt.

travel distance would be the main desiding factor.

 

[phaven]

Re: Trolling motor for emergencies?

Thanks everyone for the input... sounds like a kicker would be the better option. That does raise another question for me though... my boat has a swim platform (I think that's what it's called) on the back. Any thought on how I would mount a kicker on a boat like this?

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Trolling motor for emergencies?

is it a wooden platform, of a built in fiberglass? if wooden cut an refit, if glass there is a mount that thru bolts from the top of the swim platform.