How on earth do you make a decision on which trolling motor to buy when there is so many types to choose from.Whether you need one for your kayack or a 20 ft tournament fishing craft, buying the right one can be pretty daunting, especially if you have not owned one before.
Todays motors are easy to install on almost all types of craft, so the only real decision you have to make is which one will suit you best for your particular boating needs.
Listed here are five important points to consider before you end up buying one that could be a huge disappointment to you.
Your Environment
Ask yourself where you will you end up using it the most - in salt water or fresh water. You cannot use a fresh water motor in salt water. Because I live near the coast, I own a salt water motor. I can also use it in fresh water lakes and rivers when fishing inland.
The salt water motors are more corrosion resistant because of the harsher condition they work in, but do cost a little more.
Which Mount
The size and type of boat you have will help decide if it is a transom or bow mount trolling motor you require.Usually with small craft under14 foot, a motor fixed to the transom works well. For bigger boats or superior maneuverability a bow mount is installed, but it must have space up front where you can fix a housing bracket.
Thrust
The term "pounds of thrust" describes roughly how much power is required to move your boat through the water. Without the right amount of thrust your boat will go nowhere in rough or weedy conditions.Because so many factors can influence your boats performance the rule of thumb is to buy one that may seem somewhat overpowered for your boat.
The downside of a bigger motor is that you will need more batteries so a 12 volt system is the cheapest to buy. However it does not have the endurance and thrust that a 24 volt or 36 volt system will provide. Usually a high thrust 12 volt trolling motor for boats less than 18 feet is adequate.
Shaft length
If your shaft is to short, the propeller may not get enough bite in the water.If it to long it could be a problem in shallow areas by hitting the bottom. More factors that should influence your decision will be hull shape, bow or stern height and how many people on average fish from the boat.
Kinds Of Control
These trolling motors are either hand or foot steered. For a bow mount motor, steering with a foot control is by far the most popular method. You can also steer your boat electronically using cool features like auto pilot, co pilot and GPS pilot.
Trolling motors are used by serious fishermen helping them to get into normally inaccessible hot spots or by leisure boaters interested in keeping their pristine waterways, pollution free.
Frank Rijkers has spent many years living the "Dream" by building his own sailing yacht (footloose) and cruising the oceans and fishing in salt and fresh water all over the world. Hoping to encourage all fishermen that fish using boats or casting from the shore to live their dream of getting the big one, he reviews products that will only enhance their fishing experience. Go to [http://trollingmotorsreview.com] and see whats available to help you catch more fish when using a trolling motor.
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