capt jake Posted February 1, 2004 Posted February 1, 2004 OK, might I pose another question??? As many are aware, I have a 2hp and a 4hp outboard. Both are short shaft and will be a PIMA to configure a mount to use. There were part af a package deal for a zodic style craft taht I have (may be selling the whole thing). Thus, I decided to go electric. Good choice, IMO, but the motor i was looking at is now $245. Plus the cost of batteries, etc. So.... I have a 26# thrust electric; will this be enough for a Weekender? I am asuming not, but I thought I would ask. :) Thanks! Quote
ken connors Posted February 1, 2004 Posted February 1, 2004 unless youll be sailing in a small pond, sounds too weak to me. i considered electric and did some research a while back. nothing that small was even considered. Quote
Pat Mellema Posted February 1, 2004 Posted February 1, 2004 Captn I also have a 36# electric it is fine if the wind is not comming at you. Where I sail the wind is straight up the channel out of the marina. I found it had enough power to get me out but just barely. I have picked up a gas motor that does the job very well for me. Quote
Zeroice Posted February 1, 2004 Posted February 1, 2004 check www.cabelas.com . I picked up a 50# minnkota refurbished for$129 U.S. last year. It works great, pushing my boat at 3 knots on the ocean. Quote
Paul J Posted February 1, 2004 Posted February 1, 2004 Jake, In the lower sound where you are the currents will be fairly strong so I would not go with anything less than a 50 lb thrust electric. For the local lakes a smaller one would do but on the larger ones like Lake Washington they would be too small. Quote
capt jake Posted February 1, 2004 Author Posted February 1, 2004 Zeroice, the only problem I see with that model Minkota is it is rated only for fresh water. The Riptide is the only one rated for salt water. the only riptide I have found locally was 40# I see they make a 55#; $439!! Ouch Quote
Arnie Eaton Posted February 1, 2004 Posted February 1, 2004 Jake, I have a 74 lb riptide, 24 VDC. Paid 499 new. I think it should do well for my Vacationer. Check out the internet, that's where I got mine. Free shipping also. Quote
Craig Posted February 1, 2004 Posted February 1, 2004 Compensate for excessive power by not turning the handle too far right. There is no compensation for underpower when you really need it. Look at this as a safety issue and it will help your decision making I think. Quote
Zeroice Posted February 2, 2004 Posted February 2, 2004 I have used the fresh water electrics on salt water without any real problem. If you rinse off the motor when you get back from sailing you should be fine. If you are still concerned also mount an anode to the shaft of the trolling motor near the bottom. As long as you take some care with washing off the troller you should get plenty of use (like 5 years) out of it. I don't really see how it should cost so much more for the saltwater version. It doesn't seem as though there could be much more put into the motor to make it so much salt resistant to cost that much more. Besides you may wish to switch to a gas motor in the future! Quote
capt jake Posted February 2, 2004 Author Posted February 2, 2004 Zeroice, you point out the qustion I have been pondering. Why are they so much more??? :roll: I am playing with the outboard mount once again, I may end up with a gas outboard after all. Quote
John Teetsel Posted February 2, 2004 Posted February 2, 2004 How have people with Minkotta and other electrics mounted them? Removable or fixed? I've seen Phil's wiring diagram , but are there any special wiring considerations besides the in line circuit breaker? Quote
Mike Donlin Posted February 2, 2004 Posted February 2, 2004 Here is how we mounted the electrics on our two boats. This is a picture of the pintles from West Marine http://www.donlinbuilding.com/sailboat/SmallMotorMount.jpg and here is a pic of the motor mount that I made http://www.donlinbuilding.com/sailboat/motorplate.jpg Sorry the pic is so dark but all I did was to cut the heads off of some 5/16" bolts and weld them to a piece of 1/4" by 1 flat iron, that was then bolted onto the board that the motor was clamped to, the top pintle is longer than the bottom two pintles. Quote
Barry Pyeatt Posted February 2, 2004 Posted February 2, 2004 Capt. Jake, I'm going to be using a freshwater version of the Minikota for the simple reason that these are not going to live in the salt. A thorough rinse with fresh water after you get home and paying attention to keeping it lubed will be about all you will need to be concerned about. Yes, you will appreciate the higher thrust when you are in some of the tidal currents that abound in the Sound. It will make the difference from waiting them out to getting where you want to go in a timely manor. A sacrificial anode will help with corrosion in the long run. But I don't expect one of these electrics to last much longer than about 5 years anyway. Anything beyond that would be a bonus in my mind. Consider just how many trips you might be taking out in the salt, and then just how long will they be in the water while you are out. I don't see the difference as being worth the amount you have to pay for a Riptide. I would go for the thrust you need and not worry about the freshwater rating. Quote
capt jake Posted February 3, 2004 Author Posted February 3, 2004 I was going to post another question but I think Barry just answered it for me!!! I was thinking the same thing!!! I messed with the outboard bracket today (and last night), but I am just not very happy with the way it will work; sooooo, I am back in electric land again! It is plenty strong, but the load it tranfers concerns me. Quote
MikeStevenson Posted February 3, 2004 Posted February 3, 2004 There are a couple of shots of how we've done motor mounts on one of the Cap'n ply articles: http://www.stevproj.com/CapnPly1.html We've used Motor-Guide, Minn-Kota, and Mercury (which we found out were made by Motor-Guide if I remember right.) All worked well enough, none were for salt water but all were used in it, none had any problems really. The Mercury's eventually froze up through disuse and bad storage (but not that bad really, but I think all outboards (gas or electric) have NO business corroding they way they do. The only o/b's we've never had trouble iwth are Hondas. Mike Quote
Simon Posted February 3, 2004 Posted February 3, 2004 How's this for a theory: When you use a freshwater motor in saltwater, you invalidate the warranty. Therefore the extra dollars spent on a saltwater motor are paying for ... the waranty! Quote
capt jake Posted February 3, 2004 Author Posted February 3, 2004 Mike, I have scoured you site in tha past, but I must admit I missed this. i was probably to busy in the 'building' mode. I have to re-read this tomorrw as i am beat tired now. What i saw, really got me to thinking. I am glad to hear that a freshwater electric (if properly cared for) will work fine in this application! I am steering towards this now; maybe even one of the mods I saw provided in the link! Quote
tdrown Posted February 3, 2004 Posted February 3, 2004 check www.cabelas.com . I picked up a 50# minnkota refurbished for$129 U.S. last year. It works great' date=' pushing my boat at 3 knots on the ocean.[/quote']Slightly OT, Ahh! Cabela's They just opened a 250,000 sqr. ft. retail store in Hamburg, PA that rivals most army bases of smaller nations. Hamburg is about 15 minutes West of me on I-78, that area and south of there is more or less Amish country. A picture of it is on their main site the building at the bottom. It's their only store not in the Great Lakes/Great Planes area. According to them it's going to become Pennsylvania's number one tourist attraction (beating the Liberty Bell, the Poconos, Independance Hall, and Pittsburgh I supose). I haven't been there but I've heard things. My parents went there and bought me two Class IV cushions. It's not particularly for sailors or backpackers, it's mainly aimed at fishers, hunters, and family campers. When Cabela's opened the doors to its new 250,000-square-foot retail store on Thursday, September 18, in Eastern Pennsylvania, the first of seven million annual visitors entered, positioning the store to be the largest tourist attraction in the state...#Interior features authentic fieldstone fireplaces and wood furnishings from trees recovered from fire-swept forests, and a sun-drenched atrium bathed with natural light from overhead skylights. # Indoor archery range allows customers to shoot bows for sale in the showroom before they hit the field. #Shooting gallery for kids provides the opportunity to learn basic shooting skills in a safe environment. ...there are dog kennels so customers can let their animals out to exercise while they are enjoying the store ...Large auditorium and educational center ...Specialty furniture store, art gallery and country store with homemade fudg Bah! This place is insane! I'll have to go myself sometime. Quote
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