Trolling motors with electric power offer silent movement, clear environment and low prices. To make boating more affordable and save environment, we are now offering 55lbs 12V Trolling Motors that are popular in Europe and Australia.
What makes this particular trolling motor extremely unique is a 26" custom-cut short shaft to better fit transoms of inflatable boats, rafts. KaBoats, kayaks or canoes. You would not find 55lbs Electric Trolling Motor with a short shaft anywhere else. This is the only place where you can get it! See instructions below how to build kayak motor mount under $50 bucks!
Another very unique feature of this trolling motor is a tilting throttle handle with 10 adjustable positions. Adjustable handle allows it to be lifted almost 45 degree up, or all the way down, parallel to the motor shaft. This makes trolling motor more portable, compact and allow much easier transportation and storage than other brands trolling motors with fixed perpendicularly trolling handle. Adjustable angle throttle handle also makes motor operation more comfortable, because you can raise it up or tilt down.
Our 55lbs model uses 12V, with 50 Amp Max Draw. Battery Level reader built into controller housing displays accurate available battery power, and shows when battery need a recharging.
This electric trolling motor is salt water ready, and can be used in an ocean, but we highly recommend washing it out with fresh water after each salt water use to extend motor's lifespan.
To operate this Trolling motor you will need 12V Deep Cycle battery that sold in any hardware or auto store. You can get Deep Cycle battery in Wall-Mart or Costco for about $55. High-end Deep Cycle battery will run about $140. To charge battery you will also need Battery Charger, that will run about $30 to $60 depending on a brand.
QUICK TIP: The best set up in our opinion is to have 2 smaller deep cycle batteries instead of 1 full-size heavy one. It is much easier to separately move 2 smaller batteries than haul 1 heavy standard size battery. Small foldable hand cart is highly recommended to move full size deep cycle batteries. But, if you have 2 small batteries, as sold at Outdoor World for example, then you can use first battery to ride to your fishing destination, and once it is fully depleted, use second battery to get back. This way, you don't have to wonder if remaining juice in only one full-size deep cycle battery would be enough for you to get back.
It is very easy to build kayak motor mount for electric trolling motor using materials sold in local hardware stores. Since most sit-on-top kayaks has drain holes, all you need to do is to get sturdy piece of plywood, about 40" long x 12" wide, that will act as a base. Then screw two 1" diameter galvanized pipe nipples on sets of flanges that sold in a plumbing section of Home Depot.
Pipe nipples mounted vertical on a bottom of plywood base will be inserted into matching drain holes of your kayak, to hold it from sliding. Short piece of 2x4 wood screwed to left or right side of plywood will act as a motor mount plate. Igloo cooler with battery inside will be placed on opposite side of motor mount plate, to counterweight trolling motor weight and torque.
You can secure cooler to plywood base with couple of cabin door hooks or bungee cord. You will need to move cooler on plywood base to find optimum position to provide best balance, and then run cables from electric trolling motor to deep cycle battery inside that cooler. You can also mount fish rod holders and storage basked directly to the top of plywood base, between motor and cooler.
For portable storage, you will simply remove motor and cooler with battery from motor mount, remove motor mount from kayak, and unscrew pipe nipples until next fishing trip. Please note that these motor mount instructions may vary from kayak to kayak and may not work with all kayaks in existence. You may need to improvise to mount trolling motor to your particular type of kayak.
Instructions for building DIY kayak motor mounts and adapting of electric motor for hard-hull kayaks provided by one of our customers
Mounting a 55lbs OS55 trolling motor to a NATIVE 10 kayak:
Mounting a 55lbs OS55 trolling motor to a 13’ Ocean kayak:
Use two 12” long 5/8/ dia treaded rod from home depot already cut. You’ll need 4 nuts and 4 washers.
Trolling motor is the perfect add-on for your inflatable boat. When going out on the water for a day of fishing, there’s no greater tool to have at your disposal than an electric trolling motor. But there are many things about these simple motors that people do not understand, such as how long they can run on a single battery charge, or how powerful of a motor they need for their particular boat. But with just a little bit of research, you can find answers to these two all-important questions. Then you can select your trolling motor, attach it to your inflatable boat, and be out enjoying a day of fishing in no time.
How Long Can My Trolling Motor Run on a Battery Charge?
This is probably the most common question about these motors. And before spending your hard-earned money on one, you should first make sure you know all the facts. You probably want your motor to last as long as possible on a single charge, so you will need to look at the two important specs. These are the battery’s “amperage hour rating” and the motor’s “amps drawn.”
The amperage hour rating is a measure of how long the battery will supply consistent amperage to the motor. The higher the rating, the longer a battery will be able to power a motor. So what does this actually mean? It means that, for example, a 100 amperage hour battery would be able to supply 25 amps of power for 4 hours before running out. Or if your trolling motor was drawing less amps, let’s say 10, the battery could power the motor for 10 hours. It’s just that simple.
The other important piece of information to factor in when trying to figure out how long your trolling motor will power your boat on a single charge is the motor’s amps drawn. This is the “amps” part of the equation above. So, for example, if you have 80 amp battery that’s powering a trolling motor that draws 40 amps per hour at top speed, then your motor will be able to propel your boat at top speed for 2 hours.
Where Do I get Battery for My Motor?
Look on Amazon.com, Ebay, local Walmart or Costco. You will need 12V deep cycle battery. The longer batter will run the heavier it will be. You can start with 12V 35Ah small and light battery or go to big and heavy 12V 120Ah. It might be easier to have 2 separate lighter battery than to carry extra heavy big battery. You can use one battery go all way, and then 2nd battery to get back. If you get big 120Ah battery, you might also need folding hand cart to move it around. Or, you can get 12V 60Ah battery that will be in a middle. There are various options on a market. Lithium batteries while lightest around, also most expensive.
How Powerful of a Motor Do I Need?
This is the second most common question people ask when shopping for a new trolling motor for their boat. And it is a very important question, since the size of the motor you choose will not only affect your boat’s speed, but also the length of time you can travel on a single battery charge. When trying to figure out how big a motor you need, remember that a motor’s power is rated by pounds of “thrust,” which tend to range from 30 pounds on the low end to 100 pounds on the high end.
When choosing the size of your motor, the number one thing to take into account is the weight of your boat. Most manufacturers say that you need 2 pounds of thrust for every 100 pounds of boat weight, which is a good guide point when purchasing your trolling motor. But don’t forget to add in the weight of the people and equipment that the boat will be carrying when you do your calculations! You also may want to factor in the types of weather conditions and currents that you will be operating in, as these can make a huge difference in the amount of power you need from your trolling motor. That’s why it’s always smart to overestimate a little when deciding how big of a motor you need to purchase.