Small has motor or electric trolling motor for a small tin boat

[AKRISONER]

expensive, but heavily consider a Blue Top Optima battery...when I was in the "car world" these were the go to for guys running serious electronics in their cars. The best part about them is that you can flip them any which direction do whatever you want and with them and they hold up.

 

My experience with cheaper energizer and the like batteries hasnt been great. The life span on them is a bit shotty and they also require a lot of care when it comes to making sure that they dont freeze etc. We lost 3 batteries last winter after a power outtage during a cold snap caused temperatures in our storage area to get below -30 and that was a wrap on our deep cycle marine batteries.

 

Just my two cents...

[Dutch01]

There's an article about fishing from a "tinny" in the August issue of Ontario Out of Doors. You might find some good insight there.

[Sinker]

expensive, but heavily consider a Blue Top Optima battery...when I was in the "car world" these were the go to for guys running serious electronics in their cars. The best part about them is that you can flip them any which direction do whatever you want and with them and they hold up.

 

My experience with cheaper energizer and the like batteries hasnt been great. The life span on them is a bit shotty and they also require a lot of care when it comes to making sure that they dont freeze etc. We lost 3 batteries last winter after a power outtage during a cold snap caused temperatures in our storage area to get below -30 and that was a wrap on our deep cycle marine batteries.

 

Just my two cents...

A fully charged batter won't freeze. So, losing your batteries in the cold was your fault for not having them charged, or they were already toast.

 

I don't bring mine inside ever.

 

S.

[bare foot wader]

if you buy from cdn tire, I'd check out the nautilus batteries, but make sure it's the real deep cycles, not the hybrid version...I have 2 nautilus agm31's and the nautilus onboard charger as well, was initially skeptical as they get mixed reviews but you need to take battery reviews with a grain of salt, as imo they are very dependent on properly maintaining and charging to get full useful life out of them....my batteries stay plugged in all winter while stored outside in my car port, and then asap when I get home from fishing, on my 5th year and going strong

[AKRISONER]

A fully charged batter won't freeze. So, losing your batteries in the cold was your fault for not having them charged, or they were already toast.

 

I don't bring mine inside ever.

 

S.

 

probably partially on their way out the door already anyways...further to my point about crappy walmart deep cycles. You get what you pay for.

 

Also...have you ever seen a car battery freeze in the car? I dont think it gets that cold in the kawarthas.

 

It happened one epic morning 2 winters ago up in Pointe Au baril. Nothing likes it outside when its 39 below.

[Sinker]

 

probably partially on their way out the door already anyways...further to my point about crappy walmart deep cycles. You get what you pay for.

 

Also...have you ever seen a car battery freeze in the car? I dont think it gets that cold in the kawarthas.

 

It happened one epic morning 2 winters ago up in Pointe Au baril. Nothing likes it outside when its 39 below.

It doesn't have to be that cold for a crappy battery to freeze, but a good, fully charged battery wont freeze. Its just water in them after all.....

 

The walmart batteries are made by the same company as the costco batteries, and many other "brand" batteries. You get out of them what you put into them. If you don't take care of them, they don't last.

 

S.

[Joeytier]

Hopefully you don't regret being a cheapskate and going the electric route. Wind will not be kind to you. I know you said speed is not important but it sure is nice to be able to hop from spot to spot with ease. Also, if you're fishing alone you're gonna have to load up the bow of your boat with lots of weight or buy cable extensions for your motor, one guy plus a heavy deep cycle in the back is like having a sail in the front of your boat lol

[Tjames09]

Hopefully you don't regret being a cheapskate and going the electric route. Wind will not be kind to you. I know you said speed is not important but it sure is nice to be able to hop from spot to spot with ease. Also, if you're fishing alone you're gonna have to load up the bow of your boat with lots of weight or buy cable extensions for your motor, one guy plus a heavy deep cycle in the back is like having a sail in the front of your boat lol

Still considering a gas motor as well. Just haven't found one in my budget. The electric motor I wouldn't take out to the lake portion. Just the rover.

[scuro2]

Here is a different question on the same topic.

 

If you use a good AGM 31 battery as a trolling motor for several hours how do you know when you are reaching the point of deep dischage, where more use will limit the life of your battery.

[wormdunker]

Minn Kota has a small battery gage which I have used to determine how much charge is left in the battery. Cheap, about $20. if I remember correctly. Also my Minn Kota 55lb thrust has a built in gage right on the motor.

[Old Ironmaker]

For a 12 foot tinny a good 50 lb thrust and the best battery you can afford will get the job done. If only an electric the battery is the key. For peace of mind any good gas engine up to 9.9 is the choice. Both will troll just fine.

[wormdunker]

Go to batterystuff.com they have very good info about batteries, chargers & how to maintain them properly. I purchased one of their chargers which also goes through a desulfation process as it is charging. I have an Interstate & a Nautilus which are 4 years old. They are still running strong. I recently returned from a northern Ontario trip & I was getting 12 hours trolling time out of each battery. Yes I use my 55 lb MinnKota on my 14' Lund for trolling for extended periods of time.

[scuro2]

I have a good agm 31, small tin boat, and an older Minn Kota 30 pound thrust electric. I have used this set up but got the wrong type of battery previously. It's a small lake so 30 p t is good enough for me. It's reserve capacity is rated @at 177 min @ 25 amps. Does that mean if I'm mostly trolling, roughly 3 hours?

[Old Ironmaker]

If I have learned anything about batteries I learned it from here. The #1 thing I did learn is that the difference between a $79.99 battery and the $139.99 battery that all look the same to me looking at them is that the cheap battery has less numbers of available charges in it from 20% to full charge than the more expensive battery does. So that tells me I will get better value from the more expensive battery. The other thing is that batteries sit on retailers shelves for a long time. The older batteries are brought forward on the shelve to sell first, like milk at the store. Check the manufacturers date. You can be buying a battery that is a year old when you can buy a new one. One battery manufacturer makes 80% of all batteries sold. I can't remember the company, something instruments. Then the sellers name is plastered on it. The best deals on batteries in the Hamilton/Niagara area is Acme Battery off Parkdale Ave. North, Paling Ave maybe. He will sell you the best battery available. If you want it to be an Interstate they put that wrap on it, etc. They did 20 years ago at least. They have been there for 30 years and that tells me something. I have bought cranking batteries that lasted 10 years as long as it is maintained, maybe more I sold my cars with their batteries in them. Wormdunker got a good deal in Niagara area.

 

Better yet buy a gas kicker. All this battery talk is draining. Ha.