# Trolling motor speed



## JohnK (May 10, 2016)

I switched from a motorguide variable speed 55 lb thrust to a minn kota variable speed  55 lb thrust and it is much slower than the motorguide. The motor seems good so.....I guess it's a function of rpm and prop pitch. Anybody else have any issues like this? Can I get different pitches on a trolling motor prop? It's fast enough for my use but it is way slower than the motorguide, likely 30%.


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## Knotmuch (May 10, 2016)

My Dad's Motor Guide is the same way. I have the Minn Kota, both are the same thrust too.


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## JohnK (May 10, 2016)

Knotmuch said:


> My Dad's Motor Guide is the same way. I have the Minn Kota, both are the same thrust too.



Funny no one mentions that when they ravin' bout which one is best. A 5 speed motorguide 45 lb thrust will out run this motor (had two of them) with no problem. Maybe it would be better on a heavier boat. My depth finders seem more compatible with the minn kota so that's good.


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## JohnK (May 11, 2016)

So why is it that when some guy on here with a jon boat etc. asks about which trolling motor to buy the advice is "get the biggest you can afford?" The evidence I'm seeing and what you're saying seems to be that he could save a few hundred on the motor and conductors with similar results.


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## TroyBoy30 (May 11, 2016)

Eugene Stinson said:


> "Electric trolling motors are chosen by thrust. Higher pounds of thrust WILL NOT move a boat faster. In fact two 55 pound thrust motors will not move you any faster than one 30 pound thrust motor in a lite weight boat. Higher thrust 12V trolling motors are designed for bigger heavier boats with larger payloads. The maximum speed of a trolling motor is 5 mph regardless of how many pounds of thrust you have." (Tim Ryerson)
> IMO it is the prop that will make one go faster than the other of the same trust. A higher pitch will drain the battery faster but go faster.



hu


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## lx708 (May 11, 2016)

Eugene Stinson said:


> "Electric trolling motors are chosen by thrust. Higher pounds of thrust WILL NOT move a boat faster. In fact two 55 pound thrust motors will not move you any faster than one 30 pound thrust motor in a lite weight boat. Higher thrust 12V trolling motors are designed for bigger heavier boats with larger payloads. The maximum speed of a trolling motor is 5 mph regardless of how many pounds of thrust you have." (Tim Ryerson)
> IMO it is the prop that will make one go faster than the other of the same trust. A higher pitch will drain the battery faster but go faster.



Maximum number on the power dial maybe 5 ..... i'm sure it doesn't mean 5MPH. I promise you that 110 pounds of thrust(two 55lb thrust) will move your boat faster that 30lb thrust will. (ME)


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## REUSSERY (May 11, 2016)

A life long buddy of mine has a 18' fishing toon with a 12v, 55#, wireless Motor Guide hanging off the front, typically, he gets about 5 solid hours (a full day of crappie trolling in the morning and again in the evening) before his single batt gives out. I purchased an identical pontoon (same make and length), but decided to go with a 24v, 75# wireless Motor Guide based on the performance of his 12v motor. The is no comparison, my toon with its 24v motor will run circles around his with his 55# motor and last for two days of crappie fishing (trolling for about 9 hrs total) before needing a recharge. I don't know who (Tim Ryerson) is, but he needs to go for a spin in our pontoons and get himself recalibrated. Thrust is the only difference, but it makes all the difference.


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## StriperrHunterr (May 11, 2016)

JohnK said:


> So why is it that when some guy on here with a jon boat etc. asks about which trolling motor to buy the advice is "get the biggest you can afford?" The evidence I'm seeing and what you're saying seems to be that he could save a few hundred on the motor and conductors with similar results.



Because a higher thrust motor allows you to run it at lower settings reducing the draw on the battery and extending life. 

Clearly we need to do the 55lb vs 30lb in a 10 ft jon with an identical setup other than that. Even go so far as to change the prop over to keep that constant.


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## BoosterC (May 11, 2016)

Eugene Stinson said:


> "Electric trolling motors are chosen by thrust. Higher pounds of thrust WILL NOT move a boat faster. In fact two 55 pound thrust motors will not move you any faster than one 30 pound thrust motor in a lite weight boat. Higher thrust 12V trolling motors are designed for bigger heavier boats with larger payloads. The maximum speed of a trolling motor is 5 mph regardless of how many pounds of thrust you have." (Tim Ryerson)
> IMO it is the prop that will make one go faster than the other of the same trust. A higher pitch will drain the battery faster but go faster.



Sorry but that's flat out false.  Hull design determines maximum nonplaning speed.  Your buddy needs to take some physics classes.


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## JohnK (May 11, 2016)

BoosterC said:


> Sorry but that's flat out false.  Hull design determines maximum nonplaning speed.  Your buddy needs to take some physics classes.



Well, we started out with 2 different variable speed motors, both 55 lb thrust, ran on the same hull and one is maybe 25-30% slower than the other manufacturer. (The minn kota is a 2 blade prop vs 3 blade on the motorguide.)


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## JohnK (May 12, 2016)

Seems likely that at a constant rpm and pitch the jon boat can only go so fast and using a 5hp or a 20 hp motor ain't gonna change that.
Plus, I don't know that a 2 hp and a 4 hp at the same voltage, rpm and pitch use different amounts of current to push the same load at the same speed. They are doing the same amount of work.


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## BendItBig (May 12, 2016)

I put two 30lb thrust motors on a pond prowler and that thing BOOGIED!!


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## chewy32 (May 12, 2016)

The bigger the better the more expensive I'm in a trolling motor club and I can say the guys with a couple 101's will smoke my 2 55's but weight has a big part in this. Same as with any motor in a car or gas boat


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## TJBassin (May 15, 2016)

Go bigger go faster. What i have noticed anyway.


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## JJhunts (May 16, 2016)

TJBassin said:


> Go bigger go faster. What i have noticed anyway.



Yes. I have electric boat with 4 trolling motors. These folks are overthinking this whole deal.


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## DAWGFISH66 (May 18, 2016)

I'm running 3 36volt Motorguides on very heavy 17 foot aluminum Polar Kraft.... Top speed is about 6.2 MPH.  It's all about your boat's hull speed till you get it up on pad.


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