What do I need for a trolling motor

[superbeegt]

I'm looking to buy a trolling motor for my 14ft aluminium boat. It's hard to idle the 9.9 hp outboard and get an even slow enough speed. I only make it out on the water with the boat a couple times a year (also have a stocked trout pond and do some stream fishing) so I can't justify spending a ton of money. What suggestions do you have?

[Guitarplayingfish]

I'm looking to buy a trolling motor for my 14ft aluminium boat. It's hard to idle the 9.9 hp outboard and get an even slow enough speed. I only make it out on the water with the boat a couple times a year (also have a stocked trout pond and do some stream fishing) so I can't justify spending a ton of money. What suggestions do you have?

Depending on the bodies of water you plan on fishing, minnikota or whatever the heck brand it is makes good electric motors.. Looking at getting one for myself here as recommended by Npauls.

Regardless, I would say electric motor would be best. As long as you charged, you should be able to keep a perfect trolling speed consistently.

[seahawkfisher]

i would get a 55lb for a boat that size; i have one on a 16.5' fiberglas and it gets the job done well. mine's a minnkota powerdrive V2 and i would get another in a second. It's a bow mount, which may take a little fanangling to mount in your situation but well worth the effort for the better manouverability over a transom mount
my 0.02 bits

cheers

[TROLLER]

Electric is fine but if the wind comes up and you are at the far end of the lake you could be in some serious trouble.

Before I went to the 9.9 I had an Evinrude 5 4 srtroke, great motor but not enough for my Crestliner in the wind.

I cannot figure how the 9.9 wont troll slow enough for you, if that is really the case then buy a wind sock to slow it down or tie a bucket onto a rope and throw that out.

[Geezle]

Is your 9.9 running properly?

I run a 9.9 Merc on a narrow 12' aluminum and it goes plenty slow at idle for trolling, and if I'm bucking the wind I may have to even give it a little juice to maintain my speed.

[Kokanee9]

I cannot figure how the 9.9 wont troll slow enough for you, if that is really the case then buy a wind sock to slow it down or tie a bucket onto a rope and throw that out.

Excellent ideas in the quote above.

On the boat I have now, I use a windsock. On other boats I have used a bucket with 2 holes drilled where the handle went in. I put rope through the 2 holes so it could move on the rope whenever the motor was turned. Look for the widest pail and use that.

Also, what about changing the prop on your boat to 1 that has a shallower pitch? The prop would turn the same speed, but it would be wanting to push the boat thru the water less. That would be cheaper than an electric motor and a deep cycle battery.