Since this the campfire chatter area I have a question.

[oldsparkey]

OK....

Think of it as sitting around a campfire discussing the pros and cons of the two. Not what the cook is fixing for supper or Bubba falling out of his boat when trying to ......... You Know. :roll:

As some of you know I have thought about this in the past...... A gas motor costs a lot more and creates a stink unless it is a 4 cycle motor. A small 2.5 HP one.
Then there is the problem with the alcohol infused gas today , if it is not used it does collect water which goofs everything up inside the engine.
A battery will die on you eventually if not maintained and later no matter what you do.

With the trolling motor and the battery a person can get some running time and especially with the ones that have the pulse on them so the power is in pulses and not a constant direct flow to the motor. Both the trolling motor and batter would cost less in the initial purchase.

Both motors would weigh about the same ( 30 pound area ) but with the trolling motor the battery ( more weight ) can be up front as a counter balance for the motor. Especially since the motor would be used for short day runs and not the all week on the water situation.

Which was your pick and WHY......if you do not mind sharing your thoughts.

 

[mike]

I voted for small gas motor based on my perceptions of how you would use it.

From what I've read here, you like to go for extended trips away from civilization and, most importantly, electricity to charge a battery. If that is the case, the gas is the way to go.

For me, electric is best because of my camping style. I tow a travel trailer that needs electricity, water and sewer. I like my air conditioning for the 9 months of the year we need it here in Texas. As I've gotten older, using a latrine doesn't appeal to me as much as it might have in my younger years. So, my home away from home works for me. I do like my comforts. 8)

I use a 45 lb thrust electric on my 16' canoe. I carry two batteries. One great big heavy one to power the motor, and a second, light weight one for a reserve. If I accidentally use up my big battery (it hasn't happened), the little one will get me home. Works well for me. It might work for you, if you ration the use of battery power.

Mike

 

[jdupre']

I'd go with the trolling motor. It's hard to beat the "hook up and go" aspect of it. Small gas engines,and especially small 2 stroke engines, don't like sitting around waiting for a handfull of trips a year. That's one of the reasons I sold my fishing rig. Sure, some engines can sit for months and start on the first crank, but it's been my experience that idle engines are none too dependable.

Joey

 

[JEM]

I lean more toward electric simply because I have one and small gas motors tend to be loud. 4-strokes not as bad but I like the stealth of a trolling motor.

 

[BEARS BUDDY]

Electric here. I already have one and as Matt said, it's quiet. I made a long set of cables so the battery can be located anywhere in the boat to balance the load.

 

[mike]

Ditto what Matt said about stealth, and what Bear's Buddy says about the long cables. I bought a pair of cheap jumper cables with a big conductor, cut off one end, and attached a plug on the cut off end. I put the opposite plug on the trolling motor cable. Quick hook up and the battery can be anywhere in the boat.

Mike

 

[oldsparkey]

Mike likes his comforts and so do I ..... if I was in a campground that had electricity supplied to the campsites , like the Okefenokee on the west side.... I could go out all day on the battery , then come back in and recharge it for the next day at the camp site . Have the best of both worlds.

As far as being on an area for several days and covering a lot of miles , say a 12 day trip....... The canoe does that for me with a paddle.
Not saying a gas motor on the boat in the Glades ( 10,000 Islands area ) is a bad idea , that is just something a thinking person would do. Been there without one and then there with one , with the one was a lot easier and a darn site more fun , wale anyway a lot less work.

MIKE....
I did the same thing with the heavy duty jumpers in a canoe I had since I wanted the battery up in the front of the boat....... It worked like a dream.

I appreciate the response so keep them coming .... With any luck we will have a section to refer folks to when they ask the same thing.

 

[dawallace45]

Forward mounted electric with two batteries and a remote

Better for fishing out of , can hold position on a snag better , nice and quiet , good for fishing and hunting

David

 

[Kayak Jack]

I'm not paddling where you are, but for wherever I've been, I'll stick with my kayak paddle for everything. Rivers, lakes, bayous, open water, etc. have all accommodated it. Doesn't weigh much, always works, and can be used to prop up one corner of a rain fly.

But, then, I don't paddle where you do.

 

[gbinga]

For as long as you are able to use paddles / oars for primary propulsion when and if you need to, I'd go with the electric for all the same reasons David mentioned. Not sure if I'd mount front or rear.

If I was using it to drive the boat, then rear.

If I was using it to hold position and maneuver while fishing (like we normally use a trolling motor) then probably front.

If there was any doubt in my mind about being able to row / paddle myself home, I'd think really hard about a small 4c gas engine. A half gallon of gas will run a little motor like that a long, long time, and the motors they have now are a lot more reliable than what they had 10/20 years ago.

George

 

[Kayak Jack]

<SNIP> and the motors they have now are a lot more reliable than what they had 10/20 years ago.

Electronic ignition made a BIG difference. And, better carbs or even fuel injection too. Getting rid of lead in the gas also made a big difference.

 

[catfish]

chuck i voted for the gas because like george said they have come along way in the past years and gas miledge is better. i do lot of fishing from my john boat at night & the marine battery i have is the bigger one & it is heavy. the smaller one might do for what you would use it for or like someone said have a back up battery maybe that way two smaller size batteries? i wouldn,t be afraid to say the trolling battery i have may weigh more than a small four stroke & the gas?

p.s you aint suppose to let a gas one set up you supposed to use it several times a month. :mrgreen: :lol: that way the gas don,t go bad. sea foam might be an option too?

 

[Kayak Jack]

Here's a thought. If a boat capsized, an outboard can be gotten running again to get your home. A battery would likely be lost overboard, if located damned difficult to get back into the boat, and likely discharged by then anyway. Reliability could be a consideration.

 

[gbinga]

You can get batteries that are sealed. Still damned heavy though. Probably ought to be strapped to the boat so it can't fall out... or maybe not. That is a discussion in itself. Better off strapping down the battery so you don't lose it if you capsize, or leaving it loose so that it automatically dumps. Which is safer?

GB

 

[Bellybuster]

I vote for electric, Ipersonally find gas motors obnoxious. yes they do a great job but that constant noise goes against why I get out there in the first place.
Battery technology is making some huge leaps right now in the weight department and as soon as the price comes down a 10lbs lithium battery should give the electric motor some serious run time especially with PWM control

 

[Kayak Jack]

BB, speak to me in terms of more information about battery advances? I'd expected that step about 8 years ago, but light bulbs (LED's) jumped in first to save them. Where are you getting the info? Inquiring minds (well, one of'em, anyway) want to know.

 

[oldsparkey]

Some trolling motors come with the lithium battery's and some even have them built into the motor so it is a complete package.

Just one example of a complete unit...............
The Torqeedo Travel is a true lightweight: with a total weight of 25 pounds (short shaft version) including battery. The price is something else $1,599 and a spare battery is only $ 599.00.
Slightly more then the normal deep cycle battery at $ 69.00 and a motor for around $ 150.00. :roll:

http://www.tackletour.com/reviewtorqeedopreview.html

Here is an interesting article about the lithium battery's by a manufacture.
http://www.boatweb.com.au/2008/04/lithi ... lications/

Chuck.

 

[Kayak Jack]

Thanks, damned interesting. Good news. When the prices come down, and they surely will, that will be a battery to behold.

 

[oldsparkey]

Lead acid battery ( the normal one ) is good for about 200 recharges , on the average.
The lithium battery being about 60% lighter has a life time of about 20 years , that's the advantage of it. The newer ones he was talking about in his article even have a faster recharge time then the standard battery.
They are making a lot of progress.

 

[Kayak Jack]

<SNIP> They are making a lot of progress.

Good news for us consumer-types.