Heresy - Trolling Motor on Capri 14.2

[dalestd]

I have just acquired a 22 year old Capri 14.2. My wife and I have enjoyed sailing the Capri on a small lake near our home. However, we must paddle down a narrow canal for 250 yards before reaching the lake. Has anyone had experience mounting a small, electric trolling motor (e.g.- Minn Kota) on the transom of a Capri 14.2? What size motor? What length of shaft? What arrangements for stowing battery and cable when motor not in use? How avoid conflict with traveller-bridle when motor not in use? - THANKS FOR PROVEN EXPERIENCE AND SUGGESTIONS

 

[Fred Rose]

Electric Capri

I would also like to have an electric trolling motor for my Capri 14. What size is appropriate?On the ESPN web site there is an article by Justin Hoffman : “Choosing the Right Trolling Motor”. The author summarizes that bigger is better and provides a chart that shows that fishing boats in the 14-15ft range should use a 12vdc motor in the 30 lb thrust range. Also get as much battery capacity as needed for an outing. If you just need to get down the arm on the lake to open water then you don’t need even a 30 lb motor or a big lead battery since sailboat hulls move effortlessly through the water. The battery placement is another consideration since small sailboats are sensitive to weight distribution. Short wires from the motor limit battery location to the stern floor. The weight to the motor and battery could total 40-50 lbs. I suppose you could get complicated and locate the battery in the bow compartment. That is a tough place to service a battery however. The battery should be enclosed in a battery box to keep from shorting out the terminals and spilling acid. The box needs to be anchored to the floor so if the sailboat dumps over – you know what can happen. If you need more battery capacity than just one can provide think about how much a storage battery weighs. Can you lift it over the side when the boat is on the trailer? Maybe 2 smaller ones in parallel would be simpler to deal with. Finally when you have the motor it must be mounted on the transom. Test the transom by pushing hard in the area where you want to mount. There should be no deflection. Protect the finish and gelcoat with a exterior grade plywood pad inside and out from the motor clamp. This mounting pad also spreads the clamping force over a larger area and reduces stress on the transom. I once read about a sailor who took a trolling motor and built a special rudder blade. He cut off the shaft and fiberglassed the motor on centerline at depth and he could turn the motor on when ever an extra boost was needed. He claimed that the drag was hardly noticed and the convenience was outstanding!

 

[Fred Rose]

Electric Capri

I would also like to have an electric trolling motor for my Capri 14. What size is appropriate?On the ESPN web site there is an article by Justin Hoffman : “Choosing the Right Trolling Motor”. The fisherman author summarizes that bigger is better and provides a chart that shows that fishing boats in the 14-15ft range should use a 12vdc motor in the 30 lb thrust range. Also get as much battery capacity as needed for an outing. If you just need to get down the arm on the lake to open water then you don’t need even a 30 lb motor or a big lead battery since sailboat hulls move effortlessly through the water. Borrow a motor from someone and experiment.The battery placement is another consideration since small sailboats are sensitive to weight distribution. Short wires from the motor limit battery location to the stern floor. The weight to the motor and battery could total 40-50 lbs. I suppose you could get complicated and locate the battery in the bow compartment. That is a tough place to service a battery however. The battery should be enclosed in a battery box to keep from shorting out the terminals and spilling acid. The box needs to be anchored to the floor so if the sailboat dumps over – you know what can happen. Think about how much a storage battery weighs. Can you lift the battery over the side when the boat is on the trailer? Maybe 2 smaller ones in parallel would be simpler to deal with. Finally when you have the motor it must be mounted on the transom. Test the transom by pushing hard in the area where you want to mount. There should be no deflection. Protect the finish and gelcoat with a exterior grade plywood pad inside and out from the motor clamp. This mounting pad also spreads the clamping force over a larger area and reduces stress on the transom. So what to do with the snag hazard of the trolling motor handle? I have seen some small sailboats that tip the motor 90deg. out of the water when sailing. The shaft is horizontal but the rig is unsightly and still looks like a snag hazard - just in a different place. Or you could dismount the motor when underway and stow it in a duffle bag on the cockpit floor while sailing. Are there other locations? I suppose one could take a bow mounted motor and do it that way with a custom bracket on the nose. The motor could swing up alongside like an anchor on the old square riggers. This would be advantagous for weight distribution and out of the way of rigging. Canoes use a side mount and this also would work on a small sailboat since the steering forces of the rudder and partial centerboard is great enough to offset the thrust on the side. Personally I have been using oars with curved shafts that stow in brackets along the cockpit sides. They push stronger than canoe paddles and can be used for considerable distances in a calm. They never catch on anything, didn't cost much and don't need re-charging. I once read about a sailor who took a trolling motor and built a special rudder blade. He cut off the shaft and fiberglassed the motor on centerline at depth. He re-mounted the switch on the tiller handle so he could turn the motor on when ever an extra boost was needed. He claimed that the drag was hardly noticed and the convenience was outstanding!