Using a trolling motor on small boat

[LloydB]

It's a sailboat if you are going for a 3 hour tour start with your upwind leg first. If it's for the weekend how large is your cooler.

 

[SandCat]

I really enjoyed using a Minn Kota 30lb thrust on a heavy old 14 footer to get out on the lake. The silent instant on power is ideal for sailboats IMHO, and no gas or starting to work about. It just goes. Sure there are concerns like capsizing with a battery but all of sailing is a great exercise in problem solving. And small ICE outboards are notoriously unreliable if not run regularly. One suggestion - find an easy way to charge your battery, like solar or shore power. Lugging a deep cycle battery home is no fun.

 

[Project_Mayhem]

I really enjoyed using a Minn Kota 30lb thrust on a heavy old 14 footer to get out on the lake. The silent instant on power is ideal for sailboats IMHO, and no gas or starting to work about. It just goes. Sure there are concerns like capsizing with a battery but all of sailing is a great exercise in problem solving. And small ICE outboards are notoriously unreliable if not run regularly. One suggestion - find an easy way to charge your battery, like solar or shore power. Lugging a deep cycle battery home is no fun.

Most of us dont really need a full size deep cycle battery for this purpose. I can do about six trips with a 10 amp gel cell on my dinghy

 

[Tater]

I really enjoyed using a Minn Kota 30lb thrust on a heavy old 14 footer to get out on the lake. The silent instant on power is ideal for sailboats IMHO, and no gas or starting to work about. It just goes. Sure there are concerns like capsizing with a battery but all of sailing is a great exercise in problem solving. And small ICE outboards are notoriously unreliable if not run regularly. One suggestion - find an easy way to charge your battery, like solar or shore power. Lugging a deep cycle battery home is no fun.

My battery is multi-purpose. It provides backup power for my amateur radio station and emergency lighting in the house. During this time it gets a "float" charge. It is also used for fishing and now the 170. I don't like being becalmed so I'll carry this heavy battery.