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Fishing · 4 min read

How to choose a trolling motor

Three numbers decide whether a trolling motor suits your boat: thrust, shaft length and voltage. Get these right and everything else is preference.

01

Thrust: match it to your boat's weight

Heavier boats, wind and current all need more thrust. A common rule of thumb is about 2 lb of thrust for every 100 lb of fully loaded boat weight, then step up if you fish in wind or current.

02

Shaft length: keep the prop in the water

The prop should sit well below the surface even when the bow rises in a chop. Bow-mount motors need longer shafts on taller bows. As a starting point, 48" shafts suit many 16-18 ft boats and 60" shafts suit 18-21 ft boats.

03

Voltage: 12V, 24V or 36V

Higher thrust motors run on 24V or 36V, which means two or three batteries wired in series. Make sure you have the space and a charger with enough banks for the batteries you add.