great white
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- Jun 15, 2011
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My 12 foot tinny is very weight sensitive because, well......it's only a 12 footer.
To that end, I'm not intending to run a trolling motor. Wouldn't have much use for it the way I use my boat. I also have a johnny 2 hp (used as emergency propulsion if the 8 hp dies) on the transom that I have converted to electronic ignition and will idle so low you can almost count the sparks. The 2 HP can do trolling duty if I ever decide to do a down-rigger, which would fit the type of fishing I occasionally do. Yeah, I could probably drop the 20 lb johhny and run a trolling motor instead, but that means a bigger battery and less (for my purposes) utility I can get from the gas motor. After the big trolling battery, wiring, mounting and trolling motor, I'd probably have more weight than just running the 2 hp johnny.
So all my battery will have to run is:
1. 200 GPH bilge pump used for daily duties. Draws 1.7 amps, rated 10 gph @ 5 feet lift, not much more than a washer motor pump really.
2. 2000 GPH pump. Backup in case I hole the hull and the 200 gph can't keep up, 11 amp draw, 1200 gph @ 5 feet lift.
3. An led bow light and stern light. Removable type, I almost never run the boat after dark.
Even my fish finder is an older (and portable) humminbird 100 wide and it runs off it's own bank of 2 six volt batteries. I really just use it for a depth sounder as I go where I know there is fish when I want to fish. Seems a little "unsporting" to me to use a fish finder anyways. I'm not that serious about catching anyways. As I mantioned, I'm more interested in where the bottom is.
The main motor (johhny 8 hp) will plane the boat right now with me and my gear in it, but will plow with two full size guys. I'm usually by myself, so that's not a problem. But I don't want to add much more weight than I already have and as batteries get bigger, the get really heavy, really fast.
Here's a couple older pictures of what's already in the boat:
It's since been fully carpeted (bottom deck is foam standing mats) and the rear bench has been reduced a bit (radio and slots have been removed to move the tiller seat aft to a more comfortable running position). It still planes and floats like it used to, but you can see why I'm concerned about adding more weight than needed.
How small a battery do you think I can get away with?
I actually have a couple motorcycle batteries I have been considering trying. What I really need it for is to run the bilge pumps in the event of an emergency. The rest of the time the batteries are just along for the ride.....
To that end, I'm not intending to run a trolling motor. Wouldn't have much use for it the way I use my boat. I also have a johnny 2 hp (used as emergency propulsion if the 8 hp dies) on the transom that I have converted to electronic ignition and will idle so low you can almost count the sparks. The 2 HP can do trolling duty if I ever decide to do a down-rigger, which would fit the type of fishing I occasionally do. Yeah, I could probably drop the 20 lb johhny and run a trolling motor instead, but that means a bigger battery and less (for my purposes) utility I can get from the gas motor. After the big trolling battery, wiring, mounting and trolling motor, I'd probably have more weight than just running the 2 hp johnny.
So all my battery will have to run is:
1. 200 GPH bilge pump used for daily duties. Draws 1.7 amps, rated 10 gph @ 5 feet lift, not much more than a washer motor pump really.
2. 2000 GPH pump. Backup in case I hole the hull and the 200 gph can't keep up, 11 amp draw, 1200 gph @ 5 feet lift.
3. An led bow light and stern light. Removable type, I almost never run the boat after dark.
Even my fish finder is an older (and portable) humminbird 100 wide and it runs off it's own bank of 2 six volt batteries. I really just use it for a depth sounder as I go where I know there is fish when I want to fish. Seems a little "unsporting" to me to use a fish finder anyways. I'm not that serious about catching anyways. As I mantioned, I'm more interested in where the bottom is.
The main motor (johhny 8 hp) will plane the boat right now with me and my gear in it, but will plow with two full size guys. I'm usually by myself, so that's not a problem. But I don't want to add much more weight than I already have and as batteries get bigger, the get really heavy, really fast.
Here's a couple older pictures of what's already in the boat:
It's since been fully carpeted (bottom deck is foam standing mats) and the rear bench has been reduced a bit (radio and slots have been removed to move the tiller seat aft to a more comfortable running position). It still planes and floats like it used to, but you can see why I'm concerned about adding more weight than needed.
How small a battery do you think I can get away with?
I actually have a couple motorcycle batteries I have been considering trying. What I really need it for is to run the bilge pumps in the event of an emergency. The rest of the time the batteries are just along for the ride.....