Drift boat motor Question

[Williedrifter]

I have A 94 willies 16x54 which I want to outfit with a tolling motor but I'm not sure what size in terms of lbs. of thrust or shaft length I will need. I want to be able to get around in lakes and possibly areas in the head of tides like the Alsea around kozy cove or the Yaquina. Would it be a better idea to get a 5-10 horse gas motor or would I be kosher with an electric?

[Pete]

I use an 8 horse, long shaft 2 cycle Merc on my 90 Willie 16x54 ... more power would just lift the bow higher. I have a set of Dol-fins which help reduce cavitation. Electric requires a battery ... I don't know if you get enough power to deal with wind or waves with that.

[Sliderite]

Hey Jay! I have both gas and an electric trolling motor for my glass driftboat. But for Fall fishing, I only bring my 8hp Merc.
Make sure if you get a gas motor that it is a LONGSHAFT for a kicker on a driftboat. I knew one guy with a shortshaft that burned up his motor since the intake was out of the water when they shifted the weight. The gas is best for tidewater since you need to go from point A to point B quick and also not fighting the tide.
Pete is right about the hp. No need to go greater than 8.. I can't even do mine full throttle without the bow so far out of the water.

[Chris Nordling]

Jay,

I have a 9.8 Merc for my aluminum driftboat, and alone or with someone else, I have no problem opening it up all the way. It's even a short shaft, just set up properly is all. I've been down to Astoria- Meggler bridge this year, although I would not reccomend it in the afternoon. Recently I've been putting in at Fred's Marina and motoring down to Frenchman's Bar(roughly 1/2 hour) on the Columbia. Hope this info helps. Be safe whatever you choose.

Chris images/icons/cool.gif

[EZ Drifter]

I use a 4 hp Yamaha longshaft on my 15' Alumaweld. It does surprisingly well in a variety of situations. I use it extensively on the Umpqua R. during the winter, coastal bays, and lakes. It will run forever on a gallon of gas.

-EZ-

[Smily]

Same as all the others.
8hp long shaft will get you around.
Just picked mine up two weeks ago.


images/icons/smile.gif Smily images/icons/smile.gif

[Master Baiter]

Both (elec/gas) are advantageous is different situations. I use a 9.9 Honda on my DB and it works excellent when traveling against the current.

[HT Buzzo]

Jay,
I have a '97 5hp Honda on my driftboat and a MinnKota65. The electric is great for trolling, but I can't get the gas motor to go slow enough for some situations. Then you have to throw out buckets or a trolling bag- its a pain.
My best recommendation is don't get a one-cylinder motor, especially for a drift boat. My 5hp Honda is a one cylinder and it rattles and shakes. Its reliable, pushes the boat fast enough for me, and is a four stroke so it doesn't put off a lot of fumes. But that shake factor is definitely not good. I'd go with an 8hp long shaft and pick up an electric if you do a lot of trolling.

Hey Pete, what are Dol-fins?

Cavitation (dictionary defn.)- "The sudden formation and collapse of low-pressure bubbles in liquids by means of mechanical forces, as those resulting from rotation of a marine propeller."

Oh no! Have I been creating and destroying bubbles and I don't even know it?

Harold images/icons/smile.gif

[cureless]

Most common and standard motor is a long shaft 8hp You will see more of that motor than any other. I think it matters not. I have an 8hp Merc. My buddy has a 9.9 4 stroke Merc both on Guide model Willy's and Mine goes as fast as his they both plow about the same. It is easier to lift mine in and out of the boat and that to me is the biggest plus. I also have an electric it is cool for some applications but I do use it less.

Cureless.

[Meridian]

My vote is a 8horse Merc with the long shaft. I have used mine for 10 years on a 16ft alumaweld drift boat, and if I had to buy another it would be the same.

[Williedrifter]

I want to try and ask this without sounding to stupid but if I were to get an electic with 50-70 lbs of thrust would I be able to launch near the head of tide on the Alsea to bobber fish and troll for Salmon or will the tides and winds play havoc with me. Does a electic have the power to push the boat a anything faster than a slow trolling gait and if so or not could a oars/trolling motor combo safely be used. I have seen trolling motors used in lakes and they seemed to do OK meaning not to fast but fast enough to feel like your moving, but I don't really have any experience with this. I would really like to get a gas 8hp but the price difference is about a thousand bucks I don't have. images/icons/grin.gif

[Snapset]

I have a 17 foot wide Bottom Glass Boat, empty weight about 450lbs, and I have used 3 different motors to push it around: 18 HP Evinrude Long Shaft, 3HP Sears, and a Minnkota 30 lb. thrust Electric. The 18 HP was fine, but no fun to pack around. I wore it out, but before it died, I made my own whale tail out of uhmw and that flat solved the plowing and front end elevating problems.

After the 18 wore out I started using a 3 hp mosquito motor, and although it didn't go very fast, it didn't raise the front end up either and it went plenty fast on lakes like Diamond and Crane Prairie where it is illegal to zoom anyway. I never used it on the bay, but if it could handle the wind at Odell, I am sure it would handle most bays. (Just not near the jaws between High and Low tides)

Well, I wore that motor out too, and I am saving for a 10 hp Honda, and in the interim I am using a 30 lb. Electric. It trolls just fine except in a heavy wind, and then I do pull the oars out, Lock the electric in a forward position, and with the combination I have been able to beat any winds. I get 8 hrs trolling on average from a good battery.

[fish forever]

i have a 50# minn Kota and can get a top speed of about 5mph in 16foot drifter(by GPS) on calm windless water. For Lakes and calm water -> no problem, and youd be surprised how fast 5mph can get you around considering drift boats can only go so fast anyway. Its variable speed, so you can troll as slow as you want. In a lake environment it can push the boat against the wind just fine, although controlling the course of a drifter in heavy lake wind is another matter. I wouldnt want to be in bay with tide or river fighting both wind and current though.

I havent taken it out in Tidewater - but have wondered how it would fare. I do know that a good tide flowing through a choke point can exceed 4knots (~5mph). Without talking to someone or seeing it done, i'm a little hesitant. At the very least - i'd take I'd take a good anchor in case you had to toss it out or beach the boat in an emergency until the tide changed. I'd also avoid trolling a heavy outgoing when i knew i couldnt cover ground against the current.

Has anyone else used an electric in tidewater?

[HT Buzzo]

Jay,
I used my 65thrust for the first time this last Thursday on Nehalem tidewater. It did great trolling with the wind and tide, but I couldn't keep a line going against the wind. Fortunately I had the 5hp Honda, and with two 5 gallon buckets out the side, it tracks fairly well. If you were just bobber fishing and not worried about trolling, a 50 thrust or better should work 90% of the time on tidewater, but carry a spare battery and beware that 10% of wind and extreme tide.

HT