Hey guys.

 

I just got a new zodiac style Sea Eagle boat. Its very nice, and it's got a transom to mount a small motor or trolling motor to.

 

I've decided that I would rather have a trolling motor, since the bodies of water I access aren't going to be very big, it's not really necessary.

 

That said, I'm hoping to score a relatively inexpensive trolling motor, probably used since my budget is pretty cheap.

 

I just wonder, what things would you look for in a used trolling motor. I'm pretty adept at knowing what to look for in used cars - dirty tailpipes, worn rotors, engine noises, but I know nothing about trolling motors.

 

Thanks

First I would look at the big brands, Minn Kota or Motorguide. Most likely they will have the parts if you ever need them. The older ones from companies that no longer make trolling motors your out of luck if you ever break something.

 

That said the main things I would look for is any play in the shaft itself, and the obvious. Ie, if it looks beat up or brittle dont go for it. On the newer ones look at the prop itself. If it is chewed up that usually means it was run pretty hard. Ask if you can pull the prop off which usually only requires an adjustable wrench to get the bolt off. Look for fishing line around the shaft which can indicate that the shaft seal may be shot.

 

If I were you I would look at one of the new Minn Kota Enduras or the Motorguide trolling motors. Usually you can get a decent 55 lb thrust for around $200. Much less hassle going new and if anything goes wrong you have the company to back you up.

I have a Minn Kota endura 30lb thrust that I use on my 10 ft jon boat it pushes me around just fine. Not sure te weight of your boat but this one is just around 100 lbs and usually 2 people in the boat to give you an idea. I take mine on lots of small/medium size ponds and rivers. it does just fine on big lakes just can't expect to run across the whole lake and back in 20min. Bass pro makes a good 55lb thrust if you want more power. It's called the prowler I believe. That runs about 200$ and my minn Kota ran 100$.