I have a 14 foot alumacraft jon boat.  It's got some weight to it with the wood decks and seats and such.  Right now I have a 54lb thrust motorguide electric trolling motor.  I want something that will move us a little faster.  I fish in a resavoire where only electric is allowed.

Would it be smarter to buy a second 54lbs thrust motor and have dual motors, or to buy a 24 volt motor with around 82 lbs of thrust?

Would having two motors really make a big difference, because it is much cheeper than buying a 24 volt motor?

Any advice dealing with multiple trolling motors or getting the most out of electric motors would be helpful.

Thanks!

Have you upgraded your prop yet?

http://www.kipawapropellers.com/

hmmm...

a guy I know uses two trolling motors and it seems to work fine with the exception of when he is fishing alone it is kind of a hassle to mess with two motors...but he has one on front and one on back..it is actually entertaining to watch him click one off then run to the other...we giggle.

Can you carry two batteries?

2 54# pound motors is alot of thrust...i think with just one battery I would be afraid you would not get a days fishing out of the battery...bbut adding a the weight of the second battery will negate some of the thrust of the second motor. With the 82# thrust I would worry about the wiring getting hot if it is not sized properly...which will also shorten battery life...

but the 82# thrust seems a simpler solution to me.

Those props someone else posted...they work really well on the little bass buggies and canoes I know...a noticable difference in speed, but I have never known one used on a Jon so I cannot speak for them there.

none of that was very helpful was it

First off, 54lbs of thrust is alot for a jon boat, even decked out, it doesn't weigh more than the bass trackers that are 17 ft, and they don't come with 54 lb motors.

Does your boat make the whole day trolling  with out draining down?   If not, check it for dead cell.  Or your motor magnet is going out.

If it is okay on power, them perhaps a better battery might give you more juice.

Even buying the larger trolling motors, you aren't going to get much more speed, because you will be adding either 2 or 3 batteries to operate the 24-36 volt motor.    

Rule of thumb, the better the battery, the more it weighs.

Thanks. All of that was helpful. Especially the prop information. I will go to bass pro and see if I can get a motorguide hydrilla hacker prop.

By the way, if I got a second motor I wouldn't run them off the same battery, I would get another battery as well. But I might try putting another motor on the front, I have been wanting a motor with foot controls anyway. I am always with two people so we should be able to work both motors.

My motor and battery now last as long as we fish, pretty much all day, and it never drains down too much.

I am just looking to get a little more speed, it takes forever to get to spots on the reservoire I fish on.

Thanks again.