Hi Everyone !

 

I am enjoying this fine community and have been busy reading posts on all different topics but thought I’d ask one particular question I’ve been thinking through as I prepare for my first Kayak Bass fishing tournament.

 

I have a 15’ 6 “ sit inside kayak (Wilderness Systems Pamlico Excel) that I’ve been setting up for the Kayak Bass fishing league I joined and I am trying to install the trolling motor and marine battery I purchased - here’s what I’ve got:

Trolling Motor:

Minn Kota Endura Pro 55 lb Thrust (36”)

Marine Battery:

Mighty Max 12v 110ah AGM deep cycle 

Trolling Motor Mount:

Railblaza Kayak Motor Mount

 

My main question is where is the ideal location for the battery since the one I have is 68 lbs ?  I called Minn Kota before I purchased the battery and they said they recommend a battery with at least 110ah.

Also the Railblaza Kayak motor mount I bought is a side mount so I am trying to determine best placement for it as well.

 

ive read that since I am right handed it is better to mount the motor on the left side and I’ve seen pics of people who have installed their kayak trolling motors just behind the seat (which makes sense so they can turn and reach the handle to adjust speed and steer, etc.).  But I’ve also read that if the trolling motor is mounted on the side it will perform best if mounted more towards the back of the kayak vs the middle.

 

Trolling motor is heavy (not sure exact weight), I am 220 lbs and will be seated in the middle (although I can move closer front or back if it’s helpful) and the battery is 68 lbs.

 

From what little I could find re: battery placement, it seems the best spot MIGHT be towards the front of the kayak to counter balance the weight of the trolling motor but then I’ve also seen folks have their battery right by or under their seat which is also right near the trolling motor - to me that seems like too much weight all in one part of the boat.

 

Looking forward to everyone’s thoughts and questions !

 

Joe

Want to make sure I posted this in the right section - please let me know !

 

I could really use advice from those who have been there done that as I am trying to get ready for my first kayak fishing tournament by April 18th.  Will be doing another two in the weeks following as well so want to make sure I position my trolling motor and battery in the best possible spots out of the gate so I can do little tweaks to optimize but at least avoid some big mistakes based on my inexperience.

 

Thanks so much !

 

Joe

I don't have any direct advice, sorry, since I don't have a trolling motor on my kayak. But I have done many canoe camping trips that involving loading boats with gear and weight and paddling those in wind and waves. You have a big kayak with a trimmable seat. In the absence of a reason to do otherwise, I think the default would be to trim the boat as neutral as possible, and slide your seat to adjust if necessary. You are not paddling, so this matters less, but the boat will still run best if the trim is right. Trim "neutral" meaning you want the boat to be floating equally, so without more weight in the front or the back.  So I would take your boat to a lake, and mount the motor and your heavy gear, and then figure out the best spot (almost certainly in the front) to put the battery to try to offset the weight of the motor.

Thank you so much Michaelb - what you said makes sense and I really appreciate the guidance - thank you !

 

Joe

My motor battery is probably about 7 pounds, I have it strapped between my seat and my crate.

Hi Okinawa,

     Do I sense a fellow marine there? Regarding the battery, Michaelb had it spot on! You want to try to keep the ends (bow and stern) light.  The AGM battery at 68#'s is a serious load. I don't know if you can return it or not. Think about what would happen with the battery inside the hull of your kayak if you would flip/capsize. There are several companies that make lithium Ion batteries that are a lot lighter (1/2 the weight) but also they cost a heck of a lot more.  You can probably get away with less then a 110ah battery.  Do some research if you like, Dakota lithium and FPV make large enough lithium batteries for trolling motor use. The 100ah Dakota Lithium battery is $899 plus you'd need the right sized charger for it at another $199. 

    With a side mounted motor in a kayak you would have to be really, really careful that you don't turn the motor on (especially on high) with it pointed perpendicular ( 90 degrees to the bow or stern) of your kayak.  The torque could very likely flip your kayak (don't ask me how I know). that way I won't have to tell you about mounting a trolling motor on a racing canoe and the results of not pointing the motor in the proper direction. 

     Last but not least, if you do someday flip your kayak and fill up the hull with water. First is can you get out safely, second is do you have enough flotation to keep the kayak from sinking. 

     I'm attaching a link for Cubitainers for a Laser sailboat. I'm sure you can do something similar for your kayak.  The Cubitainers are cheap insurance to possibly preventing a catastrophic accident.

Best regards and good luck with your project and safe kayak fishing to you,

FM

 

Link for Cubitainer:  https://www.intensitysails.com/10licuflforl.html

 

Link for Dakota Lithium:  https://dakotalithium.com/product/dakota-lithium-12v-100ah-deep-cyle-lifepo4-marine-solar-battery/

I use a 100Ah lead acid battery in my kayak that weighs about the same.  And while I was tempted to try a lithium ion battery, there are a few things that kept me away from it.  First, the cost.  Second, they can explode (small risk, but still a risk), and the best place to put a heavy battery in a kayak is right next to you, which is the last place you want something that is known to explode.  And we're not talking about an e-cigarette or smart phone battery here.  These things are huge!  Third, they output a higher voltage than standard batteries, and this can damage some trolling motors.  (https://www.minnkotamotors.com/support/faqs/can-i-use-lithium-ion-batteries-my-minn-kota-trolling-motor)  So if you're using a lithium battery, you need to keep the trolling motor down below 85%.  And that's fine for a fishing boat where you rarely run a trolling motor full on because they're too loud that way.  But in a kayak, the trolling motor is your primary motor, so running it full tilt is it's primary purpose.  

 

Still, I might get a lithium battery one day.  The LiFePO4 technology they use are less likely to explode than the lithium ion types found in phones and stuff.  And running it at 85% should equal the same voltage and thus same thrust as running a normal battery at 100%, so it's more of an annoying thing to keep in mind than a true loss in speed.  And costs are coming down.  Just make sure that the current draw of the motor is a lot lower than the max current output of the battery, or your significantly increase the risk of explosion!  Which means if you went this route, it would probably be wise to downgrade to a 30lb thrust motor for safety.  That, and it being a kayak, your top speed is a lot more likely to be limited by your hull design than the thrust of the motor.  

 

Anyway, I keep my battery directly behind me.  I have the motor (MK Endura C2 30) right behind me to my left, hanging about six inches out on the out side of the hull, and the battery is about the same distance back behind me, but on the right side up against the inside of the hull.  I have the battery oriented with the short sides pointing towards the bow and stern.  The reason for this position is because it balances the kayak from side to side.  The motor weighs a lot less, but since it's further out, it exerts more leverage against the center of gravity.  So in this position, they cancel each other out.  The problem I have, is with it's weight and my own weight, it overloads the stern a bit, and pushes the bow up higher than it should be.  It's nothing crazy and doesn't make the kayak hard to maneuver on the water.  But on land, it's way to heavy and if you tip it just the slightest bit to one side or the other, it wants to topple over.  So I have to load the battery and motor in the water, and everything else on land.  

 

 

Most of the lakes I fish are electric only and under 200 acres. 

I rarely run out of juice with a 35 ah AGM.......but have fighting wind.

 

My kayak is heavy and on occasion will carry a smaller 27 ah battery. 

68 lbs, wow.

Good advice all along here.  I recently motorized my kayak but went wit ha different motor and sprung for the LiFePO4 lithium batteries to wire in series to get etc 24V i need for my motor.  I am in the process of building a box to go underneath the seat of my ATAK 140.

 

I know they are expensive but I can get a smaller lighter battery that has a lot more run time than an equivalent as the batteries allow for more use of the battery itself since traditional batteries are pretty much done at 50% use.

 

As far as where to put it, you are gonna have to figure it out on your boat with your gear.  I messed around with my battery placement of only around 20lbs and saw a difference which is why i went with under my seat.