Engine Mount Trolling Motors

I am thinking about putting on a Minn-Kota engine mount trolling motor. I’m not completely sure if i want to go this route or not. I just have a few questions about them.

First of all they require you to drill holes through your motor cavitation plate to mount it to the outboard motor. I just purchased a new 150 e-tec and I am kind of leary about putting holes in my brand new motor.

Also if i do this would it void out the warranty on my brand new e-tec motor?

I can see the advantages of using this motor. Mainly half the cost of a Yamaha t-8 kicker. Also it would be nice to not spook fish if trolling in shallow waters. I also think that you could get great speed control with the dial indicator control. (similiar to the trollmaster system)

How does it affect the performance of the outboard motor? Minn-Kota claims that it does not hinder the outboard performance… But I still have my reservations about this

Does anybody out there have any experience with these motors? I’m wondering if I’m better off going the route of the Yamaha T-8 kicker or the Minn-kota engine mount motor.Any input would be appreciated.

Thank you

RJ

I am also curious as to the actual performance of these types of motors. Any input would be appreciated.

JD

A friend of mine had one on a 17 foot glass boat with a 90 hp Yamaha.

It did not effect boat/motor performance or hole shot. It worked fairly well in clam to moderate chop. Any more than that and it did not push/control boat well. Not enough guts to troll into a chop and if you were in following waves, the motor had a tendency to cavitate. In other words the props would come out of the water when the boat crested the wave.

My friend took the motor off and sold it after one season. Any shop that repairs props and skegs can fix the drill holes in the lower unit.

-J.

I was kind of thinking that the motor may come out of the water if there are waves. How many lbs of thrust did he have?

They do work under certain conditions. They do provide a way to quietly propel your boat. If removed, fill the holes in the cavitation plate with epoxy, sand, and paint.

But,
They can come out of the water in wavy conditions. They can make precise boat positioning more difficult than other trolling motors. It may be impossible to go from downwind to upwind or maintain a crosswind course in a stronger wind. The operator must control direction by using the boat’s steering wheel which can be a bit more difficult because of power steering.

They have their place, but also their limitations.