Inflatable boat / trolling motor setup

[mrtr33]

Looking for some advice, should you have any to give.

I have a large inflatable boat. Just don't have the room to store a hardbottom boat - yet. Anyway, I would like to put a trolling motor on the back. I think I've decided on the Minn Kota Eudora 30 model. Where I get confused is with the battery. From the research I've done, it looks like I'll need a marine deep cycle battery, rather than a car battery. I will probably get a portable (not on board) charger for it. Is this a good way to go? Any suggestions? I'm just going to use it to fish out of. Obviously no waterskiing or anything.

Thanks in advance.

[Corvin]

My father used to have a 14' Transom canoe from Sportspal, he used a trolling motor with a marine battery and he had a charger in the house.

It worked out great, we used to row out past the weeds and then motor over to where the fish were.

We used to get a good hour or so of run time on a fresh charge.

He used to put the battery on the charger's slow charge setting when he got back from fishing.

I think that the difference in the batteries is that car batteries are pretty much useless if you discharge them more then 40%, where the marine battery can be almost fully discharged and still recharge.

[bigwhiteash]

Yep.. deep cycle is the way to go.


You can get away with a car battery for light use.. an hour or so on the troll before charging.

[CAJUNBLAZE]

Don't let the gators chew on the boat!

How large is the inflatable?

Rich

[kevin7]

Corvin nailed it.

[Bassfever]

Yup. Optima blue is a good battery. I have 3 in my boat for the 5th season and they are still going strong. Ya put the boat in the water then ya can drop the troller and battery in and ya dont need anyone to help. I am actually at Champlain now for the week nailing the smallies. Have fun