Trolling motor: 30 lb. vs. 55 lb. ? 2025
kyron4 reply :
I have a heavy duty 10' flat bottom aluminum jon boat; loaded with gear and two people a total weight of about 500- 550 lbs. Right now I have a Motor Guide 30lb thrust transom mounted 12v motor. It does well on calm water but seems to slow in any wind or current. Would a 55lb motor cut through wind and current with no change in speed ? Is 55# to much, would a 40 ,46 lbs. work just as well for less money ? I'm told a 55 lb motor will NOT move the boat any faster than a 30 lb, just push it better in wind, is this true ? I don't want to go out and spend $200-$240 on a new motor and not really gain anything, what can I expect ? Any advice or opinions welcome.
-Thank you, Mike :-? :-/
burleytog reply :
Go with the 55. I've got a 30 bow mount on my current boat and used a 30 transom on my old boat. I had a friend in a similar boat as the old one, only he had the biggest 12V transom mount that MK made. He would leave me sitting.
As soon as I have the money I'm going to a 55 on the bow.
jeepcrazy reply :
I went to a 54 from my 30 on my old Jon boat and I was very glad I did. It cut my travel time across Lake Frederick almost in half. Definitely worth the upgrade for me.
Jig Man reply :
QuoteI'm told a 55 lb motor will NOT move the boat any faster than a 30 lb, just push it better in wind Any advice or opinions welcome.-Thank you, Mike :-? :-/
Who gave you that kind of info.? The 55 will go a lot faster than the 30. My premise on tmotors is get the biggest one you can afford and use the highest reserve amp deep cycle battery(s) that you can find.
Low_Budget_Hooker reply :
First off, putting 500 lbs in a 10 ft jon is plain crazy. BUT,...IF you're that crazy dude we see every once in awhile on the water, go for the 55. Big difference in the wind and you'll need to keep that thing pointed into the wind with that much weight in it. Taking one broadside would surely put you in the drink. Are you sure it isn't a 12?
kyron4 reply :
QuoteFirst off, putting 500 lbs in a 10 ft jon is plain crazy. BUT,...IF you're that crazy dude we see every once in awhile on the water, go for the 55. Big difference in the wind and you'll need to keep that thing pointed into the wind with that much weight in it. Taking one broadside would surely put you in the drink. Are you sure it isn't a 12?
I'm not putting 500 lbs in the boat, thats total weight boat ,two people, and gear.
Here's the weight break down,
the boat itself (10')weighs about- 100 lbs.(boat, plastic seats, transom)
battery- 30 lbs.,
gear -( rods, net, paddle, etc.) 5 lbs.
anchors- (2x 10lbs) 20lbs.
Me -170 lbs.
my daughter -90 lbs.
Trolling motor- 10 lbs.
Total weight includeing boat= 425 lbs.
(if my dad is with me instead of my daughter, then 525 lbs)
I know with my dad in I'm pushing the limit, but the boat is still very stable and the top of the gunwhale (sp?) is still about 10" to the water. It's a heavy duty jon (likely a duck boat) with rivited support beams and a rolled edge along the gunwhales. The two bench seats are fully enclosed, rivited to the floor and filled with solid stryofoam for added bouyanc.y You can't bend/ flex it or push in on the sides, thick alumunim. If I thought for a minute it was not safe, or at risk I would never take it out. I've been hit with some big wakes and never came close to tipping. -Thanks 
kyron4 reply :
QuoteQuoteI'm told a 55 lb motor will NOT move the boat any faster than a 30 lb, just push it better in wind Any advice or opinions welcome.-Thank you, Mike :-? :-/
Who gave you that kind of info.? The 55 will go a lot faster than the 30. My premise on tmotors is get the biggest one you can afford and use the highest reserve amp deep cycle battery(s) that you can find.
Min Kota, they replied to my email, I asked how much faster a 55# motor would be than a 30#, they told me trolling motors all go to the same top end speed and more thrust pounds only means it will move heavy boats at that top speed or keep you at top speed in rough waters. I didn't know if it was true or not :-/ :-/ :-/ I'm guessing from what I've read here and eleswhere it's not ?
-Thanks
Jig Man reply :
I have an 82# on a 2500 rig. It will move way faster than any light weight boat with lesser tmotors that I have ever been in.
buzzbaitfool12 reply :
the bigger the thrust the faster the boat..
Triton21 reply :
Buy the most lb thrust your wallet will handle. You won't be sorry. I have a Motor Guide 109 Digital and love it.
Kelley
T_Dot reply :
QuoteI have a heavy duty 10' flat bottom aluminum jon boat; loaded with gear and two people a total weight of about 500- 550 lbs. Right now I have a Motor Guide 30lb thrust transom mounted 12v motor. It does well on calm water but seems to slow in any wind or current. Would a 55lb motor cut through wind and current with no change in speed ? Is 55# to much, would a 40 ,46 lbs. work just as well for less money ? I'm told a 55 lb motor will NOT move the boat any faster than a 30 lb, just push it better in wind, is this true ? I don't want to go out and spend $200-$240 on a new motor and not really gain anything, what can I expect ? Any advice or opinions welcome.-Thank you, Mike :-? :-/
i have used a 30# minn kota & a 50# minn kota on my 14 ft flat bottom jon boat.
with a sinlge 30# transom mounted motor i was able to reach 3.0 mph. if i went dual 30# tms, i could reach 3.2 mph.
with a single 50# transom mounted motor i was able to reach 3.6 mph. i will be picking up a 55# thrust minn kota soon.
that .6 mph is a noticable difference, especially if there is wind or a strong current.
i suggestion going with the 55# thrust motor.
bassmaster8100 reply :
I have a 16' fiberglass boat that when i bought it, had a 30 lb bow mount I recently changed it to a 46lb , I promise there is a big difference in speed.
kyron4 reply :
How long would a charge last on a battery with a 55# motor compared to a 30# motor ? Right now I have a Ever Start Marine deep cycle trolling (24DC-6). Usally I run about 2-3 hrs. total when I'm out and have never ran out of juice.
T_Dot reply :
QuoteHow long would a charge last on a battery with a 55# motor compared to a 30# motor ? Right now I have a Ever Start Marine deep cycle trolling (24DC-6). Usally I run about 2-3 hrs. total when I'm out and have never ran out of juice.
it all depends on the water and wind conditions... but ive had a group 24 battery before, and they dont last too long when you are using a high speed constantly. especially if you need to make long runs in the boat.
with my old setup, on a group 24 and a single 30# tm, i could easily fish 5+ hours. though that all depends on the weather conditions.
i always bring an extra battery with me. i learned the hard way a few times.
ive been testing out group 27 batteries in comparision to my old group 24 batteries, and boy do they last much longer. not only that, they hold a good charge for longer periods = longer runs. i keep track of my speed via gps. that way i know when the batteries are dying.
there was this day, where 1 group 27 battery we had outlasted 2 group 24 batteries. that was a day of really strong winds / current. we could have made it back to shore via the group 24s, but it would have been slow.
im going to pickup a few group 29 batteries from walmart. if you want to check them out yourself, they are the big yellow everstart maxx-29 batteries. best bang for your buck.
T_Dot reply :
... let me put it in simple terms as you haved tested the motors yourself
going from a 30# to 50# or 55# is like going from dial up to high speed. once you go high speed you dont go back... i personally will not go back to 30#
hope that helps
SVT reply :
I have a ascend 128T kayak, its 12.8ft, weighs 100# dry, with gear and me its about 350. Any thoughts on size of TM, looking at a 30# transom or 45#?
tracker01 reply :
Get the biggest you can afford. You do not have to use your top speed all the time, but it’s nice to have if you need it.
jbsoonerfan reply :
On 4/1/2007 at 12:39 AM, kyron4 said:Min Kota, they replied to my email, I asked how much faster a 55# motor would be than a 30#, they told me trolling motors all go to the same top end speed and more thrust pounds only means it will move heavy boats at that top speed or keep you at top speed in rough waters. I didn't know if it was true or not ???? ???? ???? I'm guessing from what I've read here and eleswhere it's not ?
-Thanks
I would like to see that email from Minn Kota, because whoever told you that should lose their job lol
Choporoz reply :
On 4/3/2007 at 8:17 PM, kyron4 said:How long would a charge last on a battery with a 55# motor compared to a 30# motor ? Right now I have a Ever Start Marine deep cycle trolling (24DC-6). Usally I run about 2-3 hrs. total when I'm out and have never ran out of juice.
I run a MinnKota EnduraMax 55 using Interstate 27 battery. I can end up limping in after eight hours on a windy day....on a calm day, I've gone 12 hours
Shimano_1 reply :
Go with the 55 no questions. Yes it will be faster and will last much longer.
Brad Reid reply :
On 1/22/2020 at 1:31 AM, jbsoonerfan said:
I would like to see that email from Minn Kota, because whoever told you that should lose their job lol
No, Minn Kota has it "about" right. I believe their responder likely was referencing the fact that jon boats, canoes and kayaks all have rather distinctive and limiting theoretical hull speeds. That's likely what he or she was trying to convey.
So, imagine a stalled Volkswagen Beetle in a large flat, empty high school parking lot. You get lucky and two large 300 lbs. offensive linemen from the HS football team walk by and you convince one of them you need a push to about 100 yards away. So, one of the two agrees to it, feels little resistance, overcomes the inertia (objects not in motion resisting movement) and starts pushing as fast as he can, gets the car up to 15 mph. Not bad! So, the other 300 pounder is watching and decides to run up and push on the other side of the car's bumper. The Beetle now has two 300 pounders pushing on it. Yes, it "might" move a bit faster but . . . the max speed will ALWAYS be limited by the top end speed of the linemen. So, if the typical offensive linemen (let's say they are all the same) can run freely at 18 mph, you can have a dozen of them pushing on the back of a Beetle . . . and it will never exceed 18 mph. Actually, of course, something much less owing to the resistance of the car (friction, drag, etc.).
This is why a 55 "might" not increase speed all that much over a 30.
Where would added "thrust" help? If that Beetle is being pushed up a slope? Adding "thrust" will make a big difference. One 300 pounder might not be able to push it up a 45 degree slope, but two will do better, three even better and so on.
This is where more "thrust" comes in handy. A 55 will do better (go faster) than a 30 pushing into, say, a 20 mph headwind. It will also overcome inertia a bit better.
But, a big top end speed improvement in a weighted down jon boat? Nope. Not likely.
Brad
jbsoonerfan reply :
On 1/22/2020 at 10:22 AM, Brad Reid said:No, Minn Kota has it "about" right. I believe their responder likely was referencing the fact that jon boats, canoes and kayaks all have rather distinctive and limiting theoretical hull speeds. That's likely what he or she was trying to convey.
So, imagine a stalled Volkswagen Beetle in a large flat, empty high school parking lot. You get lucky and two large 300 lbs. offensive linemen from the HS football team walk by and you convince one of them you need a push to about 100 yards away. So, one of the two agrees to it, feels little resistance, overcomes the inertia (objects not in motion resisting movement) and starts pushing as fast as he can, gets the car up to 15 mph. Not bad! So, the other 300 pounder is watching and decides to run up and push on the other side of the car's bumper. The Beetle now has two 300 pounders pushing on it. Yes, it "might" move a bit faster but . . . the max speed will ALWAYS be limited by the top end speed of the linemen. So, if the typical offensive linemen (let's say they are all the same) can run freely at 18 mph, you can have a dozen of them pushing on the back of a Beetle . . . and it will never exceed 18 mph. Actually, of course, something much less owing to the resistance of the car (friction, drag, etc.).
This is why a 55 "might" not increase speed all that much over a 30.
Where would added "thrust" help? If that Beetle is being pushed up a slope? Adding "thrust" will make a big difference. One 300 pounder might not be able to push it up a 45 degree slope, but two will do better, three even better and so on.
This is where more "thrust" comes in handy. A 55 will do better (go faster) than a 30 pushing into, say, a 20 mph headwind. It will also overcome inertia a bit better.
But, a big top end speed improvement in a weighted down jon boat? Nope. Not likely.
Brad
Edit* I'm not going to argue over semantics.
Yes, the 55 will be a better option.
Brad Reid reply :
On 1/22/2020 at 10:34 AM, jbsoonerfan said:Slow down there Newton. Nobody said a "big top end" speed improvement. Would it go faster? Yes. Big time? Doubtful.
Now, let's not play pretend and make believe football guys and say you have actually been in a boat that went from a 45 lb TM to a 70 lb TM and actually had real world experience and noticed an actual on the water difference as I have.
Back to the OP, yes the 55 will be a much bigger improvement over the 30, now whether you are being pushed by lineman or not, I cannot answer that.
"Nobody said a "big top end" speed improvement."
Sure they did. Here's one: "I went to a 54 from my 30 on my old Jon boat and I was very glad I did. It cut my travel time across Lake Frederick almost in half." Others, too, suggested a noticeable improvement in top end speed.
No, whatever your suggested real world experience means, I'm not sure I quite understand, you could put five 30 lbs. thrust TMs on the back of the jon boat . . . and it'll still top out roughly at the same speed as a single unit. What it would do better with 5 30s for its power is overcome resistance better. But, again, not top end speed.
Brad
jbsoonerfan reply :
On 1/22/2020 at 10:46 AM, Brad Reid said:"Nobody said a "big top end" speed improvement."
Sure they did. Here's one: "I went to a 54 from my 30 on my old Jon boat and I was very glad I did. It cut my travel time across Lake Frederick almost in half." Others, too, suggested a noticeable improvement in top end speed.
No, whatever your suggested real world experience means, I'm not sure I quite understand, you could put five 30 lbs. thrust TMs on the back of the jon boat . . . and it'll still top out roughly at the same speed as a single unit. What it would do better with 5 30s for its power is overcome resistance better. But, again, not top end speed.
Brad
Not sure why you felt the need to call me out in the first place, but in your highlighted sentence he never says "big top end speed" yet he is speaking from actual experience which to you, apparently doesn't mean much.
My real world experience means I have actually been in the same boat that went from a 45 to a 70 and it made a huge difference.
Again, to the OP yes a 55 would be better than a 30.
Sorry, I guess I will argue semantics.
DanielG reply :
Here's another take on it. My boat is all electric. A catamaran pontoon. I love it.
I have two batteries and two 35 lb thrust motors. Both batteries are connected to both motors. If one battery or one motor ever dies on me I've always got a backup.
Using both motors doesn't increase the speed much, but I do know about the wind battles. Yes, in a stronger wind, kicking in the extra motor does make a difference.
I think the prop on the motors is designed for a certain speed for moving a boat and slow trolling. If the motor hits some resistance it just draws more current to maintain it's thrust, but it doesn't go faster.
A look on amazon at some minn kota props it seems that my 35 lb thrust prop also fits larger motors.
Brad Reid reply :
On 1/22/2020 at 11:06 AM, jbsoonerfan said:Not sure why you felt the need to call me out in the first place, but in your highlighted sentence he never says "big top end speed" yet he is speaking from actual experience which to you, apparently doesn't mean much.
My real world experience means I have actually been in the same boat that went from a 45 to a 70 and it made a huge difference.
Again, to the OP yes a 55 would be better than a 30.
Sorry, I guess I will argue semantics.
JB, sorry, not trying here to be argumentative, just informative. The other poster I quoted said it cut his travel time across the lake in half. That is, by definition, a doubling of speed. Right? Isn't that what he was implying?
Anyway, Minn Kota and the other TM manufacturers have it right, understand the physics involved here.
I can't even imagine a situation where any TM manufacturer would NOT want to advertise a large increase in speed outcomes if they could say it with accuracy. You know they all would do so. They can't . . . so their charts reference such matters relating more to run times on charges, thrust benefits (there are some, of course). You will never read any advertising claims about meaningful top end speed improvements for a reason.
We'll let it drop,, right? No harm here regardless of what someone believes or doesn't believe. And, small TMs are pretty cheap anyway.
Brad
On 1/22/2020 at 11:13 AM, DanielG said:Here's another take on it. My boat is all electric. A catamaran pontoon. I love it.
I have two batteries and two 35 lb thrust motors. Both batteries are connected to both motors. If one battery or one motor ever dies on me I've always got a backup.
Using both motors doesn't increase the speed much, but I do know about the wind battles. Yes, in a stronger wind, kicking in the extra motor does make a difference.
I think the prop on the motors is designed for a certain speed for moving a boat and slow trolling. If the motor hits some resistance it just draws more current to maintain it's thrust, but it doesn't go faster.
A look on amazon at some minn kota props it seems that my 35 lb thrust prop also fits larger motors.
Daniel, yes, not much speed increase running one or two . . . and you correctly point out where the benefits of extra thrust lie. Good real world experience. Brad
WRB reply :
Why not start a new post this is nearly 13 years old.
This is a question the kayak folks are better suited to respond to. Kayak is limited to battery size/weight and not nessesary to have more thrust that requires more amp draw.
Tom
Basstracker reply :
I'm new to the forum, but this is exactly why I joined. Lots of well informed guys with a passion for what they do and willing to share their knowledge with others. In short, I have an older 16' aluminum Tracker with a 35lb. bow mount Minn Kota. On a nice calm day it performs well, but when the wind and current kicks up, it leaves a lot to be desired. I also agree with buy what you can afford and you'll be glad when you do need it.
Brad Reid reply :
On 1/22/2020 at 12:51 PM, WRB said:Why not start a new post this is nearly 13 years old.
This is a question the kayak folks are better suited to respond to. Kayak is limited to battery size/weight and not nessesary to have more thrust that requires more amp draw.
Tom
Ha, Tom!!! Good catch. I haven't posted in a while owing to a move, saw this topic under "View New Content" and missed its inception date.
Anyway, you are so correct that this is an issue in the kayak and other small vessel worlds. For big boats, speed and crossing lakes with TMs is never a discussed issue; that's what big motor are for. For big boats, the issue with TMs usually centers on battery life. It is also the reason TMs target thrust and not speed: big boats are relatively heavy.
Then, us kayakers took over the world and 3 vs 3.5 mph suddenly became a thing. We'll discuss it forever. This post proves it.
Brad
DanielG reply :
On 1/22/2020 at 8:45 PM, Brad Reid said:Ha, Tom!!! Good catch. I haven't posted in a while owing to a move, saw this topic under "View New Content" and missed its inception date.
Anyway, you are so correct that this is an issue in the kayak and other small vessel worlds. For big boats, speed and crossing lakes with TMs is never a discussed issue; that's what big motor are for. For big boats, the issue with TMs usually centers on battery life. It is also the reason TMs target thrust and not speed: big boats are relatively heavy.
Then, us kayakers took over the world and 3 vs 3.5 mph suddenly became a thing. We'll discuss it forever. This post proves it.
Brad
My homemade catamaran is in the 2.5 mph range (according to my Garmin) A bit heavier than a Kayak but still all electric an a 4 mile lake.
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Brad Reid reply :
On 1/22/2020 at 9:20 PM, DanielG said:My homemade catamaran is in the 2.5 mph range (according to my Garmin) A bit heavier than a Kayak but still all electric an a 4 mile lake.
Daniel, yours looks a bit like my former Bluesky Boatworks 360 catamaran style "kayak." It was slow as a turtle using just its pedals for locomotion and in dire need of a TM . . . of any size !!! . . . to move around. Brad
DanielG reply :
On 1/23/2020 at 4:51 AM, Brad Reid said:Daniel, yours looks a bit like my former Bluesky Boatworks 360 catamaran style "kayak." It was slow as a turtle using just its pedals for locomotion and in dire need of a TM . . . of any size !!! . . . to move around. Brad
Yes, It is not fast but Trolls really nicely and opens up to a blazing 2.5 mph if needed. Two pontoons with a 6'x12' deck. Two 100 amp solar power storage batteries and two 35 lb minn kotas. Complete with retractable awying, electronic steering, garmin fish finder, radio, LED lights (and some Multi color around the perimeter. Just a lot of fun to fish from.
The build for it on Instructables is here.
And you should see my previous one... 4 electric motors and 8 batteries and floatation was 2400 two liter soda bottles. No kidding
Wanna see it too?
OnthePotomac reply :
Well, I will be different. On my Pro 175 with a 12V 43lb MG I upgraded to a 55lb digital variable speed 12V MG and a size 27 battery. Fishing the Tidal Potomac with river current, tide flow and wind and I do not need anything more to control the boat and stand on the TM all day. Summer is grass beds and that thing with the blade grinds right through it until I get to the stuff I can walk on LOL. 5-6 hours on the water and end of the day lots of battery left.
Mike2288 reply :
I have a 16ft 1969 fiber glass boat. It had an outer motor but I took it off. Will my 50lbs thrust motor push this boat? I don’t wanna over work my trolling motor.
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