09-09-2013, 11:21 PM
IMO a 27 is just too big to lug around, a 24 will do nicely. You won't have much room on your platform as it is after a battery is on it. I have trolled around for 8 hours with mine ,and still had battery life. Again IMO you are better off buying a quality battery. I prefer a sealed AGM battery , bought mine from Cabelas on sale ,but still a bit spendy, but after the third season of use still holds the charge as long as it did new. After having both styles of batteries sealed ,and the ones you have to check for water, there is no way I would go with anything but a sealed battery, using them portable as we do moving them around I don't want to have to worry about the acid. Can't appreciate one until you have had one. I have seen what a tipped over battery will do it is ugly.
One of my son's has the Sportsman 8 , not a bad boat, but like you say no motor mount, I made one for him ,and added a larger platform . I have the Sporstman 9, with motor mount ,but added a large aluminum platform to it. Makes all the difference in the world, because once you have a battery on yours you will be pretty much out of room. I like room for a small cooler or whatever ,and before I made the larger platform I couldn't put really anything back there but the motor ,and battery.
I have had both the Minnkota , and Motorguide motors , I prefer the Motorguide Varimax 40 over Minnkota 30 . The biggest deal is the Motorguide is variable speed , has the digital maximizer , which is much easier on the battery. The C2 has none of that. Minnkota does sell a motor with the same features as the Motorguide I have, just not in the 30 C2. I would go with 36" shaft, you can I always raise them up to where you want them. 36" shaft works well on the sportsman boats with the stock motor mount, I built my sons to the same height as what come on mine ,and 36 works nicely.
Actually when you turn the motor around then you can run in forward instead of reverse, you are still going backwards but running in forward, leave like it is you run the motor in reverse to go backwards , with mine ,and the variable speed I can't see where it would make any difference, I just go in reverse to go backwards. Seems to go the same speed forward or backwards . Minnkota 30 obviously will need to be turned around if you want to go as fast as possible in reverse, you only have 3 speeds in reverse, and 5 speeds forward.
I have the Schumacher Ship, and Shore charger It will charge Standard,AGM like mine ,and Gel Cell batteries . Has three amperage setting's 2, 6 ,10 . Slower charging gives a better charge if you have the time.
On edit: I have sent you a PM
[signature]
One of my son's has the Sportsman 8 , not a bad boat, but like you say no motor mount, I made one for him ,and added a larger platform . I have the Sporstman 9, with motor mount ,but added a large aluminum platform to it. Makes all the difference in the world, because once you have a battery on yours you will be pretty much out of room. I like room for a small cooler or whatever ,and before I made the larger platform I couldn't put really anything back there but the motor ,and battery.
I have had both the Minnkota , and Motorguide motors , I prefer the Motorguide Varimax 40 over Minnkota 30 . The biggest deal is the Motorguide is variable speed , has the digital maximizer , which is much easier on the battery. The C2 has none of that. Minnkota does sell a motor with the same features as the Motorguide I have, just not in the 30 C2. I would go with 36" shaft, you can I always raise them up to where you want them. 36" shaft works well on the sportsman boats with the stock motor mount, I built my sons to the same height as what come on mine ,and 36 works nicely.
Actually when you turn the motor around then you can run in forward instead of reverse, you are still going backwards but running in forward, leave like it is you run the motor in reverse to go backwards , with mine ,and the variable speed I can't see where it would make any difference, I just go in reverse to go backwards. Seems to go the same speed forward or backwards . Minnkota 30 obviously will need to be turned around if you want to go as fast as possible in reverse, you only have 3 speeds in reverse, and 5 speeds forward.
I have the Schumacher Ship, and Shore charger It will charge Standard,AGM like mine ,and Gel Cell batteries . Has three amperage setting's 2, 6 ,10 . Slower charging gives a better charge if you have the time.
On edit: I have sent you a PM
[signature]