**[#0000ff]The waist is a terrible thing to mind.
[#000000]Ha ha ha ha!
[/#0000ff]**[/#ff0000]
My buddy has a Sportsman “fish cat cougar”. We have done a lot of testing with motors and battery’s. My sportsman 9 has singe pontoons on each side. His has the two smaller ones. He runs a 30 pound thrust and I have a 40. His is a pinch slower than mine and we weigh about the same and have about the same gear. We have tested running backwards and forwards, switching motors and battery’s. Mine is like .2 MPH faster. Pontoons don’t seem like they would have much drag but in fact they do have more drag than a small aluminum boat. Here is a video of one test we did. Ron
Spend the money and get a Minnkota with a digital maximizer and a long shaft. I think I have as much experience or more as the next guy when it comes to motors on toons, tubes or hybrids. Electric or gas.
Gas is nice when you have the tank built into it but they have their hangups Smaller ones that only have a forward gear are a pain in the arse, because there is no reverse. So you have to turn the motor completely around to go in reverse. In fact a gas motor on any kickbot boat is a pain in the arse. Granted, an electic motor and battery are going to be heavier and take up a little more room, but they’re instant on and off. Quiet, and pollution free. Remove the head, lengthen the wiring and put it right next to you. I did that for me and Joni more than 10 years ago Worked out real nice.
I also ran a 5 hp motor (Nissan) on my Scadden X5 for a year. At first it was pretty cool and about an hour later I really wished I had an electric motor instead. Getting up in the seat, turning around to pull start it- and it always didn’t start on the first pull-, slide back into the seat and turning around to put it into gear gets OLD real fast.
You put it on idle and you’re cruising at between 4 and 5 mph. Just letting it idle while I fished, was annoying to me and probably others around me.
I had no frame cracking problem with mine, because it wasn’t attached to the frame. Reinforced rear deck (aluminum braces) is strapped across the toons. And being U shaped, I was able to run the toon the other way around without any problem (Zodiac style) Fished Utah, Idaho and Montana waters with that setup. Put the gas motor on the aluminum boat we have and bolted it down.
Put the MinnKota back on and never looked back. The newer digital maximizer motors are more efficient and if you really want to use it all day, a second deep cycle battery can be found at Wally world for under $90.
Now I have a 55 lb thrust. Works good on the X5, Assault XX and I’m sure it’ll be fine on the Predator.
If you have a 30, run it and if you want more, time will tell.
Now the way Idahoron uses a motor is different but that’s run in a river with a currant. Plus he runs it while he’s facing forward.
The idea behind most people running an electric motor on a lake to use it for trolling. Turn the head around, although not everyone does, pulling you through the water backwards so you can cast and troll and turn with your feet. Can’t do that with a gas motor (turn with your feet).
p.s.
Zak Koch (kochanut) ran both electric and gas on his Scadden Avenger for years, But then again, it’s Zac 
So i attached my setup with my gas motor, great on big lake with wind.. i will try to put some where my small minkota 36lb maybe at the front with a small battery to move quietly between spot..
Looks good. I only looked at the first picture though, sorry. I HATE! having to click on the numbers to see the pictures on this site. It takes forever with all the Ad Garbage on the sides. Sorry, I wish everyone would post pictures:slight_smile:
Looks good. I only looked at the first picture though, sorry. I HATE! having to click on the numbers to see the pictures on this site. It takes forever with all the Ad Garbage on the sides. Sorry, I wish everyone would post pictures:slight_smile:
**That may be your preference, but we have already lost many pics posted in the past that were tied into photo buckets or other sites. When those go down we lose the pics on BFT. No good for archiving.
Why are you having so much trouble with clicking on the pics. I don’t. Nor does anybody else I have asked. No need to air your gripes on a new member.
**
You are right, I apologize to the New Member.
Brand new computer though, so problem isn’t with it.
And it is not just me.
I just get spoiled by all the other forums I guess.
Flygoodess no worry’s fly down to South new Zealand and we go for real fly fishing day on a pontoon !! [;)]
Cantab has a X5 also fully pimp out .. cheers
Oh that I could swing that. I would seriously LOVE to fish NZ. Thanks:slight_smile:
FG, if the ads bug you, you should try running firefox or chrome and download Ad-block plus! (Adblock Plus | The world's #1 free ad blocker)
I’ve been running it for a couple years now and I forget how great it is until I use someone else’s computer! Never had any bad side effects and I never see ads anymore! Not on BFT, not on my Pandora, not on youtube!
Thanks, I do use it on my lap top, but still takes time to load each picture. Somedays worse that others.
I highly second Mojo’s recommendation to get the digital speed control trolling motor. I started with the 5 speed Minn-Kota Endura but even at 1 it was way too fast for slow trolling. They came out with the Endura Max last year for an add’l $100 and it’s been great. I can now go as fast or slow as I need to and I can hold a precise spot in the wind. The smallest size is 40# but the battery lasts longer for me as I believe it’s more efficient at the slower speeds. I rarely use the higher speeds other than early and late in the day going out/coming in and the extra weight is insignificant.
We got $50 Bass Pro bucks for Christmas then an extra Minn Kota $25. off so we ended up getting the Maximizer 55. Be great for the X5 AND the aluminum boat.
But I still use an Endura 30 that KAnderson so graciously gave to me.
Minn Kota has a $20-25 rebate thru 7/1 and Wallyworld online has the 45# for the price of the 40 w/free shipping.
Yea same as Bass Pro. No shipping charge.