# Is the 55s enough?



## fishhead (Oct 18, 2004)

This is my first post on the Boating forum, as I'm mostly a landlubber when it comes to fishing:
Here's the setup:
I have a small boat ... lightweight (<100lbs assembled) portaboat ... it's got a polypropolene hull and is 12.5 feet.

In freshwater I've used a 36ft/lb trust motor and that takes me around the reservoirs with no problem. Since my boat is lightweight and has a modified-V hull shape, the electric motor moves it along at a pretty decent clip  It also has decent amount of freeboard ... at least enough to handle the wake of wave runner or a boat that's not moving too fast  

However, now I'm looking to start fishing backbays, the Chesapeake (Susky flats in particular), CHSP bay (at the pier), and Eastern Shore river mouths, to name a few locations.

I'm not looking to cover a lot of water, I am just looking to put in and get to the spots that I can't hit from shore. This boat is assembled at the shoreline and launched (lifted/pushed) ... I don't need a ramp  

Question: Is the Minnkota 55 saltwater enough to handle the currents and tides in these sort of locations?

I have a 3hp Yamaha that I have used as my main power in saltwater, but would be happy to stick with an electric motor exclusively if possible, and leave the gas motor for longer distance travel, like a three hour tour  :beer: ... Besides, all the pulling of the starter crank, messing with gasoline, etc. takes time away from fishing and I wonder how much the motor noise affects the fishing too!

Well, that sums it up ... Any advice will be greatly appreciated!

thanks,
fishhead


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## old linesides (Oct 6, 2006)

The 55 is plenty . I wouldn't waste my money on a larger motor than that . The boat you have is very light . I used a 36 for years at Fletcher's Boat House and the current and tide there can be pretty swift . Their rental boats are very heavy , wooden hulled affairs that soak up alot of water and can be a bear to just row back upstream . At the end of a days fishing my battery would be just about dead but the motor pushed me around just fine albeit a little slow


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## fishhead (Oct 18, 2004)

Thanks ... I thought the 55 would be sufficient ... and a lot cheaper than the 24volt models  

I was a little concerned because I once took the boat out of the Conestoga creek using the electric motor into the Susquehanna just below a dam (Safe Harbor?) ... after getting swept downstream 100yds I quickly got out of the main current and crept back upstream along the bank till I get back up to the Conestoga creek. I suppose that was more current than I'll find in most places though


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## skiffisher (Apr 10, 2005)

If you have that tiny gas gas engine dont leave home with out it. use it to get to where you want to go and then manuever with the trolling motor.
Batteries die, that engine does not weigh anything, dont rely on an electric motor in a tidal situation.

MATT


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## Dae (Jun 25, 2002)

skiffisher said:


> If you have that tiny gas gas engine dont leave home with out it. use it to get to where you want to go and then manuever with the trolling motor.
> Batteries die, that engine does not weigh anything, dont rely on an electric motor in a tidal situation.
> 
> MATT


That's exactly what I was thinking. Also, how long with the electric motor run at WOT?

BTW, make sure you get a VHF radio. A handheld will be just fine.

- Dae


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## BLUESMAN (Nov 4, 2003)

*Now -*

You need a bigger boat! 
Isn't that the way it goes?


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## fishhead (Oct 18, 2004)

Decisions, decisions  

Bigger boat ... nah, if I had to do over again I'd probably have gotten a yak!


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