See full version: Complete Breakdown: Jon Boat Sizing Guide (8 Sizes Detailed)
Ideal For: Extended exploration; fishing in small-to-medium back-waterways; light-to-medium utility work
Weight Capacity: 420 lbs (190 kg) on average
Crew: 2 adults of reasonable size + light/medium gear load
Max Horsepower: 5-7 HP maximum. Some models may permit up to 10 HP
Top Speed: 5 HP to reach 10 mph (16 kph). 15 mph (24 kph) is the max with 7 HP.
This model can be attractive because it will be the lowest cost and the easiest to transport. I wouldn’t recommend something this small unless you feel comfortable with an unstable boat. If it is a small pond you will be riding, a simple trolling motor is quite enough, anything more
would be overkill. Paddles will do fine too.
Ideal For: Backwater exploration; fishing in small-to-medium back-waterways; light-to-medium utility work
Weight Capacity: 325 pounds (147 kg) on average
Crew: 2 adults of reasonable size + light gear load
Max Horsepower: 5 HP; 3.5 HP is ideal
Top Speed: 5 mph (8 kph) for 2.5-3 HP motors; 10 mph (16 kph) for 5 HP
Are you routinely going to be navigating several miles of river? Or will you need to travel a couple of miles on lake regularly to various fishing spots? Perhaps you and your grandson will be looking to get to the honey hole of your family pond?
Porpoising occurs when the motor’s drive pushes the bow of the boat upwards and out of the water. The thrust from the motor is actually providing a boost that pushes the boat up and out of the water.
You will also find that raising the motor will help. here
Be careful though with your position of the motor. You should not raise the motor too much as this may cause the prop to come out of the water when trimming up. This results in propeller ventilation where the propeller starts sucking in air. This will have a major negative impact on the performance of your boat. [links]
Can you run two trolling motors? Using two trolling motors to increase speed will have little effect. Running two trolling motors will also double the amp draw, which drains the battery faster. The other problem is that if both trolling motors sit in the stern, it raises the bow.
The key here is to buy a more powerful trolling motor upfront so that you wouldn’t even want to have two trolling motors. Be especially wary of trolling motors that you buy at garage sales because it can be difficult to tell the specs, and the trolling motor may or may not work on your boat. If you buy it cheap enough, it may not matter, but the cost isn’t always worth it. here
Important to note: When you go to calculate the thrust, take the heaviest weight in your boat into consideration. You want to overestimate your needs, rather than underestimate them. You can’t go wrong that way. The weight includes the gear, the fuel, the maximum number of passengers that you will have in the boat. In that way, you will need to calculate more than the boat weight, but I gave you this figure to give you a general outline. [links]
when powering smaller jon boats almost any trolling motor will get the job down and under powering is not really a concern. That being said it is always better to error on the side of more power, especially if you may someday upgrade to a larger boat- at least you can transfer the trolling motor. Plus, the extra power will come in handy should you encounter heavy weed cover. The biggest concern is weight. Because the boat is so small, and weight limits more easily reached, every pound in motor or battery is one less pound of gear you can carry. here
Dual blade models will provide less forward thrust but are more conservative when it comes to power consumption. Three blade models are faster, provide additional thrust and more suitable for larger motors. They will of course use more power. Unfortunately, you generally do not get a choose when it comes to number of blades as the props are not interchangeable. more
Minn Kota – inventors of the first gear driven electric motor Minn Kota is the undisputed leader when it comes to trolling motors, having been in business since the mid-1930s. Today they offer a wide range of trolling motors in a variety of sizes, with some of the most advances upgrades available and a history of quality. here
B. Boat Weight – there are three different weights you need to be familiar with in terms of you boat and the thrust necessary to effectively move it boat, passengers and total gear. Boat weight refers to the unloaded weight of the boat (as it sits on the trailer) – click here for our article on common jon boat weights by boat size. Passenger weight refers to the maximum weight of passengers the boat is designed to safely handle. Total gear weight is the maximum weight the boat is design to safely handle including passengers and gear. You need to select a trolling motor that provides the thrust necessary to effectively propel the vessel as you normally use it or higher. It is generally recommended you select a trolling motor that provides 5 lb. of thrust for every 200 lbs. of gross weight.
Prop Style – Unlike gas powered outboard, which offer a wide range of prop styles and sizes, trolling motors all come with the same basic design. Some manufacturers will, however, provide weedless models that are less prone to become hung up in thicker vegetation. The main difference in props will involve the blade, specifically whether there are 2 blades or 3. more