Long canoe with a side mounted ourboard.

tod osier

tod osier

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I have a kevlar Wenonah Escape (which is a slightly shortened Minnesota II) that I'm considering using a motor on to troll for trout.

I'd like to relocate the boat to Wyoming and be able to troll for trout when I'm out there before moving full time and having the Snowgoose out there (which would be perfect platform for the lakes there). I have a Nissan 3.5 that I can use on a side mount. I've spent a lot of hours trolling a canoe for trout with a paddle, but having a motor as an option would be nice.

I have never used a motor on a canoe, but see that lots of folks have. Thoughts?!?! I could probably get a little tin boat to serve the same purpose, but I'd rather not deal with it. The stealth and peace and quiet of trolling with a paddle is great, but a motor would be nice.
 
Canoes with side-mounted motors--even big ones with small motors--are a lot less stable than paddled canoes. I know several very experienced people--even fishing guides--who have gotten in trouble and flipped a boat with a side-mounted motor. This is much more of an issue in moving water with current, especially on an anchored canoe, but also a factor on flat water. As small thing goes wrong, you shift weight in the canoe to deal with it, and that combined with the extra weight on one side can cause a problem.

No reason not to do it--just be aware of the reduced stability that adding weight on the side and above the gunwale will cause. Some people compensate by adding sponsons, or by mounting a similar amount of weight on the other side to balance the motor.

An electric trolling motor would be lighter and quieter.
 
Jeff Reardon said:
Canoes with side-mounted motors--even big ones with small motors--are a lot less stable than paddled canoes. I know several very experienced people--even fishing guides--who have gotten in trouble and flipped a boat with a side-mounted motor. This is much more of an issue in moving water with current, especially on an anchored canoe, but also a factor on flat water. As small thing goes wrong, you shift weight in the canoe to deal with it, and that combined with the extra weight on one side can cause a problem.

No reason not to do it--just be aware of the reduced stability that adding weight on the side and above the gunwale will cause. Some people compensate by adding sponsons, or by mounting a similar amount of weight on the other side to balance the motor.

An electric trolling motor would be lighter and quieter.
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Thanks for the perspective. This would be non moving water and no anchoring, I can see the hazards of both. When I'm trolling in the adirondaks, I often run aright along the tips of the downed trees along the lake edge and occasionally run one over, which would be a real issue with an off center motor, but that won't be such an issue in Wyoming (no trees on these lakes).

It works well if I have company to troll and I man the paddle, since someone can deploy lines and reel in fish while I maintain position or speed, but I was thinking the motor might be nice if I was out there alone for a couple months and had to fish by myself. Also the wind, I'd want some ballast, in there for sure. All an experiment.

I need to buy a trolling motor for jigging Macinaw for the Snowgoose, but I need one with i-Pilot.

Better solution would be to move out there sooner and get the snowgoose out there.
 
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I had a side mounted motor on a prior boat similar to a canoe and didn't like it. Very unstable and it turned one way great and not so well turning the other. When I got out of the canoe, it wanted to tip over to the side the motor was mounted on. I then switched to a center rear mounted motor mount with a cantilevered arm. So so much better. Should be able to find it by googling canoe rear motor mount or something similar.

Something similar to this: https://www.islandhopperoutboards.com/...k-gas-motor-kit.html


Mark
 
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Mark W said:
I had a side mounted motor on a prior boat similar to a canoe and didn't like it. Very unstable and it turned one way great and not so well turning the other. When I got out of the canoe, it wanted to tip over to the side the motor was mounted on. I then switched to a center rear mounted motor mount with a cantilevered arm. So so much better. Should be able to find it by googling canoe rear motor mount or something similar.

Something similar to this: https://www.islandhopperoutboards.com/...k-gas-motor-kit.html


Mark
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Hmm, What is your thought on specifically trolling in long looping paths with not much to steer around with a side mount?

If it won't work or needs to get too contrived, I'll just stick to a paddle, but it would be nice to know ahead of time so I don't lug an outboard out there.
 
Tod, what kind of keel is on your Escape? A substantial keel makes a big difference in stability. For many years I had a 14foot Old Town fiberglass Discovery with a substantial keel that I bowmounted/side-mounted a large (60# Thrust) trolling motor on--same trolling motor I had bow-mounted on my 18ft deep V Center console. I had a long cable remote steering for the trolling motor which was continuously-adjustable (i.e. not incremental) for speed. So I could find the exact speed that the fish wanted on any given day. I put the Trolling motor battery in mid to front of canoe. Fished 4 rods at most, if bite was strong 2 rods was all I could handle without tangling. That rig was very stable trolling alone for crappies when I lived in NC. And it was fast! Of course if you went crazy fast the ride was a bit hairy--but fun.
In contrast, our son on a whim bought a high-end ("Mallard"--made in Quebec I think) super light composite square stern canoe. It has no keel. With a 3hp Yamaha or 3.5 hp Mercury 2 stroke that rig squats badly with only 1 person sitting in rear, and is very unstable (due to no keel). I have not yet rigged a trolling motor on the front/side but my guess is it would still be very unstable. Over the years I have owned 12-15 human powered watercrafts (including chopped fiberglass for whitewater) and this one without a keel has the worst stability of all.
If your Escape has a decent keel try bow/side mounting a trolling motor with battery midship, it might be just what you need for trolling.
 
David Clites said:
Tod, what kind of keel is on your Escape? A substantial keel makes a big difference in stability. For many years I had a 14foot Old Town fiberglass Discovery with a substantial keel that I bowmounted/side-mounted a large (60# Thrust) trolling motor on--same trolling motor I had bow-mounted on my 18ft deep V Center console. I had a long cable remote steering for the trolling motor which was continuously-adjustable (i.e. not incremental) for speed. So I could find the exact speed that the fish wanted on any given day. I put the Trolling motor battery in mid to front of canoe. Fished 4 rods at most, if bite was strong 2 rods was all I could handle without tangling. That rig was very stable trolling alone for crappies when I lived in NC. And it was fast! Of course if you went crazy fast the ride was a bit hairy--but fun.
In contrast, our son on a whim bought a high-end ("Mallard"--made in Quebec I think) super light composite square stern canoe. It has no keel. With a 3hp Yamaha or 3.5 hp Mercury 2 stroke that rig squats badly with only 1 person sitting in rear, and is very unstable (due to no keel). I have not yet rigged a trolling motor on the front/side but my guess is it would still be very unstable. Over the years I have owned 12-15 human powered watercrafts (including chopped fiberglass for whitewater) and this one without a keel has the worst stability of all.
If your Escape has a decent keel try bow/side mounting a trolling motor with battery midship, it might be just what you need for trolling.
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Interesting on your comments re: a keel. The Escape is a high performance touring canoe and does not have a keel.
 
tod osier said:
Mark W said:
I had a side mounted motor on a prior boat similar to a canoe and didn't like it. Very unstable and it turned one way great and not so well turning the other. When I got out of the canoe, it wanted to tip over to the side the motor was mounted on. I then switched to a center rear mounted motor mount with a cantilevered arm. So so much better. Should be able to find it by googling canoe rear motor mount or something similar.

Something similar to this: https://www.islandhopperoutboards.com/...k-gas-motor-kit.html


Mark
Click to expand...

Hmm, What is your thought on specifically trolling in long looping paths with not much to steer around with a side mount?

If it won't work or needs to get too contrived, I'll just stick to a paddle, but it would be nice to know ahead of time so I don't lug an outboard out there.
Click to expand...

Many folks seem to use a side mounted motor with no issues. Just didn't work for me as it steered kind of wonky and the boat I had it on wanted to tip over when I was not in it. I did see a side mount that also had an outrigger device as part of it that went directly under the motor mount. that would have helped me

Mark
 
Tried a little 4hp 2 stroke merc several years ago on my 17' canoe I had at the time side mounted. Even that small amount of weight high up made canoe unstable. I had been running a 55 lb. trolling motor on same mount with zero issues. Battery weight positioned right spot in floor offset trolling motor weight and no noticeable issue with stability. Any motor mounted off side makes for creative steering come time to make a sharp turn, especially if windy in a canoe. Takes a bit of learning curve. Can you use a trolling motor for your intended purpose ?
 
We run a side-mount on a 20' Old Town W&C Guide when we have a long trip on a lake to go camping. BUT, the canoe is loaded up with gear and two people. It's all about load balance. I would never try and run one with all the weight (motor and helmsman) in the stern.
 
Thanks Guys! I appreciate you sharing your experiences. I don't know what I'll end up doing, it seems like I need to test it out.
 
Tod, something else to consider...An outboard is very top-heavy with most of the weight in the Powerhead although Gears etc in Lower Unit are not exactly lightweigh. In contrast a trolling motor has most of its weight at bottom with Armature, etc. just some lighweight electrical components up on top. So the trolling motor kind of acts like a pendulum which somewhat offsets the instability that hanging it on one side of your canoe introduces.
 
David Clites said:
Tod, something else to consider...An outboard is very top-heavy with most of the weight in the Powerhead although Gears etc in Lower Unit are not exactly lightweigh. In contrast a trolling motor has most of its weight at bottom with Armature, etc. just some lighweight electrical components up on top. So the trolling motor kind of acts like a pendulum which somewhat offsets the instability that hanging it on one side of your canoe introduces.
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Good point. I woudn't pick a canoe if this was a forever solution (I have a forever solution, it just won't be implemented for a couple years). I need to find something that will work for now.
 
Take a flat board and mount a pair of electric rc boat motors to it. Then strap it to the bottom of your canoe.
This kind. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UATPAEqmG4o
 
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Years ago I ran a 16' aluminum canoe with a 2hp Evinrude side mounted for countless hours on small lakes and gentle rivers. Was a great combination and it was never a problem except that one time my novice bowman decided to lift the bow out of the water from shore. He learned some new vocabulary that day.
It is important to keep the motor as tight to the canoe as possible and remember that trying to push the canoe faster than it was designed to go puts tremendous stress on the keel. It wants to oilcan.


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Thanks Paul, I appreciate the info. I don't see it as real difficult to try to get a mount made up and give it a try. Biggest issue is that it will be in cold water the first try.
 
I have a 13.5 ft Radison square stern canoe that was my Dads. He rigged it with an electric trolling motor with the battery up front. Works really good and no noisy motor. Your canoe is the same ones we'll be using this summer at the BWCA in Mn.
 
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