Motor for canoe

[over9five]

Went camping the last few days which always includes bringing my canoe. It's a 15 footer that I got way back before I was married. (Got it at Sears, I don't think they have canoes anymore!)

Anyhow, due to my hurt shoulder, old age, or laziness, I just can't go as far as I want to anymore, so I've thought of putting one of those small motors on it.

Any knowlegable canoeists on BrownCafe who could steer me in the right direction on this? I have questions!
Are those little motors electric? Do I need some big ol' car battery in the canoe with me? How long does the battery last?

 

[rod]

Get yourself an old gas 3 h.p Johnson or Evinrude. A decent battery for an electric trolling motor weighs about 10 pounds heavier than a cow. Check E-bay but be careful when it comes to "shipping costs" The older style small motors swivel around 360 degrees so you don't have a reverse to mess with. A half a gallon of gas woud last you all weekend

 

[DS]

From what I kin figger,you need to buy a motor mount.After that you just have to choose gas or electric.

 

[edd_tv]

check out oldtowncanoe.com

i have 16ft old town. the motor mount they sell here is perfect. its universal fit for any canoe althoug they dont tell you that here. i put a 3hp outboard on mine. runs like the wind. cant believe i paddled before after using it. last year got a minn kota trolling motor and it works just as well when i want to fish.

the seat backer they sell is definitely worth the money as well.

 

[over9five]

Excellent, I knew some people here would help!

Rod talked me right into an old gas motor. I did check out EBay, how old is too old? They have 40 year old motors there.

And DS and Edd, do I need a motor mount? Won't it just clamp to the gunwale?

 

[edd_tv]

check craigslist as well for motors in your area. you can hear it run and give it the once over before you take the plunge.i found a mercruiser for my runabout less than an hour from house for half of what they were going for on ebay. takes some time cause new ads are posted everday. granted you probably wont spend a lot of money on a used outboard motor but if you buy someone elses junk(like me!!!) and have to have a mechanic work on it ( upwards of $75/hour labor) or get stranded, you wont regret taking the time


it depends on wether or not your canoe has a transom and/or square stern. if so then you wont need a motor mount. the motor will bolt right to it. you may have to have a piece of plywood to fill the gap. some of the older clamps are wide. mine is pointed on both ends so i bought the mount. i use it solo riding in the middle. or on my end if i have someone with me. i had an evinrude circa 1960,s on mine that i loved. ran for ever till finally spun a throwout bearing in the lower unit and it would have cost more to repair than i had in my whole rig. so now i have to lug around a battery for a minn kota trolling motor. still beats the j-stroke by a mile!!

 

[rod]

Excellent, I knew some people here would help!

Rod talked me right into an old gas motor. I did check out EBay, how old is too old? They have 40 year old motors there.

And DS and Edd, do I need a motor mount? Won't it just clamp to the gunwale?

I have 2 "old " motors. Both are 9.5 h.p. The Johnson is about a 1962 and the Evinrude is a little newer. Both run fine and are very reliable. I alternate them every other year for my "river boat" . If you have a marina close to you check them first for a good used motor. Do you have a canoe with a transom on it--flat on on end? If so you wouldn't need a mount. I recomend staying with a Johnson or Evinrude. By the way an Evinrude is just a supposedly upgraded Johnson. If you take the hood off you can't tell one from the other except they are painted different colors. Make sure you get a "short shaft" motor

 

[upsdawg]

Outboard motors are nice---but make sure you have your paddle handy----don't want to get caught up creek without one!!

There are some electric "Buddy" pacs for float tubes for those who don't want to paddle with their feet---might work for a canoe?

 

[over9five]

I ended up buying a new motor off EBay. It is some very weird foreign motor, but it was also pretty cheap. I took a chance, we'll see what happens.
Anyhow, I got it over the winter, and just took it out of the box today. The directions are outrageously funny, someone had a battle translating to English!

I clamped it to the gunwhale, but I think I'll need one of those mounts like DS posted.

Hope to try it tomorrow or Monday!

 

[rod]

I ended up buying a new motor off EBay. It is some very weird foreign motor, but it was also pretty cheap. I took a chance, we'll see what happens.
Anyhow, I got it over the winter, and just took it out of the box today. The directions are outrageously funny, someone had a battle translating to English!

I clamped it to the gunwhale, but I think I'll need one of those mounts like DS posted.

Hope to try it tomorrow or Monday!

take it easy for awhile before you try pulling water skiers

 

[over9five]

Think I'll be able to go against the current? Or into the wind???

 

[rod]

Think I'll be able to go against the current? Or into the wind???

That has happened to me before and it isn't fun. It took 20 minutes of running full throttle to get back up a short narrows section of the Mississippi where I live. I ended up dropping one person off on shore and running just 2 of us up river to where the current dies down before going back for the other one. The wife wasn't impressed a bit. In fact she told me to get a bigger motor----- damn I love that women.

 

[trplnkl]

That motor mount doesn't look that hard to build for a stepper like you.

 

[over9five]

OK, it pushed the canoe pretty well. I wouldn't have wanted to go any faster.
It was kinda hard to run smooth tho, the choke was very.... finicky, I guess.
I ran it clamped to the gunwhale, but I'll definitely make one of those mounts.

I ran into a guy who told me he was stopped twice (and ticketed!) for operating his canoe with a motor without registering it. He had only a small trolling motor too.
So I checked it out online. I don't mind registering the canoe if it makes it all legal, but one thing you need is a bill of sale, and proof you paid the tax. I got my canoe almost 25 years ago from Sears, Now why didn't I keep that receipt!?!?!?

 

[over9five]

That motor mount doesn't look that hard to build for a stepper like you.

Is that some Texan word??? What the hecks a stepper???

 

[moreluck]

It's probably better than a 'schlepper' !!

 

[Jones]

Or a half-stepper...

 

[dilligaf]

or a side stepper!

 

[trplnkl]

so I really need to explain that??? I can.

So I’ve been call a stepper
Not to be confused with a Schlepper
Twice as good as a half-stepper
Not to dodge like the side stepper
Born in the land of the two stepper
I can get things done in a step or two,
That makes me a stepper

 

[dilligaf]

so I really need to explain that??? I can.

OK!



I didn't get it either. LOL