Small Outboard Motors - One of them is a better choice for small boats!

[@Walter-wo5sz]

Smell could also be a factor. Although the smell of a 2 stroke always brings back good memories for me.

[@WayneTheBoatGuy]

I hear that from a lot of people!

[@allenjenkins7947]

I have a 3.3 Mercury 2-stroke and a Minn-Kota 27lb electric. Here's my take on using them on the lakes and rivers of Southeast Australia. I'm sure that much of this applies to parts of the USA as well. Firstly, petrol (gasoline) powered motors are not allowed on many of our inland dams and lakes. It's paddle, sail or electric. In some cases, even electric is out. There are also moves afoot to ban 2-strokes in more and more places. I originally bought the electric to power a fibreglass canoe, which it did brilliantly. I have also used it on a 4.3m/14ft alloy boat as a trolling motor and to get back to the boat ramp when the throttle link on the old outboard came loose. In this case, it probably achieved around 5kph/3mph. I originally bought the 3.3 to power a Portabote (The worst purchasing mistake I've ever made), but it now gets used for various small boats as needed. While range is not a problem when you are out for a day's fishing or hunting, it does become an issue when you are camped by the water for several days. It is much easier to carry spare fuel for the 2-stroke, rather than solar panels, generator, or heavy spare battery for the electric. I generally carry both, then use the 2-stroke for general running around and switch to electric when it's time to get sneaky.

[@artsmith103]

Great comparison. Operating cost per mile probably favors the Minn Kota at slower speeds. Confidence in starting also favors Minn Kota. Gas best for people dealing with current and wind and longer distances requiring more speed.

[@allynwadleigh2210]

Nice job but you need to factor in the weight of the battery when doing comparison to outboard

[@Daniel-qj3tp]

And the weight of the gas

[@johncuervo3019]

@@Daniel-qj3tp the battery weighs more than the gas engine full

[@Voxguitarsrock]

@@johncuervo3019 depending on the battery. Lithium is pretty light. ( assuming you carry extra gas in a can)

[@Calgaryman10]

@@Voxguitarsrock also very expensive

[@adamhorn8414]

​@@Voxguitarsrocka 12v 100ah lithium battery is about 25 lbs. A 1 gal tank of gas is 6lbs. A 55lb thrust trolling motor is 20lbs, give or take a few lbs for different sizes. The mercury 2.5hp is about 38lbs. Either way you slice it its the same weight for either option, you will have a lot more range with a gas engine though.

[@timlong1462]

There is some infrequent maintenance on a trolling motor. Eventually you will need to do brushes and in my experience I had to open and clean up the armature. Actually just had my Minn Kota 45 quit randomly on me last weekend because of this. In the future I think I will do this each spring. My motor sees hundreds of hours each year which may be more or less than others so take that into consideration. I think most of this discussion is dependent on where you go. I used to have a canoe with trolling motor and I was very limited what days I could go out on due to the wind. They just lack the power for any lake with a long draw. My choice in my Jonboat is to have 3 forms of power. Gas, trolling motor and also oars. I've had too many equipment issues to ever go out without at least 2 of these.

[@alasdair4161]

Well, I always take one of each... it insures against any technical problems, eliminates range anxiety when driving home into a headwind, and they are both light enough to swap out onto the transom while on the water. My IC is a 3.5hp Johnson, it only weighs 14kg, so not much more than my Watersnake electric (less it's 40kg SLA battery of course) Another negative with the electric that I've found after a few years of use is the prop gets weeded up more easily than the IC, the battery is a pain to load in and out as it needs two hands, a strong back and careful placement, in an aluminum boat you really don't want it tipping over, it also requires ongoing maintenance with charge state and storage especially out of season and they all still degrade over time, replacement cost for a battery far exceeds a water pump kit and a few spoonfulls of gear oil every now and then. I still like both equally and would recommend anyone to have at least one of each for the above reasons. cheers.

[@pistolsblazin7644]

A nice comparison video... Id like to add some things people may want to concider before making a choice on gas vs electric trollers. One has to understand the waters in which they wish to boat or fish lets say. If your water has a current, even a mild one your driving against.... the electric will probably be underpowered and drain the battery a lot quicker. Gas would definitely hold more thrust or force to push the boat forward. On a glass, still bodied lake its different. Also if theres a bit of a chop in the water...again the electric may not fair as well. My 2 cents is, main motor gas... supplemental electric. If traveling on gas restricted lakes, obviously then go electric...always have 2 batteries min...1 as a backup, also look into portable soft solar panels you can use with your electric in case ur unexpectedly running on low juice.... ✌ happy and safe boating

[@scooper4981]

Thanks for your observations. I plan to purchase a square stern canoe and use it in Ozark streams. Based on your comments, it would appear that the gas outboard is the better option, in order to handle situations when I might be going upstream against a current.

[@Mark-xc2up]

I don't know if this will ever be seen, but I've had 2 Minn Kota 30lb thrust that both seized and got destroyed within 4-5 seasons (northeast so don't use them all year round). Vs my honda air cooled 2 hp engine from 2005 or 2006 still runs great with no issues. Granted there's no doubt about it an electric motor is super quiet and perfect for a small boat, I will still be using my honda.

[@WayneTheBoatGuy]

That's interesting - thanks for sharing!

[@Shofman]

I've had a minn kota 28lbs for 15 years with no problems. I use it with a car battery and it has never let me down. Maybe you had bad luck with yours or Ive gotten lucky with mine who knows.

[@alasdair4161]

Something I do with my electric that can prevent seizure is to carefully cool the motor on hot days prior to just plonking it in the water. I do it by lowering it so the prop remains out of the water for a few minutes until the motor body is cold. If the motor is hot from being in the sun, the sudden cooling contracts the air inside the motor casing and can pull water through the shaft seal and once it's inside the damage is done. I also keep a bin filled with fresh water and a dash of white oil mixed in. After every outing the electric gets dunked and run for a few seconds to clean salt and sand from behind the prop, and everywhere else. My anode is still in pristine condition after two years.

[@matthewcacace6804]

Some great points here Wayne, thank you! I got my first jon boat this year, and all I could afford for a motor was the minn kota 30lb. I assumed I would get a gas motor at some point, but after a summer with the electric, I don't think I ever will need it. Very much looking forward to the lack of winterized maintenance for the electric too!

[@WayneTheBoatGuy]

That's very cool!

[@KenJohnsonUSA]

I loved this video! I think that what often is overlooked is the demands for boat size and use. My wife and friends all are avid kayakers. At over 6'2" and 255lb, and after having been in a horrible auto collision, a kayak is not something I care to do that much. They are making cheaper, better kayaks that are made for bigger guys and that can handle a transom mount trolling motor. I'll probably do that. Of course, I will still need a regular boat for most of the fishing I love to do out in the rivers and bays. I've had gators bump my boat, and I've been in 3-5ft. waves out in the bay. Hooking into a 6-8 ft. shark can also be troubling when operating out of a small boat in choppy waters. I see kayakers do it, and I also see where many either die or almost die in the process. The same for guys in a Jon boat. In many areas here, a Jon boat and a kayak are practically just as lethal a choice as the other. Anything less than a 21 ft. boat is putting your life at risk. Even then, hull matters (which I hope you will do an updated video on soon). With such a larger boat, a heavier-powered gas outboard (25 hp or higher) is really the only viable option. Naturally, a trolling motor will also be preferable for staying in location or moving stealthily to new spots. The only issue here with that is we have a lot of brackish water. So, corrosion will be a huge problem to constantly fight.

[@jeffpaul8260]

When i fished fresh water back in Maryland i used a trolling motor. They had very specific laws and restrictions on small lakes and enforced them with guns if needed. My motor was a fairly large electric motor and i ran 2 batteries.

[@TeachinTV]

Perfect apples-to-apples comparison, something I'm considering at the moment. My boat is a small inflatable dinghy, weighs less than yours. Should be able to handle that Minn-Kota with some extra oomph. Great idea at a great price.

[@kennethseibert5711]

Gas will be better on a windy day.

[@jeffmckaig4763]

Good Commentary Wayne, after several years of frustration with an older 90 hp Mercury, I sold that boat and downsized to a smaller boat, principally set up to be electric, two motors, two batteries, very simple setup. I love the quietness of the electric motors, both together, will push my boat at over 6 mph, after going to the Chattahoochee River trout fishing, I came to the conclusion a bit more oomph was needed to handle river current, I found a 5 hp 4 stroke engine on Marketplace for cheap, did a bit of maintenance to it , and had it to navigate larger bodies of water as well as rivers, with my setup , I can swap the rear trolling motor out with the gas engine literally in 2 minutes, so swapping or getting my boat ready for whichever terrain it's covering is very quick and simple. There are pros and cons to boat propulsion, but for general fishing, I really like the quietness and efficiency of my electric drive(s), My rear motor is a 55 lb thrust, my front motor is a foot controlled 45 lb thrust, both work well independently or together. Keep up the good work. Enjoy your posts.

[@michaelmccotter4293]

Considering your Minn Kota is less than a 1.5 hp motor your performance is about half the 2.5 hp Merc's as one might expect. My Newport 62 lb thrust L series is rated as a 1.5 hp motor.

[@MrSirPhase3]

Nice video. I think both electric and gas motors have their place. If I'm on a small lake fishing then I prefer a quiet electric motor, but, if I'm on a river with a possible strong current I prefer the power and speed of my 3 hp Sears GameFisher gas motor, but, I would still take along my Newport 62 lb thrust electric motor and a good high capacity marine battery as extra insurance. I don't mind the extra steps to start my Air cooled 2 stroke GameFisher as it's never failed to start in the 25 or so years that I've owned it. Plus, there's no impeller to deal with since it's air cooled.

[@AnimalScienceTV]

Nicely produced! You have come such a long way since the begginings

[@WayneTheBoatGuy]

I appreciate that! Thank you ❤️

[@handy-capoutdoors4063]

I ran a 1.5hp all last year. And luckily the only cost I had I to it was a total of 2 full 2.5 gallon gas cans worth of gas and 2 qt of 2 stroke oil. In the season aside from some tinkering to adjust to get it running smoother I ran the same plug all season. It topped out at 3mph. I also had a 38lb thrust trolling motor. And a battery. Over the season the switch for forward and reverse overheated and melted twice leaving me to use a paddle. And after the second time the switch burnt out I wired it always on and forward. According to gps I barely broke 1mph and the trolling motor could not fight the current. Honestly in my area I've seen more trolling motors on marketplace and craigslist with burnt out electronics in a single season its ridiculous. It could be all the tall weeds and shallow waterways here in Wisconsin or could be alot of poor quality control coming to the Midwest. I picked up 2 used trolling motors to try and make 1 good one but seems like the same parts seem to get fried. This year I picked up a used cheap endura that should work and a 1960s evenrude 18hp. While speed and range may not be important to some. When it is several miles from the landing to the fishing spot and the 1.5hp takes about half hour to travel a mile if you do local fishing tournament and derbies you don't want to take forever to get where you are going 😉. I will be using that endura 55lb to access a couple local lakes that are electric only. And they are big lakes. Another thing to remember: "all day" is relitive and can vary from person to person. It may mean 3 to 6 hours. Or it may mean sun up to sun down like it does for me. If I plan to go fishing "all day", my boat is going in the water at dawn and I may not get back to the landing until after midnight.

[@WayneTheBoatGuy]

It's always nice to hear other people's experiences! Hopefully that 55 trolling motor holds up better for you than those other ones did!

[@daltonsales5481]

Great comparison video! There are a few maintenence things for a trolling motor if you go through some weeds with it, but there is a lot more maintenence when it comes to a gas motor. For duck hunters that go through rice and pencil reeds, a trolling motor without decent thrust turns into a paperweight fairly quick.

[@anthonyganz8223]

A very good comparison, Wayne. For what it is worth, I have a brand new Suzuki 2.5 Hp 4 stroke on my 19 ft sailboat. At 1/2 speed it zooms me long faster than I like (or need) as I am enjoying river scenery! At 1/2 throttle the long shaft model is very quiet...and I actually have come to thoroughly enjoy powering along with such a nice piece of machinery running next to me! That is one category you didn't compare!!

[@WayneTheBoatGuy]

Yeah those two motors were the ones had at the time. I hope to play with a small 4 stroke in the future!

[@martinschulz9381]

I've noticed that a lot of guys use both. They get to their destination with their old two strokes and then troll with the electric. Two stokes last and last, but tolling is tough on them and over time their carbs start showing cracks and they just don't troll right any more.

[@WayneTheBoatGuy]

Yeah it is useful having options!

[@billslack1879]

that,s the way to go!

[@randymartin5521]

I'd say gas for getting where you want to go, trolling motor for maneuvering once you're there. However, as you said, with that size gas engine, you're not going to be going any great distances anyway. The only disadvantage I can see is the extra weight of the marine grade trolling motor battery. They can be quite heavy. Still, having two modes of propulsion in a large body of water would definitely make me feel more secure when they both have a somewhat limited range.

[@moose7472]

Great content. I think you might consider cost as a category the electric motor wins. You bought the outboard used, not new. Plus charging and maintenance costs clearly got to trolling motor. Great comparison-well done

[@semooutdooradventures2908]

I have a 14ft Jon boat and I have both a Tohatsu 6hp and a minn kota 45 it’s a good combo gas gets you where and trolling quietly while you fish plus if one fails you have a backup to get you back or at least to shore, also I keep two paddles

[@billslack1879]

me too, the way to go

[@kevingervais7678]

it seems like the weight comparison did not include the weight of the battery? That adds another 40 - 60 pounds to the Minn Kota. Unless you use a Lithium battery then the cost comparison gets tilted towards the Mercury. That said it was a great discussion and comparison to highlight the pros and cons of both solutions. I've had both and I can say either solution benefits from a paddle or oars in the boat because sooner or later a battery will die or an outboard will not start...

[@helloterran]

Even my Minn Kota 30lb c2 can get my Intex Mariner4 to 3mph with 2 adults and 100lb equipment. I'd say it's enough for most small lakes and calm rivers.

[@BucketListBadass]

This is the 2nd useful boat video where I accidentally stumbled upon with you as the host! I always click like, but this time was a sign for me to subscribe. Great videos. Thanks!

[@leonardhirtle3645]

I own a 6hp evinrude outboard (1969) and it is the best trolling motor I’ve ever owned. It has a 6 gallon tank and you can fish for days. Fuel consumption is good and it’s never failed me. It’s unfortunate that all this “save the planet crap” has made these outboards obsolete. This one is over 50 years old and works like new.

[@bruce-qm5fl]

I've had both small outboard and trolling motor. Trolling motor wins hands down. Clean and quiet.

[@crankyyankee7290]

A jittle idea for you.... it's a good idea to carry a little kit with you, with a bottle of rubbing alcahol,a wrench for the spark plug, (most motors come with a wrench), an old tooth brush, and a small cheap set of feeler guages, a small thin file to touch up plugs along with a little tool for adjusting the gap-and a spare plug or two for the chance you should foul a plug-the small bottles of alky often are the perfect size neck for the end of the plug,put the plug in, give it a few shakes, brush off any fouling,use lung power to blow off any remaing alky-and you should be good to go.That Merc. looks a lot like a little 2 hp Arctic Spirit (A Suzuki under the paint-from the 1970's) perhaps the design was sold when Suzi switched over to 4 strokes,almost never fouled a plug but the kit was good for peace of mind when miles from anyone-the motor has a little rubber brackit with slots for a shear pin, and as I recall a plug-though a hand full of pins, and a couple plugs doesn't hurt anything-dropping a plug into the drink at the worst possible moment is not entirely out of the question ....kit is also handy when camping way out in the wilds just to maintain the plug from time to time when sitting around.-that little motor is stone reliable,will plane a boat the size of yours(if hou make a tiller extension to move a bit forward your and a stick to work the throttle-my Auzi will run slow for along time with nary a hiccup.

[@iandtexarkana4549]

Boaters use both; the gas is to get to the destination quickly, while the trolling motor is used to sneak up on fish and catch them.

[@dannytravis7118]

You talked about the weight. With the eletric motor the weight is separated between the battery and motor and the gas is all together so that could make a difference. Also some small lakes prohibit gas engine only electric motors are allowed. I like to fish and the slower electric motor I drop in a couple of baits and drag or troll behind. I've caught some big bass doing this getting to my intended fishing hole. The electric is quite and you can slip in and out of bank poles or drop lines and not disturb the fish. I've rebaited drop lines and not even got to the next line before catching a fish on the reset line

[@jasonbroom7147]

First of all, your production quality on the video is excellent! You present your arguments well and the staging of all the shots was great. However, your range calculation was not very accurate. When comparing the "fuel" density for both options, a 50 or 60 pound deep-cycle, lead-acid battery gives you a fuel source that should last all day for the electric trolling motor but just 10 pounds of gas for the outboard will last much longer. This is particularly true if measured in number of miles covered. Also, if your battery goes dead and you didn't bring another with you, your trip back to the launch ramp is going to take a while. If your small on-board tank goes empty, the weight of a 1-gallon gas can is a tiny fraction of what a spare battery weighs. I do agree that if you're going to have a gas outboard, it should be something large enough to really move the boat.

[@WayneTheBoatGuy]

Very good points! Mostly my thoughts when I made this were along the lines of how people typically might use these particular small & slow motors - short trip, not needing much speed. If I had a decent distance to travel, I would probably want to go more than 6 or 7 mph and a spare gas tank is much more reasonable than multiple batteries.

[@bradfarrahgerwing154]

I troll with a 12 ft fiberglass with a 2.5 Honda 4 stroke.....I Bring 2 250 ml chainsaw fuel bottles......makes fillup way easier and less messy and a bottle fills the tank

[@mikyl-fo8rh]

Noise should be a heavier weighted factor as I've been told that when you enter a fishing area with a gas engine, the fish need an hour to calm down. I reckon it would be less than 15 minutes with an electronic motor.

[@kennethseibert5711]

Fish only have a fifteen second memory. So I've heard

[@mikyl-fo8rh]

@@kennethseibert5711 I believe that, but possibly the physiological effects (raised heart rate, nervous system, etc) of the stress may last longer than their memory.

[@Andy36m]

Thankyou for the advice. I just bought a intex challenger 3 dingy and will be fitting an outboard engine to it but wasn’t sure to get either the electric or gas. After watching this. I think the electric will be best.

[@toddbollen1455]

I learned same .I have 3hp old Evinrude ,Fun motor ,runs good But for fishing I like My trolling motor better . Lot because of noise and at end of year don t need winterize. No running to gas station mixing gas...

[@brendanhall9346]

Just picked up my first boat a 12 foot v haul aluminum super excited to get an engine and motor for it

[@rodbrown8306]

Very good, very clever and well documented.

[@BoatBloke]

I’ve been toying with the idea of getting a small electric outboard for my little dinghy.

[@tubingit10]

So much easier to use a trolling motor! And reliable too. Don’t have to worry about maintenance. I have the minkota 30 and it’s enough for my mariner 4 when I stay within half mile to 1 mile of shore (yes the ocean)However I’m upgrading to a larger troller like yours! Great idea! And the battery I use is the larger rv battery Costco sells for about 100 bucks. With my 30lb thrust minkota I am out there for 4-5 hours and still about the same thrust and pretty much full power! Curious to see what happens when I upgrade to 50 or more thrust. Will be taking two larger rv or marine batts just in case

[@garywilliams7343]

What is the name and specs for that Costco RV battery?

[@Revviews]

Really well made video. Learnt a thing or two as well. Thanks

[@WayneTheBoatGuy]

Thank you and thanks for watching!!!

[@mackyb.outdoors1377]

i use a trolling motor with a 1ooah lithium at 7lb and i have a agm at 70lbs i get about 10 miles outta each, had 2 agms but now 2 lithium's. just got a 9.8 mercury and yeah i can now reach new spots but your right about the 2 hp

[@sailor583]

Each tool for the function it was designed. For fishing and trolling use the Minkota, for running and pushing against currents get the Mercury. Recharging a battery takes hours while refueling gasoline takes just minutes.

[@trcass1]

nice segment. i know this is a little dated but....i've been looking at small motors for my side mount on my canoe. i have a 55 pound thrust and worry about distance. i used to have a 4 hp mercury with an external tank on my Jon boat and loved it. No small motors, that i could find, come with an auxiliary tank hook up. i watched your other videos on motors under a thousand bucks. i was looking at the Suzuki 2.5. they dont have the one you showcased but its very similar and cheaper at just under $700. most of my running is in the Patuxant up and down the river. thanks for the video.

[@carlosaaaaaa3328]

I was thinking of getting the Sun dolphin sportsman 14 ss canoe and have seen videos of putting bigger motors on smaller boats and figured I can prob put a 2.5 hp motor on it instead of the trolling motor, Oh and I did buy my first kayaks and they were great but I'm gonna switch them out for foldable kayaks which I didn't know where a thing.

[@agentorange2554]

This year I'm using both. No Paddling is the goal.

[@WayneTheBoatGuy]

Me too!

[@patrickshaw9376]

just to confuse the issue, what about connecting the trolling motor to a small generator. my little camping generator runs for hours on a full tank and has 12v take of. it's a lot lighter than my leisure batteries. just a thought.

[@alasdair4161]

Most generators output 8 amps max from their low voltage port, trolling motors typically use 12 to 36 amps depending on the size and speed setting. It could do a good job of extending range, but you'd still need the battery, fuel, and you then get the noise back, boat hulls magnify sound so well.

[@BobDiaz123]

While you could take an extra battery, that's around 50 to 60 pounds of extra weight. For gas, a gallon of gas weighs around 8 pounds. Small boats do have weight limits so this could impact how much you can carry.

[@Black-March]

Well yes, but you could also take the discussion one step further. Because instead of a second battery, you could bring a solar panel for the electric outboard. And fairly simple solar panels can in fact charge for more than the trolling motor would use to propel itself while trolling. If you had a solar panel, a trolling motor and a couple of batteries at a remote cabin or lake, that could last you for daily trips every day for years.

[@BobDiaz123]

@@Black-March It depends on how hard you want to drive the electric motor. At slow speeds, many draw around 10 amps at 12 volts. That would be two 100 watt panels at around 15 pounds each. At medium speeds, the current draw increases to 20 amps at 12 volts or 4 panels for a total of 60 pounds; not counting mounting hardware. At top speeds, it takes 6 panels and would weigh 90 pounds + mounting hardware. However, on an overcast day, the current from the 6 panels won't even turn the motor.

[@Black-March]

@@BobDiaz123 Power usage increases significantly with speed though, using the ePropulsion Spirit Plus outboard as an example, at 2.2 mph you use 35w, at 2.7 65w and at 3.5mph its 125. A guy who lives near I do has a single 100w panel which is enough to take him out in the boat fishing every day for a month straight during the summer. That's 5 lbs.

[@HondoTrailside]

Range is not even vaguely similar. You can carry a lot of gas, both in the sense of storing it, and in physically moving it. If you tie up on a dock with a electrical, or always cycle your trailer back to the house, electric can be OK. Only source of electrical for me is carrying a very heavy battery up beach/steep rocky section, not fun at all compared to a gas can. I am in if there is a workable way of using solar/electric, even if it is slow. But the cost of systems I have seen even from economical providers like Devlin, is house money. Some boats will actually work OK with decent sunlight and no battery augmentation. The famous yacht designer Nigel Irens made a breakthrough in motor boat low speed high efficiency, and he said that you are better off with gas, as the weight of comparable batteries during the trailering phase was not overall credibly efficient. Noticed that recently he seems to be focused on electrics, it is what the rich people think they want. I don't get small motors. I see people running their dinghies, and they seem silent. You buy a new 4 stroke, they tell you how quiet they are. Any I have bought are really loud. Maybe some of those yacht motors like seagulls are quiet... electric is a clear winner on this count. Cost of a motor based on miracle american second hand deals is bogus. it needs to be a deal anyone can get pretty much any time. Overall, I don't think they are comparable at this point. There is a reason why we have a trolling category, and an moving category.

[@markbrock8662]

Good video. Thanks for posting. I was wondering about this myself and you've convinced me to sell my 6 hp Johnson and go electric.

[@audioadventurer6892]

A small light solar blanket and charge controller makes a huge difference if you're running trolling motor for a weekender. 2 batteries and a solar charging setup and your range anxiety stars to fade pretty fast.

[@bodhranlowd]

There is also the scenario of an off-grid cottage where recharging batteries is not an option, but there are always gas pumps nearby in North America.

[@WayneTheBoatGuy]

But an off-grid cottage would also be a good place for solar panels to recharge batteries

[@fmkfmk3835]

Hi Wayne... nice comparison... I have coupled a "troy built "4 stroke engine (grass cutter) to a "tanaka" (old japanese boat engine )for a total weight of 12lbs with a full tank(.6litre)🤣 and a 4 hours autonomy with a full tank. reaching a speed of 12kmh (7mph)..😉 the price of the new engine ($125) that I put that on my inflatable 10ft.1/2 a lot of fun and nice fishing for cheap in comparison with Minn Kota... I have a greater autonomy with 5litres of gas than electric... (comparison with a friend who rides with Minn Kota 2 batteries same boat) to have the same equivalent when I go to the sturgeon on the St Lawrence river...

[@WayneTheBoatGuy]

That sounds like a nifty rig you built! Yeah if you're travelling farther, a gas motor is certainly more capable because you don't have to buy, charge and store a few extra (heavy) batteries.

[@louisaugust1815]

Storage is something to consider. I didn't have a garage so I had to drain the gas in order to store the gas motor in my apartment closet. Even stored inside a plastic bag I felt there was a gas odor in the room. I have a small 10' punt so I would consider an electric motor. Thanks for the video

[@cartmanrlsusall]

Twin minn kotas,with model airplane props are surprisingly fast

[@mobiussquadron]

I feel you misrepresented the trolling motor on weight, as you should have factored in battery weight as well, which when compared to some smaller boats in the 200 lb weight, 2 group 31's and a minnkota endura max you are pushing 150 lbs. Don't get me wrong this is my current setup and aside from moving the batteries (loading in bed, not a trailer) every time I move the boat its great, but comparing that vs a 50 or 60 lb 4 stroke (referring to new units) is quite a savings on weight, and an extra gallon of gas is what, 6 lbs?

[@scottmiller2576]

ok here is my 20c worth , ok using a Yamaha 2.5 hp as a yardstick , it weighs 17 kg or 30 something pounds in weight, my 44lb Watersnake trolling motor is similar in the weight factor but i dare say with fuel added the Yamaha will be heavier. Going on the range factor i strongly disagree because i use a 50ampagm battery and depending on the strength of the tide ( if you are using it on river close to the mouth) i had a range of 750 m before the battery reduction was sitting at 60% ( i will add 10% as the battery was close but not completely full for arguments sake) and only used it very briefly on throttle speed 3 out of 5 and that started to zap the battery. To cut a long story short factoring in tidal influence /wind / boat weight etc i ended up returning to shore with just 19% battery capacity , a big no no in maintaining the longevity of your battery. The outboard in a similar throttle mode would have lasted for a few hours and with a external back up tank mostly all day. So i am a little bemused by making a claim that the range of both is very similar, possible with frugal use of your throttle on a still enclosed lake or river system ( non tidal) but otherwise no way!!!

[@jamesbeal8934]

I want both except a 4stroke on the gasser..we troll for crappie and with a 4stroker we can use either for the very slow trolling we do...

[@WayneTheBoatGuy]

Both is good!

[@brianwest5348]

I know a guy that had a bigger john boat with a bigger motor and he also put a small motor on just for trolling for crappie because the noise caught more fish because crappie are curious fish! He ran with about 8 rods and he would slay crappie. I don't know if it is true, but my dad ran an electric trolling motor and caught less fish (but still caught fish).

[@lonnieclemens8028]

Very good video on small motors. Thank you for sharing.

[@tubejim101]

When comparing the weight, is that counting the battery weight?

[@WayneTheBoatGuy]

No it is not.

[@TheCamaro68rs]

Well done comparison.

[@kentonward97]

I have both for my canoe , I take my electric fishing and yes I can troll all day with it but that is not the same as when I need to get someplace !! My little gas engine I take when I go hunting and need to get multiple places in as fast a time as I can. So for me and my lifestyle I need both for different things.

[@buck9739]

Keep it up you do great informative videos. Thanks

[@mikemckeown9477]

Well done i haven’t missed 1 of your videos I haven’t been in you tube long.

[@WayneTheBoatGuy]

Thank you

[@richardowens9061]

There is no question, with me - I definitely prefer an electric motor. If you want more range for your electric motor, bring along a portable solar panel and charge controller. While you're moving, the solar panel can reduce your battery consumption - or, you can keep your throttle down low enough to match the output of the solar panel, so the battery does not discharge at all. While you're stopped, the solar panel will be recharging your battery. Meanwhile, an electric motor means you have no maintenance, there is insignificant noise, no pollution, you can't spill or leak any gasoline in your vehicle while transporting the motor, and you can use it in lakes, rivers, and streams where gasoline motors are not permitted. And, it can sit unused for years and still be ready to go when you need it. Finally, this is 2024. Electric motors are here now and they are the future. Gasoline motors represent 100+ year old technology that is on its way out. Thanks for the video!

[@jeremyhall134]

I have a minn kota and a 1968 johnson 3 horse power 2 stroke that has a weed less propeller. I've found the minn kota is great for lakes in my area that are no internal combustion motors. My 3 horse I take out when I'm camping for a 3 day weekend. A 3 gallon gas tank lasts me the 3 days of fishing. My minn kota is dead on day 2, but I'm a fishing fool. Both have their place in my book.

[@WayneTheBoatGuy]

Awesome!

[@tomtheman91]

If you like the trolling motor you might want to check out those 3 blade props I put one on my 45 pound thrush minkota

[@tomtheman91]

Name of prop is kipawa

[@WayneTheBoatGuy]

Yeah I’m curious to try one!

[@Nonplused]

The best is to have both if you can.

[@dmwi1549]

Agree! Purchased a small 15’ rowboat with older 2 stroke 25hp and 35lb transom mounted trolling motor last summer. Bought two batteries. I figure I have 3 methods to get back home before I have to swim: a motor, an engine and oars. On our small lakes it’s so much nicer to just use the quiet trolling motor and enjoy the scenery and wildlife. My biggest issue, besides maintenance, is I mixed up a full 6 gallons of 2 stroke premium gas and most of it is left over! The 2 stroke stays propped up, out of the water and makes an excellent back rest!

[@WayneTheBoatGuy]

2 stroke backrest - nice!

[@gilrheaume6283]

Hello Wayne, my wife and I are retired and will be buying a 20 or 22 foot outboard boat for pleasure boating with the 2 dogs. I am looking for safety if the outboard dies and want to get back to the dock, do you thing that a battery operated is my solution. I'm not looking for speed, just want to get back home. Gil

[@youdonthavetoreadthispost.5850]

Hey Wayne. Could you do a post on propeller selection, pitch, cup, diameter, etc? Thanks I enjoy your posts. BTW Impellors are just rubber. They take a set, dry rot and fail. A few minutes and smoke!

[@johnmirth5333]

Good job thanks buddy

[@dayliving2020]

2.5 hp vs 55lb thrust which is less than 1hp of power for min kota, which is worse in a stronger current, (i lost control in light current using 55lb thrust min kota) thats the reason why I switched to gas tohatsu. Gasoline beats electric in every way, electric is perfect for small lakes and if you have lithium battery otherwise it is a lot heavier to bring acid 100ah battery with your electric motor vs 2-4hp gas outboard. My 100ah acid battery weighs around 60+lbs, where as my lithium 100ah is 24lb but much more expensive. Also cold weather affects battery juice life, and you can't rely on a battery too much. Also electric is good as a backup for gasoline outboard, in case something breaks down

[@markjackson6829]

They do now make brushless powerful trolling motors propped for 6 mph. And yes they are $400-900+, depending on size of boat.

[@WayneTheBoatGuy]

Nice to hear!

[@MarkMayhew]

You should have Environment as a category, the trolling motor wins hands down

[@buck9739]

Fun I love boating

[@davidkirksey8521]

So I have a Suzuki 2.5 4 stroke , is that as loud as a two stroke? Also the assembly of an electric with the parts and plugs is not as easy as my 4 stroke just attach to transom and let er rip! I also have no charge down time, just keep gassing and going🎉

[@francus7227]

I watched this with my arms crossed thinking, "This guy ain't teaching me crap." WRONG ! ! ! Totally flipped me from 2.5 hp to electric...... Any thrust in 12 volt..... 28, 30, 36, 40, 55. They will all push a 14' jon or smaller. I don't care about speed. Before I didn't think about maintenance and easy of use. Now I do. Plus, an electric motor can be used to fish with artificial lures. You can't creep the lilly pads with an outboard. Thanks for covering all factors to be considered, compared and balanced...... price, speed, range, maintenance, ease of use, etc...

[@WayneTheBoatGuy]

Thank you!

[@tomballard8877]

If I was to go out for a camping trip it would be gas. Short or one day outing electric. But they do make solar chargers to keep the battery topped off.

[@randallcrenshaw3871]

If you only have 1 motor then you go with the Mercury, at 4 mph the minnkota may not have the power to get you out of a bad situation.

[@beorbeorian150]

Would rather pollute with a two stroke than deal with a dirty battery made out of stuff that never comes out of the environment once it is in.

[@tommak6516]

Are you adding in the cost and weight of the battery? Not a fair comparison if you do not. Plus if you bring a gas can your range on the 2 stroke is a lot more. I think your analysis is faulty.

[@InformedKiwi]

You did not show the Battery. Is it small mid size or a large battery. How heavy is the battery to life into the boat? I was sailing in the Pacificand one of the yachts but one of there electric motors. And it was useless. Any wind in the bay of the slightest currant and it struggled. In our home port of Auckland New Zealand it was ok to go ashore.Our Mercury 3.3 hp on a 14 foot RIB was so much better

[@dr.froghopper6711]

On a 12’-13’ kayak, the trolling motor wins hands down. What I don’t like is that batteries can make kayaks top heavy. Lithium batteries are much lighter and more efficient but $300-$500 is a bit much for my budget and Minn-Kota motors can’t handle lithium batteries. So I’m beginning to consider a garden tractor battery, sealed lead/acid.

[@WayneTheBoatGuy]

Year right now we're stuck with either great weight or great cost to try to have more than a few hours of battery operation. I keep hoping for next breakthrough so we can have cheap and light batteries!

[@t.c.a.3335]

Ease of use... that Mercury is probably one of the simplest motors to start, I've seen 8 year old's on KZbin starting them... and as far as distance and speed... if you're fishing a large river and want to get up to the best fishing spots, or change from spot to spot quickly the Mercury is your only option... Minn Kota say the average speed output of their motors is 3 - 3.5 mph on flat water with no wind and no current... put two people in a boat and you're going slower... average battery life at full "throttle" is less than 2 hours and at speed 1 where you are probably trolling "in place" with any kind of current or wind... I had a canoe, with an average 1 person load for fishing... I got down river with my Minn Kota 45 and decided to head back up river... that's when I found out the river current was probably running at around 2.5+ mph and my Minn Kota was pushing about about 3 mph... LMAO... I ended up pulling up into shallow water and walking the canoe back up river a quarter of a mile over slippery algae covered boulders... never again...

[@michaelupinhere]

Ha! This is exactly what I was wondering!! Nicely done! Have you tried a dual trolling set up? What kind of comparisons could you make there?

[@WayneTheBoatGuy]

Thanks - I do have some more things planned!

[@fhorst41]

Which one will function after an EMP in a Grid Down situation?

[@WayneTheBoatGuy]

I’ll paddle my kayak!

[@funny36ful]

Outboard is loud and vibrates a bunch, plus smell of gas and having to mix oil. Electric, charge battery and good to go, no need to worry about bad carb or bad gas.

[@charlessmith4242]

* One problem you might encounter with an electric motor is the recharging of the battery. If you can pull your boat close enough to an outlet, you can recharge your battery without having to lug it out of the boat, if not this becomes a real pain in the back carrying it back and forth. If you're going on an extended camping trip, better carry a generator of you plan on using an electric motor. Another area of concern happens ( and this applies to both types of motors ) when you're travelling. Securing your motor and other items found in your boat will be vital to keep them safe and away from the criminal intent of a thief. Motor locks are a good investment. Some are better than others. Securing batteries and gas cans, etc. should also be considered. Really, anything left exposed will be an open invitation to a crook.

[@glenda917]

Why is the handle so high up for the Kota? Thank you for a good video and knowledge

[@WayneTheBoatGuy]

I bought it used and it’s a long shaft. You can buy shorter shaft versions - this one probably well suited to sailboats and other tall- transom boats.

[@suavelifestyle9094]

Using a trolling motor as a main engine wont the battery die after a few hours ? Forgive me if its a dumb question im new just trying to learn

[@WayneTheBoatGuy]

Yes a single battery doesn’t last long

[@WaterfrontGurus]

What about reliability? I mean being able to trust it to get you out on the river and back safely.

[@WayneTheBoatGuy]

My experiences with all powered items from a drill, to a car, to a boat has usually been that if it runs properly when you first start it up it usually works for the whole day. Anything can have a catastrophic failure and I always have at least one emergency plan (a paddle, a cell phone, a line to be towed).

[@WaterfrontGurus]

@@WayneTheBoatGuy makes sense! thanks

[@nathangaron1469]

Gasssss cant charge the battery on the water

[@pain_weaver]

@@WayneTheBoatGuy you forgot the most important stuff for emergency beer smokes and snacks. 🤣

[@TPoirier]

Nice video! I loved the 2 strokes for their simplicity, but after swapping over to 4 strokes there's no comparison. Check out the 3.5hp Tohatsu/Mercury's little more power but they run way quieter and have the shifter so you can let it idle without moving.

[@WayneTheBoatGuy]

Thanks!!

[@zacharymorris9917]

@@WayneTheBoatGuy I can tell in the video that you have the 7 pitch prop on your 2.5hp. That prop is way too much. Go down to the 4.5 pitch or, even better, the 3 pitch and you'll guaranteed get more MPH and better fuel economy. That's the best thing I've done for my 3.5hp Mercury (4.5 pitch down from stock 7 pitch). It's even quieter as an added bonus. With that prop it will push my 22' sailboat just as fast as my 9.9hp. I've tested it on a 8.5' zodiac and 12' john boat with similarly excellent results.

[@WayneTheBoatGuy]

@@zacharymorris9917 VERY interesting - thanks!

[@denmar355]

Hangkai 6hp 4-stroke will push that little boat 12mph. Just be sure to put in gear oil in the lower, and engine oil in the crankcase. It’s a direct clone of the Honda GXV50. Download the Honda manual for it.

[@davescheer5038]

Well it’s me again ,🥴 of course I had to check out your vid on comparison of the two motors , and was wondering why you just didn’t use a larger maybe 4 stroke , quilter motor , and back it up with the electric , now this is we’re I got lucky I bought a minncota 55 riptide used at goodwill store 5 months ago in really good condition for $35 bucks ! And I’m going to try to find a really good deal on a 9.9- or 15 hp 4 stroke gas motor , I’ll kinda experiment with the battery thing as I won’t know till I get a boat and set it up if I’ll need two batteries or go lithium, and I was thinking on a harbor freight foldable 100 watt panel to charge things up on the water , but there again I don’t know if I’ll need it as it might just get in the way I’ll be putting a push pole on the boat to to move around on the flats , anyway I enjoy your vid’s , and thanks for posting 👍

[@WayneTheBoatGuy]

Any higher horsepower gas motor wouldn't be a fair comparison at all. The idea for this video came to me when I was heading out one morning and thought about how these two motors weigh about the same and cost me about the same (used). That got me to thinking about other similarities and differences.

[@regalbowman3143]

Factor in maintenance deep cycle battery $200 - 300, plus origional cost of deep cycle battery charger. Spare spark plug $3, empeller usually good for life of the engine.

[@jasonfleege233]

Impellers are NOT good for the life of the engine and need to be changed every 2-3 years

[@regalbowman3143]

@Jason Fleege Water cooling Emplellers only need replacing that often if you run your engine out of the water.

[@jasonfleege233]

@@regalbowman3143 You are VERY wrong my friend! If you run them out of water, they need replaced in a matter of 15 seconds. They need to be replaced every 2-3 years for regular maintenance. I'm a certified marine tech and trust me, I know and deal with them daily!

[@regalbowman3143]

@Jason Fleege read my comment. I said water emplellers need replacing if they are run out of water. I spoke to my PrinceCraft Murcury dealer about your claim. He says it sounds like you're in it for yourself rather than your customers.

[@thatonebeone]

i have a small 12 foot inflatable boat on a 5hp trolling motor using 2x 12v lithium 230amp battery =24V.. i get about 11mph+ . motor is pulling 90amps+ at full power.. so i can get about 2.4 hours locks at full power which is way more then enough for my needs ..half power i can go all day no problem still getting 5 to 6mph. this is way cheaper then eprop and torqe ..

[@WayneTheBoatGuy]

That motor sounds interesting! Is it an Elco or some other small electric motor?

[@jasonplant5432]

I like your ,red,right returning shirt.its me navigation.

[@WayneTheBoatGuy]

I have that shirt for sale in the store link!

[@RRW359]

When it comes to weight are you comparing them both with fuel/a battery? The battery isn't built into the electric but you still should count it since it's required. Also fuel will increase the weight in the gas motor.

[@WayneTheBoatGuy]

Good point. I was just weighing the motors with regards to being able to carry them around and easily place them on the transom. I think the Mercury was full of fuel when I weighed it and it holds less than a gallon in the internal tank.

[@matthewackerson7861]

I have both and for different reasons. Gas is cheap and has tremendous energy by weight compared to electric. I run 36 volt trolling motor that costs $4k with Lithium batteries and charger that is the same weight as my 9.9 trolling gas motor for $3k. The electric motor has 1/2 the thrust as my gas motor. I use gas when it’s allowed and my electric when I have to.

[@WayneTheBoatGuy]

Very well said!

[@robertcarpenter7486]

Where can one find this boat?

[@alanswanson1952]

To each his own but I think you should consider a 5 or 6 up outboard

[@WayneTheBoatGuy]

I like trying out different motors. My first was a 6 hp Evinrude.