Float Tube & Trolling Motors....

Curious.

Anyone here run a motor with your float tube? If you do, what are the advantages you found that makes it really worth it?

And anyone who did it in the past but no longer do - and what are the reasons?

Given that tubes move rather slowly and sometimes I want to get to another point a fair distance away, having a motor seems to make sense.

Thanks in advance for any insight.

I put a 30lb motor on my Cumberland and love it. It takes just a few more minutes to launch but I make up that time in speed on the water! I will try to post some pics in the "Another Motorized Cumberland" thread.

Thanks John. I see it. That is sure a lot of labor and creative thinking! Respect.

DO you find that having a motor allows you to be more productive in actual fishing? And if so, how? Also, have you used your phone GPS to track how fast you go at max speed with the 30 lbs trolling motor? I'd guess about 2.4-2.6 miles/hour.....

Thanks! I do find that I save time when traveling over unproductive water to the next fishing spot. My fishfinder shows speed and I think it was around 3mph (maybe not quite) max. Also, I am able to make headway against the wind, which used to limit how I fished in the past. If I had to do it over again, I would look more closely at a 40lb motor.

That is very helpful to hear. Your experience is exactly what I am projecting though I do not have a motor yet mounted to my tubes.  

I actually wonder what is the normal speed of someone just using fins.  Perhaps 1.5 mph? it does feel slow. I'll have to GPS it one of these days.

My top speed with fins is exactly 1.5 mph, but I can't maintain that for very long. I am quite impressed with your speed estimates! Engineer?

John. By training, yes. Though my guesses are based on intuition, knowledge having looking at kayak speeds for which I interpolated for float tubes and physical observation of how I move relative to land. I am trying to rethink the float tube paradigm and how it can be improved substantitively.

I could smell another engineer; didn't even have to see your pocket protector!

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I have a drill paddle and with my fish finder I have seen a hair over 3mph at full throttle. But I don’t use it at full throttle that much to save on battery.
Ok, engineers. With that reply what profession am I in? Haha

Just curious I think I heard in that past that if you put a motor on a device that floats it would then have to be registered?

Richardr10 wrote:Just curious I think I heard in that past that if you put a motor on a device that floats it would then have to be registered?

Short answer: depends on your state.

I have an Outcast Stealth Pro with a 45lb Trust (Motoguide trolling motor).
I run 3.2~3.5mph at full speed.
Total weight on my tube: +/- 300lbs

Benefits while fishing:
1. I get to face against the wind and troll at slow speeds forward during a windy day.
2. I get to eat while my motor trolls me to a farther spot .
3. I can deal with 15~20mph gusts .
(My trolling motor is in front of me. Gets in the way a bit, but I can manage around it.)
4. I don't really need the oars. Fins do help sometimes; oars for emergencies .

Registration:
1. Don't ask don't tell.
-By law in California. you are required to register even if you use a Drill Paddle . Trolling motor... definitely! I have heard that many never had problems with it for years on their home lake. Although there could be a risk of being fined or demand to remove motor from your tube or yak (happen to me).
- I did registered my tube a month after (4 visits! 3 hours later on last day at DMV!---Great time).

My recommendation?

I'll say mount the motor; try it a few times; then if you really have to, register it (150.00/ year).

It's 1am. I hope this info helps .

Those are some good reasons for having a trolling motor on your tube. I think transport and over all weight can turn people away, but there are the Pros as well. Thanks for sharing.

I would love to a photo of the tube with trolling motor in front. Backwards mount seems like you'll be driving blind

Ronniek524....whoa - $150 a year for a motorized float tube? Every year in Cal?

Thanks for the info.

FloatTubeIQ wrote:Ronniek524....whoa - $150 a year for a motorized float tube? Every year in Cal?

Thanks for the info.

That's what I thought too .

Does anyone have pictures of a mount for a trolling motor on their Cumberland float

quenguh wrote:Does anyone have pictures of a mount for a trolling motor on their Cumberland float

Hey its not a Cumberland but it might work and it looks clean.



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Did the drill paddle deal on my ODC 420, got the job done but steering in the wind was like trying to steer a balloon and overheated one of the 5 drill batteries Had to take.

Much better in small pontoon.
Check out running these pontoons backwards with a big motor.

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.

I seen that drill paddle idea, but wanted to mount it and I seen the YouTube video of the mounted one but the only issue I'm thinking of is placement of the battery because the back of the Cumberland float tube is a mesh net and gets wet and sometimes submerged in water

There was a guys that added some think foam like material in the back of the Cumberland. It was to reinforce the back area and provide attachment options. It also kept it dryer, it was not foam but something similar might be an idea.