Trolling motor - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

A trolling motor is a marine propulsion

Marine propulsion

Marine propulsion is the mechanism or system used to generate thrust to move a ship or boat across water. While paddles and sails are still used on some smaller boats, most modern ships are propelled by mechanical systems consisting a motor or engine turning a propeller, or less frequently, in jet...

system consisting of a self-contained unit that includes an electric motor, propeller and controls, and is affixed to an angler

Angling

Angling is a method of fishing by means of an "angle" . The hook is usually attached to a fishing line and the line is often attached to a fishing rod. Fishing rods are usually fitted with a fishing reel that functions as a mechanism for storing, retrieving and paying out the line. The hook itself...

's boat, either at the bow

Bow (ship)

The bow is a nautical term that refers to the forward part of the hull of a ship or boat, the point that is most forward when the vessel is underway. Both of the adjectives fore and forward mean towards the bow...

or stern

Stern

The stern is the rear or aft-most part of a ship or boat, technically defined as the area built up over the sternpost, extending upwards from the counter rail to the taffrail. The stern lies opposite of the bow, the foremost part of a ship. Originally, the term only referred to the aft port section...

. A gasoline-powered outboard used in trolling

Troll (angling)

Trolling is a method of fishing where one or more fishing lines, baited with lures or bait fish, are drawn through the water. This may be behind a moving boat, or by slowly winding the line in when fishing from a static position, or even sweeping the line from side-to-side, e.g. when fishing from...

, if it is not the vessel's primary source of propulsion, may also be referred to as a trolling motor. Trolling motors are often lifted from the water to reduce drag

Drag (physics)

In fluid dynamics, drag refers to forces which act on a solid object in the direction of the relative fluid flow velocity...

when the boat's primary engine is in operation.

Uses

Trolling
Troll (angling)
Trolling is a method of fishing where one or more fishing lines, baited with lures or bait fish, are drawn through the water. This may be behind a moving boat, or by slowly winding the line in when fishing from a static position, or even sweeping the line from side-to-side, e.g. when fishing from...

for game fish; a motor used for this purpose is usually a secondary means of propulsion, and mounted on the transom
Transom (nautical)
In naval architecture, a transom is the surface that forms the stern of a vessel. Transoms may be flat or curved and they may be vertical, raked forward, also known as a retroussé or reverse transom, angling forward from the waterline to the deck, or raked aft, often simply called "raked", angling...

alongside the primary outboard motor
Outboard motor
An outboard motor is a propulsion system for boats, consisting of a self-contained unit that includes engine, gearbox and propeller or jet drive, designed to be affixed to the outside of the transom and are the most common motorized method of propelling small watercraft...

or on a bracket made for the purpose.
Auxiliary power for precision maneuvering of the boat, to enable the angler to cast his bait to where the fish are located; trolling motors designed for this application are typically mounted in the bow
Bow (ship)
The bow is a nautical term that refers to the forward part of the hull of a ship or boat, the point that is most forward when the vessel is underway. Both of the adjectives fore and forward mean towards the bow...

.
Primary source of propulsion for smaller water craft, such as canoes and kayaks, and on lakes where the use of a gasoline-powered engine is prohibited; usually transom-mounted.

History

Before 1934 - A PORTABLE ELECTRIC PROPELLER FOR BOATS. Article in Scientific American 1895-09-21. "Briefly described, it consists of a movable tube which is hinged at the stern of the boat, much as an oar is used in sculling. The tube contains a flexible shaft formed of three coils of phosphor bronz. This tube extends down and out into the water, where it carries a propeller, and at the inboard end an electric Motor is attached, which is itself driven by batteries." Invented and sold by the Electric Boat company.http://www.scientificamericanpast.com/trolling.jpg

The electric trolling motor was invented by O.G.Schmidt in 1934 in Fargo, North Dakota

Fargo, North Dakota

Fargo is the largest city in the U.S. state of North Dakota and the county seat of Cass County. In 2010, its population was 105,549, and it had an estimated metropolitan population of 208,777...

, when he took a starter motor from a Model A Ford, added a flexible shaft, and a propeller. Because his manufacturing company was near the Minnesota/North Dakota border, he decided to call the new company MinnKota. The company still is a major manufacturer of trolling motors.

Several other trolling motor manufacturers have appeared over the last few decades, including Motor Guide and Rhodan Marine Systems. Motor Guide introduced the Pin Point system using sonar to follow bottom countours. Minn Kota and Rhodan Marine Systems recently introduced wireless trolling motors with integrated GPS systems. The Rhodan GPS Anchor has been demonstrated at trade shows to precisely hold a boat's position within a couple feet in wind and current acting as a virtual anchor.

Electric Trolling Motors

Modern electric trolling motors are designed around a 12-volt, 24-volt or 36-volt brushed DC electric motor
Brushed DC electric motor
A brushed DC motor is an internally commutated electric motor designed to be run from a direct current power source.-Simple two-pole DC motor:The following graphics illustrate a simple, two-pole, brushed, DC motor.DC Motor Rotation...

, to take advantage of the availability of 12-volt deep cycle batteries designed specifically for marine use. The Shakespeare WonderTroll 606 model could operate with either a 6 or 12 volt battery.
The motor itself is sealed inside a watertight compartment at the end of the shaft. It is submerged during operation, which prevents overheating.
The propeller is fitted directly
Direct drive mechanism
A Direct drive mechanism is one that takes the power coming from a motor without any reductions .-Advantages:* Increased efficiency: The power is not wasted in friction...

on to the propshaft.
Hand-control: tiller
Tiller
A tiller or till is a lever attached to a rudder post or rudder stock of a boat that provides leverage for the helmsman to turn the rudder...

for steering, with speed control either built in to the tiller or a control knob on top of the unit. Hand controlled trolling motors are attached to the boat with a clamp.
Foot-control: on/off and speed controls are foot-operated, and built into a pedal that also controls the steering mechanism. Steering may be via electronically controlled servo motors
Servomechanism
thumb|right|200px|Industrial servomotorThe grey/green cylinder is the [[Brush |brush-type]] [[DC motor]]. The black section at the bottom contains the [[Epicyclic gearing|planetary]] [[Reduction drive|reduction gear]], and the black object on top of the motor is the optical [[rotary encoder]] for...

, or in early-model (and late-model low-end units), a push-pull cable. Foot controlled trolling motors require a specialized mounting bracket that bolts horizontally to the deck
Deck (ship)
A deck is a permanent covering over a compartment or a hull of a ship. On a boat or ship, the primary deck is the horizontal structure which forms the 'roof' for the hull, which both strengthens the hull and serves as the primary working surface...

.
Wireless remote: available on high-end late-model trolling motors. Servo-controlled steering and speed control both respond to a wireless device, either in a foot pedal or a key-fob transmitter (similar to an automotive remote keyless system
Remote keyless system
A remote keyless system is a system designed to permit or deny access to premises or automobiles. While the "remote" system is portable and has locking capabilities, the exact phrase "keyless entry" is solely reserved for the numeric dials or keypads that are located on or near the driver side door...

).

Gasoline-powered Trolling Motors

Small outboard motors are frequently used as trolling motors on boats with much larger engines that do not operate as efficiently or quietly at trolling speeds. These typically are designed with a manual pull start system, throttle and gearshift controls mounted on the body of the motor, and a tiller for steering, but in a trolling application, will be connected to the steering mechanism at the helm.

Performance Rating

Electric trolling motors are commonly rated by the pounds thrust of the propulsion force

Force

In physics, a force is any influence that causes an object to undergo a change in speed, a change in direction, or a change in shape. In other words, a force is that which can cause an object with mass to change its velocity , i.e., to accelerate, or which can cause a flexible object to deform...

when running at full speed, and not by hp

Horsepower

Horsepower is the name of several units of measurement of power. The most common definitions equal between 735.5 and 750 watts.Horsepower was originally defined to compare the output of steam engines with the power of draft horses in continuous operation. The unit was widely adopted to measure the...

like gas engines, nor by electric motor characteristics such as watts

Watt

The watt is a derived unit of power in the International System of Units , named after the Scottish engineer James Watt . The unit, defined as one joule per second, measures the rate of energy conversion.-Definition:...

or amperage.

Uses

History

Electric Trolling Motors

Gasoline-powered Trolling Motors

Performance Rating

See also