Interested in hearing the experiences of those who have used trolling motors for propulsion in large model designs.

You should have a look at the latest Ships in Scale Magazine (July/August 2009) There is an article about "ride-in" sized scale battle ships with some discussion about using Minkota trolling motors...

Fellow in our club is using two 'Scotty' downrigger motors in his destroyer - runs well on those, Lipo batteries for power, programmable speed controls from Castle Creations. Saw it run this morning but didn't have my camera.

I built a 1:12 scale model of a 60' pushboat and use a 24 lb thrust Minn Kota trolling motor. It worked great. Believe it or not the model was 5' long but i still had to add ballast after putting a car battery down in the hull to get it down to waterline.

I pushed two jon boats with people in them with no trouble at all. I don't know where the boat is now. I sold it back in 1980.

Thanks for the responses!

Towboatjoe, a pushboat or a tug was what I had in mind. (Used to build full scale pushboats in the mid 70's)

Did you use the stock speed control?

If I remember correct I just used a on/on/ center off switch and switched it with a servo. I only used the slow speed setting for the other speeds were far too powerful and caused the bow to take the deep six.

Originally Posted by towboatjoe

If I remember correct I just used a on/on/ center off switch and switched it with a servo. I only used the slow speed setting for the other speeds were far too powerful and caused the bow to take the deep six.

Thanks!!!

Our club has a large (4 foot?) tug powered with the motor that came out of a trolling motor. He used a regular ESC and added a cooling coil. The prop was big and he was breaking couplers at a decent pace so he created a new one from a 1/4" socket wrench universal joint.

Dave

Originally Posted by boater_dave

Our club has a large (4 foot?) tug powered with the motor that came out of a trolling motor. He used a regular ESC and added a cooling coil. The prop was big and he was breaking couplers at a decent pace so he created a new one from a 1/4" socket wrench universal joint.

Dave

Thanks Dave! I guess the builder was interested in a more scale appearing propulsion system.

I'm just going to fair the lower unit into the keel. No stern tube to leak and 30 lbs of thrust available from the stock trolling motor.