Troling motor power

[Slugo]

Does anyone know what would be comparable power between gas and electric trolling motors? in other words is a 80 Lbs thrust electric comparable to a 5 HP gas. or is a 8 HP gas about the same thrust as a 36V electric. Kind of comparing apples and oranges by converting them to pears.

Thanks

[BigWadeS]

I know in the Cabelas Marine catalog they list all their kickers and what thrust each one has, not sure if that is what you are looking for or not

[Fish Head]

When I purchased my 80# thrust electric, I was told by the dealership it's comparable to 3hp. I don't know if they actually have some way to know that or if they just made it up.

[Slugo]

Thanks guys...

I was just kinda thinking about it and reaized I had no idea where to make comparisons.

[LanceJ]

Yeah that's kind of a tough one to call. If you could some how figure out the specs in Watts of the electric motor in question, you could figure it out that way. I belive its something like 746 watts = 1 hp. That's assuming 100% efficiency.

Or if you have torque/RPM specs on given motors, there's a formula for figuring the horse power based on that.

Horsepower = (Torque * RPM) / 5252

They need to get those figures they put in the catalogues from somewhere, so the information must exist...I'm just not sure if it's available to the end consumer or not.

[katoguy]

There is no direct correlation. Kinda an apples to oranges thing. Horsepower is a measurement of the amount of work actually being performed. (1 HP is a unit of meaurement equal to 550 foot pounds of work per second.) Thrust is a static measurement of force.

Following is a formula, but is more of an approximation:

amp draw x voltage = wattage

wattage / 746 = approx HP

[Dusty]

It seems to me that there used to be a transom electric that was rated by hp.

[Hookmaster]

MinnKota used to have a 3 hp transom motor.

[katoguy]

No, no, no. You mis-read it.

The 3 HP and 4 HP were "high performance".

They certainly were no where close to 3 or 4 horsepower.

[Slugo]

Okay,

How about adding this in...How would a guy decide if they wanted to get a transom mount trolling motor or a gas kicker. Other than the pros and cons of gas versus electric.

[LanceJ]

I think the amount of weight you've got and the waters you fish should infuence that decision a little. And I think the only reason I'd put a transom mount electric on the back would be to back troll.