Motors for Watermaster boat

TDub · Jul 28, 2022

Let me say up front that I'm not a boat guy at all, so I don't know much about motors or using them with different types of crafts. Totally clueless, so please enlighten me if you can.

I've been looking for small boat options recently for lake fishing, and not feeling like I'm going to be able to pull the trigger on anything soon, so I was considering what I could do with my Watermaster. You can find every kind of modification video in the world on YouTube, except for Watermaster boat mods, which I can't seem to find.

Watermaster says you could put up to a 4 horsepower motor on their mount. Has anyone ever done anything like this, and if so, what kind of results did you get?

Or if nobody has done this, maybe someone could guess at what kinds of results that might produce. I would think that the drag on the boat has to be pretty severe.

Any thoughts would be appreciated!

Brute · Jul 28, 2022

Electric trolling motor?

Haggis57 · Jul 28, 2022

Any power is better than no power if you've got the wind in your face returning to your launch site at the end of the day! A 30lb thrust electric trolling motor is equivalent to less than 0.4 HP so you should have quite a bit of flexibility with your Watermaster.

You're right that drag will be an issue. I've got Fish Cat Scout frameless pontoon that is also not the most efficient shape and pushes quite a bit of water. However my 30lb thrust Minn Kota certainly helps for relocating in the wind.

My Minn Kota motor (Endura C2 30) is only weighs 18 lbs so there isn't really large loads associated with strapping a motor mount to some of the d-rings you've already got on your Watermaster. Below is a PVC motor mount I made for my Scout from 3/4" PVC fittings and pipe for $20. I just use a couple of cam straps attached to some tie-down loops in the bottom of the boat. I've been using it for 5 years. I extended the top out to one side so I could attach a Scotty rail mount and an anchor lock as well

There are some relatively cheap ready made alternatives that could just be strapped on as well.

Ken

Josh · Jul 28, 2022

How big of a lake? How far are you trying to motor? How fast?

TDub · Jul 28, 2022

Brute said:
Electric trolling motor?

I think that could work. I was just curious if more would be worth it.

TDub · Jul 28, 2022

Haggis57 said:
Any power is better than no power if you've got the wind in your face returning to your launch site at the end of the day! A 30lb thrust electric trolling motor is equivalent to less than 0.4 HP so you should have quite a bit of flexibility with your Watermaster.

You're right that drag will be an issue. I've got Fish Cat Scout frameless pontoon that is also not the most efficient shape and pushes quite a bit of water. However my 30lb thrust Minn Kota certainly helps for relocating in the wind.

My Minn Kota motor (Endura C2 30) is only weighs 18 lbs so there isn't really large loads associated with strapping a motor mount to some of the d-rings you've already got on your Watermaster. Below is a PVC motor mount I made for my Scout from 3/4" PVC fittings and pipe for $20. I just use a couple of cam straps attached to some tie-down loops in the bottom of the boat. I've been using it for 5 years. I extended the top out to one side so I could attach a Scotty rail mount and an anchor lock as well

There are some relatively cheap ready made alternatives that could just be strapped on as well.

Ken

View attachment 24931 View attachment 24932

Thanks, this is great info! I like what you created there, and seems reasonable enough to recreate. Also thanks for the link. I think I'll probably start with the trolling motor and work up from there if there's need. Good things to think about. Thanks!

TDub · Jul 28, 2022

Josh said:
How big of a lake? How far are you trying to motor? How fast?

Ha! I'm not even sure. Mostly smaller lakes, or if it's a larger lake, I would just be interested in some creek inlets and places like that. I would like to be able to go a couple miles or so on it. Getting there quickly isn't necessarily the goal, but as fast as possible in a river boat.

Haggis57 · Jul 28, 2022

TDub said:
Thanks, this is great info! I like what you created there, and seems reasonable enough to recreate. Also thanks for the link. I think I'll probably start with the trolling motor and work up from there if there's need. Good things to think about. Thanks!

Glad to help plant some ideas! My intent was inline with your thinking to keep it simple. Try out a trolling motor with minimal investment and see if it works for you. If you can't borrow a trolling motor, you might be able to get a used one from Craig's List or Facebook Marketplace. Use the most basic mount you can clamp a motor to. This guy was able to get away a single piece of plywood since he could wrap straps around the tube.

Haggis57 · Jul 28, 2022

The other thing to think about is battery size. If you're only going to be using the motor to go a mile or two to a specific location, you could probably think about a smaller 30 to 35 Ah battery. That's what I use with my pontoon and I can easily get a couple of hours use if I use speed 3 or 4 rather than having it pinned on 5. Besides cost, the big benefit of a smaller battery is weight - mine only weighs 22 lbs. 30 to 35 Ah batteries are commonly used for mobility scooters, wheel chairs, etc. so are usually readily available. If you eventually decide you want to do longer trips, a lot of guys just bring along a second 35 Ah battery.

Chadk · Jul 28, 2022

Haggis57 said:
The other thing to think about is battery size. If you're only going to be using the motor to go a mile or two to a specific location, you could probably think about a smaller 30 to 35 Ah battery. That's what I use with my pontoon and I can easily get a couple of hours use if I use speed 3 or 4 rather than having it pinned on 5. Besides cost, the big benefit of a smaller battery is weight - mine only weighs 22 lbs. 30 to 35 Ah batteries are commonly used for mobility scooters, wheel chairs, etc. so are usually readily available. If you eventually decide you want to do longer trips, a lot of guys just bring along a second 35 Ah battery.

Agreed. And if you go with a 50ah LiFePO4 battery, you can troll all day and have a smaller and much lighter battery than a traditional lead acid / AGM battery. They can cost a bit more, but they are more efficient as they can drain nearly all the way down as compared to a traditional battery that slowly starts declining as soon as you use it and craps out before halfway depleted.

mickey rat · Jul 29, 2022

Haggis57 said:
There are some relatively cheap ready made alternatives that could just be strapped on as well.

I went with the same bracket and glued on four rubber mounts for my frameless pontoon. I used a heat gun to bend the bracket a bit more to match the smaller tube radius on the bow.

TDub · Jul 29, 2022

Haggis57 said:
The other thing to think about is battery size. If you're only going to be using the motor to go a mile or two to a specific location, you could probably think about a smaller 30 to 35 Ah battery. That's what I use with my pontoon and I can easily get a couple of hours use if I use speed 3 or 4 rather than having it pinned on 5. Besides cost, the big benefit of a smaller battery is weight - mine only weighs 22 lbs. 30 to 35 Ah batteries are commonly used for mobility scooters, wheel chairs, etc. so are usually readily available. If you eventually decide you want to do longer trips, a lot of guys just bring along a second 35 Ah battery.

Again, good info thanks!

TDub · Jul 29, 2022

Chadk said:
Agreed. And if you go with a 50ah LiFePO4 battery, you can troll all day and have a smaller and much lighter battery than a traditional lead acid / AGM battery. They can cost a bit more, but they are more efficient as they can drain nearly all the way down as compared to a traditional battery that slowly starts declining as soon as you use it and craps out before halfway depleted.

Oh, wow. I had not idea. Those things are light! Seems like a good option. Thanks Chad.

TDub · Jul 29, 2022

mickey rat said:
I went with the same bracket and glued on four rubber mounts for my frameless pontoon. I used a heat gun to bend the bracket a bit more to match the smaller tube radius on the bow.

Nice, that seems cheap enough not to have to create something DIY.

mickey rat · Jul 29, 2022

If you're still considering putting a trolling motor on your Watermaster here's a few things I did with my rebranded Outcast Scout to help you along. I had a lot of input from @Haggis57 on this and he was great. Here's the Amazon links to the bracket, mounts, and glue I used:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09KNQDL2K/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o09_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09FLDF66M/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
https://www.amazon.com/HH-66-PVC-Vi...ocphy=9033394&hvtargid=pla-405660969488&psc=1
I ended up not using my heavy 36lb thrust trolling motor and instead went with a Watersnake 24lb transom mount and run through a PWM. I had to do some modifications to get the 24" shaft down further to be more effective though. I have no idea if you'd need a 24" or 30" shaft on a Watermaster. That would all depend on the height of the top of the motor bracket down to waterline. I ended up cutting off and inch and a half from my transom plate and another inch from the steering triangle.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B094XJZNZW/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Before:

After:

Like @Haggis57 I'm using 3mm paracord run through 1/4" ID vinyl tubing clipped to the tie down straps sewn into the Scout for steering. BTW the stock tiller on the Watersnake is shown retracted into the motor 'head'. @Haggis57 trolls going with the open end of the Scout forward but I'm playing around with reversing the motor drive 180 degrees to see what I prefer. The before photo shows it setup that way. I'd also love to get a Lithium battery too, but keep in mind you'd need a charger that is capable of charging that kind of battery.
Hope this all helps.

TDub · Jul 31, 2022

mickey rat said:
If you're still considering putting a trolling motor on your Watermaster here's a few things I did with my rebranded Outcast Scout to help you along. I had a lot of input from @Haggis57 on this and he was great. Here's the Amazon links to the bracket, mounts, and glue I used:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09KNQDL2K/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o09_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09FLDF66M/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
https://www.amazon.com/HH-66-PVC-Vi...ocphy=9033394&hvtargid=pla-405660969488&psc=1
I ended up not using my heavy 36lb thrust trolling motor and instead went with a Watersnake 24lb transom mount and run through a PWM. I had to do some modifications to get the 24" shaft down further to be more effective though. I have no idea if you'd need a 24" or 30" shaft on a Watermaster. That would all depend on the height of the top of the motor bracket down to waterline. I ended up cutting off and inch and a half from my transom plate and another inch from the steering triangle.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B094XJZNZW/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Before:
View attachment 25078
After:
View attachment 25079
Like @Haggis57 I'm using 3mm paracord run through 1/4" ID vinyl tubing clipped to the tie down straps sewn into the Scout for steering. BTW the stock tiller on the Watersnake is shown retracted into the motor 'head'. @Haggis57 trolls going with the open end of the Scout forward but I'm playing around with reversing the motor drive 180 degrees to see what I prefer. The before photo shows it setup that way. I'd also love to get a Lithium battery too, but keep in mind you'd need a charger that is capable of charging that kind of battery.
Hope this all helps.

Oh man, that's great thank you. I will dig into this. I will probably have some questions.

TDub · Jul 31, 2022

mickey rat said:
If you're still considering putting a trolling motor on your Watermaster here's a few things I did with my rebranded Outcast Scout to help you along. I had a lot of input from @Haggis57 on this and he was great. Here's the Amazon links to the bracket, mounts, and glue I used:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09KNQDL2K/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o09_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09FLDF66M/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
https://www.amazon.com/HH-66-PVC-Vi...ocphy=9033394&hvtargid=pla-405660969488&psc=1
I ended up not using my heavy 36lb thrust trolling motor and instead went with a Watersnake 24lb transom mount and run through a PWM. I had to do some modifications to get the 24" shaft down further to be more effective though. I have no idea if you'd need a 24" or 30" shaft on a Watermaster. That would all depend on the height of the top of the motor bracket down to waterline. I ended up cutting off and inch and a half from my transom plate and another inch from the steering triangle.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B094XJZNZW/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Before:
View attachment 25078
After:
View attachment 25079
Like @Haggis57 I'm using 3mm paracord run through 1/4" ID vinyl tubing clipped to the tie down straps sewn into the Scout for steering. BTW the stock tiller on the Watersnake is shown retracted into the motor 'head'. @Haggis57 trolls going with the open end of the Scout forward but I'm playing around with reversing the motor drive 180 degrees to see what I prefer. The before photo shows it setup that way. I'd also love to get a Lithium battery too, but keep in mind you'd need a charger that is capable of charging that kind of battery.
Hope this all helps.

Okay, I said I was ignorant in these things, so please forgive this dumb question. Why not use the existing tiller with an extension? Are you using pedals. I'm a little confused on the steering part.

Haggis57 · Jul 31, 2022

mickey rat said:
I had to do some modifications to get the 24" shaft down further to be more effective though. I have no idea if you'd need a 24" or 30" shaft on a Watermaster. That would all depend on the height of the top of the motor bracket down to waterline. I ended up cutting off and inch and a half from my transom plate and another inch from the steering triangle.

TDub, although my Minn Kota has a 30" shaft, I also ended up having to trim my transom plate down to the minimum height possible to get the propeller as low as I could. My Minn Kota bracket appears to have more height than the Watersnake and I think my propeller diameter is a bit bigger.

The glue-on fittings for the motor mount is really the only permanent part to adding the trolling motor. Everything else can be optimized or added on over time. NRS has great instructional videos on putting adhesives patches or mounts on inflatable boats. As a novice with vinyl adhesives, a local inflatable boat dealer recommended that I use a 1 part adhesive like the HH-66 or Clifton 4123 products, rather than a 2 part system like Sta-Bond.
Since you haven't invested in a battery yet, I would certainly look at lithium batteries, as recommended above, if you can swing the price. Down the road, you can further extend the life of the battery by adding a PWM controller if you want. With a PWM controller you also have the advantage of having the throttle control right beside your seat. There are a number of posts in the forum about PWM controller options.
I added the simple kayak style steering lines to the motor because of the fixed, non-swivel seat in the Scout, which is similar style to your seat I think. I found it awkward to reach behind for the throttle/steering, even with an extension on the throttle handle.

Good luck!
Ken

TDub · Jul 31, 2022

Haggis57 said:
TDub, although my Minn Kota has a 30" shaft, I also ended up having to trim my transom plate down to the minimum height possible to get the propeller as low as I could. My Minn Kota bracket appears to have more height than the Watersnake and I think my propeller diameter is a bit bigger.

The glue-on fittings for the motor mount is really the only permanent part to adding the trolling motor. Everything else can be optimized or added on over time. NRS has great instructional videos on putting adhesives patches or mounts on inflatable boats. As a novice with vinyl adhesives, a local inflatable boat dealer recommended that I use a 1 part adhesive like the HH-66 or Clifton 4123 products, rather than a 2 part system like Sta-Bond.
Since you haven't invested in a battery yet, I would certainly look at lithium batteries, as recommended above, if you can swing the price. Down the road, you can further extend the life of the battery by adding a PWM controller if you want. With a PWM controller you also have the advantage of having the throttle control right beside your seat. There are a number of posts in the forum about PWM controller options.
I added the simple kayak style steering lines to the motor because of the fixed, non-swivel seat in the Scout, which is similar style to your seat I think. I found it awkward to reach behind for the throttle/steering, even with an extension on the throttle handle.

Good luck!
Ken

Thanks Ken. I appreciate the info. That makes sense about the seat not swiveling. Thanks for the link. I will check those out.