Opinions for trolling an i/o

[smithnm243]

Hi guys I got my first boat this year and it's a 19 foot with a 4.3 merc. Not ideal for what I want but it will have to do. My concern is trolling the motor down for mostly walleye trolling. What's my best option? Trolling plate? I really don't want to drag a bag or anything and mounting a kicker would be quite a project with this boat.

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

[TyeeTanic]

Trolling plate is an option, but you lose maneouverability as the thrust is taken away. Some people cut a hole in the plate to help with this.  I used one for a limited perior, and as long as you didn't need to move fast it was okay.  Definitely you need one that comes up easy for full throttle conditions - I had one that I think was called Happy Troller. I tilted the motor up and pulled the plate into the neutral position when I wanted to go at speed.

[Tim Bromund]

Bags aren't bad once you get the ropes adjusted properly.

[Rich s]

My 4.3 islander trolls great on Ontario for salmon, can't really get it down to 1.5 mph though without something. It has a trolling plate which I use but hate.. I have will and use bags , I took the plate off.

Something to consider :

I have a boat mechanic that told me he could tell ( rebuilding my out drive) that I trolled a lot .

Also I asked him why # 3 & 6 plugs looked fouled compared to the other plugs . He said it's because the back of the motor gets extremely hot and causes the seals to leak or oil thinner in those cylinders . I have no idea if this is factual only his explanation.

My suggestion would be bags over plate . For sure you need to keep the rpms up while the speed low otherwise the oil pump will not have enough pressure to properly supply the engine:

Rich

[Xxx]

Another word of caution about troll plates on a I/O is, it take time, but the plate holds back the water propelled by the prop, " naturally " thus puts back pressure on the prop. There is thrust washers that also act like shims which also remove the back lash which is critical. The constant pressure pushing the prop back makes for "slop" as it wears the shims, soon your seals start to leak from the play. The only way you would notice is if you noticed a puddle of oil where it sets while not in use, if your boat is in the slip you would never notice, untill the damage is done. Which isn't a cheap fix. I happen to know this first hand!!😠😱

[PeltHunter]

My 4.3 islander trolls great on Ontario for salmon, can't really get it down to 1.5 mph though without something. It has a trolling plate which I use but hate.. I have will and use bags , I took the plate off.

Something to consider :

I have a boat mechanic that told me he could tell ( rebuilding my out drive) that I trolled a lot .

Also I asked him why # 3 & 6 plugs looked fouled compared to the other plugs . He said it's because the back of the motor gets extremely hot and causes the seals to leak or oil thinner in those cylinders . I have no idea if this is factual only his explanation.

My suggestion would be bags over plate . For sure you need to keep the rpms up while the speed low otherwise the oil pump will not have enough pressure to properly supply the engine:

Rich

As far as the out drive goes the gears and shaft splines make it easy to tell as the low RPMs cause the gears and splines to lose contact and come back together whereas normal boaters get up on plane and go.

[smithnm243]

Thanks for the opinions everyone I'm still working on the set up I'll be using come spring but these are eye opening replys so far

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

[rolmops]

Another more elegant solution is a different propeller.  I would presume that a 19 footer with a 4.3 I/O has a prop with 19 or 21 pitch. For every point you go down in pitch you need an extra 200 rpm to come to the same speed. So If you go down to a 14 or 15 pitch you should be able to troll at 800rpm. Just be very careful opening her up because you will find that she may rev up to 6000+ rpm and that may blow the engine.

This propeller /rpm thing is a bit more involved ( I ignored weight,hull type,draft ) than I just described so there is really no exact number but it will work.

So if you just want to troll and are not interested in racing you should be good.

Edited December 30, 2015 by rolmops

[chinook35]

been trolling for over ten years with an Alpha I Gen II with no issues. 15 1/2 X19 pitch prop.I use bags occasionally but usually can regulate speed with the throttle . I can bring rpm's down to 750 with no problems . I use Delo 40 weight oil in the summer and oil pressure is fine at all speeds . I would not even consider a trolling plate . Too many horror stories . 

[smithnm243]

I have a 19 pitch prop on now and can't get close to trolling speeds. Don't want to change the prop to be able to troll and not go over 20mph as I have a pretty long run to some of my spots. I know several people who have run plates with no issue at all but it's the few that have had problems that worry me. However I will not be trolling tons of hours a season, it'll be mostly 2 days a week for probably 5 hours a day, maybe less.

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

[Big Dave]

I Use bags , used to use 5 gal pails with a 4" hole in the middle.   Trimming the motor up a little will slow you down too; Depends on waves , wind and currents  I never troll below 2 mph and sometimes above 3 on lake Ontario and Cayuga .

[stinger]

There is a trade-off with any of the above suggested methods. I used my 19' 140 hp merc IO runabout for 12 years with a Happy Troller trolling plate and there wasn't any issues with the lower unit (leaks or otherwise) when I sold it for a newer boat.

I have a Happy Troller for sale sitting in my garage that's been upgraded for strength. Let me know if your interested and we'll discuss price.

[Xxx]

There are good things using bags, once you get them positioned on your boat you will like them. I ran a rope from the foremost cleat to the back cleat and played around till I found a sweet spot. You don't want them near the back as they could cause problems, prop, interfering with hooks ect. I liked them right about buy the driver seat, and in rough seas they will hold your boat more stable in the water, almost like a anker to the water, they hold the boat down making for a better troll in rough seas. I since went to a kicker and never looked back. Some guys use bags all the time. They don't want the added bother with a kicker, which I understand also.

[TileMan Dan]

I use a trolling plate on my rig and haven't had a problem thus far.. Just need to remember to pick it up when moving to higher speeds.

[smithnm243]

My girlfriend must have heard me talking about one because she got me a easy troller so I'm going to give it a shot.

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk