A guy posted this question elsewhere. Maybe one of the "gurus" can answer it here. Where should he measure to insure the proper length for his boat/set-up? Mine sits a little deep in the water, which is o.k. for me, because I want the motor IN the water when I do hit some high chop from passersby! (DAMNED jet-skiers)
I think that would depend on what boat the has ! some boats set flatter in the water ! One like my old Gambler sets nose up in the water and I like the longer shaft for the same reason as you for boat wakes and chop ! Think of it like this ! with a longer shaft you can always adj the height up and down for chop and for shallow water !
I'm no guru but from my experience it seems that most bass boats do well with shaft lengths between 42 to 48 inches. If he's running a deep V I would say that he should go up to at least a 52 incher.
It really depends on the size of your boat, how it sits in the water, and what kind of water you fish. I've got a Procraft SP with a 52" Maxxum. It's good about 95% of the time. I fish big water for muskies and I find that once the waves get to the 3'-4' range I really start blowing the motor out.
Remember, you can always shorten a longer shaft, but you can't lenghten one that's too short.
"...what do I know, I sell screws?"
Just don't get it too long >> I did
I bought a guys walleye 60" shaft on big water gator mount and took it home to put on my bass boat>> as he chuckles-- first of all the mount was longer than the deck gunwale angle.. then the shaft made it not fit under the custom cover!!.. then while it was true when I went to Lake Erie it was great in the swells >> until you got up around the reefs and it's 2-3 feet under the float line of the boat and you bottom it out on the rocks while the wave action pushes you!! as he laughs at his mistakes.. it will bust off the skeg of the unit !Oh and then When I went to Lake Barkley and gettin up in the stumps and low water entrances etc.. guess what?? ( it was a foot control by the way) you could not raise it high enough to navigate thru shallow water<yoiu can only raise it up to where the two sections of shft come together> which on my boat put it about 12" deeper than the draft of my boat( so while the boat would float and navigatein and around the stumps the trolling motor was grounded to the bottom.. as he continues to laugh at himself...BUT hey this guy has a duct tape mentality ( inguinenuity!!).. so how to fish back in those shallows..just take out the ole throw cushion and one lifejacket and wedge them in between the siccors part of the trolling motor mount.. so it was about 12" from lowering itself all the way down into it's bracket and locking in!!
Looked disgusting and not ot mention hurt ego ( OK i don't have much..just take pride in that I figured out how to run that setup it shallow water for 3 days)...OH YEAH.. and then there is the part where that long shaft raised up for shallow water gets in the way big time of you casting many ways from your own front deck < think like putting your rear running lights in your front light socket and now cast.. can you spell backlash..more than once!!!
The only saving grace to my yankee inguineity was that I came in second at barkley!!
Moral of the story?? So unless you got a high walled great lakes boat ..don't go to 60" and big water gator mounts!! ON a bass boat if your fishing more than just the high 3-5' rollers of Erie and you fish normal than maybe a 48" shaft to low 50's inches should be your max..in my humble opinion..
Of course.. what do I know??
P. S. as for the suggestion of cutting the shaft length down.. voids warranty I believe ... and it's not cheaply nor easily done on thick s.s. shaft
Bass rigs, 48-50" is fine and actually quiet long. Anything above requires one to alter the position of the motor in the motor mount.
Yes different lakes can and do require a diggerent depth setup of the motor.
Stumps, shallow, deep water, put it down. Rough water is always a PIA!
Wakes, same deal, PIA!
Longer shaft motors may require to place an additional support on the motor while stowed.
We pretty much stay with 42', but on the Susquehanna river we don't get too much chop and are generally fishin less than 4' of water..........Depends on the hull, but I think there's been some good advice given here......I used to have a glass rig and have fished Champlain, Ontario and the Finger Lakes and you need a longer shaft in those swells.......jet skiers don't hold a candle to what Mother Nature can throw your way on those waters...
A 60" shaft here would be more like an anchor where I fish now......w.t. I feel your pain....I've bought some "bargains" that bit me in the bu## too.....
Good Luck on the water
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