Hi Doug,
I've done this on canoe and day sailor so I have a little feel for it. Using a thrust calculator meant for an Alberg 30 I trimmed the weight (6500), set water line length (22), and horsepower (10). This calculator concluded the boat would do 5.5 knots using a full 10 Hp outputting 345 lbs of thrust. (Maybe the group can tell us if that's in the ball park with what they get.) Trolling motors are often rated in thrust pounds so I think your design goal would be to use something in the 300 - 350 thrust pounds range. I used a 65 thrust pound unit on the canoe and it was roughly 80-90% of the power a couple of football player types could muster paddling in a sprint. Paddling we could exceed hull speed to the point where the canoe was about to take water over its gunnels. The trolling motor came up a couple of inches short. 15 years later after a 3 mile swim with a tow line in my teeth I out fitted a C15 with the same size trolling motor. Certainly seaworthy but far more tame on a C15. A 65 pound thrust unit on a C27 would do not quite as well as two guys try to paddle it. So maybe ok in a very protected harbor to paddle it to a gas dock in an emergency. I've seen some specs on fixed mount trolling motors that are over 125 pounds so if you started think a pair of these mounted in front of the rudder. Water flow across a rudder lets you direct the thrust for increased maneuverability. Catalina Yachts also has an electric boat division and you may be able to drawn some knowledge on the power plant size from their 24 footer. Phil Agur <http://www.catalina27.org/public_pages/profile270.htm> s/v Wing Tip C270 LE #184 MMSI 366901790 From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Doug Sent: Friday, June 18, 2010 11:28 AM To: [email protected] Subject: [IC27A] Trolling Motor On C27? Hello All, Has anybody used a trolling motor on their C27 for backup propulsion? My atomic 4 wouldn't run yesterday for the return to the slip and I ended up getting towed through the gap (narrow and windless)leading to the cove where my slip is. Once I got through the gap then the wind picked up and I was able to sail into the slip. So I thought about a trolling motor that would be stored in a locker that could be quickly deployed for these types of events. Not sure of the size that would work, henceforth the question. Good sailing while I work on my motor:) -Doug
