[PSUBS-MAILIST] Trolling Motors

[Steve <s_lindblom@conknet.com>]

I'm looking into using a troller motor for a DPV (diver scooter). Going
over the archives, I see that the suitability of troller motors is
frequently discussed but with little ever resolved. One report says that
Evinrude troller motors are fine as it down to 700'. Another says that Minn
Kota seals are, according the the manufacturer, good only to 30'. Another
says just add McMaster Carr pump seal. And then, a lot of people seem to be
using Minn Kotas.

Not covered is what kind of seals the Evinrude has, and whether it is
different from all the others, or just happens to be the one that person
tried, or whether all the folk using Minn Kotas are doing anything special
to them.

Oh, and then Scuba Pro makes a DPV, apparently using a standard trolling
motor made by sister company Minn Kota. Anyone know whether it uses beefed
up seals?

I talked with a fellow who sells DPV plans (for a plywood one, reputedly a
chronic leaker) and he said they didn't recommend any one motor over any
other because "they all work fine down to 50 or 60 feet"! He also mentioned
that some people had reported filling them with tranmission fluid.

I'd be interested in hearing more specific discussion of the seals on these
motors from anyone who has had them apart or modified them, or reports of
people using specific motors and what results they had, good or bad.

 My flea market Minn Kota appears to have a very simply cup seal in it, but
there's a nice deep hole around the .375 shaft that measures just a tad
under .900 wide, and should take a M-C 511  which is rated for 150 psi.
It's almost like they thought someone might want to add one - one wonders
if other trolling motors are made this way.