Would it be feasible to use an electric offshore?

[dhess]

Have had this crazy idea in the back of my mind for a while. Have thought about getting a large electric for offshore fishing. I do it occasionally but I am not really a fan of anchoring in deep water and do most of my fishing on the drift. If the current is running fast or you have wind against current fishing can be tough.

Anyways the idea was to mount large electric so I slow down my drift or bring it to a halt when passing over nice shows on the sounder. How big an electric motor would I need on a 5.6m boat and roughly how many $$$ would it be for a reliable setup.

[ellicat]

No idea, but maybe you could get an electric anchor winch for the same $'s ??

[obone]

Someone was telling me one time about a thing they called a 'gps anchor' on an electric motor. Where if you found a good spot like you were saying, you just hit a button and eveything is integrated so that the motor will swivel round and work against the wind/tide to keep you in the same spot.

Sounds like an awesome idea, perfect for what you're talking about. Anyone know more about this?

Joel

[dhess]

That sounds awesome! Will definitely have to try to track that one down.

Ellicat,

Its not that I hate the physical act of anchoring. Using a retrieval buoy its a breeze. Its just that I have always been way more successuful drift fishing. Just trying to combine the best of both worlds. Anchoring can also be impractical in 90+ metres of water.

[ellicat]

The function obone speaks of is called auto pilot. A few members have it...Stinger being one that comes to mind.

[dhess]

Autopilot hooked up to an electric though?

[Feral]

Yep, If you have some cubic dollars, go a bow mount minkotta 101 autopilot, that would probably hold your boat against a 2 or 3 knot current give you the ability to set a direction to point the boat, then its up to you to get the power setting as you want it. (IE slow a drift, keep the nose pointing in the direction you want, hold position etc etc)

http://www.minnkotamotors.com/products/trolling_motors/saltwater_bow_mount/riptide_st.aspx