# Minn Kota Endura C2 30 $99



## JimMcGee (Jun 23, 2005)

My old 2 stroke Tohatsu has seen better days so I'm looking at outboard options.

A friend recently bought a Minn Kota Endura C2 30 lb thrust for $99 bucks on Amazon. It's supposed to be fresh water only, but frankly if I get a couple of seasons out of it at $99 bucks I'd be happy. Hell three years out there will be even better/cheaper electric options on the market.

Anyone on SailNet have experience with these little motors pro or con?

It'll be pushing a 9' inflatable with two people, mostly on short trips from the boat to the beach in protected waters on Barnegat Bay.

Thanks,
Jim


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## DonScribner (Jan 9, 2011)

Jim,

That's what we use. Our first one did great until I hit reverse and the prop spun off in a flash and wobbled it's way to the bottom. Looked for the paddles. "Oh, I loaned those to my brother" the admiral says. Went to shore with a short kiddie paddle on one side and a dust pan duct taped to a boat pole on the other. Gotta love duct tape. Oh, the point is the parts will corrode in salt water so keep an eye on them. You can buy a salt water RipTide for about $400 or a Watersnake for about $150. SO, if this one folds, I'd hit Craigs list for another disposable. 

We run for about 3 hours on a full charge so that carries us for 6 days of going ashore. And the oars are always in the dinghy. The only drawback is lifting the stupid battery.

Don


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## DonScribner (Jan 9, 2011)

OH yeah


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## poopdeckpappy (Jul 25, 2006)

I have the Endura C2 40lb on a 9 foot dinghy, over 2 years now, I have two 85ah batts and can go for days without recharging or 5+ hours on a sightseeing putt.

I've had seals come right up to the dink it's so quite


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## tschmidty (Sep 25, 2008)

Wow, those watersnakes look like a nice deal. I like how they offer a 24" shaft which makes them a little more wieldy and better suited for dinghy work.


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## oomfh (Mar 28, 2010)

While our Yamaha 9.9 is being serviced we're using a 37 lb thrust trolling motor get our 5,000 lb Catalina 25 from the dock and up the channel :laugher. Unless you're in strong winds or currents, you should have zero problem moving an inflatable with a 30 lb motor. Make sure your connection to the battery is snug.


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## sstuller (Nov 1, 2000)

I've been using the C30 on my inflatable for several months to get to my mooring and it has done fine. Am using a 35 AH U1 AGM battery. It's light weight (23#?) and and there's no acid to spill. Will soon experiment with a 15 watt panel from Harbor Freight (with a cheap controller) to see if it will keep the battery charged. Since the dink is idle most of the time hopefully the panel will save me the trouble of recharging the battery on shore. Thanks.


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## JimMcGee (Jun 23, 2005)

sstuller said:


> I've been using the C30 on my inflatable for several months to get to my mooring and it has done fine. Am using a 35 AH U1 AGM battery. It's light weight (23#?) and and there's no acid to spill.


I like the light weight. How long can you go on 35AH?

What batteries are others using with these motors.


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## sstuller (Nov 1, 2000)

I usually run the motor at #3 on the speed control which draws, if my memory serves me, about 8 amps. This should be good for an hour or two of runtime. Usually dinghy rides are short and I can go for three or four days before I have to recharge the battery. Hopefully the solar panel will eliminate having to recharge with shore power altogether. Thanks.


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## gamayun (Aug 20, 2009)

I bought a 46 lb Minn Kota for $89 at the local marine consignment shop. Another handful or so were on Craigs List. There are many great reviews about these motors, which should work well with what you're intending. I haven't decided on a battery set up yet (leaning to the small AGM at West Marine), so the responses to this post are helpful for me, as well.


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## tschmidty (Sep 25, 2008)

FYI, you can get those U1 AGM 35AH batteries on Ebay for $65 shipped or so. At full throttle and if you are willing to run the battery all the way down (should really go 50%), you will get a bit over an hour with a 30lb thrust (roughly 1lb=1amp). I have verified this in the real world.


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## Alex W (Nov 1, 2012)

sstuller said:


> I've been using the C30 on my inflatable for several months to get to my mooring and it has done fine. Am using a 35 AH U1 AGM battery. It's light weight (23#?) and and there's no acid to spill. Will soon experiment with a 15 watt panel from Harbor Freight (with a cheap controller) to see if it will keep the battery charged. Since the dink is idle most of the time hopefully the panel will save me the trouble of recharging the battery on shore. Thanks.


A 15 amp panel puts about 1 amp at peak sun. Around here that would mean 5 days to top off a 35 amp battery that was drawn below 50% of it's capacity (maybe 45 minutes of full throttle or 2-1/2 hours of 8 amp draw).

A 50 watt panel seems more practical for cruising. On my boat I think I'd charge it off an echo charger, then it could also be charged from the sailboat's alternator. This is sounding like a pretty good alternative to my 2hp Honda (which I have to run pretty close to idle speeds anyway). What does a salt water rated electric outboard cost?


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## JimMcGee (Jun 23, 2005)

Alex W said:


> A 15 amp panel puts about 1 amp at peak sun. Around here that would mean 5 days to top off a 35 amp battery that was drawn below 50% of it's capacity (maybe 45 minutes of full throttle or 2-1/2 hours of 8 amp draw).
> 
> A 50 watt panel seems more practical for cruising. On my boat I think I'd charge it off an echo charger, then it could also be charged from the sailboat's alternator. This is sounding like a pretty good alternative to my 2hp Honda (which I have to run pretty close to idle speeds anyway). What does a salt water rated electric outboard cost?


The salt water motor is about $300.

At $99 the motor pretty much becomes a throw away, I've put more $$ than that into parts for the #$%@$% 3.5hp 2 stroke Tohatsu this season already.

The way I'm looking at is electric motors are improving by leaps and bounds. If I can get three seasons of light use out of the little sucker I'm ahead of the game and there will be something better/cheaper on the market when I'm ready to replace it.

I called Dick's today and they have one in stock. $15 more than Amazon but I can pick it up tonight and no shipping costs.


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## sstuller (Nov 1, 2000)

I bought my Endura C30 on the WalMart website for $99.00. The real incentive was a shipping cost of 97 cents. Unbelieveable! Sometimes dreams do come true.


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## JimMcGee (Jun 23, 2005)

Went over to Dicks and bought the Minn Kota last night. I'll stop over at Batteries + and pick up a gel battery for the dingy and give it a try this weekend.


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## tschmidty (Sep 25, 2008)

There you go. Let us know how it works for you.


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## sstuller (Nov 1, 2000)

Since I can't seem to find the motor voltages at various speed settings for the Endura C30 I would like to post a logical(?) approach, At full speed - #5- it is 12 volts and draws 30 amps max.; At #4 it is 6 volts and 15 amps; #3 is 4 volts and 10 amps; #2 is 3 volts and 7.5 amps; and #1 is 2 volts and 5 amps. The voltage and current ratios are 1; 1/2; 1/3; 1/4; and 1/6. Am I being reasonable? Thanks.


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## tschmidty (Sep 25, 2008)

Well, the voltage will stay the same but but your amp numbers are close-ish. But even at that the amps will vary depending on the load on the motor at a given setting. Are you just trying to figure out range?


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## sstuller (Nov 1, 2000)

I would like to know the amps at the various speeds so I can figure out how long the 35 AH battery will last. The Arizona Wind & Sun website gives the specs on the Universal 35AH battery i.e. how long it will last at various amp draws. The total voltage drop is always 12 volts. At the fastest speed all the drop is across the motor but as you increase the resistance with the speed coil the voltage left for the motor becomes less and less. Since the circuit is effectively a constant voltage device, as you increase the resistance with the speed coil the current must decrease i. e. E(12 volts) = IR. Thanks.


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## fryewe (Dec 4, 2004)

When I bought my trolling motor for my dinghy I looked at the FW and SW models and the difference in price led me to the FW model. Then I put one of these









on the shaft. Now I have a SW model.  So far no corrosion!!

Also could have used


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## JimMcGee (Jun 23, 2005)

sstuller said:


> I would like to know the amps at the various speeds so I can figure out how long the 35 AH battery will last. The Arizona Wind & Sun website gives the specs on the Universal 35AH battery i.e. how long it will last at various amp draws. The total voltage drop is always 12 volts. At the fastest speed all the drop is across the motor but as you increase the resistance with the speed coil the voltage left for the motor becomes less and less. Since the circuit is effectively a constant voltage device, as you increase the resistance with the speed coil the current must decrease i. e. E(12 volts) = IR. Thanks.


When you figure it out post those run times.


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## JimMcGee (Jun 23, 2005)

fryewe said:


> when i bought my trolling motor for my dinghy i looked at the fw and sw models and the difference in price led me to the fw model. Then i put one of these
> 
> View attachment 15278
> 
> ...


 +1


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## TakeFive (Oct 22, 2009)

Any updates on battery performance with this motor? How about sources and specs for zincs to make it more saltwater resistant?

I bought the same 30 lb. motor in April 2013 for $80 after rebate. I used it a couple times last year (in fresh water), and considering taking it into the Chespeake in a couple weeks. Last year I used an extra Group 24 battery that I have in the basement. But that was way more capacity than I needed, and way too much weight to lug on/off the dinghy. So I've been looking at 22-35 Ah, I'd actually prefer to stay down around 22 Ah for the lighter weight.

Suggestions?


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## mitiempo (Sep 19, 2008)

I use a 76 AH Agm for my 55lb thrust Riptide and have run for 5 or 6 hours without a problem.

Zincs should not be necessary - just tip the motor out of the water when not in use. My Riptide has a zinc but next time I would try an Endura..


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## theonecalledtom (Jan 2, 2008)

Have people found that this motor dies when used in sw? If so buying one for this purpose would just contribute to our general trash problem and seems like a bad idea, however attractive it seems in the short term.

On the other hand if attaching a zinc or other approaches makes it work - awesome!

Any long term experiences out there?


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## mitiempo (Sep 19, 2008)

The motors are sealed, whether the fresh or salt water versions. The zinc is only effective when the motor is in the water. If tipped up when not in use no problem.

Many I know use the fresh water (Enduro) is salt water without a problem.


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## P35juniper (Feb 11, 2010)

I'm using a c2 30 this year to push a 12 foot dinghy ( had a c2 40, they don't like being under saltwater, lasted two years before getting dropped, battery cable saved it from going to the bottom ) running it off Ryobi 4ah LiFePO4 batteries, runs for about 15-20 minutes so far, my mooring is about 1/4 mile from the dock. Now I just need to take a dead tool and cut the battery well off and glue it to the top of the motor.


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## TakeFive (Oct 22, 2009)

I've read a bunch of the linked info on battery drain of the C2 30, and went and looked at some 18, 22, 32, and 35 Ah SLA batteries. My brain hurts. :hammer

For my upcoming mini-cruise, I'm just going to use the Group 24 battery that I've had in the basement for a few years. I've got a perfectly matched pair of them hooked up in parallel to a sump pump. I'll take both of them to the boat, and move the current boat battery to the sump pump in my house.

I may need the extra battery capacity on the hook, so I'll keep both Group 24 batteries charging in parallel on the alternator while motoring. If/when I actually use the dinghy, I'll move it there. It's a pain lugging that big battery, but until I have a better idea how far I need to travel with the dinghy, I want the overkill of a 105 Ah. And if I don't use the dinghy, the extra capacity of having both batteries may come in handy.

After I have a better idea of my usage pattern of the trolling motor, I'll be better able to properly size a battery for it.


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