2 anglers flying out of boat at 75!

[fishinwrench]

I have a stack of little buckets that I use to collect all the crap piled around Hotfoots to show my customers when they pick their boats up. 

Always filled with water bottles, soda cans, spent plastic baits, jerkbaits with busted lips, old spinnerbait frames, and wads of braid, mono, flourocarbon line. 

  That area under the console is a "catch-all".      

If you're truly deadset on having a Hotfoot...... I'd recommend keeping that area of your boat tidy.    I can't count the number of times I have had to lay under a console with a razor knife to cut, rip, and pull wads of line all tangled up in that SOB.     

I bet if you go look at yours RIGHT NOW you'll find a rats nest of discarded goodies. 

[Lvn2Fish]

11 minutes ago, fishinwrench said:

I have a stack of little buckets that I use to collect all the crap piled around Hotfoots to show my customers when they pick their boats up. 

Always filled with water bottles, soda cans, spent plastic baits, jerkbaits with busted lips, old spinnerbait frames, and wads of braid, mono, flourocarbon line. 

  That area under the console is a "catch-all".      

If you're truly deadset on having a Hotfoot...... I'd recommend keeping that area of your boat tidy.    I can't count the number of times I have had to lay under a console with a razor knife to cut, rip, and pull wads of line all tangled up in that SOB.     

I bet if you go look at yours RIGHT NOW you'll find a rats nest of discarded goodies. 

Another reason I like the original throttle . There’s a lot of crap bouncing around the bottom of my boat . 

[Ketchup]

39 minutes ago, fishinwrench said:

I have a stack of little buckets that I use to collect all the crap piled around Hotfoots to show my customers when they pick their boats up. 

Always filled with water bottles, soda cans, spent plastic baits, jerkbaits with busted lips, old spinnerbait frames, and wads of braid, mono, flourocarbon line. 

  That area under the console is a "catch-all".      

If you're truly deadset on having a Hotfoot...... I'd recommend keeping that area of your boat tidy.    I can't count the number of times I have had to lay under a console with a razor knife to cut, rip, and pull wads of line all tangled up in that SOB.     

I bet if you go look at yours RIGHT NOW you'll find a rats nest of discarded goodies. 

Without a doubt. 2 weeks ago it was a Livingston crank, few worms, and line. As of this post it is tidy. 

[Lvn2Fish]

6 hours ago, Ketchup said:

Drove/Ridden in? And you have an honest opinion? I’ve ridden in a 2022 Vet last week. My buddy never went faster than 55. So my opinion is, is that the vets are slow. Buy a Prius. 

I have owned several boats with them, and more without. I have had them on some of the biggest bodies of inland water in this country, including Lake Erie and Lake Michigan. Fished Erie weekly for years with and without one. Never, ever have i been in a situation operating a boat where i would have been better off without a hot foot, than with. Never.  I can tell you stories about a few trips on Kentucky, Erie, Lake Powell where without it life would have been a lot more interesting. 
 

February my tournament fishing partner “who always backs the truck down as i load” said he would load the boat on as i had to run up and take a leak before my pants got soaked. Short story is after his 3rd attempt “yes 15mph cross wind on Stockton” he grabbed the dock and said “i have never owned a boat with a hot foot, nor driven with one, and now i see why. This is the dumbest invention ever. Drive this thing before i go crazy”. His exact words. 
 

I jump in the seat and BAM, it’s on the trailer. We watched 3 other boats without jamb that hand control back and forth trying to load theirs. No thanks. 
 

At the end of our Tournament on Pomme a few weeks back, as we got close to the ramp, he said “let me try loading this boat again”. I looks sideways at him, as he reassured me he was not going to go crazy. I backed the trailer in, and with a 10mph wind he hit it on first lick. Afterwards his words were “hey bud, sorry about the last time. I just thought those things were worthless. I went out with a buddy a few times since then in his boat, and he let me drive between spot, and load it, and man was i wrong. Now I’m going to be putting one on my Ranger” This was from a guy that had never owned one, nor driven with one, who had no clue of the benefits. They REALLY shine when things get crosseyed out there.  

 

 

So yeah , I’ve been in the same monster water as you . Also can put the boat on the trailer just fine in any conditions . I just prefer the throttle . I hated having to push that pedal down on long runs too . I also try not to add anything extra to my boats that can and will break 

[fishinwrench]

28 minutes ago, Lvn2Fish said:

I hated having to push that pedal down on long runs too . 

There's alot to be said for setting your throttle at 4200-4600 RPM on a long run......and just leaving it there.  

Both hands can be on the wheel, you'll burn less fuel, and you'll get there in plenty of time to catch fish.  You can even relax, take in the sights, and eat a sandwich along the way.  👍

Plus, your outboard will last alot longer.    I'm still running a 1987 Evinrude XP150 that's still on it's original powerhead. 😉

Basically, if your motor doesn't last longer than the upholstery & carpet in your boat..... you're doing something wrong. 

[Lvn2Fish]

Every single time I’ve ridden with someone who has a hot foot they mash it down let off completely when running over rough water and ram it right back down . I’m sure the engine rpm’s are going insane . My boat is always ran easy in and easy out . Slowly take her up to speed , slowly ease out to stop . Non of this 5,800 rpm to zero bull crap you get with a hot foot. 

[aarchdale@coresleep.com]

Hotfoots are only cool if your boat is fast, then it feels like a hot rod.  My boat is to slow, so i feel fine without one, Ive drove a couple of Ketchup's boats with Hot foots and it seems a lot better on a boat that is fast like his where both hands on the wheel is a good idea

[mixermarkb]

I have a hot foot, and enjoy it, but I try and not use it too drastically. Steering wheel blinker style trim switch to me is the deal- that’s what I use to adjust for changing water conditions most of the time. 

[vernon]

My G2 has a proprietary to Evinrude built in "Hot Foot" which is almost identical to the accelerator pedal in a car/truck.  

I find it much more comfortable and easy to use than a traditional Hot Foot which I hate.

That being said I NEVER use it as I also prefer the hand throttle and in my opinion it isn't even close.

Like Wrench said, on longer runs I set it where I want it, put both hands on the wheel and just drive.

[Flysmallie]

1 hour ago, vernon said:

I also prefer the hand throttle and in my opinion it isn't even close.

 

Same. When I was in a bunch of different boats I had the opportunity to drive several with one. Never did like it. Maybe I was just used to the hand throttle, but I never had any issues with that system. And I drove a boat HARD. Usually somewhere between 75 and 80 on long runs and the hand throttle was never an issue.