Discretion is the key
Vertical fishing at sea can be complicated as soon as the drift exceeds 0.6 knots. In the Mediterranean, frequent strong winds limit the number of days you can drift fish.
Two solutions already exist to control drift, the first being anchoring. Unfortunately, the limits are quickly reached as the boat hardly moves at all, unless the drift changes direction. The noise created by an anchor descending and settling on the bottom easily scares fish away from the area.
The second technique is to manage this drift using the internal combustion engine, usually with the boat's back to the wind and frequent use of reverse gear to stay in place. This method is less likely to frighten the fish away, but is still very noisy at shallow depths.
The electric motor solves all your problems, giving you perfect control of your position while remaining unobtrusive.
Choosing the right battery
When weather conditions deteriorate and the wind picks up, the electric motor will have no problem maintaining its position thanks to the "spot-lock", but it has to make a lot of effort and will therefore consume a significant amount of energy. Conventional lead-acid batteries, even the most powerful ones, drain quickly and are highly polluting once they reach the end of their life expectancy.
Thanks to advances in battery technology, we now have an alternative, albeit a very expensive one: lithium-ion batteries. These batteries have a much greater range, enabling constant use of an electric motor in the wind for a full day.
Of course, if you don't want to buy such a battery, you can combine several lead batteries, the only limitations being the weight and space they take up in the boat.
Rigid or semi-rigid
Electric motors are often fitted on rigid boats, mostly open hulls dedicated to sea fishing. However, semi-rigid boats have proved popular with anglers, thanks to their light weight, speed and comfort.
Many anglers have opted for a commercially-produced hoop to avoid having to use glue to attach an electric motor to the bladders and risk losing everything on the first wave. The main disadvantage of these hoops is their incompatibility with certain boats, as well as their price. The best solution is to have them custom-made by a professional able to weld aluminum, which is much lighter and more resistant to corrosion.
