electric motor and canoe

I was in bass pro the other day and saw how cheap some of the new electric motors are <100. This got me to thinking whether one of these would power a canoe well, and for how long? I believe the one in question was a 35lb thrust.

Has anyone tried this type of thing? What kind of luck have you had?

I'm using one with my canoe for fishing. It is a Minnkota with 35 lbs thrust and I use a marine deep cycle battery for it. So far I've used it 3-4 hours each time and the battery never emptied. I asked other people and some said they've used theirs for a full day without any problems. Comparing to older models, the new motors use some new techniques to increase the efficieny and reduce the battery consumption. The motor runs very smooth and doesnt collect too much weed. You need to clean the weeds every now and then though which can be done easily. You need a motor-mount bracket to attach it to the side of the canoe. I've seen even people with square stern canoes use the motor-mount because that way the motor is much more accessible and easier to handle. The battery is heavy but for me it is well worth it. For one thing, it can provide power for additional equipment (lights, fish finder, gps, etc). The weight makes the canoe more stable too, and since you dont need to paddle, you can sit on the bottom of the canoe instead of the seats. This stabilises the canoe even more. I find sitting on the bottom more comfortable as I can lean back.

Hey, I have an Old Town 169 and would like to attach an electric motor to it. Would attaching it to the bow or stern be better? I plan on fishing alone and keep the batteries up front to distribute the weight better. I have read in some forums that a bow mount is easier to steer in windy conditions. I plan on taking it to a large lake. Any help would greatly be appriciated, thanks Mike