My dad bouoght a 14ft Aluminum boat the other day, and now wants to put in an electric trolling motor...so I've been looking over the Internet, and just get more confused the more I look.

Assuming just lake fishing in calm waters, how much "Thrust" does he need?

Is variable speed the way to go, or 2/3/4/5 position speed control adequate?

Who makes a good reliable electric trolling motor? What brands should he stay away from?

Any insight is appreciated.

One other thing, is bow mount or rear mount better? Does it matter?