Minn Kota Riptide

[VBTravisD]

Hey fellas, I am looking at pushing my 10' flat bottom around with a trolling motor only (some spots are real shallow & others are electric only). I am on the hunt for a trolling motor and I got an line on a...(from the guys email)

Minn Kota Riptide {salt or fresh} BRAND NEW Never on boat
40 lb. w/tilt handle


For $150 bucks. 40 lbs should be more than enough to push me around, do you guys think this is a good deal?

Also, what size & how many batteries should I be looking at running? I am thinking 2 deep cycles for the motor and maybe a lawn battery for the nav lights and possibly a little radio.

 

[bassboy1]

If it is transom mount, it is a great price. If it is bow mount, and truly new, it is a smokin' deal. Either way, buy it before you loose your chance. The saltwater motors are built a bit stronger, and with better corrosion resistance than the freshwater ones.

You are planning way too many batteries. You should be fine with 1 group 29 deep cycle. It should push that little boat all day long, especially with the newer technology on that motor. Nav lights don't pull a noticeable amount at all, nor do little radios. The only thing you may want the small lawn tractor battery for is a sonar, so you don't have interference from the trolling motor. I used to run an Eagle Fishmark 320 off a very small go cart starting battery, much smaller than the lawn tractor batterys Lowe's/Wallyworld has. So one of those would be more than adequate for that purpose.

 

[VBTravisD]

woohoo, well that saved me some coin! I am going to pick it up this weekend... totally stoked.

 

[VBTravisD]

I'm REALLY stoked... I told the guy I was going to do some research before I bought it... and the guy emailed me back saying that he is really trying to get this stuff out of his garage, he sold his boat and has no use for it and his wife is on him to get it out of the way. So he offered me the TM and a 29 deep cycle for 150. He sent me some pictures, the tm is a transom mount still in the box!

 

[bassboy1]

You may want to paypal him a security deposit, so he doesn't sell it out from under you.... :shock:

 

[Guy]

I'm REALLY stoked... I told the guy I was going to do some research before I bought it... and the guy emailed me back saying that he is really trying to get this stuff out of his garage, he sold his boat and has no use for it and his wife is on him to get it out of the way. So he offered me the TM and a 29 deep cycle for 150. He sent me some pictures, the tm is a transom mount still in the box!

Good deal!! I picked up a transom mount 46lb thrust saltwater trolling motor at Bass Pro last night on sale for 220.00. Regular price was 334.00. But, not half the deal you got.

 

[VBTravisD]

Woo hoo! Brought this home today... battery is only a group 24, but not too shabby for TM & Battery for $150

 

[Waterwings]

Nice buy! Is that a Deka battery?

 

[KsPete]

Good deal! That ought to push that 10-footer around really well. You might consider turning the head around and mounting it on the bow. I've done that for years and it seems to work better that way.

I picked up a 2-year-old Minn Kota Maxxum 55 transom mount a few weeks ago for $150. The guy said it had been used for only two weeks out of the year on his annual striper fishing trip. He said he only used it to position his boat. Except for some scuff marks on one side of the head, it looks like a new motor.

 

[VBTravisD]

I picked up a 2-year-old Minn Kota Maxxum 55 transom mount a few weeks ago for $150. The guy said it had been used for only two weeks out of the year on his annual striper fishing trip. He said he only used it to position his boat. Except for some scuff marks on one side of the head, it looks like a new motor.

I love hearing about stuff like that! Turns out this guy had just bought the TM, went to his son's house to get his 15' semi v and was rearended on his way home. Boat, trailer both totalled and the boat came up into the bed of his truck and trashed his tailgate... He had insurance on everything so he picked himself up a small center console and had no need for this motor anymore. And to top things off I fish in a spot that he has fished longer than I have been alive so he was happy to cut me a good deal. So I got a steal on a TM & battery and possibly a new fishin buddy! Good day in my opinion!

 

[VBTravisD]

Nice buy! Is that a Deka battery?

No, whatever Advance autoparts brand is. I am wondering how long this group 24 will last out on the water... :roll:

 

[VBTravisD]

anyone ever try one of these?

https://www.northerntool.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_6970_200365184_200365184

or these?

https://www.northerntool.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_6970_200263124_200263124?cm_sp=Customer%20driven-_-Recently%20Viewed-_-Category%20Page

Figured it might be something I can hook up for a little extra juice while out in the water...

 

[bassboy1]

I wouldn't bother with either one of those. Neither one is going to give you a noticeable difference. If you are worried about battery life, get a second battery. But, that motor is almost as efficient as they get, and that boat is so small that with a good deep cycle battery, you will be able to go all day and then some. Heck, in many electric only situations, I can get almost all day out of the same size motor, on a boat that weighs about 9 times, and has about 4 times the water resistance of yours on one good deep cycle.

 

[VBTravisD]

Gotya... I think I am freaking out because me and a buddy were in his 12' semi-v. We were running off 1 deep cycle (old sears battery) and a 27lb thrust TM (even older than the battery) and we could see the clouds off in the distance... we turn the boat around and start heading back and as the closer the clouds got, the slower we got! :mrgreen: Looked like a couple of drown rats.

I think I am going to just take out what I got and see how it goes. Make notes on how long everything lasts and go from there. Worst case senario... I gotta paddle... start skulling! hahaha....

 

[duke]

i have a 37# trolling motor and had a deep cycle starting battery.could only get about 4 hrs out of it.traded it for a dual purpose size 29 and go for over 8hrs and still have plenty of power.it is a lot heavier.dont scimp on size and not a starting battery.