What trolling motor upgrade

[Flygaff]

Wow did I luck out. I found a dealer that installed a MG XI5 on a boat. The buyer of the boat wanted only Minn Kota. I was able to purchase the unit for $800. With full warranty. It is a saltwater model without the foot pedal. It is a 24 volt 80 pound. My buddy just purchased the same unit in the freshwater version for 1250. Deals can be found I guess

 

[dcbz]

Wow did I luck out. I found a dealer that installed a MG XI5 on a boat. The buyer of the boat wanted only Minn Kota. I was able to purchase the unit for $800. With full warranty. It is a saltwater model without the foot pedal. It is a 24 volt 80 pound. My buddy just purchased the same unit in the freshwater version for 1250. Deals can be found I guess

You did luck out. Congratulations. I got lucky when I bought my current motor six years ago, a 80 pound thrust MotorGuide saltwater version. Gander Mountain was going out of business and sold their trolling motors cheap. I have had good luck out of Minn Kota and MotorGuide and wouldn't hesitate to have either one on my boat.

 

[eeshaw]

I've got to say that the asking price for the Ghost and others is off the chart for what you get and I can't justify the cost. I thought I payed a lot for the Motorguide Xi5 I have but compared to what's being pedaled now it was a bargain. It might have been purchased used but it's been a truly great accessory for my boat. The only thing I've found with the large capacity trolling motors on smaller tin boats is they'll snatch the hull right out from under your feet if you aren't careful.

 

[airshot]

Wow...I hope you guys are fishing tournaments to help get your money back, no way could I put enough fish in my freezer to make a new TM worthwhile !!! I bought a used boat last summer with a MK power drive with anchor lock or whatever it is called and it is awesome....but if I had to buy it new....not so awesome....cool toy, and glad I have it, but has it really put more fish in my freezer !! I know...the difference between men and boys is the price of their toys!
I can remember when fishing was a cheap past time....

 

[jethro]

Expensive compared to Minnkota? Ouch.

My Terrova is showing up in the mail tomorrow and I’m half expecting a tube of Vaseline in the box. Terrova 80/24 BT IP link a remote and the foot pedal that I’ll never use; $2550 before tax. That was best deal that I could find anyway. There really isn’t enough technology in these motors to justify the price.

Pay to play, I guess.

Wait until you have to take one apart... I'm not kidding when I say they are built like kids toys. My 36v Ulterra has been a labor of love and I've had to wrench on it more than a few times. The way it's put together reminds me of Lego toys. Course have you priced Legos lately?

 

[Bugman3795]

Just bought a refurb MK Powerdrive with iPilot and no foot pedal from Glenn’s Rod and Reel Repair in Iowa for a little over $1k, has a warranty from MK.

 

[-CN-]

I'm seriously considering the Motorguide Tour Pro on my new boat which is similar to yours. It's a 24 volt. I would never go back to a 12v motor even on smaller boats.

 

[-CN-]

Hello Still Afloat,
Yes, it's hard to believe, but a Garmin Force starts at about $3600, a Lowrance Ghost starts at about the same price as the Garmin, and the newly announced Power Pole Move starts at approximately $5000. Those motors make a Minn Kota or MotorGuide seem cheap. It's pretty crazy.

The Garmin and Lowrance I believe are the benchmark that Minn Kota and Motor Guide can only strive to match. I'd have a Force if I had at least a 17 ft boat that accommodated the motor's minimum shaft length.

 

[davidj65]

I have a 14' Lund with 20HP Merc. My most-fished lakes are a couple of smaller no-wake lakes. I have not fished lakes limited to electric-motor only.

My trolling setup is a Minn Kota Powerdrive with ProNav Marine controls for spot lock capability. The TM is a 55# 12V motor. It will pull my boat with two guys at 2-3 mph, and when it's just me, close to 5 mph, which is the limit on those small lakes.

The ProNav setup is good. Like anything, it has pluses and minuses. I provides control from either a fob or my smartphone, has full navigation capability, and keeps the foot pedal fully functional, too. If you want to research the ProNav system, here's the link: ProNav Marine

I use a separate starting battery; Group 24 lead acid, weighs about 35 pounds. My troller and accessories are powered by a Group 31 100AH LiFePO4 battery that weighs about 26 pounds.

Ray--What kind of starter battery are you using? I have a 25hp and am looking for a small dedicated starter battery and don't really see them. Are you using a dual purpose battery?

 

[Ray Clark]

Ray--What kind of starter battery are you using? I have a 25hp and am looking for a small dedicated starter battery and don't really see them. Are you using a dual purpose battery?

I'm using a Group 24 Deep Cycle FVP brand that I bought from a big box store. When I bought it, I didn't understand the difference between a cracking battery and a deep cycle battery. I think I paid about $79 for it on sale. It's now over three years old and still working well. My 20HP starts very easily and does not tax that battery very much at all. I don't run anything else off that battery.

 

[flatheadsteve]

With the affordable lifep04 batteries on the market now weight isn't as much a concern as it once was. I run a single 36v 55ah that weighs 33lbs and cost me $330. Compared to (3)12v lead acids the cost is pretty comparable but it's 33lb vs 180+lbs.

 

[thill]

I'm using a Group 24 Deep Cycle FVP brand that I bought from a big box store. When I bought it, I didn't understand the difference between a cracking battery and a deep cycle battery. I think I paid about $79 for it on sale. It's now over three years old and still working well. My 20HP starts very easily and does not tax that battery very much at all. I don't run anything else off that battery.

I did the same thing with my little boat. That battery has plenty of juice to start a 20 HP, and then you can run fishfinders and radios all day.

My current setup has a group 24 starter and a group 27 DC on a battery selector switch. When running out, I have the switch on BOTH, to make sure everything is topped up. When I stop for an extended period, I switch to the #2 DC battery for playing the radio or whatever. Then, I leave it there to charge #2 on the way back in, reserving a fully-charged battery #1 just in case.

I've used this system for many years on many boats. I know some say both batteries must be exactly the same, but I have never had any kind of issue, besides good performance.

 

[davidj65]

I'm using a Group 24 Deep Cycle FVP brand that I bought from a big box store. When I bought it, I didn't understand the difference between a cracking battery and a deep cycle battery. I think I paid about $79 for it on sale. It's now over three years old and still working well. My 20HP starts very easily and does not tax that battery very much at all. I don't run anything else off that battery.

Thanks. I seem to have a hard time even locating a small dedicated marine starter battery. Everything I see is dual or deep cycle.

 

[Ray Clark]

Thanks. I seem to have a hard time even locating a small dedicated marine starter battery. Everything I see is dual or deep cycle.

If your 25 HP outboard starts easy and runs well, I wouldn't worry about it too much.

 

[davidj65]

If your 25 HP outboard starts easy and runs well, I wouldn't worry about it too much.

It's not starting consistently:

25HP yamaha, bought new last year----it is an older battery, deep cycle group 31 interstate, dedicated to the motor and nothing else(except the bilge pump)---it can sit for a week or two and will start right up on the first crank. Starts fine for the first few hours, six or eight starts or whatever, and then struggles. By the end of the day it won't do anything, and I have to pull start it. Go home, let it sit for a week, starts right up. I am probably just going to get a new battery and see if that's the issue, it likely is just old and fussy. Good to hear that a smaller battery, like your group 24 will work. Lot less weight in the back.

-----I just remembered, here is the weird thing: last year I found myself with a new Interstate group 31 truck battery that I had no use for. I put in on some foam in a battery box and tried that, and the motor acted the same way. F one at first, then struggled, then wouldn't start at all.

Also, last year, the starter relay failed and yamaha replaced it under warranty. The intermittent starting happened after the starter relay replacement. At the time I was using a newer deep cycle for the motor and the troller, but after that happened I put the yamaha on its own battery. I don't know much about electronics, could it be a another bad relay?

 

[Ray Clark]

It's not starting consistently:

25HP yamaha, bought new last year----it is an older battery, deep cycle group 31 interstate, dedicated to the motor and nothing else(except the bilge pump)---it can sit for a week or two and will start right up on the first crank. Starts fine for the first few hours, six or eight starts or whatever, and then struggles. By the end of the day it won't do anything, and I have to pull start it. Go home, let it sit for a week, starts right up. I am probably just going to get a new battery and see if that's the issue, it likely is just old and fussy. Good to hear that a smaller battery, like your group 24 will work. Lot less weight in the back.

A new outboard? Is the charging system working OK? If a new battery doesn't make the issue disappear, then I'd look for another problem.

The new small outboards with EFI should start and run very easily. Mine is a Mercury; very easy to start.

 

[LDUBS]

I have no business on this thread, because my knowledge is batteries is pretty much they are a black box with terminals.

Is any part of this issue related to using a deep cycle battery as a starter battery?

 

[davidj65]

I have no business on this thread, because my knowledge is batteries is pretty much they are a black box with terminals.

Is any part of this issue related to using a deep cycle battery as a starter battery?

Well, that's what I wonder. It is hard to say since it is an older battery. I'm going to get a new marine battery and see what happens. I also know very little about batteries.

 

[Ray Clark]

Well, that's what I wonder. It is hard to say since it is an older battery. I'm going to get a new marine battery and see what happens. I also know very little about batteries.

I have my doubts about the issue simply being a deep cycle battery used as a starter battery for a small outboard. My small deep cycle marine battery has been fine for that use, and it's now in its fourth season.

It says deep cycle on the battery case and has a stick picture of a boat on it, fer cryin' out loud!

Age of the battery could be an issue. What I would do: Take it in and have an auto place do a test on it. Or fully charge it at home then let it sit for 24 hours and then check the voltage with a multi-meter. If the voltage has dropped significantly just sitting there, particularly if it has dropped below 12V, then the battery is likely too weak to be relied upon.

I will admit that I'm easy on my battery; the small lakes I fish with that boat are mostly navigated with the trolling motor. The battery is only used to crank the engine maybe 6 times over the course of a day. It's also hooked to an onboard battery charger when I recharge the LiFePO4 battery I use for the trolling motor.

 

[thill]

The Garmin and Lowrance I believe are the benchmark that Minn Kota and Motor Guide can only strive to match. I'd have a Force if I had at least a 17 ft boat that accommodated the motor's minimum shaft length.

That's kind of like saying that a $300,000 Limited edition Rolls Royce is the benchmark that Ford and Chevy can only strive to match.

This may be true, but they sell millions more vehicles than Rolls at prices that people can afford.

Similarly, my Honda Civic runs like a top, and my Minn Kota Riptide Terrova i-Pilot is awesome. To each their own.