Buying trolling motor for pontoon

[fod59]

Need some advice im going to buy a trolling motor for my pontoon,which is better Motorguilde or Minnkota,buying a 12 volt hand control

 

[Silvertip]

Re: Buying trolling motor for pontoon

If I said Minnkota is best, there would be a dozen responses in a few minutes that contend MotorGuide is best. They are both good motors, been around a long time so the decision is strictly whatever features fill your needs is what you should buy. Strictly personal preference.

 

[junkman41]

Re: Buying trolling motor for pontoon

I bought the Minn-Kota powerdrive V2 with the 18ft corded foot pedal, and in the future i can add the co-pilot, and have a remote control if needed
thanks jack

 

[5150abf]

Re: Buying trolling motor for pontoon

There really aren't any bad ones, I have a 55lb Motorguide and have run it for 3 years with no problems at all, I have the wireless one with a hand remote.

Just get the biggest you can afford, 55 is the largest you can go in 12 volt, anything bigger is 24 and you would need 2 batteries and you want the longest shaft length you can get, you can always cut it down but can't make it longer.

 

[sschefer]

Re: Buying trolling motor for pontoon

Good advice by 5150abf. I think a tiller model would cause you a lot of grief on a toon and would rather see you go with a bow mount. A vessel is always easier to control when steered from the bow and steering from the stern will mean a lot of corrections and constant attention. You primary engine (assuming outboard) can be left trimmed down and you can actually steer with it quite well or leave it aligned straight to keep the vessel on track.

I just bought a Minn-Kota Power Drive V2 with the iPilot. This is my third Minn-Kota on as many boats. The co-pilot feature is nice but the autopilot on the prior versions used a magnetic compass that was subject to interference and would take off on it's on. The new advanced autopilot with the iPilot version is GPS and doesn't have that problem.

I fish alone a lot and the Spot Lock feature in iPilot is fantastic. If you hook a fish in a tight area where constant boat control is a must you just hit the Spot Lock and it holds you within 5 feet of where you turned it on. This is a fantastic feature for keeping you of the rocks when fighting a fish by yourself.

Minn-Kota has a FAQ page that is worth going through. The also have a motor selector to help you size the motor correctly. It's pretty accurate. I found that too much thrust can be as bad as too little and this time around I used the guide and selected the one they recommended. It turned out to be a perfect fit.

The V2 is an energy miser and with the iPilot and cruise control you'll be amazed at how long your batteries will last. I run a Odyssey PC2250 12v battery with a RCA rating of 240 minutes at 25amps. It lasts all day and then some and only requires 3-5 hours to charge back up to full fr0m 80% discharge (most others are below voltage at 60%). It is pricey at anywhere from 450 - 700 dollars but when I think about the grief I've experienced being on the fish late in the day and having a depleted battery, it's worth it to me.

 

[BOWMAKER1]

Re: Buying trolling motor for pontoon

This last post is full of great info. I would also vote for the Minn Kota because I also just purchased a Power Drive V2 68 pound 24 volt motor. I am in the process of installing it and mounting batteries in a front storage compartment. Right now I plan on using the foot control pedal, but can and probably will up grade in the future to the co-pilot or the I-pilot. I intend to use the motor to fish a lot with, both trolling and controlled drifting and I think that a hand controlled motor would soon become a pain in the neck. The motor that I bought came with a quick disconnect plate so I can very easily remove the motor to secure it better than on an open deck. The weather is getting much better here in Iowa so hopefully I will be able to report how well this motor works in a couple of weeks when I get back on the water.

 

[Silvertip]

Re: Buying trolling motor for pontoon

A tiller model is an excellent choice for a pontoon. Just because it is a tiller model does not mean it can't be mounted on the bow. 15 minutes to remove the screws and turn the head around is not a major engineering feat. If the tiller can't be easily reached because of the pontoon fence position, then a remote (corded or wireless) is a better choice.

 

[fod59]

Re: Buying trolling motor for pontoon

A tiller model is an excellent choice for a pontoon. Just because it is a tiller model does not mean it can't be mounted on the bow. 15 minutes to remove the screws and turn the head around is not a major engineering feat. If the tiller can't be easily reached because of the pontoon fence position, then a remote (corded or wireless) is a better choice.

the problem i have is my deck is only 18 inches,and dont think i want to cut my gate,if i had the motor on the gate would always have to be open.I know i would like the foot control better im coming from a bass boat,just not sure how well it would fit

 

[newbie4life]

Re: Buying trolling motor for pontoon

the problem i have is my deck is only 18 inches,and dont think i want to cut my gate,if i had the motor on the gate would always have to be open.I know i would like the foot control better im coming from a bass boat,just not sure how well it would fit

I have an 80lb. tiller mount on the bow. Did just as silvertip detailed. The tiller handle tips up, and figured to purchase an extension so I can drive it over the playpen rail easily. This spring gonna buy another pair of batteries to stick under the otherside of our seating... I can quietly troll around our lake for 3-4 hours... figure with another pair and a seperate plug in we could double that. It's so quiet and will move the boat around 4-5 mph. I installed a couple blocks and carpeted over it so it looks like it was part of the original design. Solid and works very well. I also agree on buying the largest you can afford.