Trolling motors provide fishermen with control over a boat’s drift, allowing the vessel to remain in its desired location. Trolling motors are smaller and quieter supplements to a primary engine. On BOATiD you will find a wide variety of products that vary by choices including water type, mount location, thrust, shaft length, and more. This guide is intended to provide an overview of these features to assist you, the boat owner, in making the best selection for your needs.
To find trolling motors on our site, you can either key “trolling motors” into the search bar at the top of the screen, or you can navigate your way there by selecting Parts & Hardware > Motors > Trolling Motors. All your subsequent choices can be narrowed down by using the Refine Search menu on the left-hand side of the screen.
1. Specific Trolling Motor Features
The first choice is to decide between a freshwater or saltwater trolling motor. Of course, that decision is based on the waters in which you sail. Saltwater motors generally have more corrosion protection, and would be fine to also use in freshwater. On the other hand, it is not recommended to put a trolling motor designed for freshwater use into saltwater. You can easily segment those choices by clicking either “freshwater” or “saltwater” under “Application” in Refine Search.
The next series of choices are completely dependent on the size and design of your boat. Start by determining the amount of thrust which is needed; do to that, you need to know both the weight and length of the boat. The boat manufacturer may be able to provide some guidance; you can also find this handy chart on BOATiD which tells you the thrust levels per boat size:
Once you’ve determined the amount of thrust required for your boat, use the “Max Thrust” portion of the Refine Search menu to select motors which fall into that range.
The next concern is shaft length. This is critical in order to ensure that the trolling motor is properly submerged and is not too shallow in order for it to perform its best. Are you more interested in a bow mount or in a transom mount? That choice is up to you and is dependent on your boat. The Refine Search menu under “Mount Type” allows you to make that selection. Then, we will again reference a chart available on BOATiD that illustrates the method to measure for shaft length:
The handy Refine Search menu lets you make the appropriate selection based on your measurements:
The type of motor control is your next choice, and depending on any potential limitations imposed by previous selections for water type, thrust, and shaft length, you will find that BOATiD offers trolling motors which can be controlled by hand, foot, or remote control (corded or wireless). You will see these listed under “Control Type” on the left-hand side of the page, so feel free to click around our site and see which might appeal to you the most.
Before we look at specific product examples, the above items are intended to capture the most important features that you must consider when purchasing a trolling motor, some of them driven by the size and type of boat you own. Many of these motors offer additional optional features as shown below, including integrated GPS, integrated Sonar, integrated Autopilot, and Bluetooth support. If any of these are of critical importance to you, then make the selection in Refine Search so that the results delivered to you include your desired features.
2. Examples of Trolling Motors We Sell
Freshwater Motors
If your boat is on the smaller side, let’s say around 2,000 lb. and no more than 18’ long, a motor with 45 lb. of thrust will suit your purposes. And if your bow-to-waterline measurement is no more than 10”, a shaft length of 36” is all you need. Don’t buy more motor than you need! Instead, look at one of our most popular freshwater trolling motors, the Minn Kota Edge, a 12V bow-mount motor with 45 lb. of thrust and a 36” shaft. Its price of $403.99 at time of writing makes it affordable for just about everyone, and its heel & toe cable-steer foot pedal provides the responsive speed control you want. As a 12V motor, only one battery is required.
Another best-selling freshwater motor is this Minn Kota Fortrex bow-mount 24V motor with 80 lb. of thrust and a 45" shaft. These specs make it ideal for larger boats up to 4,000 lb. and up to lengths of 25’. The 45” shaft is the correct length for bow-to-waterline distances of 16” to 22”. The higher thrust makes this a 24V motor which would therefore use two 12V batteries. Priced at $1,312.99 at publication time, this is a lot of motor for the money.
The above motors are bow-mount. If you’re interested in a transom-mount freshwater trolling motor, one of our best recommendations is this Minn Kota Endura Max 12V transom-mount motor, with 55 lb. of thrust and a shaft of 42". This amount of thrust is appropriate for boats up to 2,500 lb., and up to 21’ in length. This shaft length works for transom-to-waterline measurements of 16”-22”. Its 12V rating means that only one battery is needed. Priced at $302.99 when we went to press, this is one of the most affordable trolling motors we sell, yet it’s still packed with the Minn Kota quality you’ve come to expect.
Saltwater Motors
Saltwater trolling motors offer greater corrosion protection compared to freshwater trolling motors, and the examples we present below are best-sellers from our line of Minn Kota trolling motors.
This Minn Kota Riptide PowerDrive Bow Mount Saltwater Trolling Motor with i-Pilot and Bluetooth is a 12V motor (only one battery required) with 55 lb. of thrust and a 48” shaft. This amount of thrust will power a boat up to 21’ long and weighing up to 2,500 lb. This shaft length covers you if your bow-to-waterline measurement is between 22” and 28”.
Minn Kota’s i-Pilot trolling system uses GPS to control the motor. You can set spot-locks, record paths, control speed and steering, and more. The i-Pilot automates these tasks as you make inputs into its large and legible LCD screen. The $1,514.99 price at the time of this writing is all-inclusive, so that you can get the trolling motor installed and proceed to enjoy your boat.
For larger boats, consider the Minn Kota Riptide PowerDrive Bow Mount Saltwater Trolling Motor with CoPilot and Bluetooth. This motor features 70 lb. of thrust with a 54” shaft, and its higher amount of thrust runs on 24V, which requires two 12V batteries. This thrust level will power a boat up to 3,500 lb. and up to 23’ long, and this shaft length will work for bow-to-waterline measurements up to 34”.
Minn Kota calls their original wireless remote ‘CoPilot’: its straightforward operation gives you push-button control of both steering and speed of the trolling motor while you focus on the task at hand, which is fishing. For only $1,161.49 when we went to press, this more powerful but slightly more affordable saltwater trolling motor doesn’t skimp on the features and quality you want.
The above are just a small sample of the over 175 trolling motors we feature from the best name brands in the business, including Garmin and Lowrance. Be sure to reference our charts armed with your boat’s specifications so that you can make the most appropriate selection. As always, you can shop at BOATiD from the comfort of your home, or should you have further questions, you can reach out to one of our knowledgeable sales associates via phone, email, or chat. And remember to enjoy your time on your boat!