Need answer to Trolling Motor ?

[jmikes]

My current boat is a 18' Alumacraft Magnum.

What do you all think of a Minnikota Powerdrive 74# 24V trolling motor to pull it.

I would like to get an 80# maxum, but cannot make that kind of investment. I usually fish for bass, is 74#'s enought for this rig?

[blakjack23]

I'm not familiar with what type of boat the Magnum is, but I have an 18.5 foot aluminum bass boat and my 74# Maxxum is more than enough. My old boat had a Powerdrive and I'd suggest waiting and getting a Maxxum. The powerdrive is just a hassle to store and deploy. I just saw a used 74# maxxum for $300. Email me if you want to see the posting.

blakjack23 at hotmail.com

[78cj5]

I agree that the PowerDrive is tough to store and deploy. I have to basically wrestle with mine to drop it into the water.

[bowhunter brian]

My father-in-law just got the new 74# thrust Powerdrive and it has a much better deploy/stow package than older models. Might not hurt to look at them.

[78cj5]

My 70# PowerDrive is a brand new 06'.

I do not think Minn Kota makes a PD with a 74# thrust rating...

[CASTnBLAST]

I run the 80lb. maxxum on my 20 ft. bass boat.I think it would be overkill for your rig!

[Northlander]

The 74 will be more than enough for your boat. My buddy runs a 74 on his 20' Ranger and it moves that quite well.

[ricqik]

If I still had my little 14', I'd stick a 101# maxxum on it just so I can cruise around faster if need be on these metro electric only lakes.

[Giant_Jackpot]

I don’t think it is possible to have too much power when it comes to electrics. Buy the biggest baddest motor you can afford!

[softballfisherguy]

What exactly do those of you who say "hard to deploy and store" mean on the powerdrives? Not quite sure I completely understand - can you give some detail or examples? Would you say for a person that currently has no trolling motor that it wouldn't be worthwhile to get one? Just curious, cause I am looking right now too. Thanks.

[Kab Dreamin]

I have an Alumacraft Trophy 190 and I put the 74lb thrust Powerdrive on it and it works great. Plenty of power to move the boat, even in the wind, and really stingy on the batteries. When I go up north, I can usually get 2+ days on a charge and we fish all day. Really windy conditions affect that some.

[blakjack23]

Softballfisherguy, deploying a trolling motor basically just means putting it into the water from the stored position on the bow of the boat. Storing it is just the opposite, taking the trolling motor out of the water and storing it in the locked position on the bow. The maxxum series has a rope that you just lift up to store or deploy the motor into position. Its very easy and that is a good thing when you are doing this like 20,30 or 50 times a day on the lake. The new maxxum motors even have a "lift assist" which makes the motor even easier to store and deploy. On my powerdrive you had to push down on a lever and then push the trolling motor into the water with your other hand to deploy it. When storing it you had to lift it out of the water with basically both hands and then pull it in until it snapped into the previously mentioned lever. And you wouldn't be able to do this from a standing position on a bassboat like you can do with the Maxxum. The powerdrive would be acceptable on a deep V boat, but not a bassboat.

[pikechaser]

Ive got a 65# 24v maxxum w/quik release mount im thinkin of parting with..worked great on my 1850 tyee...i went with a auto pilot...let me know if you wanna look at [email protected]