With the number of trolling motors on the market, many users wonder who makes the best foot control trolling motor.
Before you think of who makes the best foot control motor, we want you to learn about this type of motor.
Table of Contents
How do I control my feet with a trolling motor?
You have to depress either the “Constant” or “Momentary” control switches on the foot controls.
You can find them placed on the sides or ends. The action can cause the trolling motor to turn on and begin moving the boat.
How to install foot control trolling motor
The steering pedal should be pushed forward, and the trolling motor will turn to the right.
How do you wire a trolling motor foot switch?
You can do this when you change your trolling motor from hand-controlled to foot-controlled and add in a foot switch.
What size bow mount trolling motor do I need?
Generally, all trolling motors need at least 2lbs of thrust for every boat size of 100lbs (loads included), but considering natural factors like the wind and weather condition of your preferred fishing location, you will need a more powerful motor.
How fast will a 55lb thrust trolling motor go?
Well, this is a very tricky one. But first, you need to understand that combining two 55lb thrusts will never move you faster than a single 30b thrust will do.
So, you should understand that the maximum speed a trolling motor will ever travel is 5mph.
Does the trolling motor need to be centered?
Yes! In fact, “the centered, the better” is a common phrase in this regard. If you want your motor to function at the best efficiency, you should have it centered.
It should, however, be positioned in a way that attaching a deck to the mount would be easy.
How deep should a trolling motor be in the water?
Though this has to do with the shaft length of a motor. Nonetheless, it is best to keep your trolling motor plunged at least 12” at the water top.
How long will the battery run a trolling motor?
For an older motor, a minimum of 6-hours and a maximum of 8-hours is guaranteed. But with recent advancement in technology which has been adopted by some motors, motor batteries like the Minn Kota will last five times more than other motors yet to adopt this technology.
How fast can a jon boat go with a trolling motor?
A Jon boat powered by a trolling motor can go up to 4 to 5 miles per hour, but it’s rare to reach these top speeds. In most cases, you can expect a speed between 2 and 3 mph at maximum throttle.
The exact speed that you’ll get with a trolling motor on a Jon boat depends on the power of the trolling motor, the weight of the Jon boat, as well as the resistance that you may encounter, mostly in the form of water current or wind.
It’s usually best to have a slightly over-powered trolling motor with over 80 or 100 pounds of thrust, as that will guarantee maximum speed under most conditions.
It’s important to keep in mind that the overall maximum speed you can achieve with a trolling motor is 5 mph, even if you get the most powerful trolling motor, and pair it with a lightweight Jon boat or other vessels.
Trolling motors aren’t built to deliver high speeds, which is why most Jon boat owners use two motors: a gasoline outboard for traveling fast (outboard motors can generate top speeds well over 30 mph with Jon boats), and a trolling motor for maneuvering in close quarters, or when fishing.
Who makes the best foot control trolling motor?
- Minn Kota Endura C2 55 Transom Mount Trolling Motor.
- Garmin Force Foot Steer Trolling Motor.
- Minn Kota Terrova iPilot Trolling Moto
- Newport Vessels L-Series Transom Mount Electric Trolling Motor For Saltwater.
- Black Haswing 12V Bow Mount Trolling Motor.
- Motorguide X3 Foot Control Trolling Motor.
Thrust – Boat Weight and Hull Design
Boat weight is the most important consideration to take into account when choosing a trolling motor.
A beginning rule of thumb is that you want a minimum of 2 lbs of thrust for every 100lbs.
For example, if you have a 3000lb boat, fully loaded, then the calculation is (3000/100) * 2 = 60lbs of thrust.
When calculating boat weight, make sure you calculate the heaviest potential weight which includes a boat fully loaded with gear, fuel and the maximum number of passengers.
The other factor that plays a role in thrust determination is the size and shape of the hull. When turning, a Deep V hull will have more drag than a flats boat or a Jon Boat.
As a result, a trolling motor will have to work a bit harder on some hull types than others.
Another good example would be a Pontoon Boat. Due to the shallow draft and low drag, a 10 year old can push your pontoon boat away from the dock
However, when on the water in a breeze, a pontoon can be very tough to keep in a fixed position, which is why you need the adequate thrust.
When in doubt, assume your boat will be fully laden and add a few pounds just to be conservative. Within reason, you cannot have too much thrust but you can definitely have too little!
The Right Thrust For Your Conditions
Fishing conditions should also play into your decision. If you usually fish or cruise on smooth lakes with no current, you should be able to stick to the listed minimum thrust without problems.
However, if you spend most of your time in very fast-moving water, with significant current, or waves, you’ll definitely want to move up a level in thrust to ensure ample power in all conditions.
The Relationship Between Voltage and Thrust
As we mentioned, Trolling motors come in 12v, 24v and 36v variants. The higher the voltage, the greater the thrust.
A 12v motor requires one dedicated battery, a 24v requires 2 dedicated batteries and a 36v requires…you guessed it, 3 dedicated batteries.
12v motors = 55lbs. of thrust or less
24v motors = Over 55lbs. up to 80lbs. of thrust
36v motors = Over 80lbs. up to approximately 115lbs. of thrust
If you want the ability to fish for multiple days without recharging, you’ll also want to consider stepping up to a motor with higher thrust/voltage.
Moving from a 40lbs 12-volt motor (requiring one battery) to a 80lbs 24-volt motor (requiring two batteries) will provide you with significantly more run time.
You may not need the high-end power available with the 80lbs motor, but the additional power and extra voltage will provide dramatically more run time.
