Trolling Motor

I am wanting to put a new trolling motor on my 16' aluminum crappie boat. I had my eye on a MinnKota Max 55 pound thrust stern mount. There is not enough room on the bow for a regular bow mount foot control that is why I have to go with a stern mount. The MinnKota I mentioned has mixed reviews. Does anyone have one they have bought in the last year that they could brag or complain about? One of the concerning features is all the models with a Maximizer feature also have a variable speed control which to my understanding causes RF problems with sonar.

Usually RF problems occur when mounting transducer on motor or running wiring close to trolling motor also don't hook finder to trolling motor battery. Wouldn't have a troller without the variable speed anymore.

I have another boat with TM that MinnKota changed the speed control (5 forward 3 reverse) 4 times in one month. All under warranty. Each speed control handle lasted 20 minutes. Eventually they changed it with a variable speed control handle that caused severe RF issues. Having for decades performed the same RF controlling procedures mentioned I contacted MinnKota who told me that particular speed control had recently developed RF issues in everything installed in. I added 2 more RF control procedures to solve the problem. My post was mostly to see if the RF issues and breaking down issues had been solved. If any one is interested the other to RF controlling procedures are to add a ground from the metal trolling motor mount for the transducer run to the negative post of the cranking battery and add a ferrite core filter to the power cord for the sonar.

What I am looking for on this thread are reviews on recently purchased Stern Mount MinnKota Max 55# thrust trolling motors. I did not phrase my original question correctly. eBay has an off brand TM for about 1/2 what a MinnKota cost but I have not found anyone familiar with them to recommend or rebuke them.

The off brand trolling motor is a "Soozier" 50# for $155.00.

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Originally Posted by crappie wrangler

The off brand trolling motor is a "Soozier" 50# for $155.00.

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I recently saw a discussion on one of those Chinese motors. Looked like a 50/50 deal some not happy with them the other said they had had them for awhile and were fine with them for the money. One guy went to detail about the warranty and cost to send back for exchange.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by crappie wrangler

I have another boat with TM that MinnKota changed the speed control (5 forward 3 reverse) 4 times in one month. All under warranty. Each speed control handle lasted 20 minutes. Eventually they changed it with a variable speed control handle that caused severe RF issues. Having for decades performed the same RF controlling procedures mentioned I contacted MinnKota who told me that particular speed control had recently developed RF issues in everything installed in. I added 2 more RF control procedures to solve the problem. My post was mostly to see if the RF issues and breaking down issues had been solved. If any one is interested the other to RF controlling procedures are to add a ground from the metal trolling motor mount for the transducer run to the negative post of the cranking battery and add a ferrite core filter to the power cord for the sonar.

What I am looking for on this thread are reviews on recently purchased Stern Mount MinnKota Max 55# thrust trolling motors. I did not phrase my original question correctly. eBay has an off brand TM for about 1/2 what a MinnKota cost but I have not found anyone familiar with them to recommend or rebuke them.

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Friend of mine I fish with some put a new last fall traxus on his boat. Sits right next to his front finder, no problems so far with moor or RF. Pretty sure it has same control board as the other motors.

I have enough Cabelas points to get a MinnKota but they have mixed reviews on the maximizer models. That being said I have always preferred MinnKota.