Big news emerged from the 2024 ICAST fishing trade show in Orlando, Florida. Both Lowrance and Simrad debuted bow-mounted, electric-steered brushless trolling motors designed for salt water, representing the first trolling motors from either engineered to perform in the brine; indeed, the Simrad motor is the first ever from this long-established marine electronics brand.
These motors join a cadre of models from Garmin, Minn Kota, Power-Pole and Rhodan all featuring GPS guidance, rugged marine-grade construction, sophisticated technology and advanced system integration. Among experienced boating anglers, positioning is everything. And positioning is exactly what these motors are designed to achieve. Let’s look at some examples.
Recon
The new saltwater trolling motors from Lowrance and Simrad share the same model name—Recon—and possess the same design, including a brushless motor that operates on either 24 or 36 volts and produces 90 and 115 pounds of thrust, respectively.
These manually deployed, electric-steered trolling motors boast a unique joystick remote called Freesteer. Incorporating a color LCD screen, the remote is lightweight and wearable, providing 360 degrees of manual steering, as well as activation of automatic functions. With the Lowrance version of the Recon, the remote can be combined with a wireless foot pedal with a programmable keypad and seamless display integration via a NMEA 2000 network. The Simrad version grants full integration with a Simrad multifunction display via NMEA 2000.
Recon trolling motors also feature a GPS-guided virtual anchoring system that holds boats within a 3-foot radius. A unique jogging function allows anglers to execute diagonal moves in eight directions. There’s also the option to move virtual anchor positions in almost any direction. The carbon-fiber-infused shafts carry lifetime warranties, while the motor carries a three-year warranty.
The Recon motors have integrated sonar technology and are available with a sonar nose-cone option. The Recon models are available in 54-, 60- and 72-inch shaft lengths, and start at $3,499. To learn more, visit lowrance.com or simrad-yachting.com.
Kraken
The news coming out of ICAST 2024 is that Garmin expanded its Force Kraken brushless saltwater trolling- motor series (which was introduced last year) with a 48-inch shaft length to accommodate smaller boat sizes, including flats boats and microskiffs.
Like the other models in the Kraken series, the 48-inch model is engineered with a pivot-style mount for easy installation on boats where bow space is limited. With manual deploy and stow, it offers anglers seamless, wireless integration with Garmin sonar systems, multifunction displays and smartwatches.
Now completing its first season in the hands of saltwater anglers, the Kraken features a brushless motor and high-efficiency propeller to produce 100 pounds of thrust as a 36-volt system or 80 pounds as a 24-volt system. Anglers can also easily install live sonar thanks to a cable management system that routes the transducer cable inside the trolling-motor shaft. With the Kraken LiveScope Mounting Bracket (additional purchase required), any Garmin LiveScope transducer can be installed and operated in all three modes: Forward, Down and Perspective.
The included wireless remote gives anglers control of the trolling motor with precise virtual anchor lock, autopilot functionality, heading hold and point-and-go gesture steering. The new 48-inch Kraken is available in both black and white, with suggested retail prices of $3,599.99 and $3,799.99, respectively. Other Kraken models feature 63-, 75- and 90-inch shaft lengths in white, and 63- and 75-inch lengths in black. To learn more, visit garmin.com.
Read Next: The Benefits of Brushless Saltwater Trolling Motors
Instinct
Minn Kota has set a high bar among saltwater anglers with its top-of-the-line Riptide Instinct models featuring Quest brushless motor technology and push-button deploy and stow. Now completing its first full season on the bows of saltwater fishing boats, the Riptide Instinct operates on either 24 volts for 90 pounds of thrust or 36 volts for 115 pounds of thrust. Shaft-length choices include 60, 65, 87 and 100 inches.
It also has a beefy composite shaft and pivot points, and the motor incorporates real-time battery monitoring with a “time until empty” indicator, which prompts anglers to switch to Eco mode when reserves drop to 20 percent. Built-in i-Pilot and i-Pilot Link GPS guidance enable functionality such as Spot-Lock virtual anchoring and a Drift mode that works like a virtual drift sock.
Control options include a GPS wireless remote to drive the motor from anywhere in the boat. Riptide Instinct offers compatibility with the One-Boat Network for networking with and controlling via a Humminbird multifunction display easily. They are available in black or white and start at $4,399.99 for a 60-inch-shaft model. For more information, visit minnkota.johnsonoutdoors.com.
Move
The Move PV series saltwater trolling motors from Power-Pole feature pivot mounts, brushless motors, GPS guidance, wireless controls and virtual anchoring. The brushless motors are engineered to deliver power at lower rpm. A super-strong titanium shaft carries a lifetime guarantee. Advanced electronic technology includes built-in GPS navigation with features such as Anchor mode and Active Vector Heading navigation. A variety of user-friendly wireless controls include a ReelFeel foot pedal that provides the sensation of cable steering and the ability to put it anywhere you like.
There are also wireless foot buttons available to activate the Anchor and Active Vector Heading modes. Power-Pole’s ProNav app can enable a mobile device to become a controller. The PV series is available in 45-, 52-, 60- and 72-inch shaft lengths, and is available in black or white. It starts at $4,999.99. To find out more, visit power-pole.com.
Rhodan
The HD GPS Anchor+ saltwater trolling motors from Rhodan feature pivot mounts and digital pulse-width modulation circuitry to help maximize efficiency and heat dissipation, optimize power and extend battery life. A wireless and waterproof floating remote fob controls the motor from anywhere on the boat.
Available in 12-, 24- and 36-volt models delivering 80 to 120 pounds of thrust, these trolling motors also have the unique ability to steer the boat while the main engine is at low power settings, allowing anglers to troll at higher speeds or to anchor in fast-moving currents. The Anchor mode automatically compensates for wind, waves and cross current.
Rhodan integrates with Raymarine’s Axiom MFDs to adjust thrust and the motor’s direction, and activate Anchor mode. This enables anglers to use the touchscreen display to control the Rhodan trolling motor when it is active. The HD GPS Anchor+ is available in black or white in shaft lengths ranging from 36 to 108 inches, starting at $2,399. Visit rhodanmarine.com to learn more.
