Thruster motors

[Paul Arden]

Hi guys,

I’m having a real problem getting hold of a couple of new thruster motors. 30lb thrust is plenty, manual, no need for GPS or foot control (I use my feet to control them anyway!). Minn-kota don’t have a distributor here. I’ve tried talking to them. They gave me a Japanese distributor contact and their contact for Minn-Kota sales in USA but neither answer their emails. Which is a bit bizarre when you’re in business. I can’t get the 30lb here but I can get the 55lbs but it’s bloody expensive. Ridiculously so, in fact considerably more than USA prices, despite being closer to China where they are made. I don’t want to pay £600 for a couple of thruster motors, not when I kill them so fast, and especially not when I was paying £100 each previously!

I have been using Motorguide - they last about a year of good service and then need taking apart regularly to clean the contacts with sandpaper. Why they are not waterproof is mysterious. If I made thruster motors they would be waterproof. I fish in the rain. And in water. After two years they are dead. Anyway the distributor who had them doesn’t now, and I can’t find out if anyone else has them and Motorguide also don’t answer their emails. Not going well so far

I have used other thruster motors in the past but they only last a couple of months. One even caught fire which was an exciting moment in the back of the boat. In fact it caught fire twice. You would think I would have stopped using it but the Snakehead were rising and I couldn’t stop myself.

Does anyone have a contact who may be able to help? I’m running an old minn-kota now but it’s basically fucked. Makes plenty of noise to let the fish know I’m coming and vibrates so much that my teeth chatter.

Usually I can have my guests bring me stuff. Coffee, cheese, liquorice, thruster motors. But with border closures this is currently impossible.

Thanks!!
Paul

[George C]

Basspro shops in US will ship internationally. I've no idea what that costs and what duty you might have to pay.
https://www.basspro.com/shop/en/minn-ko ... :&pageSize:&

[George C]

I'll also mention that while I don't own an electric motor I've looked into them before and I think higher thrust motors last longer since they don't need to be run as hot......something you might check on.

[Paul Arden]

Thanks George, I might end up doing that. Just over $100 to ship. Don’t know about import taxes.

It might actually be worthwhile putting a 55lb thruster on the Rocket. I rarely use anything but low gear. I’ll have a look at these too.

Cheers, Paul

[Viking Lars]

With a heavier thrust you’ll most like get much longer service out of the motor.
I know the Minn Kota motors. A few friends have them/have had them on their boats, and they are really, really nice to work with. All the GPS options are overly cool and especially hooking them up to the sonar gives some significant advantages, but for most it’s also not necessary.
I have a Watersnake-brand on my kayak. It’s done very well for over 7 years, over that time, maybe a maximum of say 50 trips, nine of them with more than app. three hours of running time/trip. Still it seems sturdy enough and is still in ship-shape condition. But it must be taken into consideration that it’s pushing far less weight than one of your Giant Condoms.
But - if you can get it, it might be worth looking at?

[Paul Arden]

There is no question that the Condom has extra weight with the steel floor, I get about 300 days fishing from a Motorguide before I have to start cleaning the terminals (they live outdoors in the rain). And then about another 300 days before they die. I don’t know how many hours and it varies. Gourami can have 2 hrs running I would imagine. Snakehead probably a couple over a whole day. Maybe more but because it’s fits and starts I don’t know how to measure it!

I don’t mind replacing them every year, as long as I’m getting fair prices. Here in Malaysia guarantees are worthless. I had a Ajiking thruster motor with a 2 year warranty that died after two months. No one wanted to know – not the manufacturer nor the retailer.