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It may be at this time that you are thinking about getting a shiny new trolling motor for your boat. Regardless if you are after raw horsepower, thermal GPS fish tracking, hands-free operation, value for the money, or just want a good and reliable motor that will last the rest of your life, I believe Minn Kota has made one that can cast shade on literally every competitor on the market today.
Because it has everything that everybody would need on a trolling motor, Minn Kota has manufactured one called the “Terrova”. Well, what exactly is this device and what can it offer fishermen who want a shiny new trolling setup for their own cruise ship?
In this Minn Kota Terrova review, we will see and review one of the highest-rated trolling setups today and also touch on why it has the industry in such an uproar. What has been done by the developers to make so many hundreds of thousands of anglers fork out the funds to add one or more to their boats?
We are going to go over the product features of the product and what you should look for before deciding to add it to your own ride. Why is this technology so popular and how does it contrast to other rides? Let’s find out exactly why it is marketed as groundbreaking “fish-catching” technology.
Product Features – A Closer Look At The Factory Specs
Motor
- Designed for freshwater only
- Shaft length of 54 or 60
- Bow mounting location
- Thrust – 112 pounds (36 volts)
- Voltage of 36v
- heel/toe pedal and left/right steering buttons
- Lift-Assist mount
- i-Pilot GPS
- 3-year warranty – lifetime for the shaft
Sonar
- Universal Sonar 2 protects the transducer
- Supports medium/high chirp sonar, 455/800 Khz
- 3-in-1 underwater map imaging
- Depth and temperature gauge
- Fish finder adaptable
Autopilot
- i-Pilot GPS Trolling System uses GPS to control motor
- Spot lock anchors boat
- Rotary speed dial control
- Autopilot on/off toggle switch
Foot Pedal
- Electric
- 18′ cable
- Waterproof connector plug
A Deeper Look At The Motor On The Stock Unit
The first thing you need to know is that this particular product is for freshwater only. Salt will ruin the motor and you will be out of a ton of money. Keep in mind that they do make saltwater models for around the same price if you want to go down that route.
Saltwater models are easily identified by their white coloring. The basic unit is the traditional black which indicates freshwater use only for this version of this trolling motor. That being said, it is a fishermen’s best friend. The shaft exists in a couple of sizes, 54 and 60. The easy bow mounting system makes short work of installation. It can generate up to 112 pounds of thrust which is entirely dependent on the 36-volt power supply.
By industry standards, it is quite literally one of the best at it. Around 72 to 75 is the standard for quality and functionality. The unit does have a lift assist but it is a manual one and it isn’t automatic like some other competitors on the market. It actually is equipped with a spring-loaded assembly design and a lift assist lever.
Extras
This motor like most is incredibly light and user-friendly as far as deployment, lifting, and storage. If you have joint arthritis or hand/wrist issues, it comes in handy without causing pain.
The bow mount bracket is pretty much universal in the way it fits onto almost any boat you can get in the water. In addition, the battery life compared to almost all competitors on the market is second to none. Incredibly superior battery performance is due to Digital Maximizer™ technology.
Expect it to realistically run 5 times longer than pretty much everything else out there. There are a few ways to steer the unit too. An electric foot pedal for the heel and toe as well as left and right steering buttons are also included. There is actually a third way too. We are getting to that soon.
Sonar And Underwater Map Imaging Software
The sonar is incredibly built. Built-in MEGA Down Imaging™ sonar comes with a touchscreen remote that is the most advanced model to date. It is the very first of its kind to enter the megahertz range with performance almost three times greater than traditional 455 kHz frequencies. Not only is it the most advanced sonar on the market, but the trademarked technology is also the clearest of all of them too. I don’t know of another one that does this. The sonar to find the fish is certainly top-notch, to say the least.
It’s like having eyes on the bottom of your boat. With dual-spectrum chirps, all you have to do is plug in your best fish finder and see what is down there. It is all built-in too. No wires and no hassle. It is worth mentioning that this will certainly let you know what’s below you and although it provides a great ariel view, side imaging requires another motor as it is not included. Although this is the case, the imaging it does have comes with a narrow mode and a wide mode for clarity.
Autopilot Features And Other Helpful Things
The Terrova is also no slouch when it comes to GPS either. The GPS controls the motor. If there were a top-of-the-line, best-on-the-market, diamond standard that surpasses all others for GPS systems, the Minn Kota i-Pilot system is just the best out there. That isn’t my own personal bias or my being choosy either. It is just the facts. If you don’t believe me, test my claims with some research and leave another answer in the comments below.
The main selling point of this motor is its Bluetooth connectivity for apple and android devices. It has a wireless touchscreen remote that runs the motor, spot-Lock, iTrack record/playback, backtrack, cruise control, and more. I don’t care if you suck up to Bill Gates or wipe the shoes of Steve Jobs, there is an app to run the motor on both devices and it runs equally well on both. In addition, the remote’s layout can be fully customized for your own efficiency. Aside from that, there is also a push-to-test battery meter that allows you to always check how much juice is left in the power reserves.
The hands-free approach allows you to do everything with the press of a button if you want to. You can control it completely hands-free. The unit will drive you to where you need to go on its own as long as you give it the go-ahead. The bonuses you get with this are something special too. You can tell it to travel a certain path and it will. It has a spot lock feature which acts as an anchor to keep your boat in one place. Steering and speed can also be modified. With an auto-pilot feature too, the technology even adjusts for waves, currents, and even the wind so you can keep wetting bait.
Price, Ratings, And My True Final Thoughts About It
To summarize, the Minn Kota Terrova trolling motor really is one of the best of the best if you fish in freshwater. I have to conclude that it is a very fine piece of machinery worthy of its expensive price tag. It adds up to be one of the best pieces of fish-catching devices that an angler could ever have on hand.
Pretty much completely silent, fully remote controlled, lifetime warranty, is built to stand up to most conditions, has its own imaging built right in, and even has a bunch of integrated features that really do help you catch fish easier than other motors. Is it the best one that the industry has to offer? The answer is of course debatable in its intent but in terms of quality, value, and overall user-friendliness, I have yet to see one that rivals it. For me, it is not even close.
The claim of “fully remote controlled” may throw some people and with that claim, I can sympathize. No, I am not saying it is the greatest trolling motor, ever. Not actually. What I mean is that because of its design, it fills a niche for certain people that really do want some of the best quality for the money.
Price Vs Value
Yes, it’s expensive but be honest with yourself. Did you actually expect to get a boat motor for an aftermarket price and a quality one too?
The Minn Kota Terrova will run a person $1700 up to $2300 depending on the make and model. The question is not whether it’s a good product or not. It certainly is and I explained why. The question is if I would use it myself on a regular fishing trip. The answer is simple.
If given the option, I certainly would without question. What more can you ask for? If a better product exists for the value you get in this piece, let us know in the comments! Drop a reply in a comment below so we can hear your thoughts about this piece. I highly recommend trying it out yourself.