Electric only powerloading trailer?

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Dbarba11

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I had a transom mount trolling motor and I was used to partially driving on the trailer then winching the rest of the way up. Using a transom mount, there was no worry of the motor hitting the trailer.

Now, I bought a minn kota powerdrive bow mount..I've watched a local with a bow mount approach the trailer and stow the motor right before he hit the trailer. He had a cable drive motor with a rope though, am I in trouble with the powerdrive's method of stowing? How does everyone power load there boat with only a bow mount trolling motor? Trying to stay dry as much as possible this season!
 
My wife and I do that with our boat. She gets the boat going at a decent clip and then stows the TM right before it gets to the trailer. It's an Edge bow mount though, I'm not sure how fast the others would retract.

When I am getting the truck ready to back down, I take the winch strap and pull it about half way down the trailer and hook it to one of the guides. She then grabs it, hooks it up, and I winch it in. Usually takes us a minute or maybe two from the time the trailer hits the water until I'm pulling back up the ramp.
 
Thanks for the reply. My main problem is I will be doing this alone so I need to get it up the trailer far enough that I can walk off and winch the rest without getting soaked.

Anyone build there own trailer cat walk? I have seen them sold under the name "walk ramps".
 
I can load a boat very easily using a cable steer bow mount. I have never been successful trying to load with a powerdrive. Too much of a pain to fold up like that.

Do you not still have the transom mount motor?
 
bassboy1 said:
I can load a boat very easily using a cable steer bow mount. I have never been successful trying to load with a powerdrive. Too much of a pain to fold up like that.

Do you not still have the transom mount motor?

I do, I wasn't planning on using it but I may just run a transom and bow with the addition of a bigfoot switch upfront. I might return the powerdrive for an edge, not hearing great things about the powerdrive. The copilot option is what intrigued me.

Bassboy, how do you like the powerdrive vs the edge?
 
I went from a PD to an edge as well, but just because I sold it with the boat it was on.
PD is nice in that you can control it from anywhere and any position in the boat. There does tend to be a delay in the head turning, it only turns at one speed, and the turning motor is not super quiet. I had little experience with foot-cable TMs so I got used to it quickly and really loved it. My buddy, who grew up using the foot-cables, could not stand using it, so I went with the Edge this time just to be nice to him.
My PD unit had the quick release button. Push it and the whole unit could tilt up. Wasn't too hard to do it quickly.
I think it would be easier to just loosen the shaft depth knob and then pull the whole head and shaft up when you get close. You should have enough room to do that and not hit anything on the trailer. Plus, you can set the speed, put it on continuous run, and control your direction by turning the TM head with your hands.
 
I grew up using cable steer trolling motors. A few years ago my buddy bought a boat with a PD on it and I could not stand it!
The delay in the head turning drove me nuts. But I guess the more you use it, the more you get used to it.
 
I like them both equally well, but only for the purpose they were designed for.

When bass fishing, I did nothing but curse the powerdrive. It works amazingly well when in open water, downlining and slow trolling, as it can be controlled from anywhere in the boat, and doesn't require constant hands on control, but when working a shoreline, ledge, hump, or anything else you are casting to, the powerdrive is horrible. The response time is slow, and you have to constantly look down at the motor to see which way it is pointed. With the cable steer motor (Edge), you never have to look at the arrow, as you can feel it with your foot.

At the same time, when striper fishing in open water, I curse the cable steer motors. You run to the back of the boat to tend a flatline, and then the boat starts to work around in a circle.
 
bassboy1 said:
I like them both equally well, but only for the purpose they were designed for.

When bass fishing, I did nothing but curse the powerdrive. It works amazingly well when in open water, downlining and slow trolling, as it can be controlled from anywhere in the boat, and doesn't require constant hands on control, but when working a shoreline, ledge, hump, or anything else you are casting to, the powerdrive is horrible. The response time is slow, and you have to constantly look down at the motor to see which way it is pointed. With the cable steer motor (Edge), you never have to look at the arrow, as you can feel it with your foot.

At the same time, when striper fishing in open water, I curse the cable steer motors. You run to the back of the boat to tend a flatline, and then the boat starts to work around in a circle.

Thanks for your help. Found a deal on an edge at my local walmart so I returned the PD and bought the edge. Seems like there is less to worry about with a cable drive.
 

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