If you are mainly going to stay in calm waters, 24 will be fine. If going to be in rougher, more current go with 36. I have had 2 (24/36) Minn Kota and will never have another boat w/out 1! Never had the Rodan but heard good things about em. When you are ready, call Shannon at Andalusia Marine....

 

I have Minn Kota 24 volt 80# on my 17 1/2 key west. I take it in the bay and holds well even on rough and high current days. I think you should be fine for what you are using it for

 

I have had both. The MinKota and the Rhodan. I prefer the MinnKota. It is easier to deploy and retrieve. The remote is easier to use. Both were 24v systems and both held about the same. The rhodan has just given up and shut off in high current on a windy day, the MinnKota never did that. The only time my MinnKota shut off was when the cables went to shit and had to be replaced (several years old). Once replaced with the correct tinned wire, better then new. Whenever I buy another motor it will be a MinnKota hands down. The MinnKota remote did have a quirk. It would stop working. We had to place the battery in backwards for so many seconds then take it back out to put back in correctly and it would work again. We probably had to do that 3 times in 3 years but it worked.

 

The MinKota and the Rhodan. I prefer the MinnKota

Really? Rodan....Easier to install, because the antenna is in the unit....Not in a remote location, like on top of the console. Rodan remote control / keyfob has 1/2 the buttons for easier understanding.

 

Rhodan here. I’ve owned rhodan on my last two boats.
Keep them covered and you will never have a problem with them.
They aren’t waterproof so a trolling motor cover is essential.

 

Rhodan does have good Customer Service. My electronic do-hicky on the top of the motor went out after about 3 months but the Customer Service guy mailed me a new one. I was back in business in about 4 days and 4 minutes. It was easy to change out. Mail is slow.

 

You can get a Minn Kota with a built in transducer, but I’m pretty sure its exclusive to Humminbird electronics

 

Once you go self-deploy, you never go back...

 

Most people I know that had them will never go back to them. At least the Minn Kota ones. Too many drive and board issues.

 

Thanks for the input.1 more question witch one of the 2 is more quiet as I will be right on top of the fish I’m thinking?

 

If you have a facebook page , join the minnkota page, MotorGuide page, and rhodan page and se what the availability on parts for repairs are. Some are having trouble getting parts

 

Don't put that bad juju on my motor. I baby that thing.

 

I guess I should said this the new set up will be for crappie fishing in deep tops and trying to get yellow cats out from under rocks.That's the plan anyway thanks' to everyone for all for your input.

 

Did you guys do any preventative maintenance on your motors?

 

First, and I'm not sure why anyone doesn't acknowledge this, look at what electronics you have and the type of fishing you do most and match the trolling motor to that. If you ONLY fish freshwater and use Lowrance, Motorguide or the Lowrance Ghost are both hard to beat...they integrate into the Lowrance graph much better than Minn Kota. If you're a Garman user, they have their own trolling motor. Minn Kota works and pairs with Humminbird.
Auto deploy works GREAT in fresh water but I've talked to too many people who've had many troubles in salt water with that feature. Rhodan is a good BIG boat trolling motor, as is Minn Kota (think offshore center consoles of 27-33ft) This discussion always reminds me of Ford vs Chevy but don't buy just because of a brand or one specific feature...look at this as a part of a whole system of electronics and you'll be happier in the long run.

 

I have currently have a 36v Rhodan (29’ cat) a 36v MinnKota Terrova (24’ bay boat with hardtop) and a 24v MinnKota Terrova (21’ bay boat, no top). The Rhodan is more powerful than the MK. One issue I have had with a MK is that you must unplug the motor before charging. I lost the motherboard on the 24v unit; the dealer who fixed it (a bit more than $400) told me that not unplugging the MK before charging killed the board.

The spot lock on the latest Rhodan was better than the MK four years ago when I installed the Rhodan, but the latest MK is now as good. The Rhodan was more expensive than the MK, but it is a longer shaft unit, so the cost differential may not be large for identical units. Both brands are very quiet. The remotes are different, but I find either of them pretty easy to use. For bottom fishing offshore, or fishing inshore, I believe they are the most important feature on the boat.

 

I lost the motherboard on the 24v unit; the dealer who fixed it (a bit more than $400) told me that not unplugging the MK before charging killed the board.

I've never heard that. Is there some documentation that backs that up? It'd be a design flaw if that were the case.

 

You can get a Minn Kota with a built in transducer, but I’m pretty sure its exclusive to Humminbird electronics

Not talking about a X-Ducer.......I'm talking about the GPS antenna. You also have to wire it for power with the Minkota.

 

One issue I have had with a MK is that you must unplug the motor before charging. I lost the motherboard on the 24v unit; the dealer who fixed it (a bit more than $400) told me that not unplugging the MK before charging killed the board.

And why I install Master On/Off switches and tell people to turn them OFF when TM is not in use....This does the same as Unplugging it and is more convenient.... This is what happens when you don't have a Master switch or don't use it in this case......Failure to follow instructions !

Rodan has a tag on the Power cord now......Says "Unplug before charging."

 

Everything I have heard about trolling motors
1- Avoid auto deploy models if your health and boat allows it. More moving parts = more chance to break, and I know the place I bought my motor from won't even install self deploy models because they break so often.
2- Step up a level on voltage and/or shaft length. There's nothing worse then spending 5 grand on a spot lock and install to find out that it doesn't work in 2 foot seas or with strong current
3- I haven't met anyone who regrets buying one. Do it yesterday
4- You'll hear horror stories about rhodans and minnkotas, every brand out there has lemons. Rhodans include a base so the price difference is about 300 bucks closer than the price tag suggests.
5- Rhodan's customer support is second to none. I've had to replace some parts and the warranty process is easy and the repairs are are straight forward.

 

You rick folks. I'm dropping a cinder block and rope to stay in one spot.

 

You should always unplug. There are several reasons for it. All proven.

 

I've preached all along about Master ON/Off switch and USING it. Way before the manufactures put warning tags on.....At least Rodan does,
Every install I do gets one and in a easy accessible location.

 

I've preached all along about Master ON/Off switch and USING it. Way before the manufactures put warning tags on.....At least Rodan does,
Every install I do gets one and in a easy accessible location.

Is this the same problem with the anodes corroding on the motors and turning to dust when I hook up the on board chargers and forget to turn disconnets off ?LOL

 

Yep

 

Ya"ll are scaring the shit out of me. I'm trying to turn a bay boat (22 foot cc) into a crappie boat.I love the boat. I can literally put a ton of crap in the boat. Its getting a forward imaging sonar.I'm thinking now just pole mount the transducer and stick with the tiller trolling motor on it now.I don't want a self deploying trolling motor.I just one want with spot lock that is quiet.And has the best reputation of not crapping out. Sonar is already going to be close to 4,000(16 inch live with active target) And I know garmin is (better to be debated) but everything I have is lawrence and Simrad so I will be sticking with that good or bad. So I really need help on the trolling motor.

 

Do not put active target/ live scope transducer on trolling motor shaft. While on spot lock, shaft will turn changing your view. Use separate pole to mount transducer on. FWIW, I have an XI5 because I have Lowrance electronics. I have had zero issues.

 

80lb 24v minnkota terrova and be done with it. Get a blue tooth version, so if your remote goes dead, you can use the app on your phone. I’ve left my remote on the console over night and it got water in the screen when it rained. It was nice to be able to use the app the next day, and not lose the use of my tm.


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The only time I've run my batteries very low, due to the rough conditions, the motor stowed itself. Should it get stuck for some reason I can always take the motor off. I don't leave the trolling motor on the boat when I'm not fishing.

 

I was fishing with my pop a couple of months ago, he had bad tm batteries, didn’t know it, and the motor got stuck in the down position. It was a royal bitch to get it out of the water. For that reason, and that reason alone, I will never own an auto deploy.


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Not all iPilots are auto deploy. Just get the regular one and be done with it.