Anglers make tons of mistakes before, during, and after the fishing trips. Although most of these mistakes are deliberate, there are a few of them that occur due to inexperience.
There is no better way to increasing the lifespan of your trolling motor and reducing the maintenance costs significantly than having journaling all the possible mistakes, then working hard to correct/avoid them.
Here are some of the mistakes it would be best to avoid when using an electric trolling motor.
Inadequate Maintenance
The easiest and most efficient way to keep most machines in good working condition is through regular and proper maintenance practices. Ideally, maintenance involves repairing faults and replacing worn-out parts.
For a Minn Kota trolling motor to work optimally, you need to keep a very high maintenance standards for its mechanical parts. It is those little maintenance gaps that creates room for total dysfunctionality of your electric trolling motor.
As such, it would be best to replace worn-out parts of your Minn Kota trolling motor with quality Minn Kota parts from a trusted dealership. Additionally, it would help to have your trolling motor servicing handled by an experienced technician.
Proper maintenance and servicing in addition to installing quality Minn Kota parts ensures that your trolling motor works smoothly and serves you for a long time.
Improper Installation
One of the common mistakes most anglers make when using an electric trolling motor is improper installation. That means that the problems begin before the trolling motor is even put to use.
A proper functioning of the trolling motor is a product of individual parts effectiveness. Wrong installation will automatically put some parts out of sync, compromising the effectiveness of the entire motor.
For example, a trolling motor that is loosely mounted on the boat is likely to cause a lot of vibration when fired. Additionally, you risk the trolling motor falling into the water when it hits solid obstacles inside the water.
Therefore, you need to have experienced trolling motor technician install the entire trolling motor system if you are not confident of your installation abilities.
Poor Storage Practices
There is always a chance of mishandling fishing gear during the off-seasons as anglers call a break from fishing.
Most anglers are always inclined to store their fishing gear and trolling motor in the garage without additional protective measures. Upon the resumption of the fishing seasons, the angler is often surprised to find a faulty trolling motor that requires significant repairs to restore it to its previous functional state.
You need to follow all storage instructions provided by the Minn Kota trolling motor manufacturer in order to extend the lifespan of your trolling motor.
Using Corroded Terminals
Battery terminals usually corrode due to exposure to water and salts (present in seawater). As such, the corroded terminal makes it difficult for electric current to flow efficiently to the motor. Sometimes you may experience sufficient voltage reading but a low current supply.
Nevertheless, it would help to apply an anti-corrosion spray to remove the accumulated salts from the battery terminals.
Additionally, grease the terminals to create a waterproof layer; removing and preventing terminal corrosion improves the current flow and reduces the need for regular battery pack replacements.
Poor Cleaning Routines
The compounding effect also takes effect in the electric trolling motor maintenance. Inherently, poorly cleaning your trolling motor propeller, or lack thereof, causes salt and debris accumulation.
Over time, the accumulated salts and debris (seaweeds and entangled lines) make it harder for your propeller to turn and drive the boat.
Consequently, the motor will draw more power, and since rotation is restricted, the motor’s armature is likely to overheat or completely burn out.
To prevent such damage, clean your boat and the trolling motor with fresh water in order to rinse off the accumulated salts and remove any debris entangled on the propeller. Frequently greasing and oiling the moving parts prevent any possible rusting.
Conclusion
The worst thing about the mistakes highlighted above is that they are quite easy to ignore. It is advisable to be proactive when it comes to taking any preventive (and maintenance) measures related to your electric trolling motor.
Read More: Ship A Car by Train or Truck Transport
