Minn Kota Terrova Bow Mount Bluetooth Trolling Motor With I-pilot Us2 Review
Concluding Updated on March ten, 2022
Nosotros independently research, exam, and recommend the all-time products; you can learn more well-nigh our review process here.
When the Minn Kota Terrova was introduced in 2010, many anglers were skeptical of the new features and whether or not they were needed. Well over a decade later, the Terrova is still in production and holds its own against its near formidable competitors, and that'south why I rated it an 8/10.
The Terrova was the standard for loftier-end trolling motors for several years. However, times have inverse, and it's now considered a mid-range trolling motor that delivers a lot of value for the $1,999.99 MSRP.
While reading my Minn Kota Terrova review, you will see why the Terrova is still a feasible alternative to other bow mount trolling motors. The updates to the several available models, including the Terrova fourscore, contribute to why the Terrova has been able to stay relevant after all these years.
If you're a serious angler not willing to spend a fortune on a new trolling motor, I recommend checking out the Minn Kota Terrova.
If you need more than convincing, keep reading to learn why I'g such a big fan.
- Minn Kota Terrova Overview
- Before Buying a Trolling Motor: Consider These Factors
- Quietness
- Ease of Employ
- Bombardment Life
- Standard Features
- Features & Benefits of the Terrova
- iPilot GPS Trolling Arrangement
- Multiple Power Options
- Digital Maximizer
- Electrical Steering
- Integrated Sonar
- Indestructible Composite Shaft
- Lift-Aid
- Multiple Control Options
- Boosted Minn Kota Terrova Reviews
- Alternatives
- Motorguide xi5
- Haswing Cayman GPS
- Last Thoughts
Minn Kota Terrova Overview
- Lift-help
- 12-volt, 24-volt, and 36-volt
- Four shaft lengths, 45", 54", sixty", 72"
- Built-in Sonar
- I-airplane pilot GPS with Spot-lock and jog
- Noisy electric motor
- Heavy and bulky
- Freshwater simply
- The final update to this model was in 2017
When the Terrova debuted, it was at the acme of its class with breakout features no other trolling motor at the time had. The features were so new that many anglers were skeptical of buying the trolling motor until the word got out about Spot-lock or GPS anchor lock.
The Terrova pioneered many features that nosotros now expect every Minn Kota trolling motor to have, and in 2017 Minn Kota came out with an updated version to go on up with the competition who were copying the Terrova the best they could.
Minn Kota has since come up out with models that offer more updated features like the Minn Kota Ulterra, just that doesn't mean the Terrova shouldn't be mounted on the bow of some bass boats today.
Let'due south go along and make up one's mind if it should be installed on yours.
Earlier Buying a Trolling Motor: Consider These Factors
A bow mount trolling motor is another tool to catch more than fish. If you buy a trolling motor, even if it has all the latest and greatest features, that doesn't aid yous catch more fish, then yous waste material your coin.
I don't desire that for you!
I want to make sure you lot spend your money on a trolling motor that will help put more than fish in your gunkhole. And then go along these things in mind when you buy a new electric trolling motor.
Quietness
A trolling motor needs to be quiet. Otherwise, you might as well use your outboard. If the trolling motor is besides loud, then you will spook fish, making them about impossible to catch and defeating the purpose of a fun day of fishing.
The Minn Kota Terrova is an electric steer motor known to be noisy to a higher place the water. The noise will spook some fish, but the motor below the water is relatively quiet, and that's the motor we should be virtually concerned with making dissonance.
Brushless motors are the quietest trolling motors on the market today. The Terrova does NOT have a brushless motor, so information technology will not exist the quietest trolling motor you lot tin purchase, but it also doesn't come with the price tag of loftier-end brushless motors.
Ease of Use
I don't similar complicated, and I call up a trolling motor should exist simple to operate. Operating the trolling motor should be simple whether y'all're using the pes-pedal or wireless remote command.
If the motor is cumbersome and difficult to lift out of the water, then you'll get tired much quicker and be less probable to motion spots if you're not finding any fish. I'd rather spend my energy casting and reeling in more fish than lifting a trolling motor.
Minn Kota kept the Terrova operations reasonably simple with the human foot-pedal and wireless remote. Despite information technology being a niggling bulky and heavy, the elevator-assist ensures you won't be picking up the weight of the motor all twenty-four hours.
Battery Life
I ran my trolling motor battery downwardly during a collegiate bass fishing tournament. Thankfully, there wasn't much fourth dimension left to fish, but it was notwithstanding a major headache and ended my fishing early. Please don't make the aforementioned fault I did; purchase a trolling motor that extends the life of your trolling motor batteries.
The Terrova has the Digital Maximizer characteristic, which merely draws as much power as yous need, so you tin stay on the water longer without worrying most battery life.
Standard Features
The standard features oftentimes determine the cost of a trolling motor. Like any other product, motors with better and more features come up at a higher price. Then at this price range, nosotros can't expect Terrova to lead the industry as information technology did at i fourth dimension.
The Terrova set the bar for standard features when it initially came to market. However, it at present sits in the middle of the pack at the cost betoken and the common features it offers.
Allow's proceed and discuss the standard features of the Minn Kota Terrova and the benefits they offer to anglers.
Features & Benefits of the Terrova
Every bit I've mentioned previously, anglers were initially reluctant to mount the Terrova on the front of their boat. However, once they discovered all the benefits the features offered, the motor quickly became ane of the about pop trolling motors ever and set the standard in the industry for several years.
iPilot GPS Trolling Arrangement
With the iPilot link features, y'all tin set Spot-Lock, record paths, control speed, and steering. This is nifty if yous find a school of fish; you tin can mark your spot or route, continue fishing and then come back and ballast at the exact angling spot where you marked all the fish earlier.
Spot-Lock with jog is one of the additional features that many anglers enjoy when the fish accept moved slightly off the spot they were originally located.
Once yous set the Spot-Lock feature, you tin employ the jog feature to movement 5 feet in any direction and then you can stay on top of the fish without messing with the trolling motor the unabridged time, according to the iPilot trolling motor reviews.
The Machine-Pilot feature ensures you stay on form once you lot've enabled it. Then you lot don't have to worry about the current, waves, or wind pushing you lot off course while Motorcar-Pilot is enabled. This is keen if you're going long distances (but too short for the outboard) in one direction.
You can set your speed and direction and and then fish instead of operating the trolling motor.
The downside is you must employ Humminbird sonar and fish finders to experience the total capabilities of the iPilot GPS trolling system. Information technology is NOT compatible with other sonar brands.
Multiple Power Options
The Terrova offers anglers iii options to power their trolling motor. If y'all choose the 12v selection, your trolling motor volition have 55 lbs thrust available. The 24v pick offers 80 lbs of thrust, and to attain 112 pounds of thrust, you will need to choose the 36v setup.
Having multiple powering options ways you can brand the trolling motor fit your style of fishing instead of the other way around. If your boat only has room for two trolling motor batteries, you can however use the Terrova. Nevertheless, you will have to conform to the 80 pounds of thrust instead of 112 pounds of thrust.
Digital Maximizer
Minn Kota claims that the digital maximizer provides up to 5 times longer run times because you can dial in your exact speed, and the trolling motor will merely draw the precise amount of power needed to reach that speed.
The Terrova besides has a Push button-to-test bombardment meter on the motorhead and so you can know exactly how much battery you take left. This is great for days you forget to charge your batteries and need to know how much longer yous tin can run on them.
Electric Steering
If you're used to running a cable steer trolling motor, operating the Terrova volition take some fourth dimension getting used to because it is an electric steer trolling motor. This is considering electrical steer trolling motors, especially older models similar the Terrova, are not as responsive as cable steer trolling motors.
Notwithstanding, electric steer motors do good from causing less fatigue considering you push a button to steer instead of pushing and pulling a cable connected to the human foot pedal to steer. One time an angler understands how electrical steering trolling motor works differently than a cablevision steer, they rarely go back to the cable steer.
Integrated Sonar
I've strapped and taped transducers onto the lower unit of several trolling motors. With the Terrova, that's not necessary because Minn Kota offers integrated sonar. Of course, their all-time features require the angler to take Humminbird units. Still, Minn Kota offers a universal option.
The Universal Sonar 2 selection is best for anglers who don't run Humminbird electronics because you tin still run the wires through the shaft instead of using cypher ties and record.
The MEGA downwards imaging is only available if you use Humminbird sonar. Downwards imaging is the simply option available for the Terrova, so if you're looking for side-scan sonar, y'all will need to cull a unlike model.
Indestructible Composite Shaft
Minn Kota has a lifetime guarantee for its composite trolling motor shaft, which is great when you're fishing areas with lots of rocks and stumps. Nevertheless, Minn Kota describes the shaft equally indestructible, and so you shouldn't have to use the lifetime warranty in theory.
For the rest of the motor, Minn Kota offers a two-year warranty. When the Terrova first came out, many people had to use the warranty. After the 2017 update, fewer anglers accept needed the warranty, but information technology's still reassuring to have if your Terrova is damaged.
Elevator-Assistance
The Terrova features a spring-loaded assembly to help stow the trolling motor effortlessly. The stow/deploy lever and fallaway ramps enable you to deploy your Terrova quickly. This is great because the Terrova is bulky and heavy, so deploying and stowing the trolling motor without these features would exist a chore.
Even though information technology doesn't have the auto-stow and deploy characteristic similar high-end trolling motors, it volition still help salvage any angler from wasting time and energy picking upwards and setting downward their trolling motor.
Multiple Control Options
Multiple control options are a mutual feature on loftier-end but less common on mid-range trolling motors. I mean, you lot can steer the trolling motor with a foot pedal, remote, app, or using your brand-specific electronics.
To steer the Terrova, yous tin use the pes pedal; that's no surprise. What is impressive for a trolling motor in this price range is all the other options like the wireless remote, Minn Kota smartphone app, and the Humminbird fishfinder.
Having all these options ensures you are in complete control of your bass boat no matter where y'all're located on your boat.
Additional Minn Kota Terrova Reviews
Yous don't accept to accept my word for the Terrova being a center-of-the-road trolling motor. Most people enjoy their Minn Kota and would buy another Minn Kota production, but as with whatsoever production, you accept the individuals who do non like it.
I believe these snippets from others should assistance you decide if the Terrova is the best trolling motor for you lot.
While my wife would probably say the aforementioned thing nearly some of my fishing equipment because of the amount of time I spend with information technology, I'd say that'south a pretty skillful compliment!
However, some were less than satisfied with the Terrova.
So the shaft might be indestructible, but other pieces are not and volition pause on impact!
Alternatives
The Terrova has owned the market of mid-range trolling motors for several years now and will continue to exercise so for the foreseeable hereafter. That doesn't mean in that location are no alternatives worth checking out. I consider the post-obit trolling motors direct competitors to the Minn Kota Terrova.
Motorguide xi5
The Motorguide xi5 is nearly a copy of the Terrova, except information technology is a cable steer trolling motor. You tin can see from my Motorguide x5 review that Motorguide rushed to the market and didn't retrieve through or develop a high-quality trolling motor. Nonetheless, many people still adopt the xi5 over the Terrova.
If yous prefer cable steer trolling motors, every bit many people do, I would suggest the Motorguide xi5 considering it has similar features and is in the same price range as the Terrova.
Haswing Cayman GPS
If you're looking for a less expensive GPS trolling motor, I recommend the Haswing Cayman GPS. It has minimal features, but information technology is several hundred dollars less costly than the Terrova. The main affair it has on the Terrova is that it is safe to utilize in saltwater.
If you haven't heard of Haswing earlier, check out my Haswing trolling motors review, to see if they're right for you.
Concluding Thoughts
While there are legitimate arguments against the Terrova, you lot can see why from our Minn Kota Terrova review, it's withal an splendid trolling motor for the weekend angler because of the standard features that few other trolling motors have within this cost range.
The Minn Kota Terrova is no longer the best trolling motor on the marketplace; information technology is, however, best in class.
If you take annihilation to add to the Minn Kota Terrova give-and-take, experience free to leave a comment beneath!
Source: https://yourbassguy.com/trolling-motors/minn-kota-terrova-review/
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