kschultz76

I routinely use 12-14 lb fluoro with 40 or 50lb braid and the FG knot, also 8-10lb with 20lb braid on spinning. I’m jinxing myself but never had it fail after cinching and testing. Have had it fail while testing bc I didn’t get it right. Definitely getting a set of those knot pullers. I had seen them before I think but forgot about them.

Does that round bushing have plastic tab that sticks up on one side and a pointed triangle bit on the other? If it does you need what’s called a taper lock base. As Capt Ed pointed out a photo would really help, and using that link he shared for Springfield should help you find what you need then you can google search the part number.

That cable is for connecting the built in transducer on the TM to your compatible graph that you would mount up at the bow to use while fishing and operating the TM. The model of Terraova you got has the new “advanced gps” system that replaced iPilot. So read up on those capabilities and how it can link up with the mapping and gps capabilities of your fishfinder, as well as the app you can install on your phone. Found this google searching the model number off the label you posted the photo of 1358386. https://www.trollingmotors.net/products/2024-minn-kota-terrova-80?variant=40788028751908&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=20892619380&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIruXekbCPlQMVeUn_AR2AHyUnEAQYBCABEgJHU_D_BwE https://minnkota.johnsonoutdoors.com/us/shop/freshwater-trolling-motors/terrova/1358386?srsltid=AfmBOor-H_aYzT9bdxTigI7D43-FNFrYYSIk7JKymkfZOrF1t9kkVwQf I don’t use Minnkota and Humminbird so I can’t really give you any help beyond this: RTFM “read the #$&* manual”. These new systems are complex and you really have to spend time reading and watching videos if you want to be effective in using the technology.

Congrats on the new boat, hope all goes well from here and you have many happy years on the water! From my experience just be careful with the Mercury warranty costs through the dealer. When I bought my boat the dealer used a third party company to handle the business and finance management. They quoted costs for warranty packages that were just silly so I declined at the time. Maybe 9 months after I bought the boat I requested a quote directly from Mercury to extend the motor warranty, paid a fraction of the cost to upgrade to Platinum doing it this way. YMMV

Let your shop dispose of it, it’s given you all it’s got at this point. No money you get out of it is going to be worth the hassle you’re going to have getting it off the transom yourself and handling it to sell it before the repower. Or the hassle you’re going to have getting it back home from your shop and storing until and IF you sell it. And if you end up not selling it it may actually cost you money to dispose of it with a scrap outfit. You’ve worked hard your whole life, provided for your family, get your new motor and enjoy it guilt free.

Even worse on a trolling motor or gas motor line/weeds/debris wrapped around that shaft can damage the shaft seal and you have water where it doesn’t belong.

Normally the alternator on your gas motor only charges the connected starting battery. Some companies have chargers on the market that can take that current from your alternator and power the dc to dc charger so that you can use that to charge several batteries not just your starting battery. Powerpole has one, I think its called Powerpole Charge, and MillerTech has one too I think the model is the Darksleeper. You really only need that capability if you don’t have enough capacity in your deep cycle batteries to get through a full day on the water, or if you find yourself on a multi day trip with no access to AC shore power. Most of us only need a multi bank onboard AC to DC charger to plug in once you’re off the water.

A-Jay and anyone else who has installed these composite bunks for use with a painted/powder coated aluminum hull how have they worked out? Any issues you can see with any damage to the paint/powder coat? I’m looking at the “Ultimate Bunkboards” and Cuda Powersports “Forever Bunkboards” for the trailer for my Tracker PT175. Only 2 years old but carpet on the bunks is already wearing through. Cuda offers theirs with their “forever carpet” pres-installed. I’m likely over thinking it and have scratched the hull more in normal use than the composite boards could. The carpet is piece of mind I won’t scratch anything, but just becomes another wear item and negates the loading/unloading benefit of the slicker composite boards. Thanks for any experience anyone can share.

Palomar isn’t good with flouro, being a harder line it cuts into itself weakening the knot. A clinch style knot is better with flouro. Until I learned that I broke off a ton using palomar with flouro or hybrid lines. Now I use improved clinch for everything but straight braid, that gets the palomar. But I think I’m going to try that no slip loop not for some table hook baits.

This is complete overkill for a Leigh’s weight boat trailer. But I wanted something more stable and adjustable than your standard boat trailer tongue jack. https://www.etrailer.com/Trailer-Jack/Ark/ARK99FR.html https://www.etrailer.com/Trailer-Jack/Ark/ORJW750D.html

Congrats and gorgeous boat!! Best of luck with it and enjoy every minute on the water with it. Once you get some time out on the water with love to hear how you like the Garmin Force trolling motor. I’m considering one for my next trolling motor upgrade.

To be sure take those few screws out of the front of that panel and look at the back of the switch. I’m willing to bet it’s actually a Blue Seas or other marine oem manufacturer switch.

Ok then you got the right wire at least!

With that wire tapped is the switch killing power to the power pole when powered off? Yellow is sometimes used for a switched 12v+ but you really can’t go by colors, you either need a wiring diagram or be able to trace your wires. That’s a fancy switch that has a separate +12v for the backlighting as well as a separate ground for the backlighting. Is the wire you connected to coming off the center pin on the back of the switch labeled “NO” which means normally open? This image shows wiring diagram and pin location for a similar Blue Seas switch. This Blue Seas switch and many similar are rated for 10amps. If you can get to the back of the switch it should have label or markings to show its rating. Maybe even a brand and part number.

You’re close but not quite there. That wire coming out of your fuse block for Aux 2 is the hot 12v + going to the hot side of your aux2 switch. If you connect the wire for your power pole to that terminal on your fuse block it will get 12v + power, but won’t be using that switch at all. Basically you’d be wiring it to be always in as long as the power feed to your fuse blocked is connected to your battery. If you want to use that switch to control power to your power pole the red 12v + wire for your power pole has to be connected to the switched output side of your aux2 switch. Likely right now nothing is connected to it if it is not in use. Now as far as swapping the fuse to 10amp you can, but only IF you’ve confirmed the wiring from the fuse block to the switch and the switch itself can handle a 10 amp load. If the wire or switch can’t handle a 10 amp load you’ll melt them before your fuse blows. Over a short distance even 18 awg wire can handle a 10amp load so as long as the panel is only a foot or two from the switch you’re ok. As far as the ground wire, yes if you’re going to power it through that aux2 switch you can connect your black ground wire to the ground bar of the fuse block. Hope that helps getting you in the right direction.

I don’t think you need to cut that wire or use a butt splice to fix it. In the top of your picture there looks to be two wire ties holding all those wires together. And under those wire ties that wire has a barrel plug on it. You should be able to un plug it , carefully take that clear protective boot off, and slip a piece of 3:1 heat shrink tube over that barrel plug right down over the wire. Once you plug it back in replace the wire ties. You may not even be able to cut it, strip it, and crimp a butt splice on there without unplugging it. You don’t have a lot of wire there to work with, and you need a fair bit of room to get strippers and a good set of crimpers in there. If you don’t use the right crimpers and get a strong crimp it’s going to either come apart on you or be generating heat and resistance. And you need to get the wire fully seated as far as it will go into the butt splice, you don’t want the wire slipping back out on you while you’re crimping it because you don’t have enough room.

I’d paint some liquid electrical tape on the gap in the insulation. Then if you can disconnect the wire from the terminal on the other end then you can take that clear protective boot off, and slip some glue lined heat shrink tubing over it and shrink in place with a heat gun. Do two layers of different size tubing to get the thickness. Then as some have said use a small piece of split loom or braided pet sleeping to protect it from happening again. If you can’t disconnect it to do that then agree with cutting, and using a heatshrink waterproof butt splice to make a repair. And still up some split loom on there to repair.

Until I bought my Tracker PT175TXW in 2024 I fished out of my fathers 15’4” fiberglass boat for 30 years. It had a small front deck with a bow mounted trolling motor. For years we had the foot pedal loose and chased it around the deck. There was no room on the deck to recess for it or to even permanently mount it because of the design of the bow, deck, and storage hatch. I found it maddening to not have the foot pedal stay still when I was using it, when I deployed and retracted the motor, and a literal pain in my lower back being on top of the deck. A few years for I got my boat I got creative and installed YakAttack GearTrak on the deck, and using 3/4” Starboard hdpe and my router made a cradle to lock the foot pedal in. Then the foot pedal could slide side to side to position where ever was comfortable for the operator. I love the recess tray on my 175, and I’d never want another boat without it again. With it being dead center and bow of the deck being narrow its easy to fish either side and use either foot to control.

This can all get expensive quick, especially with all our great ideas we will share. I don’t know how they still have it in stock but BPS has the Maxim 55 lb thrust 12v available. That’s going to give you the variable speed digital maximizer, better motor, heavier duty mount with the breakaway protection. But it’s pricier than the Edge at $849. If you can swing might be a worth it over the Edge for only $200 more. https://www.basspro.com/p/minn-kota-maxxum-bow-mount-trolling-motor

Do this, these plugs are great, and create a solid connection that doesn’t wear out from repeated use.

Mine is long shaft power tilt as well. I’d love to have the EFI because you can swap the ECU and restrictor plate to upgrade to 15 or 20hp. No such options for the carb version I have.

Do you have a circuit breaker at the battery for your TM? What kind is it? If it’s the cheaper not manually reset type then your circuit breaker is likely faulty and tripping prematurely then resetting when load is removed. Or you have a short somewhere in your motor causing an overload condition that is tripping the circuit breaker as it should. Start by temporarily removing the circuit breaker and testing or replace it then test. Photo is of the kind I’m describing. We used to carry a spare on our boat because of the failures happening often enough and causing exactly what you describe. Ideally if that’s what you’ve got replace it with a heavier duty manual trip/reset type.

HP restrictions apply to some bodies of water in PA. The lake in discussion, Lake Nockamixon, at one time had a 10hp restriction and they’ve since raised it to 20hp. Other larger lakes like Wallenpaupak, Raystown, Blue Marsh are unlimited HP but have speed restrictions that apply during weekdays or weekends and after dark regardless of HP. I don’t recall if any other PA lakes are out there with a 20 or lower HP rating. There are also a large number of lakes in PA that are limited to electric only motors.

We all have to work with and live within our budgets so totally understand. The 170 will get you out on the water fishing and having fun for sure! But think about this as an investment for you, what’s that $2000 extra look like over 2 years? Maybe live with the trolling motor for a season or two to afford the bigger boat. It’s all trade offs. You can always change a trolling motor but you can’t make a boat bigger. Also think about where you might fish occasionally other than Nockamixon. You’re close enough the Blue Marsh, Wallenpaupack, Lake Harmony, etc where you could run with a 20 hp motor, but the larger and better geometry of the 175 hull will make you more stable on the larger body of water among wakes of bigger boats. I’m sure you’ve looked at the 170 and 175 side by side in person. If you haven’t do so. The difference in size and functionality doesn’t come through in the specs and measurements alone. Look into some other brands if you’re looking used too. Cast by flys boat seems like a solid option and they make a 17’ version of that as well. Take your time if shopping used till the right boat in good condition with what you want comes along. Best of luck and keep asking the community here for insight and help.

I think you ended up with the EFI version of the 9.9 Pro Kicker CT. Mine is the carb model, and came with a 10x7 4 blade. At some point I’m going to get the Solas 3 blade props to try. No Mercury 3 blade props come with the right tooth spline to fit. From the frustrating research I did across all of Mercury’s online info only the EFI model came with the 5 pitch.