Just wondering what is involved in switching from a Motorguide bow mount trolling motor to a Minn Kota bow mount.  I guess what I am trying to figure out is that for most boats do you just need to change the plug and receptacle or do you have to run new wires to your battery?  I will be staying with a 50-55 lb thrust motor and will stay with the same 12v battery configuration.  This is my first boat and first attempt at anything like this.  Any help would be appreciated. 

Trolling motors don't come with a plug on the power cable. Just take the plug off the MG and put it on the MK.

Last time I did it the mounting holes were different.

Minn Kota mount should have holes to match the Motorguide mount.

good sound advice.................and if the holes do not match just make new ones......nothing else you can do about that......although I filled my old holes that did not line up with silicone just to keep the water out.

Minn Kota mount should have holes to match the Motorguide mount.

I guess they changed it.  Good!!

I switched from a 12v 46lb pro series Motorguide to a 70lb 24v Minn Kota Maxxum with variable speed two years ago. Mounting holes were the same, and I drilled 2 more to have 6 total, as the MG only used 4. I used the same plug, recepticle too, and wires too. Staying at 12v you will hook the battery up the same as always. I kept the stock 8ga. wires............every one says use 6ga, but mine is on a small aluminum boat and I don't put a dent in my batteries, or have never tripped the breaker, or ever had the wires get warm, etc.....with using the factory 8ga wire. If I was pulling around a heavier glass, or fished in current where the motor was on a high setting all the time, I would have switched. As it is now, I can run the motor on 100%, through the thickest weeds on the lake, against the wind, from one end of the lake to the other, and have never lacked power, or had any issues with the wires. I have a buddy who has a 24v MG tour on his Ranger, that if he runs it on high for more than brief bursts trips his breaker all the time.

I switched from a 12v 46lb pro series Motorguide to a 70lb 24v Minn Kota Maxxum with variable speed two years ago. Mounting holes were the same, and I drilled 2 more to have 6 total, as the MG only used 4. I used the same plug, recepticle too, and wires too. Staying at 12v you will hook the battery up the same as always. I kept the stock 8ga. wires............every one says use 6ga, but mine is on a small aluminum boat and I don't put a dent in my batteries, or have never tripped the breaker, or ever had the wires get warm, etc.....with using the factory 8ga wire. If I was pulling around a heavier glass, or fished in current where the motor was on a high setting all the time, I would have switched. As it is now, I can run the motor on 100%, through the thickest weeds on the lake, against the wind, from one end of the lake to the other, and have never lacked power, or had any issues with the wires. I have a buddy who has a 24v MG tour on his Ranger, that if he runs it on high for more than brief bursts trips his breaker all the time.

Thanks for that information.  How do you like the Maxxum?  That is the model I believe I am going to get.  I am holding out for the variable speed.