So I bought a used 2000 Crestliner Fishhawk. The owner said it had some type of big commercial gel deep cycle or something for the TM that he got from a friend who works at Comcast. He said it was about 2-3/4 years old. It's quite big. Longer than your average battery. I grabbed a new battery from my dad's place but it had been sitting at his place for who knows how many years, maybe up to 5-8. So I used them as a 24v system last year and worked great.

I left it plugged in all winter on my Dual Pro 3 bank charger that has trickle charge/maintain. I took my boat out today and the trolling motor worked fine until you put it up past 6 speed where it would keep stopping and going. At the highest speed it just wouldn't spin. Now it wasn't turning on and off, just not running. Roll it back down to under 6 speed and it ran fine.

It also worked fine with the remote, but same problem, not past 6 speed.

I have a 2000 Mercury 115 horse 2 stroke and a 80lbs Terrova.

So, is this a battery issue or a TM issue?

I figure I probably need batteries and if I so the questions are:

1.) Where can I get good, value priced batteries? (I need 3 and I'm not rich)

2.) What brand of battery should I get?

3.) What kind of battery should I get? (Should all 3 batteries be the same kind? Or do I want a different kind for the main motor starter)

4.) What kind of batteries should I get? (Deep cycle or cranking)?

Will it turn on full speed with the remote?

It sounds like a bad pedal.

I replied on WC

My best guess is that if the motor reacts the same way with the remote, then it's your batteries.  For the Terrova 80# you need two 12v deep cycle batteries.  I buy mine at Walmart.  They will easily last for a couple of years, as long as you maintain the fluid levels.  As for the third battery, I assume that is for your big motor.  For that you will need a cranking battery, instead of a deep cycle.  Any standard 12v automotive battery will work, but buy the best that you can afford.  That goes for the deep cycle batteries as well.

Does not sound like a battery issue to me.  If it was a battery it should not work at lower speeds and/or at higher speeds you would just not be getting the power that you needed.  Take your batteries and have them tested and then contact Minn Kota to see if they may be able to have you run some tests on it or give an explanation for possible issues.  Sounds like the trolling motor to me has some issues. 

Update:

 

Went fishing today after charging the batteries.  Last time the batteries had been charged about a week prior. Everything worked great....except when I went to speed 10 the same problem happened. At 9 speed and below it worked fine.

 

 

When I checked all of the connections before I went out it seemed to me that the connection from the pedal to the TM wasn't all the way in, so I pushed that in farther and tightened it up. This wouldn't explain why the remote couldn't get it up to 10 speed yesterday though.

 

 

What do you think?

Strange problem. My first thought is to tell you -- go to academy and buy two new batteries and save the receipt. See if the new batteries solves the problem, and if not, return those suckers back to em'. 

I checked all of the connections and they seemed tight. One battery is regular and the other is sealed. I opened up the one battery and saw that it is wet inside but almost has no visible water in it. I was going to get some distilled water and fill it up.

 

 

Could that be the problem?

 

 

 

And will filling it with distilled water solve the problem or do I need a new battery for sure now?

yes, it definitly could be

Update:

 

 

 

Well, I filled up the battery with distilled water, charged it and used it today. Worked great. ....for the first 2 hours. And then wouldn't work past 8 speed again. So I think I've found the problem. And it's the batteries.

 

 

I just hope these batteries last another year. Money is tight now. Thanks for all your help.

make sure you keep em charged, thats the number one killer of a battery, being left uncharged