GPS Trolling Motor Options

Hey everyone. I've taken my 360 12' out into the gulf a couple times and with the current and wind it's extremely difficult to stay over a spot. What are my options for an electric motor with some form of GPS spot lock?

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2020 PA 14 360

Torqeedo has GPS integrated but it doesn't offer spot lock to my knowledge. I don't know of a trolling motor that can be used on your kayak that offers spot lock.

Several months ago Old Town put out a 12' and 13' fishing kayak with a Minn Kota Spot Lock 45lb trolling motor. The reviews were, and still appear pretty positive. Going to the Minn Kota site, it looks like they have a number of trolling motors with the Spot Lock technology ranging from $$$$-$.

I think it is going to come down to how you want to mount a trolling motor to your PA. There are options to mounting a trolling motor outside the hull. If you want a cassette mounted one you will have to work for it.

For outside the hull, I know that there have been some positive experiments with putting a PA 17' trolling motor mount onto a 14' PA. Again, a little DYI is needed to actually mount it. Then it just comes down to putting the motor/battery on board and balancing the boat. Weight is going to be a concern though. A lithium battery would help, again $$.

Island Hopper in Florida puts out a 45lb cassette mounted motor with a 360 drive cassette (about $1,000). Not sure if they will help you to put a Minn Kota Spot Lock into their cassette or if they will sell the cassette only so you can try to mount the Minn Kota.

If your a DYI type you can probably make a 360 cassette plug and try to find a way to put a Minn Kota Spot Lock into it. It will mean moving their technology around a bit.

That's about all I got this morning on this topic.

Good luck!

https://www.onthewater.com/old-town-bri ... ak-fishing

https://minnkotamotors.johnsonoutdoors. ... res%3A6986

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2020 PA 14 360

Yes sir Minn Kota has spot lock trolling motors. I wouldn't come close to recommending putting a trolling motor on the bow of a 12' PA. Adding weight to the bow making the bow ride lower in the water is a recipe for disaster offshore. As you probably know the front hatches on PA's are not water tight even with the hatch seal. Having more water come over the bow and into the front hatch while offshore due to the bow riding lower in the water is obviously sketchy at best. Not to mentioned you're looking at roughly $3000 for the 55 lb thrust 12 volt trolling motor, 100 ah lithium battery, charger and a modified mounting bracket.