Today’s modern electric trolling motors are designed so that they require little maintenance. There are a few precautions you should take to make sure that it won\’t let you down just when the fish start biting. This is not a time for motor failure the cause of which could be due to due to a lack of maintenance.

If you can go through this quick check list, I am sure your trolling motor will never let you down.

1) Propeller

The most common place to look for damage is probably your propeller. Propellers do get worn if you are constantly making contact with the sandy or muddy river bottom. Hitting rocks and other solid objects does not help either. A worn out prop will greatly decrease the motors efficacy and boaters often blame everything else under the sun for their boats/fishing poor performance, except the damaged prop. Wearing out the prop on a sand bar can be embarrassing so make sure it is always well clear of any obstacles, especially if there are many of you moving about in a small boat.

2) The Propeller And Seal

Speaking of propellers, another important check is to make sure that there is no weed or fishing line trapped around the shaft between the motor and prop. You should do this check often and especially if you have been boating in heavy weeded areas where fishing line is often snagged. According to the manufacturer’s instructions, remove the prop nut and make sure there is no fishing line wrapped around the shaft. Because fishing line is very thin it can easily get under and damage the seal allowing water to access the motor, causing permanent damage. This results in a complete fishing shutdown. If you do find some line remove it carefully, taking care not to damage the seal. Use only a blunt pair of nose pliers and never a sharp knife or you can easily cut the seal.

3) The Nicked Propeller

Still with the propeller, look for any nicks, cuts or burrs on the blades that can be easily flatted out with fine sand paper or a smooth file. If a propeller blade is bent or badly damaged replace it with a spare. Always send the damaged one to a propeller repair specialist and never try to bend the blades back into shape yourself because an unbalanced propeller will damage the seals and shaft of the motor causing extensive damage.

4) Mounting Brackets

Check for any missing nuts, bolts, screws or wear on pins and spacers on the mounting brackets that if left unattended can be very expensive to repair or replace.

When opened under pressure, mounts with doors that hold the outer shaft and enable depth adjustment, do sometimes get damaged. When the motor is in its storage position take the pressure off by lifting the motor shaft 45 degrees before opening the door.

5) Shaft

Because of constant vibration always check to make sure the setscrew that holds fast the lower bearing and cone, is tight and that there is a minimum of play around the shaft set collar.

6) Electrics

Regularly check the electrical wiring for any damaged and worn areas which must be repaired or replaced as soon as possible. Look to see if all connections are free from corrosion and well fastened. Loose corroded connections do cause all kinds of electrical problems resulting in disappointing performance or maybe even permanent motor damage.

7) Battery

Remember to keep your deep cycle battery fully charged or you will reduce its lifespan by half. Be cautious when handling unsealed deep cycle batteries and keep their terminals clean. The wires to the circuit breaker connections must also be tight and corrosion free.

Remember to disconnected all wires when charging the battery.

8) Clean It

Your motor is an expensive piece of equipment so show it off to fellow boaters. Wash it down with a mild soapy solution to remove all dirt trapped around the units moving parts. This will keep it looking shiny and new.

Now that was not very hard to do, was it?

Frank Rijkers is a certified off shore yachtsman who after building his sailboat,went cruising around the world visiting strange places to satisfy his fishing needs.Fishing with a trolling motor for absolute stealth is what he loves best. Visit http://trollingmotorsreview.com for great trolling tips

Frank Rijkers is a certified off shore yachtsman who after building his sailboat,went cruising around the world visiting strange places to satisfy his fishing needs.Fishing with a trolling motor for absolute stealth is what he loves best. Visit http://trollingmotorsreview.com for great trolling tips

Author Bio: Frank Rijkers is a certified off shore yachtsman who after building his sailboat,went cruising around the world visiting strange places to satisfy his fishing needs.Fishing with a trolling motor for absolute stealth is what he loves best. Visit http://trollingmotorsreview.com for great trolling tips

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