Need trolling motor help!

[Atchman2]

Last night I got a heavy line tangled in my Min Kota trolling motor. Now it won't work. I can hear the Ipilot thing clicking to tell it to go, but it doesn't spin.

 

[TNGunsmoke]

Remove the propeller and see if you can unravel the line that is probably wrapped around the shaft.

 

[Atchman2]

Thanks! I just called Swafford and he walked me through the fix! What a nice guy! I've bought two used trolling motors from him over the years. He thinks I just have a bad battery and sure enough once I hooked it up to the charger, the motor started running again. I also did a software update on my Ipilot and rebooted the motor.

I bought the boat less than a year ago, and the original battery won't charge. I'm going to take it and see if they will replace it for me since it should be under warranty. Once I slow down fishing, I'm going to take it in for its annual check up. The speedometer doesn't work, and the gas gauge is highly suspect. The Speedometer isn't that important since I use my Garmin for speed anyway.

 

[rsimms]

Thanks! I just called Swafford and he walked me through the fix! What a nice guy! I've bought two used trolling motors from him over the years. He thinks I just have a bad battery and sure enough once I hooked it up to the charger, the motor started running again. I also did a software update on my Ipilot and rebooted the motor.

I bought the boat less than a year ago, and the original battery won't charge. I'm going to take it and see if they will replace it for me since it should be under warranty. Once I slow down fishing, I'm going to take it in for its annual check up. The speedometer doesn't work, and the gas gauge is highly suspect. The Speedometer isn't that important since I use my Garmin for speed anyway.

That's good, and Swafford is THE BEST. But what TNGunsmoke suggested is still a very wise suggestion. I routinely remove my TM prop (and outboard prop) to check for line wrapped around shaft(s). Once you do it, you learn it's really simple. Once you get your system down, takes make 5 or 10 minutes to do both TM and outboard - FAR less to just do the TM. And that tiny bit of time can potentially save you hours (or days) of headaches and maybe even thousands of dollars in repairs.

 

[shopson]

I bought one of the Trollin Motor Prop Nuts from THMarine and put on mine. Makes it a breeze to get line off the shaft while on the water.

 

[Atchman2]

I took my battery back to Knoxville Powersports, one of the guys said "only a six month warranty" but the service manager said "No, it is an Interstate battery. Give this young man a new battery and we will take it up with our Interstate rep". Good deal I have a nice new battery for my boat now. The one I had in it I had had for years and probably was discharging too fast. It was just in there until I could get that one back to the dealer.

I am happy now and looking forward to dragging for some catfish this evening.