Minn Kota Power Drive vs Minn Kota Maxxum

[Ron_C]

    Being new to freshwater fishing I am in the process of buying a new trolling motor replacing the 28lb thrust motor that I now have on my boat. From what I understand the Minn Kota Power Drive uses electrical power to turn the motor vs the Maxxum that uses cable steering. There is a couple hundred dollar difference in the price, Power Drive being the cheaper one. I would appreciate any information pertaining to the pros and cons on both trolling motors. I am looking at a 55 lb thrust. :-/

[HPBB]

I have a 55# power drive on my small boat.

the 55 is a good motor. the only problem I have is the streering is slow. It always seem to me that the streering is  one step behind what I want to do. The cable steer is quicker. I have a Motor Guide Tour 109# with cable streer on my big boat and its alot quicker steering and more responsive

However if you are just starting and want to save some $$$ the power drive will work great. there are many people that like the power steer motor over the cables. You also have the abillity to get a auto pilot and the wireless petal with the power drive. Which are verynice.

[WCCT]

Maxxum all the way.  I got rid of my powerdrive after a couple of months.  I couldn't stand how slow it was to steer.

[cart7t]

Power drives are OK if you fish a lot of open water. I can see Walleye fisherman and crappie fishermen using them.  They ARE NOT very good for bass fishing if you're in typical shallow water with cover.

I owned one for 6 years and would never own another. The head turning speed is too slow, the stow and deploy system sucks, the foot pedal, while nice and flat, had a tendency to get dirty controls and had to be cleaned often. I replaced it once.  The motor is noisy when the head turns and they tend to eat battery power more than a cable motor because power is used to turn the motor.  

If you're looking to save money, look at Minn Kota's Edge series cable controlled TM's.  You can get the 55lb model for around $350-375.

[BillyBob]

DITTO ! Cart7 !  Funny how I forgot just how sucky that stow and deploy was! Ain't no Question you owned one ! DITTO...DITTO..DITTO!!!

[clipper]

I'm still trying to figure out how to make mine quit interfering with my front depthfinder.

[cart7t]

  Quote

I'm still trying to figure out how to make mine quit interfering with my front depthfinder.

Replace it with a cable control motor.  That should fix the problem.

[dizzy5868]

Forget the power drive, You'll be replacing footswitches in on season. The plastic circuit board dries out and cracks. This is one of Minn Kotas major screw ups. Stay with their cable drive.

[JT Bagwell]

Minn Kota Maxxum is one heck of a trolling motor. I put mine through

some horrible abuse fishing shallow backwater areas of the Mississippi

river and some of the other places that I go. Even the props that come

on them are super tough.

JT Bagwell

[Tpayneful]

I have had a 40lb thrust power drive for two years and love it.  All of my friends have cable steer trolling motors and I find them to be more difficult to get used too than the power drive.  

Pros.

The motor stays pointed in the direction that you last moved it too.  This may not seem like that big of a deal to some people but it is a BIG deal to me.  I put the motor speed on a continuous slow speed and tweak the direction ocasionally to crawl down a shoreline.  If I want to stop, I kick the big switch off with my foot to stop the motor.  To do the same thing with a cable steer motor, I have to keep my foot on the big akward pedal.  I stand and fish the whole time and find cable steer pedals put me off balance.  

The foot pedal is flat and low profile.  I can move it around easily be where I am on the platform.  It also has a connector on it.  I disconnect it and my depth finders and take them all inside when I am done fishing for the day.  I have not had one problem with the performance of the pad in two years.

It has infinite speed slide bar.  I can adjust the speed it with my foot in a hurry.

Cons.

If you learned on a cable drive, you will hate a power drive.

Movement of the motor is slow in comparison to a cable steer

Movement makes more noise than a cable steer

Deploy system stinks but I found that you can adjust it so that it deploys better

No where to attach the transducer cable.  The shaft slides up and down the mount during stow or deploy so the transducer cable can only be attached at the top or bottom.  

I think I have given you a good list of Pros and Cons.  I have not met a person yet that learned on a cable steer that likes the power drive.  I had a cable steer for a short time before it burned up.  So I really count the power drive as my first foot controlled trolling motor.  The power drive has its problems but I love the control that it gives me that a cable steer trolling motor can't provide.

[sodaksker]

I too used to own a power drive and now have a cable steer. There are times that I miss the power drive ie, when I want to slowly troll parallel to a long straight bank while casting. But, there are times when I have to be able to make quick changes in direction due to current and obstructions. When that happens, the power drive just don't cut it. If you have the power drive, you will find yourself staying away from "fishy" cover or spots because of your inability to navigate. I wanted to go where I thought the fish were, so I changed to the cable and never looked back. The power drive just allows you to troll some areas with less effort, but restricts you from going into some others. The cable takes a little practice but, like everything else, once you get it mastered, you just do it without thinking about it.

[NBR]

I have a Maxxum cable drive that I love. I haven't had a power drive and haven't been interested because of the slow response. If you can get a motor with the built in transducer. The lakes I fish are very rocky and before the built-in version I beat transduces to death.