Trolling Motor Test

Minn Kota's 3X steering and ergonomic features push the RT80/S-3X past the competition in the 80-lb. thrust class. In the 50-lb. class, we like the no-frills MotorGuide SW46 HT.

The Minn Kota RT 50 goes through its paces during our speed testing.

After we published a short article last year (PS Nov. 15, '05 "Alternative Auxiliary Power") detailing our experiments with an electrical trolling motor, we were surprised by the number of readers who responded via letters and e-mails. It seems a significant number of boat owners appreciate that these quiet, efficient devices are almost ideal for propelling small to mid-size dinghies. What was really surprising was the number of people who wrote to tell us that they use an electrical trolling motor as the main source of auxiliary propulsion aboard sailboats, inluding one 30 feet LOA.…