Garmins new Force Trolling Motor

As a guy who recently switched to Garmin electronics, I’m intrigued by the new trolling motor release..

https://buy.garmin.com/en-US/US/p/610414

I don’t particularly like buying things in their first couple years on the market, but i’ve also had my Terrova in for repair 4 times now. Wondering what others thoughts are on that. Is it too darn risky to buy a first-year product? Let them work the bugs out for a few seasons first? I really like the idea of the wireless foot pedal, and of course being able to integrate into my 93sv. Maybe I should just get my Terrova fixed for good (they’re replacing all the electronics in it now) and sell it, and switch over to this Garmin. Maybe they’ll even send me a free hat for all my advertising!

As nice as it is to see more players in the market, it just seems like they are driving the price in the wrong direction.

The Ultrex and other gps lock trolling motors must’ve been so successful for those companies that others decided to join the party. Obviously the market it there. So Lowrance and Garmin have made their trolling motor release which look like great units with brushless motors. Word is Power Pole is also coming with one at some point. That said, I wish they were cheaper haha

The prices suck on all of them, no doubt. But, competition in the market isn’t a bad thing for consumers.

I’m running a new 112 Terrova with a garmin 93SV and 73sv with livescope.

It’s pretty much bulletproof….the issues I had with the hbird and terrova was the link. I don’t think I’d ever go back to a paired unit. Being able to run a contour was the only advantage. Not worth the cost and headache imho.

Seems odd to me that they boast “The Most Powerful Trolling Motor Available” (https://buy.garmin.com/en-US/US/p/610414)
when the,
“Max thrust 100 lbs Per ISO 13342 using high efficiency propeller at 36V; 80lbs per ISO 13342 using hight efficiency propeller at 24 Vdc”
(https://buy.garmin.com/en-US/US/p/610414#specs)

Is the ISO 13342 pound thrust standard not used by the others manufactures?

This seems then misleading if so? I’m just looking at the lits.

Matt Moen wrote:

I’m running a new 112 Terrova with a garmin 93SV and 73sv with livescope.

It’s pretty much bulletproof….the issues I had with the hbird and terrova was the link. I don’t think I’d ever go back to a paired unit. Being able to run a contour was the only advantage. Not worth the cost and headache imho.

Matt, do you have any pictures of your transducer setup? I’m curious how you have the livescope transducer mounted.

john23 wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>Matt Moen wrote:</div>
I’m running a new 112 Terrova with a garmin 93SV and 73sv with livescope.

It’s pretty much bulletproof….the issues I had with the hbird and terrova was the link. I don’t think I’d ever go back to a paired unit. Being able to run a contour was the only advantage. Not worth the cost and headache imho.

Matt, do you have any pictures of your transducer setup? I’m curious how you have the livescope transducer mounted.

.

It’s just transom mounted. I’ll shoot a pic over later this evening.

Supposed to be brushless if true this will be the new wave in trolling motors. Look what it did for cordless tools.

This may be the future but I can say with a high degree of confidence that I will never spend $3200 on a trolling motor.

S.R.

the appeal of the xi5 and ipilot is not only for their ability to integrate into electronics. you can install these things regardless of your finders and utilize them. when you can get that for around 1500 why would anyone buy a ghost or garmin for 3000+? they won’t.

they’ve really limited their market at that price point.

My outboard is worth less than that…

404 ERROR wrote:

My outboard is worth less than that…

Pretty sure my wife would say same about just me in general

My hope is prices will go down as the tech ages and new tech develops. I don’t like the idea of spending 3k either, but I could convince myself to do it because I’m an impulsive moron.

From what I’ve read, the new Garmin tms don’t have a follow the contour feature. Pretty weak if you’re spending 3k.

walleyevision wrote:

From what I’ve read, the new Garmin tms don’t have a follow the contour feature. Pretty weak if you’re spending 3k.

While I agree $3k is ridiculous, follow the contour is the most useless feature ever. I think it actually makes people catch less fish. Until lake maps become perfect, weedlines stay right at a certain depth along with deep mud transitions, it’s pointless. Imo people love it for convenience.

I agree, it’s not perfect, but I do like it when I’m trying to manage my kids in the boat, tie lines etc.

With Garmin purchasing Navionics, and now having their own motor I would place a hefty bet they come out with some contour following game in the very near future. Now that they own it all, it is just software going forward.

It will be very interesting in the next couple years. The BIG 3 (Humminbird, Lowrance, Garmin) all have equal hardware/software/mapping abilities under the same umbrella. Each will be vying for our dollars, and thus far all seem to be taking the Apple Business Model by going all in on PREMIUM Products that also carry the PREMIUM Price tags.

That leaves Motorguide as either the odd one out, or the one that can slide this way, and that way with a cheaper option (their new motor aside, of course).

Very interesting.

matthewkolden wrote:

My hope is prices will go down as the tech ages and new tech develops. I don’t like the idea of spending 3k either, but I could convince myself to do it because I’m an impulsive moron.

That won’t ever happen.

20 years ago a bow mount was $250 new.

10 years ago they were $700 new.

Today they are $1,500-$3,000 new.

Inflation aside, the prices are still going up.

Im hoping for a Milwaukee fuel trolling motor
I guess i could see 3 k for a 100# trolling gps brushless motor that has a panoptics livescope ducer built in.

after reading the price intros, I don’t feel so bad throwing down $2100 on a terrova with the mega ducer and a helix 7. makes me feel all warm and fuzzy by purchasing from Reeds and supporting a local company like Minnkota!

3000 + investment would also require an upgrade to my present Garmin GPSMAP. Which would be @ another 2000-2500. From what I have read the Force trolling motor is compatible only with the 8600 GPSMAP units and the Echomap Ultra units.

Not to mention what the divorce would cost me :-0

Anybody run the Garmin Force yet?

Anyone planning to use this or already picked one up?

Installing the force tomorrow. Ill report back after a couple weeks use. Coming from a terrova.

Hi JT
Any update on Force?

Another person curious to hear if anyone can share some on-water experience with the Garmin Force TM’s.

It’s been a bummer that they haven’t come out with a wider product range. Just the one motor with 2 different shaft lengths from what I see on their website?

Anyone has experience with Garmin Force 57” trolling motor on Lund Impact or any other similar hull boats? Is the shaft long enough? Thank you!