Minn Kota Riptide SM Model Trolling Motors

RIPTIDE SM Saltwater Bow Mount Models

DM=Digital Maximizer   US2=Universal Sonar 2   AP=Auto Pilot

RIPTIDE SM Saltwater Bow Mount Features

Riptide SM Mount Take to the water with the confidence to power through anything. Tournament-tested, the rugged mount on Riptide SM resists corrosion and performs with flawless reliability. When stowed, the SM mount won’t budge, flex or vibrate.
Bowguard 360° (select models) Our patented Bowguard 360º™ breaks away on impact from any angle, then automatically resets itself. It also detaches for added convenience. Enjoy uninterrupted fishing and an extra safeguard from damaging your trolling motor or boat. Available on select models.
Latch & Door Design (select models) Latch & Door models feature non-binding nylon inserts and anti-seize lubricant for a lifetime of trouble-free use. It allows the motor to remove quickly and easily for safe storage. Available on select models.
Quick-Lock Cam Depth Adjuster Change depths simply and securely with the Quick-Lock cam adjuster. It makes depth adjustment simple and locks in tight to keep your motor right where you want it.
Tilt/Extend Tiller Get the best of both worlds on your hand control motor with the new Tilt/Extend Tiller. It can both tilt (up to 45°) and extend (6") to fit the way you fish.
Indestructible Composite Shaft Guaranteed For Life! Pound for pound, our composite shaft is stronger than steel. It flexes on impact and won’t break, kink or corrode. That’s why we’re confident enough to make it the only trolling motor shaft that’s guaranteed for life.
Push-to-Test Battery Gauge Riptide SM Get an instant “state of charge” with this easy-to-read gauge.
Digital Maximizer Digital Maximizer™ controls and optimizes power to extend battery life and reduce damaging heat. You’ll stay on the water up to five times longer on a single charge.
5 Speed (select models) This motor features five variable speeds (fwd, rev). Available on select models.
Weedless Wedge 2 Prop Push weeds away and take on the thick stuff without battery-draining chopping and hacking. Weedless Wedge™ 2 features swept-back, flared blades for unrelenting, reliable prop performance.
Advanced Corrosion Protection Riptide motors are impervious to saltwater’s corrosive effects, thanks to premium-grade marine alloys and aluminum upper arms. Metals undergo a rigid multi-step cleaning process before being anodized or coated with a special zinc dichromate armor plating. All components are then finished with a durable 5-mil TGIC polyester, powder coat paint. When it’s all done, you’re left with unequaled corrosion protection.
Full Encapsulated Electronics Marine-grade urethane fully encapsulates Riptide control boards to protect the electronic circuitry. Also, all electrical connections are sealed with liquid-tight heat shrink tubing to form an impregnable barrier against saltwater.
Sacrificial Anode Galvanic corrosion occurs when two dissimilar metals come into electrical contact through saltwater. Riptide fights back with a patented sacrificial zinc anode, a composite shaft and properly balanced materials that are close in electrical potential. The result is a motor that’s completely protected from saltwater’s destructive forces.
Cool, Quiet Power Nothing runs cooler or more quietly than a Minn Kota. Our extra large windings and commutators dissipate heat, resulting in cooler operation, extended battery power, and longer motor life. And our unique bearing system reduces friction to cut fish-spooking noise. So quiet, they’ll never hear you coming.
Three-Year Warranty This motor is backed up with Minn Kota’s® three-year warranty.

RIPTIDE SM Saltwater Bow Mount Accessories

• What about shaft length selection?
  

  Choosing the correct shaft length is important so that the angler’s electric motor does not cavitate, creating fish-spooking noise. The rule of thumb is that the center of the motor section should be submerged 9". In general, shaft length selection is more critical with bow-mount motors versus transom-mount motors. Most boat transoms are similar in their distance to the water, and Minn Kota’s standard transom shaft lengths should be adequate. With bow-mounted motors, there is much greater variation in shaft length requirements. Measure down from the mounting surface of the transom or bow to the water level. Add 5" to waterline measurement for fishing in rough water. Add 12" to waterline measurement for steering a hand control motor while standing. Use this measurement and the tables below to find the appropriate shaft length.

• Bow Guide

  

  Bow to Waterline	Recommended Shaft Length
  0"-10"	36"
  16"-22"	42"
  22"-28"	48"-52"
  28"-34"	54"-62

  Transom Guide

  

  Transom to Waterline	Recommended Shaft Length
  0"-10"	30"
  10"-16"	36"
  16"-20"	42"
  Over 22"	Consult Factory

• Electric motor power ratings are in pounds of thrust. How do I determine the thrust requirements for my boat?
  

  Thrust requirements are determined by the size and weight of your boat. As a rule of thumb:

• 40 lb. thrust max boat size 17 feet
• 50 lb. thrust max boat size 20 feet
• 55 lb. thrust max boat size 21 feet
• 65 lb. thrust max boat size 23 feet
• 70 lb. thrust max boat size 23 feet
• 80 lb. thrust max boat size 25 feet
• 101 lb thrust max boat size 25 feet

However if you frequently fish in heavy winds, rivers or adverse weather conditions, you may want to consider a higher thrust electric motor. It’s always better to have too much power than not enough!

Minn Kota has a trolling motor selection guide on their web site where you can enter specifics about your boat and it will recommend a model that fits your input. You can access that site by clicking HERE.

• How important is battery selection for electric motor usage?>
  

  The battery is a critical element of your electric motor system. A high-quality deep cycle marine battery should always be used. Unlike automobile batteries, deep cycle marine batteries are designed to be run down to a discharged state and then recharged. (To extend the life of your battery, always recharge after use. Most trolling motor batteries fail due to lack of proper charging.)

• What are the benefits of a bow-mounted electric motor?
  

  Boats do not tend to go in a straight line. Because of this, it is much easier to pull a boat than to push a boat. It is also easier to move the bow of the boat sideways compared to moving the transom. Therefore, a bow-mounted electric motor allows for much greater boat control and positioning. If quick-response boat control and positioning is what you are looking for, a Minn Kota bow-mount electric motor is a must.

• Digital Maximizer Analogy
  
  • You are driving a car fully accelerated. To slow down, you lift your foot off the pedal to decelerate allowing only the proper amount of gas (power) to be used. This burns less gas than the first analogy and does not heat up the brake system.
  • Same theory applies to the Maximizer. Only the necessary power to go the desired speed is delivered to the motor providing extreme efficiency and longer running time.

• Digital Maximizer Benefits>
  
  • Extended trolling time (up to 5x longer on a single charge).
  • The Digital Maximizer speed control saves valuable power over a conventional speed coil motor.
  • The Digital Maximizer allows more fishing time on your battery charge, up to five times longer run time per battery charge, compared to the 5-speed switch.
  • With variable speed control, the Digital Maximizer allows for proper speeds to be set and maintained while trolling lures for proper presentation.
  • Virtual speed adjustments for changing conditions.
  • The Digital Maxmizer allows for fine-tune speed adjustments.
  • The Digital Maximizer allows the user to control boat speed more effectively in changing environments.

• How Digital Maximizer Works
  
  • Since speed coils reduce the power going to the motor, the Digital Maximizer feature was designed to eliminate this inefficient speed control method by using rapid on/off switching. The Digital Maximizer is simply a switch that turns the connection to the battery on and off 20,000 times per second.
  • If “on” time is longer compared to “off,” the motor receives more power. If “off” time is longer, the motor gets less power. Since there is minimal power lost to accomplish this, the overall motor is very efficient.

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  How Speed Coil Motors Work

  • Electrical loads are hooked up in series with the motor so that power from the battery is split between supplying the motor and supplying the additional loads (speed coils).
  • Power from the battery is fairly constant regardless of the speed setting. Therefore, on speed 1 for example, more power is diverted to the speed coil than is supplied to the motor. This makes the overall motor assembly less efficient (vs. variable speed/Digital Maximizer).
  • Extra power consumed by the speed coil produces heat, much like an electrical heating element. The heat is then transferred through the motor housing to the water.
  • That is why speed coils are located in the lower motor unit.

• Soft Start
  A feature of the Digital Maximizer, it limits how fast the motor can go from “off” to “on.

• Will the CoPilot work with my cable steer or hand control trolling motor?
  

  No, CoPilot is designed only for electric steer motors.