Trolling Motor FAQS

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Welcome to the Newport electric trolling motor customer forum where all trolling motor related questions can be asked and answered. Do you have a question about the Newport collection of saltwater electric trolling motors? If so, please browse the below list of customer questions and answers. Another customer has most likely already asked and received an answer to the very question that you have on your mind. So please check the list of FAQs below, to immediately benefit from the answer to your trolling motor-related question. If you can't find the answer to your question, please click here to ask us.

  1. Can I download the trolling motor owners manual?

  2. What does my trolling motor come with?

  3. What type of battery is needed for my trolling motor?

  4. Does my trolling motor run on 1 or 2, 12-volt batteries?

  5. Can my trolling motor be used in salt water?

  6. Can the shaft be raised or lowered relative to the transom?

  7. Can the control head be rotated for bow mounting?

  8. Do I need to connect the supplied circuit breaker onto my Smart Battery Box? 

  9. What is the overall length of my trolling motor?

  10. Does this trolling motor include a battery?

  11. Where can I get a replacement propeller for my trolling motor?

  12. How long does one 12-volt deep cycle marine battery last with this trolling motor?

  13. I broke or damaged a part of my Newport trolling motor. Can I buy spare parts?

  14. What is the top speed I can expect to reach using a Newport trolling motor?

  15. What is the shaft length of my Newport trolling motor?

  16. Does my trolling motor come with a warranty?

  17. Can Newport trolling motors be used on kayaks or rafts?

  18. Do the LED lights on the trolling motor head remain on all the time? Do they run down the battery?

  19. What are the shipping dimensions of the package that the trolling motor ships in?

  20. How to read the LED Battery Meter on Trolling Motors?

  21. Do I need a circuit breaker for a Newport trolling motor?

  22. Will the 2-blade or 3-blade propeller allow for greater travel distance with the same boat and same fully charged battery, and with all other factors being equal?

  23. The washer for propeller installation has two different sides. Which side should face the propeller and which side should face away?

  24. Can I replace the propeller with another branded propeller?

  25. I want to extend the motor's wiring to the battery. What wire gauge do I need to use?

  26. Can the control head be turned 180 degrees so the motor can be used from the bow of the boat?

  27. Do you ship to Alaska, Hawaii, and Canada?

  28. I lost the small metal pin that is used to install the propeller. How can I get a replacement?

  29. What is the diameter of the shaft of Newport motors?

  30. How are the Newport Trolling Motors waterproofed?

  31. Trolling Motor Wiring Guide

  32. Choosing the Correct Thrust Guide

  33. A Guide For Choosing Shaft Length

  34. How To Calculate Your Motor Run Time

  35. Choosing A Trolling Motor Battery

  36. A Guide To Circuit Breakers

  37. I found a coupon on another site, but it isn't working. Why not?

 

  1. Can I download the trolling motor owners manual?

  2. What does my trolling motor come with?

    • Our trolling motors include your motor, propellor with installation hardware, manual reset circuit breaker and instruction manual. Batteries must be purchased separately. *Our battery box is recommended for safe operation.

  3. What type of battery is needed for my trolling motor?

  4. Does my trolling motor run on 1 or 2, 12-volt batteries?

    • The 36lb, 46lb, 55lb and 62lb thrust motors run on one (1) 12-volt battery. The 86lb thrust motor runs on two (2) 12-volt batteries connected in series.

  5. Can my trolling motor be used in salt water?

    • Yes, the stainless steel and zinc hardware allow for all Newport trolling motors to be used in saltwater. For longevity, we recommend rinsing your motor with freshwater after being used in saltwater. Allowing saltwater to sit on any metal will eventually lead to corrosion. 

  6. Can the shaft be raised or lowered relative to the transom?

    • Yes, the motor can be adjusted to fit the correct height and direction needed to operate. You will use the Height Adjustment collar that comes installed on the trolling motor shaft.

  7. Can the control head be rotated for bow mounting?

    • The control head and propeller cannot each be rotated independently and oriented to allow immediate bow mounting. However, our NV and L Series motors can be modified for bow mounting application. Please see our Transom To Bow Mount Guide for detailed instructions.

  8. Do I need to connect the supplied circuit breaker onto my Smart Battery Box?

    • We recommend connecting the supplied circuit breaker that came with your trolling motor if you have our 36lb, 40lb, 46lb, 55lb, or 86lb motor and our Smart Battery Box. If you have our 62lb motor, you can connect it directly to the Smart Battery Box. The Smart Battery Box has a 60A circuit breaker connected to the external posts. This allows it to be compatible with our larger motors and smaller motors. However, it won't protect the smaller motors, which are rated for a smaller circuit breaker. Therefore, it's best to connect your circuit breaker to the Smart Battery Box with our smaller motors and the 86lb motor (which is rated for 50A).

  9. What is the overall length of my trolling motor?

    • The overall length of your trolling motor can be found under the Tech specs page on each product page. Please see our Trolling Motor Catalog, choose your series, scroll down to Tech Specs to see the Total Height.

  10. Does this trolling motor include a battery?

  11. Where can I get a replacement propeller for my trolling motor?

  12. How long does one 12-volt deep cycle marine battery last with this trolling motor?

    • The runtime depends on the Amp-Hour rating of the battery. Theoretically, a 50AH battery on our 55lb thrust motor will run continuously on the highest speed for an hour. See "Choose Your Motor" for run times. You can also check out our articles Calculate Motor Run Time for detailed information on this. Note: This does not take into account environmental factors such as wind and water speed, or boat size and load.

  13. I broke or damaged a part of my Newport trolling motor. Can I buy spare parts?

  14. What is the top speed I can expect to reach using a Newport trolling motor?

    • There are many variables that effect speed such as current, wind, battery quality, etc. See our "Choose Your Motor" matrix to see test speed results.

  15. What is the shaft length of my Newport trolling motor?

    • This will depend on the Series of your motor. Kayak Series motors will come with a 24" shaft; L Series will come with a 40" shaft; X Series will come with a 36" shaft; NV Series up to 55lb of thrust will come with a 30" shaft and the 62lb NV Series motor will come with a 36" shaft. If you are unsure of your series, you can measure your shaft. You will be measuring the "visible shaft". You can find out more by reading our Shaft Length Guide.

  16. Does my trolling motor come with a warranty?

    • We now offer a 2-year limited warranty from the date of purchase.There is no need to register your motor. Just keep a copy of your original receipt and write down your serial number. If you have an issue, please provide both and any additional requested information for warranty assistance. Warranty Policy for full details. 

  17. Can Newport trolling motors be used on kayaks or rafts?

    • Our trolling motors can be used on any boat with a transom mount. Some kayaks or smaller rafts might require you to install a trolling motor mount if they don't have a designated motor mount. You can check out our blog post CHOOSING THE RIGHT TROLLING MOTOR MOUNT for more information on potential kayak mounts.

  18. Do the LED lights on the trolling motor head remain on all the time? Do they run down the battery?

    • Yes, the LED lights remain on while connected to the battery but it uses little battery power. To turn them off, you can disconnect the battery cables from the battery, install Trolling Motor Quick Disconnects or a Kill Switch for convenience.

  19. What are the shipping dimensions of the package that the trolling motor ships in?

    • Shipping dimensions will depend on the series of the motor as the shaft length will vary. Below are the shipping dimensions based upon series and pounds of thrust:

      Kayak Series:

      - 36lb & 55lb = 40" x 21" x 7"
      NV Series:

      - 36lb, 46lb, 55lb = 46" x 20" x6"

      - 62lb & 86lb = 51" x 20" x 6"
      X Series:

      - 40lb & 55lb = 52" x 20" x 6"
      L Series:

      - 62lb & 86lb = 56" x 20" x 6"
      Pontoon Series:

      - 55lb & 86lb = 72" x 20" x 6" 

       

  20. How to read the LED Battery Meter on Trolling Motors?

    • Yes, there is a LED panel showing approximate battery life. Depending on the type of motor series you have will determine the amount of LEDs on the motor head. For specific voltage readings, please see the 10 Point LED and 5 Point LED battery meter ranges in our LED Battery Meter Range Sheet.

  21. Do I need a circuit breaker for a Newport trolling motor?

    • Newport highly recommends a manual reset circuit breaker in the outboard motor leads within 1.8m (72 inches) of the battery for this motor, on the positive line. During the usage of the electric outboard motor, when the propeller is stuck by the weeds, small stones, fishing lines or so forth, the circuit breaker will cut off the power automatically to prevent the damage of the electrical parts. Please see our GUIDE ON CIRCUIT BREAKERS for additional information on Circuit Breakers.If the circuit breaker cuts off the power, please disconnect the battery first, then check and clear any obstacles. At last, press the reset button on the circuit breaker and reconnect the battery, the electric outboard motor will now be able to continue functioning properly. The 40 amp circuit breaker is recommended for the 36lb and 40lb thrust motors. The 50 amp circuit breaker is recommended for the 46lb, 55lb, and 86lb motors. And the 60 amp circuit breaker is best for the 62lb thrust motor. We now ship complimentary circuit breakers with the purchase of a trolling motor. You can also purchase additional or spare Circuit Breakers directly from our website. Please note that the circuit breaker will only protect when the motor is at the highest speed setting, whether forward or reverse.

  22. Will the 2-blade or 3-blade propeller allow for greater travel distance with the same boat and same fully charged battery, and with all other factors being equal?

    • The 3-blade provides better acceleration, quick maneuvering and greater top speed. The 2-blade has less drag and will offer an extended battery life. All things being equal, the 2-blade will offer greater range.

  23. The washer for propeller installation has two different sides. Which side should face the propeller and which side should face away?

    • The protruding-edge lip of the washer should point towards the nut and away from the trolling motor/prop. For more detailed information on this, please see our Propeller Installation Guide.

  24. Can I replace the propeller with another branded propeller?

    • Newport brand trolling motors are built and constructed with a proprietary design that is uniquely Newport. Trolling motor propellers from other brands are unknown to be compatible with our motors.

  25. I want to extend the motor's wiring to the battery. What wire gauge do I need to use?

    • When extending the wires of your trolling motor up 94”, we recommend that you use #10 AWG 105C wire (for 55lb Thrust Trolling Motors and smaller). If you are extending the wires more than 94”, we recommend #8 AWG 105C. Check out our new Trolling Motor Battery Cable Extension Kit. This kit is available as a 5ft Kit and 10ft Kit, and includes everything you need to safely extend your battery cables. These kits are compatible with all sizes of our motors.* Wire lengths greater than 149" are not recommended.

  26. Can the control head be turned 180 degrees so the motor can be used from the bow of the boat?

  27. Do you ship to Alaska, Hawaii, and Canada?

    • Yes, we do ship to Hawaii, Alaska, and Canada! Please checkout directly through our website. Duties, taxes and brokerage fees will be collected up front from order shipping to Canada for your convenience. The buyer is responsible for these duties, taxes and brokerage fees.

  28. I lost the small metal pin that is used to install the propeller. How can I get a replacement?

    • This item called the Drive Pin; it is included in all of our propeller replacement kits along with the propeller and all needed tools and pieces needed to install a replacement propeller. Please do not confuse this with a Shear Pin that is designed to break when too much force is applied to the prop. Our prop doesn't utilize this Shear Pin mechanism. 

      You can find the prop kits here: https://newportvessels.com/trolling-motor-accessories/. Or you can order the drive-pin with a washer from our Parts page.(Please note that the 'Small' props are compatible with 36lb-46lb thrust motors, while the standard props are for 55lb-86lb motors.)

      If you need a replacement pin immediately, you can source a generic steel cylinder to act as this pin piece at your local hardware store using the measurements of 1" length x 1/8" diameter for the 55lb, 62lb, and 86lb motors; and 1" length x 1/16" diameter for the 36lb, 40lb, and 46lb motors. You can specifically ask for a "Drive-Pin-type" component and the retailer maybe able to better direct you to the correct item.

  29. What is the diameter of the shaft of Newport motors?

    • The shaft diameter of all Newport Motors is a consistent 1.15 inches and is designed for optimal durability and compatibility across different applications. This information can also be found under Tech Specs on the product pages.

  30. How are the Newport Trolling Motors waterproofed?

    • The entire lower unit of the trolling motor that contains the actual motor, is waterproof. O-rings and seals are used to ensure the lower unit stays water free. Colliding with underwater objects or dropping your motor on a hard surface can compromise this seal. Please treat your motor with care. Please be aware that the top handle and steering unit of the Newport Trolling Motor is only water-resistant. The head can withstand light rain and splash, but should not be exposed to heavy downpour, pressurized water being directly sprayed at it, or stored outside in the elements. We recommend storing the motor under cover or using a waterproof material to cover it.  

  31. Trolling Motor Wiring Guide

    • See the full trolling motor wiring guide HERE.

  32. Choosing the Correct Thrust Guide

  33. A Guide For Choosing Shaft Length

    • See our full guide on how to choose the correct shaft length for your boat HERE. 

  34. How To Calculate Your Motor Run Time

    • See our full guide on how to calculate your motor run time HERE. 

  35. Choosing A Trolling Motor Battery

    • See our full guide on how to choose the right trolling motor battery for your needs HERE.

  36. A Guide To Circuit Breakers

    • See our comprehensive guide on circuit breakers and why you need to have them HERE.

  37. I found a coupon on another site, but it isn't working. Why not?

    • COUPONS FROM NEWPORT -
      From time to time, we do email coupon codes in our Newsletter. Please ensure that you copy and paste the code. Please also double check that there are no spaces in front or behind the code. Writing or typing the code out can lead to incorrect characters being used. If your coupon is not working for the item(s) in your cart, please double check the details on what the coupon can be used for. If you are still experiencing issues with your coupon, please contact us directly. 

    • COUPONS NOT FROM NEWPORT -
      Newport has never worked with any 3rd party coupon site. We do not plan to work with these site in the future either. None of these codes will work and these codes will not be honored on our site. Do not risk your information or the security of your computer by clicking on these websites and their links. If you would like to receive codes or discounts, the best way is to sign up for our Newsletter. Our newsletter notifies you of any upcoming deals and sometimes contains discount codes that can be used at checkout. You can sign up by going to the bottom right corner of any page on www.newportvessels.com.