Minn Kota Endura C2 30 Freshwater Transom Mounted Trolling Motor (30" Shaft)

I guess I waited 10 years to write this review. Mine is still like brand new, and runs perfectly. Used on fresh water lakes on a 16' old town poly canoe (about 70 lbs) on a twisted aluminum motor mount bolted to the transom (and also just bolted to the side of the transom, which works great too, and doesn't require a motor mount). I usually use it when I go out on a "beer float" with my wife (she thinks it is a wine float) with a 100 amp/hr lipo battery, or older lead acid battery. The lipo battery is awesome, nice and light, and lasts a long time - maybe 3-4 hours. And the motor is light too. That is a great setup for canoe. I usually run on setting 4 (goes 1 to 5 forward), and only switch to 5 when the battery gets low, and doesn't go as fast. Also, I put it on an old 12' aluminum v hull. It is too small really for that boat, with 2 people (ok for 1 if you don't want to go too fast). I'm getting a 55 lb thrust for the jon-boat (I have a bunch of outboards that are a lot nicer, but the battery is so nice for talking and having a nice outing with my wife). Anyway, for a canoe, I think 30 lbs thrust is enough. For jon-boat, go 55 lbs or more. Also, the old min-kotas that are smaller than 30 lbs are too small for a canoe. Anyway, this is the best way to motorize a canoe, in my opinion, as it is so quiet, and comfortable and light. I've tried outboards too, and they usually go too fast, and make too much noise, for going on a beer float with someone you want to visit with. We have other boats and set-ups ... but the canoe with the electric motor (and a reclining beach chair backwards in the front, reclining with a cup of wine) is my wife's favorite.

I am amazed at how easy it is to install and run this motor. I put it on a Seahawk 2 and a Seahawk 4, with the Intex Composite Motor Mount. The Endura C2 30 has plenty of power for my max load application, which is me and 3 kids in the "big" boat, a total of around 700lbs including the motor, battery, people, and fishing gear. I juice it with an Everstart marine battery with 750MCA, and we can go for around 3 or 4 hours at speed 3, and still have 50 percent left on the battery. It really has a nice kick when clicked into speed 5 - we actually leave a wake! The Minn Kota drips with quality at ever turn. It has easy controls, including telescoping and easy click speed control, tilt shaft, depth control, and steering lock/tightening. I cannot even hear the motor when it is running. It is lightweight, as my eight year old carries it around. The only thing I would say, is upgrade the battery connection. It comes with a sort of terminal end to bolt on to the battery. I prefer a plug style connector so I can easily disconnect the motor from my battery box. That is just for my rig, so for others, the terminal end may work. Anyway, this Minn Kota Endura C2 30lb is a fantastic little motor, and the price is right.

What I meant by the catchy headline is that this is about the minimum horsepower for the small boat application. In my case I have it hooked to a Sun Dolphin 8.5 play boat. My calculation was that more power was not only not needed, but not wanted. I need those lower speeds for trolling and such. Also I need to make sure that when I go out I can get back in, less paddle. Here is the deal. The thing is NOT a power hog. As of this writing (super rainy wet year) I have battled winds and currents in our overflowing rivers and having to stay on it all the time has been the test. I haven't got back to the pull out with less than a half battery yet. My notion is that if you have a 14ft boat or less this engine is adequate. No need to break the bank if you're on a budget. For my purposes it is perfect! The gadget that tilts the thing. Over the years I have fought with those releases. Not so on the MinnKota Endura Transom Mount Trolling Motor. Smoothest one I have ever seen. The one thing that is not perfect is the reverse. Don't plan on running it from the front of the boat in reverse. Ain't happening. I don't know if the blades aren't pitched right or what, but the reverse really froths the water without giving much ooomph. I mean, it will back you out of the shallows, but it's not for full time use. Forward, on the other hand works just like you like. About the handle.... Well, I wound up putting my trolling motor in the back and I was kinda worried about steering. You know, twisting around and all. But with the extension handle which you can pull out a lot or a little....it ended up being zero problem. I think I might actually like it more better on the aft now. And one heads up. If you plan on putting a transducer onto the foot...be advised, it probably won't fit as the foot is too short. However...my workaround was to put my transducer all the way to the rear against the fin and shim it with some rubber pads on an edge so that I got it near to vertical. And my depth finder works just fine. So no harm done. You could use most anything that won't rot. Your wife's Tupperware, for instance. I like my MinnKota Endura Transom Mount Trolling Motor a LOT and you will too. If your boat be smaller grab one. You'll be thankin' me!

My original Minn Kota of nearly 10 years quit working. This motor was old when it was given to me, and I got a lot of use out of it. This in mind I was more than happy to replace it with this newer, quieter, and much prettier version. I put this motor on my small boat and my inflatable pontoon to troll for different species in my local lakes. It pushes my boat at a competent speed for being only 30 pound thrust. However, in comparison to my original Minn Kota, reverse on this new motor is almost useless. Speed level 3 in reverse is equal to about 1/2 of speed 1 in Forward with twice as much noise. Sometimes in ultra shallow water, I will use my trolling motor to avoid banging my outboard on rocks and other hazards. The composite shaft is durable and I feel very confident it will not break as opposed to my lower unit of my outboard. In the shallows, I've found to avoid collision directly in front of me, I will turn the handle completely around and forward thrust in the opposite direction creating a powerful reverse. Otherwise I would offer a 5 star review.

The Minn Kota Endura Transom Mount Trolling Motor has proven to be a reliable and efficient addition to my boating gear. It's easy to install and lightweight, making it a breeze to handle. I've used it on my 10-foot Jon boat and it works great, providing just the right amount of power for short runs. I was initially concerned about the power output, but the 30lb thrust is more than adequate for my needs. The motor runs smoothly and quietly, allowing me to enjoy the serenity of the water. The tilt mechanism is smooth and the extension handle is a great feature, making steering comfortable even from the back of the boat. One minor drawback is the reverse function, which could use a bit more power. However, it's sufficient for backing out of the shallows. Overall, this motor offers good value for the price and I would recommend it to others looking for a cost-effective solution for their small boat or kayak

This one meets my needs. I visit small public fishing lakes from time-to-time and rent a flat-bottom boat with trolling motor/battery. There have been times when I arrived and all the trolling motors had been rented and I was left with a boat and paddle. Also, the rental motors sometimes show a lot of wear and are noisy and the battery discharges quickly. This purchase takes care of those unknowns. This unit is lightweight yet rugged in design. The transom mount fasteners, the adjustable tilt lever and the depth adjustment ring are very quick and easy to use; a very straight-forward, functional design. Connect the two power leads (included) to a battery and you are set to go in minutes. The control handle telescopes to varying lengths for convenience and the 3 reverse speeds and 5 forward speeds (clearly marked) give me a lot of options for speed and maneuvering; very smooth and quiet operation. I was concerned about the low power rating compared to other units but now know that is of no concern for the type boat I am using. I mostly use forward/reverse speed "1" for fishing along the banks of the lake. The low price allowed me to spend extra for a good deep cycle marine battery and intelligent trickle charger. I actually paid more for those than the motor itself. I recommend this unit for the use described above.

I don't usually take the time to write reviews but this one is worth the time. I just got back from taking this motor out twice over the weekend. It was attached to the rear of my 14' canoe and worked like a charm going through a shallow lake with lots of tree stumps and then up and down a narrow river in Northern Michigan. I only hit one stump but nothing happened and it operated great with three people in the small canoe. After making the purchase I second guessed my decision to not get the 40 or 55 but went with the 30 because of the shorter shaft and I'm glad I did. I used the motor with it highest high adjustment and the extra 6" the large motors have would have been too much. Much to my surprise, the canoe went as faster than expected. The only thing i wish is that there was a .5 speed setting which would have been prefect to keep me stationary with the current while i fished up river but that's just getting a little picky. At any rate, no reservations with this and only $100. BTW, i got my Marine 14 battery at COSTCO and even after running for 3 hours on each trip I still had 50% of a charge left.

I bought a good size marine deep cycle battery for this and am not disappointed. My wife and I put this on a 14 foot aluminum row boat and went for a trip half way across a 6 mile lake. NO PROBLEM! It was a windy day and we kept it running to stay in a fishing spot during the trip. We also went up stream on a cool creek that feeds the lake. The motor did not heat up, slow down or show signs of difficulty. I also bought a cool battery holder that shows the charge level of the battery. We were out for about 4 hours and made it back without any problems. It is important to note my son uses this same motor for his inflatable 5 person boat and does many weekend trips with it. I know this is a simple device but it really seems durable and has enough power to troll and get around. Very pleased.