The best trolling motor gives you full control of your boat. Whenever you head out on the water, several variables are ready to make your day a challenge. From wind, waves, and general fatigue, your boat could be headed in the most awkward direction without the use of a good trolling motor.
While this invention is nothing short of miraculous, it does come with some shortcomings. One of the most common is that your trolling motor will bounce a lot when you are in the water.
Depending on how big the waves are, that bounce can and will ruin your trolling motor electronics. To try and save yourself this kind of eventuality, it is best to have a trolling motor stabilizer.
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What is a Trolling Motor Stabilizer?
Simply put, a trolling motor stabilizer is exactly what it sounds like – something that helps to keep your trolling motor from bouncing around too much when you are out on the water. These stabilizing apparatuses are used in tying down trolling motors that would otherwise be tossed around when you navigate choppy waters.
Trolling motors have many electronics within the unit, and the more they get tossed around, the more likely they are to get ruined.
The Best Trolling Motor Stabilizers
You have probably experienced this phenomenon and have been wondering what to do about it. Here is a shortlist of some of the best trolling motor stabilizers on the market today to help solve that issue.
1. Minn Kota 1862051 MKA-55 Electric Steer Stabilizer Kit
This Minn Kota 1862051 MKA-55 Electric Steer Stabilizer Kit is one of the best and most convenient trolling motors in the market today. Not only is it easy to use but it’s also quite convenient and well built.
When it comes to boating equipment, there are very few companies that can compare to Minn Kota. Their products are built with quality material, but they are also often quite affordable, and this motor stabilizer is not an exception to that rule.
Coming at a reasonable price point, this is a highly versatile stabilizer that offers multiple mounting options, making it ideal for every boat. Furthermore, it folds down easily and can be removed to leave a very low profile base that doesn’t impede the deck.
Made out of stainless steel, it is durable, lightweight, and can be cut to fit however you like it. The rubber clamp is also quite easy to use and rather sturdy.
Pros
- Easy to use
- Built from quality stainless steel
- Can be cut to fit
- Affordable
- From a reliable brand
Cons
- The rubber piece might break easily
Check out the price on Amazon.com
2. RAM Mount Trolling Motor Stabilizer
As far as “easy to use apparatus” go, this RAM Mount Trolling Motor Stabilizer is up there with the best of them. Not only is it rather small, which means it doesn’t take up too much space on deck, but it’s quite sturdy too. Made out of high-quality materials, this claw motor stabilizer is designed to last.
This ram mount features a double socket arm and a round base that acts as an adapter. You can easily install this stabilizer without the use of tools. The best part is that it can easily be installed on any mounting surface, including square, round, and odd-shaped rails.
The adapter features of this trolling motor mount fit the industry standard AMPS hole pattern that is considered universal. This means that you can easily connect to a host of RAM mounts and even third-party cradles.
Pros
- Easy to install
- Affordable
- Tough
- Durable
Cons
- Not as simple to use as some stabilizers on the market
Check out the price on Amazon.com
3. TH Marine Gforce Equalizer MotorGuide Trolling Motor Stabilizer Kit
If you love working with your hands or enjoy DIY projects, then you might like using this TH Marine Gforce Equalizer MotorGuide Trolling Motor Stabilizer Kit. Although it isn’t exactly as straightforward to use as most stabilizers, it’s quite sturdy once installed. This means that it’s longer-lasting and more effective than most.
Easy enough to install, this trolling motor stabilizer is designed to fit motor guide gator mounts. It’s affordable and made out of high-quality materials that are built to last.
Pros
- Easy to install
- Fits motor guide gator motor mount
- Sturdy
Cons
- Installation might be a little complicated for people who aren’t handy
Check out the price on Amazon.com
4. Bennett Marine Cisco Fishing Systems Trolling Motor Stabilizer Mount
This Bennett Marine Cisco Fishing Systems Trolling Motor Stabilizer Mount is designed to safely secure any trolling motor arm from 7/8″ to 1-3/8″ diameter. The best part is that the installation is quite simple and doesn’t require any tools.
It’s also quite versatile in that it allows for installation in almost any position from vertical to horizontal and even radial axis. Built out of extremely high-quality material, this trolling motor stabilizer mount is designed to offer you a lifetime of good service.
Pros
- Easy to install
- Affordable
- Can be installed in any orientation
- No tools needed
Cons
- Comes in only three sizes
Check out the price on Amazon.com
How to Choose a Trolling Motor Stabilizer
As is the case with pretty much every piece of equipment you use when fishing, you need to buy the best trolling motor stabilizer to get excellent service from it. Unfortunately, the problem with many stabilizers on the market today is that they have rubber components that aren’t as long-lasting as most of the equipment itself.
Once the rubber components break off, you have to buy a new stabilizer. This is one of the most important aspects to consider when choosing a trolling motor stabilizer. Here are some other factors that you need to consider:
Ease of Installation
Every trolling motor stabilizer needs to be installed, and unless you are very handy with tools, you need to find one that doesn’t require much technical know-how. However, the best part about most trolling motors is that they are quite easy to install. Some don’t even require the use of tools and can be installed on pretty much any mounting surface on your boat.
Quality of Material
The idea behind trolling motor stabilizers is right there in the name – stability. It needs to be sturdy enough to adequately absorb the shock and vibration of a bouncing trolling motor. This means it needs to be made out of high-quality materials that don’t break or loosen easily.
Compatibility
Even though this isn’t that much of an issue in this field, you still need to make sure that the trolling motor stabilizer you choose is compatible with the surfaces on your boat as well as the components on your trolling motor. It needs to be able to fit perfectly on deck without requiring major retrofitting of the boat itself.
The trolling motor stabilizers on this list are very easy to use, quite affordable, and effective. The best part is that they work with almost any boat surface, which means that all you have to do now is pick one, buy it and keep your trolling motor from bouncing.
