Video · Kayak Motors & Power

AutoBoat GPS Adapter: Spot-Lock Style Anchoring for Basic Motors

I show how the AutoBoat adapter turns a basic 5-speed trolling motor into a GPS motor with anchor mode, then test it on my kayak.

Published August 10, 2023 · 7:59 · Watch on YouTube

What’s in this video

I’ve been sitting on this one for a year. AutoBoat is an adapter system, so if you already have a basic trolling motor like a 5-speed Minn Kota or one of the Newport motors on Amazon, it can add GPS features to it. You pull out the little thumb screw that locks the steering, then put on the motorized collar. It’s a clamshell design, so you don’t take the motor apart, and it looks like it came from the factory that way. The gear collar becomes your new depth collar.

Next the GPS goes on the shaft (mount it in the correct direction or you get interference), then the AutoBoat brain. Everything is color coded. Short red and black leads go to the motor, the long ones go to the battery. I run my 100 amp hour mini battery, set the motor to speed five, and calibrate with the remote or the app.

I mounted it on the stern of my Hobie Pro Angler. That works, but you lose the nav point feature because the motor wants to pull the boat backwards. On the bow or in the pedal drive well you get the full feature set. Anchor mode was my favorite part. It held me in the middle of the canal against an outgoing tide while I stood up to sight fish.

What I like: it’s light, easy to mount on kayaks, works up to 55 lb thrust, and at the time of the video it cost less than half of other GPS motors.

Quick takeaways

  • The clamshell collar goes on without taking your trolling motor apart. Check the compatibility guide first.
  • Mount the GPS unit in the correct direction on the shaft, or the motor can get interference and perform worse.
  • Stern mounting costs you the nav point feature. Bow or pedal drive well mounting gives you every feature.
  • The adapter works with motors from 30 lb up to 55 lb thrust, so you can move it to a bigger motor later.

Gear from this video

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