Once you have purchased your new boat keep in mind the importance of installing the best accessories you can find, it may seem expensive but it will pay off in the long run!

Choosing a Trolling motor; when you are selecting a trolling motor make sure you look at the thrust or amount of power and size it up with your boat. Motorguide offers a 109 lb. thrust Great White Series and MinnKota has their 101 Riptide series. A 12 or 24 volt system just isn’t enough power for a 20’, 22’ or 24’ bay boat when trying to fight current all day. We have seen many times after the purchase of a new boat some other dealers and manufactures pitch customers on some of the cheapest accessories on someone’s dream boat. Just about all 20’, 22’ and 24’ ft bay boats need over 100 lbs. of thrust which requires 36 volts “3 batteries” just for the electric motor. With a 36 volt system there is plenty of power and will usually last longer into the day on the water due to you don’t have to run it wide open as you would with a 24 volt motor.

Selecting shaft length on your trolling motor; Motorguide and MinnKota trolling motors are available in 40”, 50” and 60” shaft lengths. On most bass boats we install the 40” shafts and on some occasion the 50”. On flats boats the 50” shaft is the most popular length so you don’t have to bend down to steer. The 60” shaft is the best length for the bay boats.

Battery power; this is one of the most common mistakes that boaters make on their boats. We have put many different batteries through hundreds of tests and found that the Sealed Deka batteries are our battery brand of choice. On the deep cycle battery we like to use the Deka Sea Mate series which is a sealed Gel-Matt system available in 24 or 27 sizes. There is no maintenance required and they have a high reserve capacity. On lead acid batteries you do have to perform maintenance so don’t try to save money and install cheap ones that you have to crawl down in a compartment you cannot get to and top off with water. The Cranking battery or your main battery you have to make sure it is compatible with your motor, most newer outboards require 800 CCA minimal for amperage. Deka offers a Sealed group 24 1000 CCA battery that will run most of any engine built.

On Board Marine Battery Chargers; There are many different charger to choose from such as; Dual Pro Chargers, Guest Chargers, Pro Mariner Chargers, etc. We like to use the Guest charger. The Guest battery charger is available in 1, 2, 3 and 4 banks. You also have to check the amperage the charger puts out so you don’t over charge your batteries.

Custom Marine Wiring; Wire sizes is a big deal especially over distance. Most boat manufacturing companies’ pre wire for trolling motors but “DO NOT” use heavy enough gauge wire. Make sure your wires are compatible with the amperage and the run. Connecting the wires should always be done with the correct crimping tool and a heat shrink sleeve for sealed protection from moisture. We use the connectors with heat shrink pre formed on the connectors they also have a liquid masking film so when heated the liquid oozes out to make a better seal. When using a Trolling motor Quick Disconnect or Dog bone disconnect use the largest in line pug with stainless metal parts for heavy gauge wire and prevents corrosion. We like the Marinco and Hubbel 30 Series plugs for the high thrust trolling motors with the larger wires.

Stereo options; When choosing your good time marine radio you might want to buy name brand equipment. At Performance we are a dealer for Clarion and JL Audio stereo systems. The Clarion radio Cd players are equipped with stainless steel protection from salt or fresh water use. They also include I-Pod and Satellite ready for Sirius or XM radio. We have found that on the conventional radios won’t hold up more than a dozen or so trips on the water before replacing. When installing speakers check the output on the stereo, you might need an amplifier for multiple speakers to get peak performance and sound out of your marine sound system.

Power Pole Shallow Water Anchor system; this boating accessory option is a marriage saver. No more noisy hatch and chain from throwing the anchor or tying off that pole stake. The Power Pole is the best invention since the thermos. When pulling up to a sand bar party or stalking schooling reds the power pole anchor will make your boating trip more pleasurable. Power Poles are available in 6’ and 8’ foot models and are also available in black, white, or grey color. Power Pole also has two different pump options the HP which is fast and a little noisy or you can pay a little more and go with the Stealth pump which is quieter than the HP but a little slower up and down.