I'm sure there are opinions all over the place, but can anyone offer any tips on which troll motor for 18' center console used 50% fresh water and 50% in the bays. Riptide or Great White? Hand control or ipilot? What about electronics, gps/sonar? It seems like bay boats use gps, but sonar doesn't seem to be that important, unlike bass fishing. I've always had Bass boats, but am going to try center console for awhile. Thanks for any comments.

It's a different world....
First you'll find the marine environment is 100X harder on equipment than freshwater. You'll soon learn to deal with it.

Get whatever troll motor you like, it'll be useful on the bay about 10% of the time (maybe)hand control for sure. And your observation on the sonar/gps is correct, not a big need for a sonar when deep water is three feet.

What is the painful lesson, your rigging requirements are much more demanding. Open end butt connectors, wire splices, uncoated anything lives a short and pointless life in the salt.

Thanks Pat
You don't remember me but you helped me out on a problem some time back on a 200 hp johnson on my basscat. Glad you're still around to help out.
Mark

to add to Pats post.. make sure all your mounting hardware is stainless. I'd prep it like you are going to use it in salt 100% of the time.

The remote operated trollmotors are a great option as well, but not ipilot because most of the bottoms are very flat. Get the most powerful trollmotor you can afford. if thats a 70 get a 70.. if you can get a 100 ..get the 101.

I've got a Kenner 186v that is mostly used for bass fishing. I love the center console, especially since my back bothers me I do a lot of standing and the view is much better.

I do go to the coast and they are right the salt takes its toll despite the fact that I wash everything down.

I've got a 36 lb motoguide, hey it works. However, after a few salt trips the speed is stuck on high which is ok since that is where it stays most of the time anyway. When it gives up I'll go with at least 50lb salty motorguide, 24v, but they all are good. Mostly personal preference.

For me gps is indispensable and I set the sonar so I get a warning when I'm in 2 feet of water so that when I go someplace new it helps keep me out of trouble. I've got Lowrance lms520, it works fine. Color is much easier to read. Be careful on splicing cable, if there is a gap in insulation the salt will find it and travel the whole length turning the ocpper green.

I've had connectors for cellphone basically disappear when down there.

Remove the prop frequently and relube and drop the lower unit to make sure it will still drop even if you don't replace the pump.

don