Trolling Motors
Does the Terrova 80 justify a second battery?
Quick answer
The Minn Kota Terrova 80 runs on 24 volts with a published maximum draw of 56 amps, more current than the 12 volt Terrova 55 and, counterintuitively, more than the larger 36 volt Terrova 112, because higher system voltage delivers the same power at lower current.
The Minn Kota Terrova 80 is the 24 volt step up from the Terrova 55, and the version most likely to carry a built in MEGA Down Imaging transducer straight in the shaft. This review is built from Minn Kota's own published specifications and the recurring themes across verified owner reviews rather than a motor tested in person.
Eighty pounds of thrust and a 60 inch shaft are the headline numbers, but the decision that actually changes the boat is the move from one 12 volt battery to two batteries wired for 24 volts, which is a bigger commitment than the thrust number alone suggests.
On this page
What does the Terrova 80 add over the Terrova 55?
The Minn Kota Terrova 80 with Spot-Lock and MEGA Down Imaging, 60 inch shaft runs on 24 volts, which raises thrust to 80 lb and lengthens the shaft to 60 inches for a taller bow. The version reviewed here builds a MEGA Down Imaging transducer directly into the motor, publishing coverage down to 200 feet, which removes a separate bow mounted transducer from the boat entirely. It also swaps the deploy lever for an electric foot pedal with dual heel and toe or left and right steering, and the same Spot-Lock and Jog GPS system carries over from the smaller motor.
Why does the 80 pound motor draw more current than the 112 pound motor?
This is the single most counterintuitive fact in Minn Kota's own published numbers, and it trips up more buyers than any other spec on this page. Current is not thrust. Power is thrust times a constant, and power equals volts times amps, so a higher voltage motor delivers the same or greater power at lower current.
The 36 volt 112 lb Terrova draws just 52 amps, less than the 24 volt 80 lb Terrova's published 56 amp draw, because the higher system voltage moves the same power at lower current.
Published figure A published engineering, regulatory or manufacturer figure. It does not change because somebody disagrees with it.
| Model | Thrust | Voltage | Max draw |
|---|---|---|---|
| Terrova 55 | 55 lb | 12V | 50 A |
| Terrova 80 | 80 lb | 24V | 56 A |
| Terrova 112 | 112 lb | 36V | 52 A |
What does two batteries in series actually mean for the boat?
A 24 volt motor needs two 12 volt batteries wired in series, not two batteries the motor shares independently. That is roughly double the lead weight on the bow or under the deck compared with the Terrova 55's single battery, plus a second set of cables, a second set of connections to corrode, and an onboard charger built for two banks instead of one. None of that is a defect in the motor. It is simply the real cost of the extra thrust and the built in transducer, and it belongs in the budget from the start rather than discovered at the parts counter.
The downside of moving up to the Terrova 80
Beyond the second battery, the Terrova 80's built in transducer only serves Humminbird MEGA Down Imaging: a boat running a different sonar brand gets no benefit from that part of the price and is better served by a motor without it. The heavier shaft and motor head also shift more weight onto the bow than the 55, which matters on smaller hulls that are already bow heavy with a full battery bank up front. Buyers who do not need the extra 25 lb of thrust are paying for a second battery system and a transducer they may not use.
Stick with the Terrova 55, or step up to the Terrova 112 instead?
Stay with the Terrova 55 if a single 12 volt battery already covers the boat's needs; the wiring, weight and cost of 24 volts are not worth it just for a modest thrust bump. Step up to the Terrova 112 instead when the boat regularly fights wind or current heavy enough that even 80 lb of thrust runs out, accepting the third battery that 36 volts requires. The saltwater built Riptide Terrova 80 is the version to look at instead of either if the boat ever touches salt or brackish water.
Sources
- Minn Kota published specifications for the Terrova 80 with MEGA Down Imaging
- Minn Kota published maximum current draw figures across its trolling motor lineup
- Recurring themes in verified owner reviews of the Terrova 80
Frequently asked questions
How many amps does the Minn Kota Terrova 80 draw?
Minn Kota publishes a maximum draw of 56 amps for the Terrova 80 at full thrust on 24 volts. That is the highest published maximum draw across the mainstream Terrova lineup, higher even than the 36 volt Terrova 112's 52 amps, because current draw depends on voltage as well as thrust. Size the breaker and the cable run to the battery bank from this 56 amp figure, not from the thrust rating alone.
Why does the 80 pound Terrova draw more current than the 112 pound Terrova?
Power equals voltage multiplied by current, so delivering more power at a higher voltage requires less current, not more. The Terrova 112 runs on 36 volts, so it reaches 112 lb of thrust while drawing a published 52 amps. The Terrova 80 runs on 24 volts, so reaching 80 lb of thrust draws a published 56 amps, more current for less thrust, purely because its system voltage is lower.
Does the Terrova 80 need two batteries or one?
Two. A 24 volt trolling motor is wired across two 12 volt batteries connected in series, and running it from a single battery is not an option Minn Kota supports. That doubles the lead weight and the wiring compared with the 12 volt Terrova 55, and an onboard charger sized for a two bank system is part of the real cost of stepping up to this motor.
What is MEGA Down Imaging and is it built into every Terrova 80?
MEGA Down Imaging is Humminbird's imaging sonar, and Minn Kota's Terrova 80 with MDI builds the transducer directly into the motor shaft, with published coverage down to 200 feet below the boat. It only benefits a boat already running a compatible Humminbird display. A Terrova 80 without the built in transducer exists for boats running a different sonar brand, at a lower price.
Is the Terrova 80 a good first trolling motor?
Usually not. A 24 volt system is a bigger commitment in weight, wiring and cost than most first time buyers need, and the Terrova 55 on a single battery covers a wider range of boats at a lower total price. The Terrova 80 makes more sense as a planned upgrade once a specific boat's size or the local wind conditions have already shown that 55 lb of thrust runs out.
How does the Terrova 80 compare to the saltwater Riptide Terrova 80?
The core motor, thrust and voltage are the same. The Riptide Terrova 80 adds grit blasted, coated lower unit housings and additional corrosion protection built for salt and brackish water, at a higher published price. A freshwater only boat gains nothing from paying for that protection, while a boat that ever sees salt water needs it to avoid a much shorter motor life.
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Researched, not professional advice. This page is compiled from published engineering and regulatory figures, manufacturer specifications and owner-review consensus, not hands-on testing. Figures described as a rule of thumb are boating convention rather than published standards, and they are labelled that way wherever they appear. Marine electrical work is not house wiring. Use tinned, finely stranded marine cable, size it for voltage drop and for the ABYC E-11 ampacity table rather than one or the other, and put overcurrent protection within seven inches of the battery positive terminal, because everything between the post and the fuse is unprotected. A lithium battery needs a charger with a lithium profile. Never load a boat past its capacity plate, and remember that canoes and kayaks carry no federal capacity plate at all, so their stated capacity is the manufacturer own figure. Wear the life jacket, and treat early season water as the hazard it is: cold water immersion takes your breath and then your hands long before it takes your core.