Minn Kota Terrova Review: 55 lb GPS Bow Mount with Spot-Lock
Our Minn Kota Terrova review covers the 55 lb, 12 V bow mount: Spot-Lock and GPS tracks, battery and wiring needs, installation, and who should skip it.
Updated October 27, 2026
The Minn Kota Terrova reviewed here is the 55 lb thrust, 12 V freshwater bow mount with a 54 in shaft and GPS Spot-Lock, sold on Amazon as model 1358350. According to the Amazon listing, it steers and holds position from a wireless remote with an LCD screen, and a one-touch lever deploys and stows it. If you run a small to midsize freshwater boat on one 12 V battery and GPS anchoring is the feature you want most, it belongs on your short list. If you need more thrust, salt water use, or a clamp-on motor, start somewhere else.
This Minn Kota Terrova review is research-based. The specifications below come from the Amazon listing, checked against Minn Kota’s Terrova with Advanced GPS specifications page, which lists this model (1358350) as current; the battery and wiring guidance comes from a general chart we could open on Minn Kota’s site, and owner comments come only from reviews posted on this listing.
This guide is general product information, not repair or electrical safety advice. Follow the installation, wiring, and charging instructions in your product’s manual, stop using any battery, charger, or electronics that overheat, swell, or smell of burning, and contact the manufacturer.
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Minn Kota Terrova 55 Bow-Mount Trolling Motor with GPS
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Minn Kota Terrova at a Glance
Sources: the Amazon listing (L), Minn Kota’s Terrova specifications page (M), and Minn Kota’s help center articles on battery selection and circuit breakers and wiring (C).
| Spec | Minn Kota Terrova, 55 lb, 54 in shaft (model 1358350) |
|---|---|
| Thrust and voltage | 55 lb, 12 V (L) |
| Shaft length | 54 in (L) |
| Mount | Bow mount; speed and steering from the GPS remote (L) |
| GPS functions | Spot-Lock with 5 ft jog, drift mode, follow mode, dodge mode, path recording (L) |
| In the box | Motor, wireless remote with LCD screen, lanyard, heading sensor, MKP-32 propeller, mounting hardware (L) |
| Propeller | Weedless Wedge 2 (L) |
| Item Weight field | 48.8 lb (L); the listing does not say whether this includes packaging. 46 lb shipping weight (M) |
| Water type | Freshwater (L) |
| Warranty | Three years with registration (L) |
What We Like
- Spot-Lock with a jog. According to the Amazon listing, you can move a locked position 5 ft in any direction, so you can slide closer to a dock corner or brush pile without starting over. Two owners say it kept them on the spot in wind and waves.
- More than an anchor. The listing adds drift, follow, and dodge modes plus path recording. One owner on a winding pond now runs saved GPS tracks and lets the motor steer.
- Heading sensor and LCD remote in the box. Both appear in the listing’s box contents. An owner who weighed it against the PowerDrive praised the newer remote and a GPS puck for accuracy.
- Three-year warranty with registration. That is the listing’s figure, and one owner confirms that registering adds a year.
What Could Be Better
- Installation is real work. It bolts to the bow. One owner had to drill new holes when replacing an older Minn Kota, and another built their own base on a boat not set up for a bow motor.
- Heavy to handle. The listing’s Item Weight field reads 48.8 lb. One owner calls stowing “easy” for a strong person but warns that someone smaller could struggle.
- Freshwater only. The listing title says freshwater; salt water anglers should look at a Riptide model.
- No battery included. The box list shows none, and run time depends heavily on the battery you add.
Spot-Lock and GPS Control
The listing describes an “Advanced GPS Trolling System” that sets Spot-Lock, records paths, and controls speed and steering, run from a wireless remote with an LCD screen. If you are new to GPS anchoring, our guide to what Spot-Lock does covers the idea; here, the useful question is how this motor handles it.
Spot-Lock holds the boat over a waypoint without an anchor rope. The 5 ft jog matters more than it sounds: when the wind pushes your casts short of a rock hump, you bump the lock upwind instead of resetting it. Drift mode, follow mode, and dodge mode round out the list, according to the listing. Two owners report that it held position in waves, one of them in heavy wind.
Path recording is where one owner found the most value. On a circuitous pond that used to need one person steering full time, this owner and their spouse now run saved tracks of up to 2 miles, and they like that a track can end by holding position or by shutting the motor off. They also control the motor from a phone through the One Boat app.
Calibration needs attention. The heading sensor comes in the box, per the listing. One owner says the heading calibration, which asks you to drive two circles, reported complete without the progress gauge ever filling, and the owner was unsure it worked. Run the calibration exactly as your manual describes, then confirm that Spot-Lock holds in calm water before you trust it on a windy point.
Thrust, Battery, and Wiring on 12 V
This Terrova makes 55 lb of thrust on a single 12 V battery, per the listing. One owner reports topping out at 2.9 mph on a Lund Fury 1600 that also runs a 25 hp outboard. Whether 55 lb is enough for your hull depends on weight, wind, and current, so check how much thrust your boat needs before you choose between 12 V and 24 V systems.
Minn Kota’s help center says to use a deep cycle marine battery, not a starting battery, and suggests a minimum amp-hour rating; take that figure from the manual for your motor. For lithium, follow the battery maker’s instructions and your motor’s manual. The same owner was running a 35 Ah battery from an older setup and expected an hour or two at most, so plan the battery with the motor. Our guide to sizing a trolling motor battery goes further. The listing credits Digital Maximizer with “up to 5x longer” run time on a charge, but it does not say compared with what.
For wiring, the chart says an over-current protection device, a circuit breaker or fuse sized for the motor, must be used, and that breaker size and wire gauge depend on the motor and the length of the run. Take those figures from your motor’s manual or a qualified marine technician, not from this review. The chart recommends following recognized marine wiring standards, says altering boat wiring should be done by a qualified marine technician, and advises contacting one if your wire extension runs more than 25 ft. It also recommends a separate deep cycle battery if a cranking battery starts your outboard, says not to switch the motor on until the propeller is in the water, and says to disconnect the motor when it is not in use or while the battery charges.
Mounting, Shaft Length, and Deploying
A bow mount is the right choice when you fish from the front deck and want the motor pulling the boat; if you are still deciding between bow mount and transom mount, settle that first. The 54 in shaft has to match your bow height, so measure shaft length from your own deck before you order.
Owners describe the install in practical terms. One who replaced an older Minn Kota Edge found that none of the deck holes lined up and drilled new ones. That owner recommends ordering the Minn Kota Quick Release Bracket at the same time, notes that the shaft needs a specific clearance at the gunwale, and marked the base position with tape before drilling. Another owner fitted it to a Bayliner that was not built for a bow motor and had to make their own base. Follow the installation instructions that come with the motor, and use a marine technician for anything beyond them.
For stowing, the listing describes a one-touch deploy and stow lever with fall-away ramps that slide the motor into the water. One owner says it deploys and retracts very easily. Another says the latch works well but that stowing takes some strength.
One owner says the first motor head they received did not work correctly and that Minn Kota sent a replacement and helped troubleshoot by phone. Install the motor and run a first check soon after delivery, and read the seller’s return terms and the manual’s warranty and service section before you drill the deck.
How It Compares
Three Minn Kota listings sit close to this one. Every figure below comes from the Amazon listings, not from Minn Kota.
| Listing detail | Terrova 55 (this review) | PowerDrive 55 | Riptide Terrova 80 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thrust, voltage, shaft | 55 lb, 12 V, 54 in | 55 lb, 12 V, 54 in | 80 lb, 24 V, 60 in |
| Water type | Freshwater | Freshwater in the title | Saltwater |
| Remote in the box | Wireless remote with LCD screen | Micro remote | Wireless remote with LCD screen |
| Heading sensor in box list | Yes | Not listed | Yes |
| Spot-Lock jog and path recording | Both listed | Not mentioned | Jog listed |
| Deploy lever | One-touch, fall-away ramps | Deploy-Assist | One-touch, fall-away ramps |
| Warranty | Three years with registration | 2 years | Three years with registration |
Minn Kota PowerDrive (55 lb, 54 in). Same thrust, voltage, and shaft length, and the same Spot-Lock, drift, follow, and dodge modes per its listing. Its box list has a micro remote and no heading sensor, and its listing does not mention the jog or path recording. One Terrova owner who weighed the PowerDrive against it says the Terrova is “built better and has a more solid feel” and that deployment is “way easier.” Our Minn Kota PowerDrive review covers that motor on its own.
Minn Kota Riptide Terrova 80. The saltwater version with 80 lb of thrust on 24 V and a 60 in shaft; its listing adds corrosion protection on the lower unit housings. It needs a two-battery 24 V bank.
Minn Kota Kayak Terrova. A separate listing titled as a 55 lb freshwater bow mount with a 36 in shaft, aimed at kayaks. We have not reviewed it, but the shorter shaft is the reason to look if you paddle.
Who Should Look Elsewhere
- You fish salt water. This listing is freshwater; look at a Riptide model.
- Your boat is heavy or you fight strong current. A 24 V motor with more thrust may suit you better; the Riptide Terrova 80 in the table is one example, though it is a saltwater model.
- You fish from a kayak or canoe. A 54 in shaft and a bow-mount motor of this size are a lot for a small hull.
- You do not want to drill your deck. A transom motor clamps on instead.
- You do not need GPS anchoring. A motor without GPS is simpler to set up and has fewer settings to learn.
Why You Should Trust Us
We do not conduct our own product trials; our picks draw on published specifications, independent reviews, and Amazon owner ratings, which also set each product’s AnglerTechLab Score. Commissions never change a score or a verdict. The listing does not conflict with Minn Kota’s published specifications for this model, so we made no editorial adjustment to this motor’s score; the method is on our How We Review page. More motors are in our trolling motors section.
Final Verdict
The Minn Kota Terrova trolling motor in its 55 lb, 54 in form makes sense for a small to midsize freshwater boat on one 12 V battery when Spot-Lock and saved GPS tracks are the point of the upgrade. Budget time for a bolt-down install and a proper battery, and run the heading calibration carefully. If you fish salt water, run a heavy hull, or paddle, choose another model.
Frequently Asked Questions
What fish finder works with the Minn Kota Terrova?
This listing does not name a compatible fish finder, and its box list includes no transducer. Minn Kota lists this model (1358350) as a version without built-in sonar and says its motors connect to select Humminbird fish finders through the One-Boat Network, so check Minn Kota’s compatibility charts and the manual for your serial number before you buy a unit to pair with it.
How do you calibrate a Minn Kota Terrova trolling motor?
Follow the calibration steps in your motor’s manual. One owner describes a heading calibration that has you drive two circles; theirs showed complete without the gauge filling, so confirm the result before relying on Spot-Lock. Terrova manuals differ by version, so use the one that matches the serial number on your motor.
How do you install a Minn Kota Terrova trolling motor?
It bolts to the bow with the included mounting hardware, per the listing. One owner suggests checking shaft clearance at the gunwale, marking the base with tape before drilling, and ordering a bracket that lets the motor lift off its base. Wiring is a separate job: Minn Kota’s chart says changes to boat wiring belong with a qualified marine technician, and breaker and wire sizes depend on your motor and its manual.
Is this the Minn Kota Terrova 80?
No. This review covers the 55 lb, 12 V version. Minn Kota’s Terrova specifications list the 80 lb thrust motors at 24 V, and the Riptide Terrova 80 listing is a 24 V saltwater model, so an 80 lb Terrova means a two-battery system.
Can the Terrova run on one battery?
Yes. The listing gives 12 V, so one 12 V battery powers it. Minn Kota’s chart recommends a deep cycle marine battery and, if a cranking battery starts your outboard, a separate battery for the trolling motor. Take the minimum amp-hour rating from your motor’s manual.
About the author
Brent Curtis enjoys chasing largemouth bass on Alabama lakes, especially around submerged structures and weed beds. He uses side-imaging fish finders and GPS trolling motors to locate fish, hold his boat in position, and explore productive fishing spots.