Today, anglers have one of the stealthiest ways ever to approach within casting range of fish in shallow water—the brushless electric trolling motor, a design that proves much quieter than conventional brushed trolling motors.
This propulsion advancement has been available to freshwater anglers for a few years in the form of the bow-mount Garmin Force and the Lowrance Ghost trolling motors. Yet until recently, there was no brushless trolling motor built for saltwater use.
Now, Power-Pole — a brand best known for its shallow-water anchoring system — has introduced the Move series, the first saltwater-grade trolling motors featuring brushless motors. They are available in two bow-mount series: the PV series with a pivot mount, and the ZR series with a scissor mount.
The company contends that Move trolling motors are virtually silent, and some skinny-water guides believe it’s even more stealthy than push-poling, according to Power-Pole.
What makes a conventional brushed motor noisier than a brushless motor? Friction and electrical arcing between mechanical brushes and the commutator plates (against which the brushes rub) produce substantial motor noise. In brushless motors, the job of commutation is carried out by an electronic circuit, resulting in much quieter operation.
Power-Pole has also muted the steering motor, known as the Stealth Steering Drive, and engineered the reinforced polymer propeller to minimize cavitation noise.
Move motors are engineered to deliver power at significantly lower rpm, resulting in 30 percent more thrust, as well as 30 percent greater efficiency than industry-leading trolling motors, according to Power-Pole.
The GPS-guided motors incorporate a variety of wireless controls for the steering, power and feature activation. This includes a wireless ReelFeel foot pedal and wireless foot buttons available to activate the Anchor Mode and Active Vector Heading. All are mountable anywhere.
In addition, there’s a wireless hybrid remote that will control both the Move trolling motor, as well as deploy and retract a boat’s Power-Pole anchors.
The trolling motors offer the flexibility to work with both 24- and 36-volt battery configurations. The PV series is available in 45-, 52-, 60- and 72-inch shaft lengths, while the ZR motors come in 45-, 52, and 60-inch versions. Both series are available in black or white, and start at $4,999.99.
