Minn Kota Riptide SM 70 Saltwater Bow Mount 24V 70lb 52"

The Minn Kota Riptide SM 70 (part 1363425) is the saltwater-rated bow-mount trolling motor for inshore boats: 70 pounds of thrust on 24 volts, 52-inch composite shaft, hand-steer tiller control, and the Riptide SM saltwater-tough construction that handles the corrosion environment that quickly destroys freshwater-only trolling motors. The right boat-control trolling motor for flats skiffs, bay boats, small inshore center consoles, and any saltwater fishing platform up to about 19 feet where the angler wants reliable tiller-controlled trolling motor capability without the cost of GPS-equipped electric-steer motors.

Why Riptide saltwater construction matters. Saltwater is rough on trolling motors. Standard freshwater motors corrode quickly in salt service: the metal mount hardware seizes, the prop shaft seal fails as salt crystals work past it, the electrical connections grow green corrosion that increases resistance and eventually fails. The Riptide SM line addresses every one of those failure modes with saltwater-grade construction: tournament-tested rugged mount with corrosion-resistant materials throughout, sealed electrical connections, sealed lower unit with marine-grade prop shaft seals, and the Latch & Door mount that uses non-binding nylon inserts and anti-seize lubricant in the wear surfaces. Net result: the Riptide SM survives years of saltwater service where a freshwater motor would die in a season.

70 pounds of thrust on 24 volts. 70 lb is the right thrust class for inshore saltwater boats from about 16 to 19 feet (small center consoles, skiff-style boats, bay boats, flats boats). The 24V configuration (two 12V batteries in series) doubles the available motor wattage compared to a 12V trolling motor without doubling current draw, which means smaller-gauge cable runs and longer per-charge run time. The 70 lb thrust is enough for typical inshore boat-control duty: holding position against tide and wind, repositioning between casts, slow-trolling along structure, and the rest of typical inshore fishing maneuvering. For larger inshore boats (over 19 feet) or for offshore use, step up to the 80 lb or 112 lb Riptide variants.

52-inch composite shaft. The 52-inch shaft length is the right shaft for typical inshore boats with the standard 14-18 inch bow-deck-to-water height. The composite material is the Minn Kota indestructible shaft that flexes under impact rather than bending or breaking. Hit a stump, run aground, take an impact - the shaft springs back to straight. Minn Kota guarantees the composite shaft for life: if it ever bends or breaks under normal use, they replace it for free. Shaft failure is the most common reason older trolling motors get scrapped. The lifetime guarantee removes that as a concern.

Hand-steer tiller control. Hand-steer means you control the trolling motor's direction and speed via a tiller (handle) on the motor head, not via a foot pedal or wireless remote. Tilt the tiller left to steer left, tilt right to steer right, twist the tiller end to adjust speed. For inshore saltwater fishing where you're often standing on the bow casting and steering with one hand while holding the rod with the other, hand-steer tiller control is the natural ergonomic match. For anglers who prefer foot-pedal or wireless remote control, the Riptide SP (electric-steer) and higher Riptide Terrova / Ulterra (GPS-equipped) variants are the alternatives.

Versatile tiller (tilts and extends). The Riptide SM's tiller tilts up to 45 degrees from horizontal and extends up to 6 inches in length. The tilt lets you angle the tiller to your preferred grip height (sitting vs. standing, leaning forward vs. straight). The extension lets you stand farther from the trolling motor (handy when you're casting from a position not directly over the motor) without losing the ability to control it. The combination of tilt and extension is what makes the tiller comfortable to use across different anglers and different fishing positions.

Digital battery indicator on the head. The motor head includes a digital battery state indicator that shows how much charge remains in the connected 24V battery pack. Glance at the head, see the state of charge, plan accordingly. Useful for deciding whether you have time for one more drift down the structure or whether you need to head back to the launch.

Push-to-test battery meter. In addition to the digital indicator, there's a separate push-to-test button that gives an instant LED-bar readout of current battery state. Useful for quick checks without having to read the digital display.

5 forward + 3 reverse variable speeds. The Riptide SM is variable speed, not infinitely-continuous (like the Digital Maximizer motors). Five distinct forward speed settings cover the typical fishing speed range from a slow 0.5 mph crawl to about 3 mph at full thrust. Three reverse settings cover the typical reverse needs. Combined with the responsive hand-steer tiller, the variable speed control gives you precise control of the boat's track and speed.

Weedless Wedge 2 prop. The included Weedless Wedge 2 (MKP-33) prop has the swept-back flared blade design that cuts through weed growth without chopping. For saltwater inshore fishing where you're often working through grass beds, mangrove roots, oyster bar edges, and other vegetation, the Weedless Wedge 2 saves significant battery (it doesn't bog down chopping at weeds) and reduces the constant need to reverse-prop weeds free. The prop is engineered for the typical saltwater conditions the Riptide SM is built for.

Latch & Door mount with anti-seize design. The Latch & Door mount is the Riptide SM's bow-mount system - a rugged tournament-tested mount with non-binding nylon inserts and anti-seize lubricant in the wear surfaces. The latch design holds the trolling motor rock-solid in the stowed position (no flexing or vibration during high-speed running, which would otherwise stress mount components). At the end of the fishing day, the door portion of the mount allows quick removal of the trolling motor for trailering or storage without fighting the mount. The non-binding inserts and anti-seize design mean the mount stays smooth-operating for the life of the trolling motor without service.

Quick-Lock Cam depth adjuster. The depth adjuster on the trolling motor lets you change how deep the motor sits in the water with a quick cam-lock action. Useful for fishing different water depths without having to fully stow and re-deploy the motor. Tilt the cam lever, slide the motor up or down to the new depth, lock the cam back. Total depth adjustment time is a few seconds.

Cool, quiet lower unit. The lower unit (the part that sits in the water with the prop) is engineered to run cool under sustained load (lower operating temperature = longer service life) and to operate quietly (low motor noise transmitted through the water means less spooked fish in shallow water). For inshore flats fishing where stealth matters, the quiet operation is meaningful.

What's in the box. Riptide SM 70-lb 52-inch hand-steer bow-mount trolling motor with Latch & Door mount, MKP-33 Weedless Wedge 2 prop, mounting hardware, install and operations manual. Required separately: two 12V deep-cycle marine batteries (sold separately), 8-AWG (or heavier) battery cable, 60A inline circuit breaker.

2-year limited Minn Kota warranty on the motor (lifetime warranty on the composite shaft). Same-day shipping before 3 PM ET on in-stock units.