Seamax isn’t a name you hear a lot in the world of trolling motors—but it’s one we expect to hear more of, soon. The PowerMax is an inexpensive and reliable transom-mounted trolling motor that can be used in all kinds of water.
This motor isn’t perfect—it’s noisy, and its speed can be somewhat hard to control. On the flip side, it’s quite powerful and very inexpensive—a great budget pick if you’re looking for a high-thrust transom mount motor.
| Water Compatibility | Saltwater and Freshwater |
|---|---|
| Thrust | 65 lbs, 85 lbs |
| Voltage | 12V, 24V |
| Speed Control | Variable |
| Control Type | Hand-steer |
| Mount Type | Transom |
| Shaft Length | 35" / 40" |
| Shaft Material | Aluminum |
| Propeller Type | 3-blade |
| Battery Capacity | Variable |
| Maximum Amp Draw | 40A, 50A |
| Warranty | 2 Years |
| Spot Lock | No |
| Fish Finder Connectivity | No |
Like most transom-mount motors, the Seamax PowerMax is an absolute breeze to install.
The first step is assembling the motor—and even this step is as easy as can be. The PowerMax comes mostly preassembled—all you have to do is secure the propeller to the motor. The propeller wrench is included with the motor, as well as some spare parts in case you lose a washer, nut, or sacrificial anode—very convenient.
Mounting the motor is absurdly simple—it’s transom-mounted, so you just need to clamp the motor onto the transom. From there, you can use the tilt lever to tilt the motor into the water, the depth collar to adjust the depth, and tilt or even fold the steering handle.
As is always the case with transom mounts, the most complicated step is wiring the motor. Seamax provides a handy guide in the PowerMax’s manual—follow it, and you’ll be fine. Use 12V deep-cycle marine batteries—one battery for the 65 lbs thrust version and two for the 85 lbs thrust version. You’ll want at least 105 Ah batteries—more Ah means more time out on the water.
There really isn’t much more to say on the installation front—this motor is, as we said, a breeze to install. Once you’ve mounted one transom-mount motor, you’ve mounted them all—but don’t be afraid to ask a friend or your local marine shop for help if you need it.
The Seamax PowerMax has a lot going for it:
Basically, this is an extremely easy trolling motor to use. The speeds are also stepless, which means fully variable speed—go as fast or as slow as you want. We love that more transom-mount motors are going stepless (instead of the classic 5 forward, 3 reverse speeds), and the PowerMax is a great example of this new trend.
Seamax also designed the PowerMax to be used in freshwater and saltwater—another huge boon for anglers who live near lakes, streams, and oceans. Isn’t anti-corrosion plating the best?
The PowerMax isn’t without its flaws, however. Compared to some other motors, it’s fairly loud, running at about 55 dB underwater—there also tends to be a high-pitched whining noise at higher speeds.
There can be a bit of a jump as you move from speed to speed, making it difficult to find the perfect speed—even though the model is stepless.
All in all, this is a powerful, if noisy, trolling motor—and in our opinion, the downsides are well worth the upsides (and the price).
Minn Kota Traxxis: The Traxxis is a lot quieter than the PowerMax, and its construction is quite a bit more durable—that’s the kind of thing we’ve come to expect from Minn Kota.
Newport Vessels L Series: The L Series motors have similar thrusts to the PowerMax and are usable in both saltwater and freshwater. They’re incredibly lightweight and relatively inexpensive.
Haswing Protruar: Protruar motors feature a brushless design and stepless speed controls—very similar to what the PowerMax has to offer. This series is probably the most similar to the PowerMax.
Brushless design: Transom-mount trolling motors with a brushless design are a fairly rare sight on the market—the PowerMax is powerful (it’s in the name), stands up to wear and tear, and has great battery life.
Affordability: The PowerMax is remarkably affordable considering its power and durable construction—pound for pound (of thrust); it’s one of the least expensive transom-mount motors available.
Seamax made a powerful series of transom-mounted motors with the PowerMax series. We quite like it, but one question kept us wondering: Why would we buy the PowerMax instead of the Protruar?
The Haswing Protruar has fewer issues; they tend to cause cavitation, but that can be resolved through some quick modifications. There’s less jumping between speeds on the Protruar, too, and no high-pitched whining. The Protruar also tends to be less expensive.
Our conclusion is this: Go for the PowerMax if there’s a deal, and you can get it cheaper than the Protruar. You might also consider going for the PowerMax if you’re looking for ease of adjustment—we’ve found that it’s slightly more ergonomic once we’ve adjusted it to our needs.
Yes, the Seamax PowerMax is both saltwater and freshwater compatible. This means it can also be used in brackish water—basically, you can use it wherever you catch fish!
We recommend using 12V deep-cycle marine batteries with an Ah rating of at least 105. The motors have a 50A and 40A max draw—this means that, at full power, they’ll draw 50A or 40A of power.
A 105 Ah battery would run out of power in around 2 hours at that rate; keep in mind, however, that you won’t be using the motor at max power at all times and that the battery should be recharged or replaced once the battery meter reads about 20%.
At its highest speeds, the Powermax is quite loud—coupled with loud beeping noises when the battery is running low, and this motor can end up being quite a distraction. We recommend running it at lower speeds when you’re actively trolling for fish and ensuring that the battery is always charged.
