When I saw the new T-H Marine G-Force handle at ICAST this past summer I had to have one. If you have ever had a rope break when lifting or lowering a trolling motor you know what I am talking about. Most trolling motors are pretty iron clad but the release rope can be the Achilles Heal.
I just installed the new T-H Marine G-Force handle on my Minn Kota Fortrex and my comfort level ratcheted up a couple of notches. No more worries about falling backwards into the boat or diving headlong into the lake due to broken ropes.
Although Gerald Swindle, who helped design and endorses the handle, told me it would take 3-5 minutes to install, it didn’t, it only took about 20 minutes from start to finish. Knowing what I know now the install time could be shortened.
The construction is solid and well thought out from a design perspective. Once installed the worry about broken ropes is over. This is one neat looking and tough accessory. The nylon jacketed stainless steel cord is smooth and the open gripped cushioned handle gives better control when raising and lowering.
With lift assist on the Fortrex, raising and lowering has never been an issue, but the new G-Force Handle replaces a cord and rubber handle that can become frayed and can break unexpectedly at the most inopportune times. No cord between your fingers any longer, and the extended length really helps eliminate back strain.
Installing the handle was simple, but as always I like to look the process over before beginning. The instructions provided walk you through the process, but there are some little things I did to make it a bit easier. I installed it with the trolling motor down and used a pull string attached to the old rope. I simply attached the handle end of the cable to the pull string with a small amount of electrical tape and pulled the new cable through. I then measured the cable to my preferred length and attached the handle.
Having the motor in the down position gave me more room to thread the cable and fit my fingers in the motor to help the threading process. It also gave me a piece of mind to know my fingers would not get pinched. The cable has to be run from the pull point under a tilt pin and through the top of the Fortrex. Installing the cable stop in the handle was effortless with the Allen Wrench provided in the kit. A cable barrel splice comes with two small threaded keys to hold the cable in position and fits neatly into a recessed area in the handle. The cable can be easily shortened with a good pair of cutting pliers, if necessary.
The G-Force Handle works on either Minn Kota or the Motorguide trolling motors and retails for $34.99. You can order direct on THMarine.com.
