The Garmin Force was the first trolling motor that Garmin produced and is not disappointed and quickly grew in popularity after winning BEST OF SHOW at Icast 2019. In 2023 Garmin introduced the second motor to their lineup the Kraken and we're going to cover all the similarities and differences in the force and the Kraken to decide which motor will work best for you force.

So the first thing you will notice when looking at both of these motors is how much differnent they look.

Both of these are bow mounted motors but the Garmin force features an extremely robust scissor style mount with dual gas springs making it easy to stow and deploy the motor.

The Garmin Kraken features a smaller profile pivot Style mount making it easier to install on boats with limited bow space. 

The force comes in one color option which is black and has two shaft length options 50 inch and 57-inch - making it perfect for bass boats and boat hulls that sit a little bit lower in the water.

The crack in comes in two color options black or white and the shaft length options are a little bit longer making them perfect for DV and offshore modes. The black model is available and both 63 inch and 75 inch and the white model is available and a 63 inch 75 inch or 90 inch.

 

According to Garmin both of these models can be ran in both freshwater and salt water and for warranty both of the models come with a full coverage 3-year warranty and a limited lifetime warranty on the shaft. Both motors have an extremely quiet and efficient brushless motor that can be ran on 24 or 36 volts and 24 volts the'yre rated 80 pounds of thrust and at 36 volts they're rated at 100 pounds of thrust for operation the force in the kraken. 

Both come with a water resistant floating remote with a sunlight readable display. the remote gives you total control over the motoring crop control and GPS functions and is loaded with features including point and go steering and four programmable keys that can be used for control of your chart plotter. 

You can also operate these motors with the wireless foot pedal. The force will come equipped with the foot pedal put on the Kraken in the foot pedal is sold separate. The foot pedal can be ran off two double A batteries for wireless control from anywhere in the boat or it can be hardwired to a 12 volt battery. Both motors will come equipped with Garmin's GPS features that will include anchor lock, heading hold, and cruise control along with wireless charplotter intergration allowing you to wirelessly connect your Garmin unit to your motor to create routes and follow tracks. Both motors will also come with Garmin Smart watch intergration and powerpole intergration. 

Now on to a couple of the new features that separates the kraken from the original Force.

One of the standout features that puts the kraken above the rest is that it has multi-man GPS - which should provide you with much better anchor lock in GPS accuracy. When using anchor lock the Kracken will also use forward and reverse - this will allow the motor to make quicker and smaller adjustments to keep the boat and one place, while also keeping the head of the motor from spinning around in circles.

Another cool feature on the Kraken in is the live scope cable management. This allows you to easily mount your livescope transducer right above your lower unit and protect the cable by running it through the shaft.

And now on to the built-in sonar the force will come with a built-in gt54 UHD transducer which will give you chirp sonar and ultra high def Clearview and side view with compatible garment units. The Kraken black color will come with built in gt56 UHD transducer which will also give you Cherokee sonar and ultra high def Clearview and side view but will give you a little bit clearer image and better range. The Kraken in the white color will not come with built in sonar. 

Of all the different options out there it's easy to get confused and buy something you don't actually need or by something only to find out later that it's not going to work for you. You should be paying attention to there's something you want to see more inevil the trolling motor is mounted and all the different styles of mounts trolling motors can either be mounted on the transom or the bow of the boat. Trans mount motors mount on the back of the boat and are usually found on smaller boats and kayaks.

The current price of the garment Force AUD RRP is $5699.00 we sell for $5199.00. The kraken on the black krakenk in the price ranges from AUD $6,599.00 – $7,399.00 depending on the shaft length. The white crack in the price ranges from $6,599.00 – $7,399.00 also depending on the shaft line so if you're looking for a top of the line motor I don't think you can go wrong with either these models they're pretty similar and price so I'd base my decision on what type of boat you're going to be mounting it on and what you're specific needs are going to be. But be sure to call us for the best price. Some of our offers are too hot to advertise! It's worth the call. 

Shotgun Marine Specialise in all Marine Electronics fitouts.  We have no bias and superior technical knowledge on all major brands.  We refuse to push a favoured brand.  We prefer to work with our customers needs so that they get the best brands to suit their vessel. We have supreme buying power and have completed extensive authorised training programs to maintain our dealer status.  We offer super prices on bundle packages, supply and fit with free back up advice. Contact us today for a customised quote.