Niner, the Edge and the Maxxum are both foot operated, not hand. The Edge is just a cheaper model. It has 5 speed settings, the Maxxum is a twist knob with unlimited settings from 0 to max. The Edge is like 55 lbs max and is 12V only, and the Maxxum is 70 or 80 lb thrust max, if I remember right, and 24V. How much thrust you need is a function of how heavy your boat is, and what the bottom is like (v bottom, flat bottom, semi v, etc)

Both are good motors.

I can reach it and stow it from the seat, but it depends on the boat and how far the seat is from the TM, and where and the angle that the TM is attached to the boat.

What cappy doesn't like, the thick cables, is what makes it different from the iPilot or Power Drive with electronic controls. E-controls are supposedly easy, and they are easier to operate. But there was no momentary on/off switch on mine that I could use. My Maxxum has a button, and when I step on the foot pedal, it both engages the button (ON) and also allows me to turn the motor left or right by toe/heel depressions. It takes 5 minutes to get used to all that, and then you can turn it on, turn left, off, turn right, on, off, whatever you need. And the wind and current and location all dictate that you are moving/stopping/moving/stopping and turning a LOT. The cables are 'thick' only from the foot pedal to the motor head........they don't make the pedal harder to turn at all. My pedal can be turned with my pinky finger.

To solve Cappy's problem, you'd have to get the electronic steering control. That's fine, but the one I had, that also sacrificed the pull cable to stow the motor. That unit dropped straight down into the water like a push pole...........and to stow it, I had to get up out of my seat, and go up to the bow, and pull straight UP, and then back, and then stow it. What a mess!!! Maybe they are different now, I don't know. That was in 2005.

The thick cables are not that thick anymore, on the new ones.

I still say you need to go try one out. Someone you know has to own a boat with a trolling motor.......call in a favor and just go try it. It won't take you 5 minutes to figure it out and decide what you like and don't.

As for depthfinders, either get one with built in GPS, or get a Rhino hand held GPS to mark fish locations. Other than that, just get whichever one you can afford that you can read. I have a fancy color Lowrance and a cheaper black/white humminbird up front, and I like the black/white better. But some don't.