Using the Raptor Shallow Water Anchor (2020-present)

Updated July 31, 2024 14:30

Raptor keeps working to hold you more reliably than any other anchor, especially in rough conditions. It knows where you’re anchoring, what’s happening to your boat, and what to do next. It reads the bottom, senses the anchoring force and reacts automatically to keep you locked down until the moment you’re ready to change spots. Legendary Minn Kota durability and innovative anchoring technology make Raptor the only hydraulic anchor that can call itself relentless.

Jump to:

Max Boat Weight and Length
Mounting Considerations when Installing the Raptor
Basic Operations
Advanced Features and Functions
Raptor Shallow Water Anchor Fuse
Length of the Power Leads from the Hydraulic Pump
Change the Batteries on the Remote
Maintenance Mode
Serial Number Location
Dimensions
Manuals and Videos

Max Boat Weight and Length

A single Raptor is capable of anchoring a boat up to 28’ in length, and 4,500 lbs. For boats larger than this, we would recommend an additional Raptor to ensure proper anchoring capability.

Mounting Considerations when Installing the Raptor

The Raptor comes out of the box with the hardware you’ll need to install it directly to the transom of your boat. If you have an irregularly shaped transom that cannot accept a direct mount, or you prefer to mount the Raptor with an adapter bracket for ease of mounting and removal, please visit MinnKota.JohnsonOutdoors.com for details on our Raptor adapter brackets. For installation with a Raptor adapter bracket, refer to the installation instructions provided with the bracket. To determine which Raptor Adaptor brackets are compatible with your boat, we recommend contacting your nearest dealer. To install the Raptor directly to the boat, please follow the directions provided in the installation instructions.

Anchor Mounting Considerations

Determining where and how to mount your Raptor Shallow Water Anchor will vary from one boat to the next. It is important to check for proper steering and trimming clearances when laying out your installation. When deciding where to mount your Raptor Shallow Water Anchor, the location must meet the conditions below.

Unobstructed Mounting - When selecting the Raptor Mounting Bracket mounting location, examine your boat to ensure that you will not drill into any obstructions and that the hardware will be accessible for assembly. Make sure that the Transom is strong enough to accept the Raptor mounted at the intended location.
Unobstructed Deployment and Retraction - The Raptor is designed to mount on either the port or starboard side of the transom. The Raptor must have a clear, unobstructed path to deploy. Check to make sure that your proposed location will allow the anchor to deploy and retract without hitting trim tabs, poling platforms, ladders, the engine or other obstructions. You should also consider your fishing methods when selecting the mounting location.
Transom to Raptor Clearance - The Raptor Mounting Bracket included with your unit will allow for approximately 4" of clearance or set back from the transom to the front edge of the deploying anchor.
Raptor to Hull Clearance - The bottom edge of the Raptor should never be less than 4" above the hull directly below the Raptor to prevent spray and drag conditions.
Raptor to Engine Clearance - When selecting a mounting location, make sure that no interference exists between the Raptor and your engine during normal operation. Once you have selected your mounting location, trim the engine all the way up and all the way down, and steer the engine fully to the left and right to confirm proper engine clearance. Ensure there is a minimum of two to three inches of clearance from any point on the Raptor in all states of stow and deploy.

If these conditions are not met, please consider using an optional Minn Kota adapter bracket accessory. There are many adapter brackets designed for the Raptor that allow for greater adjustability of the mount and allow for greater clearances to operate the Raptor.

Using Talon Mounting Brackets with Raptor Shallow Water Anchors

While the mounting hole patterns are the same for both Talon and Raptor Shallow Water Anchors, outboard engine clearance and angle of deployment are also areas that should be considered. In most scenarios Raptors can be mounted to the three-piece Talon adapter bracket. Single piece Raptor brackets, however, should NOT be used with Talon Shallow Water Anchors.

Hydraulic Pump Mounting Considerations

Hydraulic Hose Routing - When selecting the mounting location for the hydraulic pump, examine your boat to ensure that you can route hydraulic hoses to the intended hydraulic pump mounting location, and the hoses can be connected once the pump is mounted. Hoses may be routed over or through the hull of the boat. It is recommended to route hoses through an established routing on the boat, such as where the main engine lines are routed.
- If routing through an established routing on the boat such as the manufacturer's boot, make sure they are re-rigged and tightened to their original state when installation is complete.
- If drilling holes in the hull of the boat is necessary, make sure that the drilled location is free from obstructions that could damage existing gas or electrical lines.
- Make sure that the hoses have enough slack so that the anchor can be deployed and stowed without creating pinch points or excessive tightness along the path for the intended mounting locations.
- Make sure that the hoses do not pass over any sharp surfaces or edges that could cause abrasions over time.
- Make sure that the hydraulic hoses are not kinked or bent when routing through the boat compartment. The minimum bend radius for hose routings is 1.25 inches.
- Hydraulic lines shall be routed away from heat sources. There should be no joints or connections in hydraulic lines directly over exhaust lines or high temperature manifolds.
- Make sure that the routed hoses do not create a tripping hazard.
Keep Hydraulic Lines Clean - During installation, precautions must be taken to prevent the entrance of foreign material into components or hydraulic lines. Take note of the black and green caps on the hose fittings on the hydraulic pump and hydraulic hoses. Do not prematurely remove the protective caps from the ends of the hydraulic hoses that exit the anchor or the hose fittings on the pump assembly. Keep the fill cap on the pump reservoir in place unless filling the reservoir, to keep dirt and debris from entering.
Hose Attachment - Install the pump in a way so that there is space between the compartment or mounting locations and the pump to attach hoses. The hose fittings are located on the manifold of the hydraulic pump between the pump reservoir and control panel. Also be sure that the location will have room to allow the hoses to pass through and maintain proper hose placement that will prevent it from bending or kinking.
Hydraulic Fluid and Filling Access - Make sure that the mounting location allows for the pump to be filled with hydraulic fluid. The cap to the pump assembly must be accessible to fill the hydraulic pump reservoir with hydraulic fluid. Be sure that the installation location allows access with a funnel or similar tool to aide in filling the reservoir. The pump is filled with fluid as noted on the red cap marked "Hyd Oil ISO 32". Biodegradable Marine Hydraulic Fluid ISO 32 (Item# 2357700) is provided for the installation.
Secured Mounting - Mount the pump in a secure location where it will remain affixed to a rigid surface. Hydraulic components should be secured to the boat's structure in consideration of the potential forces transmitted. It is recommended to mount the hydraulic pump with the Two-piece Mounting Bracket provided. The Pump Assembly must be mounted vertically. If adjustments to the mounting need to be made, adjust the position of the Two-piece Bracket that will accommodate keeping the Pump Assembly vertical. Make sure that there is enough room to successfully use the tools needed to secure the installation hardware to the intended mounting location. Make sure that the hydraulic hoses will not be kinked or bent when attached to the pump. Options for mounting the pump include:
- Standard Installation- Mounting the pump with the Two-piece Mounting Bracket.
- Modified Installation- Mounting the pump using either both of the pieces from the Two-piece Mounting Bracket rotated to fit your specific mounting needs or just the Pump Mounting Bracket (Item #20) on its own rotated to fit your specific mounting needs.
- Direct Mounting - Mounting the Hydraulic Pump directly to a secure structure on the boat without the use of the bracket.
Power Source - Make sure that the power cord can reach its intended power source and will not pose as a tripping hazard. It is recommended to mount the pump as close to the power source as possible to create the least obtrusive routing for cables between the pump and power source.
Bypass Access - On the side of the hydraulic pump manifold, there are two acorn nuts that cover manual Bypass Valves in the event of the need to Emergency Stow. The installation kit comes with a Pressure Wrench (Item #2358800). Be sure that the installation location allows a minimum of 1-1/2 inch clearance around the "BP" on the pump manifold to access these acorn nuts and the Bypass Valves below them and enough space to utilize the Pressure Wrench. Store the pressure wrench in the boat.
Reservoir Clearance - When selecting the mounting location, it may be necessary to rotate the position of the reservoir on the hydraulic pump to accommodate for tight mounting locations. The hydraulic pump comes out of the box with the reservoir fill cap directly below the hydraulic hose fittings on the pump manifold. The reservoir can be rotated 90 degrees to either the right or the left so that the fill cap is either directly below the power cord, or directly below the bypass valves on the manifold to accommodate a variety of installation variability. If you need to rotate your Pump Reservoir, please see the "Rotating the Pump Reservoir" section of the installations.

Basic Operations

Deploy the Raptor from the Indicator Panel
Press and hold the Down button to deploy the anchor. The anchor deploys until the button is released or the anchor has reached its full range of deployment.
Retract the Raptor from the Indicator Panel
Press and hold the Up button to retract the anchor. The anchor will continue to retract when the button is held until the button is released.
Deploy the Raptor from the Remote
Double press the Auto Down button to deploy the anchor. Double press and hold the second press to continually deploy the anchor. The anchor will continue to deploy when the button is held until it reaches its full range of operation or until the button is released.
Retract the Raptor from the Remote
Single press the Auto Up button to auto retract the anchor. Press and hold to continually retract the anchor. The anchor will continue to retract when the button is held until the button is released. Also used to pair the Remote to a Raptor.

Advanced Features and Functions

Mode LED
The Mode LED is used to identify Active Anchoring. Mode LED will briefly pulse green when Active Anchoring is enabled and the Mode LED will briefly pulse red when it is disabled. The Mode LED will continue to pulse between green and red while Active Anchoring is enabled and the anchor is deployed. The Mode LED will also flash red to identify system errors.
Mode Functions
The Raptor operates in three different modes and the Raptor with Active Anchoring operates in four different modes. Each Mode is designed for a specific on water scenario and changes the anchoring behavior of the Raptor when it deploys. Modes are identified on the Indicator Panel and the Raptor remotes. Raptor is capable of anchoring in most conditions and it is important to select the right anchoring mode. The four different Mode functions are:
- Standard Mode - Standard Mode is the default anchoring Mode for Raptor units without Active Anchoring. When put in Standard Mode, the Mode Indicator LED in the Indicator Panel will toggle between red and green several times and then turn off. In Standard Mode, Raptor's Auto Deploy will operate with maximum down-force with a complete Auto-Drive cycle of two hits spaced at three seconds apart.
- Soft Bottom Mode - In Soft Bottom Mode, the Mode Indicator LED will be lit green on the Indicator Panel. In Soft Bottom Mode, the Auto Deploy will operate at a reduced power with a single hit.
- Rough Water Mode
  In Rough Water Mode, the Mode LED Indicator on the Indicator Panel will be lit red. In Rough Water Mode, the Auto Deploy will operate with maximum down-force with three Auto-Drive cycles of two hits each, spaced 3 seconds apart. The three Auto-Drive cycles will be spaced at 10 second intervals.
- Auto Bottom Mode (Active Anchoring Models only)
  The system detects the bottom type and automatically adjusts force and number of hits accordingly. This is the default mode for all Active Anchoring models. The Mode indicator LED flashes green green red red and then off to indicate this mode is in effect.
Changing the Deployment and Retraction Speed
A single press of the Anchor Speed/Anchor Selection Button will display the current operating speed. While the speed is displayed, continue to single press through the operating speed to toggle between slow, medium and fast. The Mode LED will flash red three consecutive times at the speed that corresponds with the selected speed.
Cycle Between Anchoring Modes
On your Raptor wireless remote, a single press will display the current Anchor Mode. While the mode is displayed, continue to single press through the Anchor Modes to change them. This will toggle through the Anchor Modes of Standard, Rough Water, Soft Bottom and Auto Bottom. Standard Mode is identified when the Mode LED flashes between red and green. Rough Water mode is identified when the Mode LED flashes red and Soft Bottom when the Mode LED flashes green. Auto Bottom Mode is only available on the Active Anchoring Model and is identified by a Mode LED that flashes slowly from green to green and then red to red.
Enable/Disable Active Anchoring
On the Active Anchoring Model, the Anchor Mode button will enable and disable Active Anchoring.
- Active Anchoring is engaged and disengaged by a single press and hold.
- When the Mode LED displays green it is enabled and when the Mode LED displays red it is disabled.
- To check that your raptors are in Active Anchoring mode via the wireless remote, watch the video below.
Testing Active Anchoring is Working
Active Anchoring is a valuable tool to maintain boat positioning even in the harshest environments. You can easily and simply test Active Anchoring at home. See the full procedure in the video below.

Raptor Shallow Water Anchor Fuse

Minn Kota Raptor Shallow Water Anchors come from the factory with an in-line, 30 amp resettable fuse, part number 2358200. To purchase the fuse visit our Parts Portal.

Resetting the Fuse

In the event that you need to reset the factory installed 30 amp Fuse, follow the instruction below. The fuse should be located no more that 7 inches from the Positive Battery terminal on the Positive Lead (+). If an alternate Fuse is installed, please refer to directions by your Fuse manufacturer to correctly reset it.

Remove the protective cover from the Fuse Assembly, exposing the 30 amp Fuse.
Reset the Fuse by pushing the Breaker Button to engage the Fuse.
Ensure that the Seal is in place, and replace the protective housing on the Fuse Assembly. Make sure that the Cover snaps together to provide a watertight seal.

Length of the Power Leads from the Hydraulic Pump

The Raptor power cord is a little over 7 feet long. If additional length is needed, please refer to the Raptor Owner’s Manual for a guide on extension options.

Change the Batteries on the Remote

When the batteries on your Minn Kota Raptor remote reach the end of their usable life, all three LED lights will illuminate solid across the top of the remote. To change the battery, you will need a CR2450 battery. Remove the battery by using a large coin to turn the battery cover counterclockwise to line up the Unlock icons on the back of the remote. Remove the cover and the old battery. Put in the new battery with the positive side facing out of the remote and replace the battery cover.

Maintenance Mode

In the event that you ever need to manually move the Raptor for the purpose of stowing, deploying, or perform maintenance work it is important to put the Hydraulic Pump in Maintenance Mode and open the Hydraulic Circuit. The Pump Assembly contains Bypass Valves on the side of the Manifold marked with a "BP". They are used to relieve pressure with the Pressure Wrench after the Pump is put into Maintenance Mode. The Pump Assembly is placed into Maintenance Mode and then the pressure on the Hydraulic Lines is released, this allows the anchor to be stowed and deployed manually if the need should arise. When both the Hydraulic Pump is placed into Maintenance Mode AND the Bypass Valves are opened, the Raptor can be controlled manually and Hydraulic Pressure is relieved and able to move. To do this, follow the procedure below.
Warning- Never disconnect hydraulic.png

Press and hold the Pair/Maintenance button on the Indicator Panel, located on the Pump Assembly. The Pump will beep three times consecutively to confirm that the Pump is in Maintenance Mode. The Pair/ Maintenance LED will illuminate blue and will stay lit while in Maintenance Mode.
If the Raptor is retracted, even if only partially, secure the Spike and/or make sure the path of travel for the Raptor is clear so that the Raptor will not pose a striking hazard when the Bypass Valves are opened. Keep fingers clear of pinch points and moving parts.
The Pressure Wrench (Part No. 2358800) will be used to open the Bypass Valves on the Hydraulic Pump. The Pressure Wrench has two ends. The Keyed Hex End is used to loosen the Acorn Nuts covering the Bypass Valves on the side of the Pump Manifold and the Flat Screwdriver End is used to open the valves. Locate the Acorn Nuts on the side of the Hydraulic Pump Manifold. The Acorn Nuts are marked with "BP". Use the Keyed Hex End of the Pressure Wrench to loosen and remove both Acorn Nuts covering the Bypass Valves by turning counterclockwise. With the Acorn Nuts removed, set them aside in a secure location for reinstallation later.
Flip the pressure Wrench over and use the Flat Screwdriver End of the Wrench to turn both Bypass Valves one turn in a counterclockwise direction to open the Hydraulic Circuit. Turning the Bypass Valves more than one turn, or continuing to turn the Bypass Valves counterclockwise will not increase the degree to which the Hydraulic Circuit is opened. Do not turn the Bypass Valves so much that they become removed. Additional turning of the Bypass Valve will not increase the amount of relief on the Hydraulic Circuit. Once the Circuit is relieved, the Raptor anchor can be manually adjusted into the desired position.
The anchor can now freely move into the desired position. Move the Anchor into the desired position and secure it. It may be necessary to have a second person help you move and secure the anchor.
With the anchor in the desired position, use the Flat Screwdriver End of the Pressure Wrench to turn both Bypass Valves one turn in a clockwise direction to close the Hydraulic Circuit. Use the Pressure Wrench to hand tighten the Bypass Valves until they are tight. Once the Circuit is closed, the Raptor is held in position from the Hydraulic pressure and should not move freely.
Replace the Acorn Nuts over the Bypass Valves. Use the Keyed Hex End of the Pressure Wrench to tighten and replace both Acorn Nuts covering the Bypass Valves by turning clockwise. Tighten the Acorn Nuts to 120 in-lbs.
Take the Hydraulic Pump out of Maintenance Mode by pressing the Pair/Maintenance button on the Indicator Panel, located on the Pump Assembly. The Pump will beep three times consecutively to confirm that the Pump is out of Maintenance Mode. The Pair/ Maintenance LED will turn off. The Hydraulic Pump will be able to then be controlled by any Paired devices and Remotes once Maintenance Mode is disabled.