The Simrad RECON SW 60″ is the saltwater big-shaft trolling motor that ships with the Simrad FreeSteer joystick remote. Brushless 24V/36V power, a 60-inch composite shaft (lifetime warranty), 1.5-degree steering precision through the joystick, anti-corrosion coating on all hardware, and clean NMEA 2000 integration with Simrad NSS, NSO, and Cruise displays.
The Simrad RECON SW 60-inch is the Simrad-branded RECON trolling motor for boats running a Simrad helm. Built around Simrad’s modern brushless trolling motor platform, finished and integrated for the Simrad ecosystem with the Simrad FreeSteer joystick remote in the box. If you’ve already built your helm around an NSS or NSO display, this is the trolling motor that matches the system natively over NMEA 2000 and the existing network.
SW means saltwater. The lower unit gets Simrad’s proprietary anti-corrosion coating across all metal parts, including the deploy and pivot hardware. The cable run uses UV-resistant insulation that doesn’t crack under sun exposure. Hardware is sealed for the kind of salt spray a 22-foot bay boat or a 24-foot center console throws at the bow on a windy day.
The 60-inch shaft is the right call for boats with a bow that sits 18 to 24 inches above the waterline. That covers most bay boats, mid-size center consoles, and inshore sportfishers. On those boats, a 48 or 54-inch shaft cavitates and ventilates in chop because the prop comes out of the water every time the bow lifts. 60 keeps the prop buried where you need it. For taller-bow offshore center consoles, the 72-inch SW model is the better pick.
The Simrad FreeSteer joystick remote is the headline control. It’s a wireless handheld with a color LCD that shows speed, heading, lock state, GPS signal strength, and active mode in plain text. Configurable buttons let you map your most-used functions to single-button shortcuts. The joystick itself does true 8-direction Spot-Lock Jog: once you lock a position, you can bump that lock five feet at a time in any direction including diagonals. The 1.5-degree steering precision is fine enough that small joystick inputs translate to small heading changes instead of overshooting and correcting.
What makes the FreeSteer different from older trolling motor remotes is that you don’t need a chartplotter to operate the trolling motor. The remote stands alone. You can put your NSS in chart-only mode and run the trolling motor entirely from the joystick without giving up screen real estate to motor controls. For boats where the helm is already crowded, that matters.
Brushless motor design is the modern standard for trolling motors and the reason this generation runs much quieter than older brushed designs. Less heat, less wear, more efficiency, and a noticeably softer hum at the bow when you’re working a school. The motor takes 24V or 36V, with the higher voltage delivering more total thrust and longer runtime per amp-hour at the same speed. For the SW 60-inch on a typical bay boat or center console, plan on a 36V setup with three Group 31 deep-cycle or lithium batteries.
Streamlined installation. The RECON mount uses industry-standard bolt patterns, which means you can swap from an existing trolling motor without drilling new holes in most cases. The riveted latch system deploys and stows the motor with one hand, even with gloves on. The all-in-one cable carries power and signal in a single run, simplifying the install through the bow.
NMEA 2000 connectivity. The RECON connects to your boat’s NMEA 2000 backbone for steering, throttle, and waypoint integration. Pair it with a Simrad NSS evo3S, NSO evo3S, or Cruise display and you can drive the motor from the helm or from the FreeSteer interchangeably, with status sharing across the system. AutoPilot heading hold and Cruise Control speed lock both work natively.
Multiple accessory mount points are molded into the motor head for cameras, lights, transducer arms, and other accessories you want to attach to the bow.
Sonar nosecone. This SKU is the trolling motor and the FreeSteer remote, no sonar nosecone in the box. The motor is plug-and-play ready for any of the RECON nosecone options. Add the HDI nosecone for CHIRP and DownScan imagery built into the motor head. Add the Active Imaging 3-in-1 nosecone for SideScan as well. Both wire straight to a compatible Simrad sonar port with no rewiring on the trolling motor side.
Maintenance. Saltwater is hard on everything. Rinse the lower unit, the spike, the prop, and the upper bracket with fresh water at the end of every salt trip. Wipe down the FreeSteer if it gets spray on it. Inspect the seal package once per season. Treat the motor like the rest of your saltwater rigging and you’ll get many seasons out of it. Low maintenance is one of the design priorities for the RECON line and it shows.
Install. Mount the bracket on a flat bow with the included hardware. The motor is heavy enough that you’ll want a partner for the install lift. Run dedicated 6 AWG tinned marine wire from the batteries to the motor through the boat with proper fusing at the battery end. A quick-disconnect at the bow is worth installing if you remove the motor for trailering.
Lifetime warranty on the carbon-fiber-infused composite shaft against breakage. 3-year warranty on the motor itself. Both backed through the Simrad dealer network. Same-day shipping before 3 PM ET on in-stock units.
