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| Have been giving some serious thoughts to purchasing a MotorGuide Tour ES 82 lb. thrust 60" shaft trolling motor for a new Fish Hawk 1850 or a Minnkota 74 lb. thrust AutoPilot or Maxxum. Any thoughts out there? Also, need some expert opinions on what depthfinders/sonar to put on bow and console. Handheld GPS or LMS-320 or Garmin 168 models? Finally, mounted marine band radio or handheld. |
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Posts: 802
| minn kota all the way- had 4 of them, and except for (1 worn steering cable after 10 seasons of use)they've been flawless! they were a small transom mt., a basic cable/footpdeal type, an auto pilot, and now a 74# maxxum. i'm not affiliated or sponsored by them, and i sure will pay the slightly higher cost for one if it doesn't ruin my trip with motor failure... i hear alot more complaints about motorguides as well. just curious to hear what others say (and those that post, how about specifying if your sponsored/staffed by either co.)
steve |
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Posts: 218
| I have owned several 6 Minnkotas in the past 22 years; I fish at least 65 day a year. NEVER A PROBLEM!!! Go with Minnkota!!! |
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Posts: 364
Location: Kentucky | I hear lots more good things about Minn Kota, and some guides I know are often repairing their MotorGuides. I recently ordered the 65# autopilot MinnKota from Cabela's. Comes in a combo deal, so I chose a Lowrance X87. For VHF, the stuff I researched lately said fixed mount has far better range, with a good antenna. Icom 402S or 502 with a Shakespeare 5225 antenna and a stainless steel mount of some kind (rail or ratchet). |
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Posts: 20281
Location: oswego, il | Get a minnkota auto pilot, you will be glad you did. Do some searches on this site and others about motor guide, that will help your decision.
Edited by ToddM 3/3/2003 10:04 PM
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Posts: 532
Location: Chicago, IL | Minn-Kota for sure. I have never had a problem with any of my Minn-Kotas, and when I did have a self caused problem (didn't lock down the motor and it hit the water at full throttle), I had no problem getting parts to repair it.
I have heard bad things about MotorGuide failures and I heard the service is even worse.
I have had 3 totally different types of Minn-Kotas and am now on a 74# Maxxum and absolutely love it.
-Phil C. |
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Posts: 5230
| Go with minkota that rocker style pedal on the motorguides really sucks.0723 |
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Posts: 103
Location: Illinoise | gotta get the Minnkota AutoPilot. They rock. Just point where you want to go and keep casting. nuf said. |
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Posts: 1023
Location: Lafayette, IN | MinnKota gets my vote too. After 6 years of serious boating, my experience with the AutoPilot will make it difficult to ever change brands or technology. I own 2 and have operated another on a rental boat in MN.Batteries are essential (as is true with any motor) but AutoPilots begin to 'hunt' when the juice gets low. I manage my batteries closely and now that I own a bigger boat I'm making my investment in batteries and charger a big priority. One thing I've heard though....some new units have come out of the box with a problem due to static electricity from the plastic bag and cardboard box. MinnKota has stood behind their product completely though. I knew of this problem from my neighbor who has the standard PowerDrive but it works fine now that MinnKota replaced the unit. Love that SoftTouch pedal too. I sure don't miss standing on the old cable controlled motors all day while trying to fish. Now I can really enjoy my day in the front of the boat. |
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Posts: 1936
Location: Eau Claire, WI | Minn-Kota gets my vote. A few of the guys I know who fish tournaments or are sponsored by Motor Guide are carrying spare units with them if that tells you anything. I wouldn't buy one if they were 1/2 the cost.
Suggestions for Sonar/Gps.
On the bow the new Eagle 320 sonar made by Lowrance is hard to beat for the money. I have had good success in the past few years with Garmin 240's but I think this new 320 has them beat.
As far as marine radio is concerned; you will get more Tx/Rc distance with a boat mounted unit and a fixed antena as opposed to a hand held unit. It depends on your needs but cost will be about the same for quality products.
Hope this helps. |
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Posts: 585
Location: Gaithersburg, Maryland | FYI: according to the factory repairman for Minkotta & Johnson (they are owned by the same company) Minkotta is the better brand. |
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Posts: 326
Location: Plainfield IL | Go with the Minn Kota, the MG's are loud when running and the foot pedal designs are horrible.
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Posts: 167
Location: Fonda IA | Just put a 65# AP on my new boat,along with a 74# transom Minn kota.Only problems I ever had was a circut board that was covered by warrenty.Have had three bow mounts and 2 transom prior to these and they where all good motors.Blummer |
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Posts: 1916
Location: Greenfield, WI | At the risk of sounding like, "ME Too!", I have owned and used three Minnkotas on my Tuffy, continuously since 1986! I currently use and abuse a 50 pound thrust powerdrive unit. I especially like the low profile foot petal, which I use from the back casting deck. I don't use a pedistal seat for myself, which would make the higher profile foot petals even more difficult to use in rough seas. I am in not affilated with Minnkota in any way. If the opinions of those on this post have any credibility, it would seem that your decision is made. Good Luck. |
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Posts: 10
| Mills,
I havn't used motorguide. All the Minnkotas I've ran have been in the shop more than once. these units were poewerdrive autopilot models. When talking to the repairshop , I asked him what seems to be Minnkotas best motor. He told me to get the maxxum. Why because they come with a 3 year warranty, powerdrives only 2. The problems with my Minnkotas were electric boards Of one sort or another , never with the actual drive motor.
AL |
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| I just recently bought a 65lb thrust Auto Pilot. I have heard the stories about keeping the pedal and electronics dry. Has anybody sprayed silicone or some other product on the electronics to protect them and would that void the warranty? |
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Posts: 1936
Location: Eau Claire, WI | Jim,
The electonics in the pedal are sealed in epoxy encapsulated circuit boards. No reason for the electronics in the head of the unit to get wet.
Haven't heard of or ever experienced the problem. I have been running Minn-Kota's since 1986, not one problem with any of the units.
I am not on their pro team either so I run my units until I sell the boat or upgrade the unit to a newer model. |
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Posts: 32960
Location: Rhinelander, Wisconsin | Minn Kota all the way. Sam H. has treated me so well that I would never even THINK of running any other motor. The service is excellent, and the product top shelf. I will order my new units tomorrow! |
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Posts: 140
| Minn Kota hands down.
I wouldn't own another MotorGuide if they were dipping them in gold and giving them away for free. |
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Posts: 47
Location: The Land of Lincoln | I've only owned a boat for 4 years and the only trolling motor I've ever owned is a Minnkota Powerdrive I bought when they first came out. I hate to be a party-pooper but mine has been nothing but trouble.
From the first summer, I've had trouble. The footpedal's power control gets stuck on "ten" all the time now so the pedal has become an on/of switch. I've rewired the power cord (that goes to the battery) twice (the wire overheats and the copper turns grayish-brown in color)! I tried to make a warranty claim but Minnkota was extrememly strict about their "sales receipt required" policy even though I made the claim only 7 months months after these motors were introduced! It's got other problems, too but blah, blah, blah. I think I got stuck with a lemon! If I could afford it, I'd just buy a new one, but money has always been really tight and this one has already cost me a pretty penny (in more ways than one).
mclarkin777 |
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Posts: 485
Location: On my favorite lake! | Just like the majority. I'd say Minn kota
I have a motorguide which came with the boat which hasn't had any problems, but if I'd buy a new one, I'd want a Minn kota. |
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| I too hate to "wheedle" in the corn flakes, but I have a '98 Motor Guide model 4, 43lb. thrust, and it is doing fine 5 yrs. later; got it on me Carolina Skiff. But when time comes to get another, I'll go w/ those who know and get a Minn Kota... |
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Posts: 1536
Location: God's Country......USA..... Western Wisconsin | I was a Motor guide fanatic for many years. Thought they were the best thing going. In 1996 I bought my first Minnkota, a Maxxum, Nothing else will ever get on my boat. So much better than any MG I ever had there is really no comparison. |
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Posts: 105
Location: Kawartha Lakes, Ontario | I will only buy Minnkota. I have one that I abused for 10 years (65-MXT) and it has been flawless. Enough said.
Keep your hooks sharp. |
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Posts: 1438
| I just got a used Power Drive and will have it on the boat for summer. One thing to point out is that if you ever break a prop, drop a prop pin or any other minor problem on a MinnKota, places like WallyWorld etc carry parts. Got into a pinch with my other motor 2 years ago and spent over a half day of my vacation trying to find a spare prop shaft pin. Luckily found one, the last one in stock, at a dealer and was able to get back to fishing. Had they not had one the next closest dealer was approx 1 1/2 hours away on top the the 1/2 I already drove.
Just something you may want to think about. Don't know how "available" MG parts are.
Scott
Edited by theedz155 3/7/2003 5:41 AM
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