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| I am upgrading my bow mount trolling motor this spring. I have a 18' DeepV Skeeter and have the 24 or 36 volt option. Minn Kota is a great in the trolling motor industry, with good customer support. Motorguide has been bought by Mercury Marine, which I believe will help in their customer support. That is very important to me when something unexpected happens and time is a factor. Motorguides New Digital Pinpoint seems to have some very interesting features including Shore track, depth track, river track etc. I am however curious on how it performs under normal and given situations. Another concern of mine is the Metal shaft. It has the spring-return break-away system. I know from personal experience that it is durable. They claim that metal is stronger than plastic, but don't guaranty it. The Digital Guardian is warranted for 3 years, but if I somehow bent or cracked the shaft then my warrenty is void? I like the new style of the low profile foot control, unlike the old ones. The cable is short and would have to buy a extension when I fish in the middle or back of the boat. Minn Kota also has some nice features, along with the Universal Sonar and Auto Pilot, option remote steering etc. The composite shaft which is guaranteed. They also has the nice low profile foot control, it comes with the long cable at no extra cost. I am weighing my options. Motorguides New Pinpoint technology I find awesome, if it works as good as salesman tell me. Minn Kota has a proven track record with proven technology. A lot Musky fisherman lean towards Minn Kota for a variety of reasons. I am basically a structure fisherman which leans me towards Pinpoints depth and shore tracking capabilities. My opinion is Motorguides Pinpoint wins as far as curiosity goes(we all know what happened to the cat). Minn Kota wins with a proven track record and customer support. They both win as being unique in their own ways. I have a dilemma; I fish for many species but primarily Muskies, would one of these trolling motors outweigh the other for Musky fishing? I need some more Pro's and Con's, any insight info? What would you get? I can be swayed either way. Help Me! I will let the board know what I buy. Thanks, Dan |
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Location: Woodstock, IL | I was in the same dilemna about one year ago. I still like the idea of the Pinpoint; however I ultimately went with the Minn Kota Genesis.
Ask around to see if you can spend some time on the water with either of the units you're looking at. There is no better way to decide than use them first hand. |
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Posts: 670
Location: Minnetonka , MN. | I had a Pinpoint and I have had the Autopilot . All the electronice are nice but when it fails your SOL . I almost went to a manula control but went with the Maxxum with foot control. |
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Posts: 148
Location: DES MOINES, IOWA | I use to have a remote Motorguide, which was a lemon, and switched to Maxxum with foot control for exactly the reason you mentioned.The other problem I had with Motorguide was no one in the section of Canada I fish would work on a Motorguide.Minn Kota only.So, being I fish that area quite a bit, I really had to go to Minn Kota.Glad I did. The Maxxum is a horse. |
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Posts: 1285
Location: Stevens Point, Wi. | One thing to consider--locations of warranty centers. With the size of trolling motors, you don't want to pay shipping charges and the extra downtime involved. Check each brand, they come with a listing of all authorized repair facilities. |
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| I've pretty much tried em all, for my money,
Minnkota Maxxum....bulletproof
the others.......Not
Try and run a MG or PP through heavy cover ....forgetaboutit |
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Posts: 1536
Location: God's Country......USA..... Western Wisconsin | Dan, I hope that this helps a little in your delemma. I also am a multi spieces fisherman. I have had a fishing boat for the last 25 years or so. Went from a 15 foot Aluminum to glass and back to Aluiminum then back to glass again. I ran the Motorguides for many years and always swore that I would never have another brand. I bought a Ranger Bass boat in 1998 that came with one of the 1st Minnkota Maxxums that the dealership had recieved. Far and away the best troller I had ever had. I now own a Ranger 519 Commanche with the Maxxum 74# thrust model. If anything this motor is better than the last one. I hope that whichever you get that it performs as well as mine has. |
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Posts: 27
Location: St. Cloud, MN | I was in the same dilemma as Dan, I've decided on the MinnKota 74 AP/US. The pinpoint WAS a great trolling motor but the guys at Throne's mention that the new pinpoint hasn't gotten all the bugs out of it. Maybe this new generation does however I'd rather be sure than sorry. Especially with the money you are talking. I went AP because I can set it and forget it. I also fish multi species and I have a Vantage on the transom. The other feature of the AP I like is the long cable. If I have a young or old angler in the boat I can put them up front and controll the boat from the stern. If you've got kids, it is nice to have them in front of you so you can see what they are taking out of your tackle box and how they're doing. I don't like the high profile pedal, and I had a problem with oversteering. The MinnKota's are also warrantied for 2 to 3 years. |
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Posts: 1916
Location: Greenfield, WI | I have been using a Minnkota PD50 with a 20' cord and low profile control pad with great success. The next unit, when this one wears out, will be an Auto-Pilot with the same cord and control.
I questioned why you would need an Auto-Pilot being that I have never seen a staight weedline. However when you are helping someone with their fish or an equipment problem and the boat is in a windy area, it would be beneficial to point the trolling motor in a particular direction and not worry about it.
Minnkota has many convenient outlets which perform repairs, the few times that they are needed.
Minnkota would be my choice, without a doubt! |
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| Nobody has said any real good things about Motorguide yet. I was hoping for someone to help keep me interested in the New Pinpoints. So far its all Minn Kota. |
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Posts: 32924
Location: Rhinelander, Wisconsin | MotorGuide builds a very nice motor, and has introduced new products since Mercury brought the brand in house. They are not going to simply give up fighting for market share, that's for sure! I am certain MotorGuide will be a competitive force for a long time. |
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| I agree that Motorguide has and will be around for a long time. I have owned many Motorguides with little complaint. I even feel somewhat loyal towards the company because I was basically "born and raised" with them. |
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Posts: 2384
Location: On the X that marks the mucky spot | I had a Motorguide "Energy" on my last boat. Anyone who was at the Iowa outing in 2002 knows how great that motor was. It would simply stop working and start again for no apparent reason. Terrible motor in my oppinion.
My new boat has the Maxxum and I love it! It's no frills, boring and doesn't have lights, bells or whistles, BUT IT WORKS EVERYTIME EVERY DAY. Think about where a bowmount is located on your boat. Every bump you feel is magnified 5-10X up in the bow because of the lever effect. Banging, smashing, splashing, pounding and hightech is a bad mix IMOP.
The way I look at a trolling motor is that I don't want anything that may try to be smarter then I am. There are plenty of days that I wish I had the AP, but when I hear people with a bad footpeddle or the motor going out at the begining of a tournement or long trip I'm glad I've got a "dumb" motor on the front of the boat. |
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Posts: 440
| We have always ran Minn Kota. I have gone to a hand control Maxumm on one boat just for the reliability factor. Our foot control All Terain is about 6 years old and has never given issue. Knock on wood. I don't like bells and whistles, fishing time is hard enough to come by without adding a bunch of gismos to the mix of possible problems to cut my fishing time short. Another note of interest is that I have 5 friends that fish bass tournaments on the Mississippi river and all of them have had Motorguides on the bow, everyone of them has a Minn Kota Maxxum now. These guys are on the water every weekend March thru November banging rocks and chopping some of the thickest weeds you can imagine. It still comes down to personal prefernce. Its the Chevy vs Ford vs Dodge thing. |
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Posts: 385
| Do you guys know if they make the maxxum with the universal sonar option? |
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Posts: 5874
| Matt,
Yes, you can get the Maxxum with the Universal Sonar.
I have the 65AP/US, and really like it. They came out with a 74# version this year. |
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Posts: 155
Location: Watertown MN | Dan
I thinks my first choice hand down would be the new motorguide positioning motor. Like steve said, Mercury has purchases them and I would definitely expect motorguides quality to only get better. I have heard of most trolling motors having problem of one kind or another. Pinpoint had a rough few years, but talk to anyone that has it that they love it, there only complaint is realiability. I know alot of people who greatly rely on their Pinpoint, it definitely helps you learn new structure and it inside turns and fingers. I would shy away from it, it definitely a great tool. I have run it now for 3 years, 2 services, first under motorguide 1 1/2 months, under mercury 1 week.
Good luck
Troyz |
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