Minn Kota/ Motor Guide trolling motors

[Dutch]

I have been thinking about buying a new trolling motor but haven't kept up with the latest developments.  I have been a Motor Guide guy for a long time but may switch.  I am running an X5 36 volt it handles anything that I need to do but I fractured 3 ribs and ruptured a lung this past winter.  The lung seems fine but the ribs haven't healed well.  I can feel them at the end of the day after raising and lowering the trolling motor multiple times.  So I guess I am looking at a 36 volt trolling motor that can deploy and stow by itself.  I know that they were around several years ago and guys had trouble with them.  What are today's like.  What kind of features do the different brands offer and how reliable are they.

I'd like to hear from guys who have them or guys who have fished in boats with them.

[rps]

After I had my rotator cuff surgery, my wife insisted I change troll motors. I had a Minn Kota Terrova which had a deploy/stow system like your X5. Now I have the 24 volt, 80 pound thrust Minn Kota Ulterra. As of now I believe it is the only self deploy/self store motor on the market. Mine is two years old and works beautifully, provided I keep a remote battery in the boat and the splice for the plug does not catch on fire.

[Dutch]

2 hours ago, rps said:

and the splice for the plug does not catch on fire.

Will you please elaborate on that statement.  I've seen boats on fire on the water.  I never want to be in one..

[rps]

21 minutes ago, Dutch said:

Will you please elaborate on that statement.  I've seen boats on fire on the water.  I never want to be in one..

The people who connected the trolling motor cable to the plug spliced it and covered it with shrink tubing. Evidently their splice became corroded and shorted. Suddenly I had sparks shooting from under the heat shrink tubing, followed by fire. I finally got the entire thing unplugged by yanking the cable to pull the plug. At the same time, the wires parted. Bottom line, the fire was not the motor's fault, but the fault of he who made the original splice.

Original post here:

 

[fishinwrench]

There must not be many out there, or if there is they are flawless.   I've never had one brought in, and have never installed one.  

[Dutch]

I am starting to see them on the lake.   I don't know if they are self deploy or not, but they definitely are remote controlled.  I'm pretty sure that I saw Ducky Doty trolling with Arigs on Bull a few years ago using a trolling motor and sitting at the helm.  I saw one guy at Stockton doing that Saturday am and I also saw a guy fishing from his back seat.  He pulled a remote out of his pocket to move the boat.

I guess I'd better start with a trip to Marine Repair in Spfld and see what Scott and Brad have to say about them.  I don't know which way they lean.  When George had it he was an MK guy. 

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rps glad to hear it was not an equipment failure but an install gone bad.

 

[snagged in outlet 3]

I have a minn Kota Utrex although not auto stow and deploy the spot lock and other GPS features work great. 

[slothman]

If I had the money for one, I would get an Ultrex. No question. It does not auto-deploy, but it does have gas pistons that assist in raising/lowering. 

[liphunter]

I recently installed a Minn Kota Terrova. It's not auto deploy, but does have a big flat spring for lift assist. I really am happy with it. Glad I got it. The only problem I am having is trying to run a transducer cable down it. The built in transducer is just to limiting.

[rps]

3 hours ago, liphunter said:

I recently installed a Minn Kota Terrova. It's not auto deploy, but does have a big flat spring for lift assist. I really am happy with it. Glad I got it. The only problem I am having is trying to run a transducer cable down it. The built in transducer is just to limiting.

You can run the cable down the channel on the shaft. Several you tube examples are out there. When I had the Terrova, that install worked great.