Boat upgrade dilemma: Help and Opinions

[rps]

I post this in TR rather than elsewhere, as the most likely source of feedback is here.

When I moved to Tulsa, I was afraid the time required to travel to and back to the lake would mean the end of fishing. 45 - 50 minutes to the lake makes 6:00 AM launches difficult for me. I contemplated selling my boat.

Once I was here a bit  and the current problems came up, fishing may be the only way I can have fun outside of the community I live.

However, boats always have something wrong with them, unless Wrench just finished them, and even then, give it a month.

Currently, my TM is kaput. In Oklahoma wind, a good TM with excellent spotlock is a must.

I have used an Ulterra since early 2015. Now it stays on my bow as a large chunk of weight.

So here are the questions. Do I do the Garmin Force/UltraEchomap on the boat or do I wait for the Lowrance Ghost, 60 inch shaft, to come out who knows when? Do I put $4500k on a five year old 15K boat? Do I run, naked, through Skiatook, Oklahoma disguised as the stay puff man?

What do you think?

[fishinwrench]

41 minutes ago, rps said:

 

So here are the questions. Do I do the Garmin Force/UltraEchomap on the boat or do I wait for the Lowrance Ghost, 60 inch shaft, to come out who knows when? Do I put $4500k on a five year old 15K boat? Do I run, naked, through Skiatook, Oklahoma disguised as the stay puff man?

What do you think?

If you've got money laying around that you don't/won't need.....then bygod don't let another day go by without one. 

If the day comes that you regret doing it....then go naked sta-puft though a BLM protest demonstration.  

[Jerry Rapp]

don't know why spot lock is such a must, but I sure would be getting something that fits my desires so that I could fish w/o drifting or tieing up to a tree.  Get out there and enjoy what you do, I miss your reports!  Good luck. 

[Bill Babler]

I think Wrench pretty much hit the nail directly on the head.

[kjackson]

After the whole "do I really want to spend the money" debate you will hold with yourself and wife, the question for me would be relating to your sonar/GPS units.  To get the most from Garmin or Lowrance motors, you really should upgrade your electronics...and that can get really expensive.  Is there not a trolling motor repair shop in the Tulsa area?  That would be my first option to be followed by finding an Ultrex on sale--it's what you're used to using, so that is a bonus. You can always go to option three if you practice social distancing.

[nomolites]

I would not throw the towel in on without having it looked at, I’d take it to the nearest MK service center.

Mike

[skeeter]

If you do decide to upgrade, I'd suggest only considering any TM that uses "brushless" motors.   Knowing firsthand the huge difference those have made in battery powered tools but having zero experience with them in TM's, that would be the only option I'd ever consider buying.  More power for less drain on the batteries to start with and possibly quieter too ?  I too have an Ulterra and despise the darn thing..  

[snagged in outlet 3]

36 minutes ago, skeeter said:

If you do decide to upgrade, I'd suggest only considering any TM that uses "brushless" motors.   Knowing firsthand the huge difference those have made in battery powered tools but having zero experience with them in TM's, that would be the only option I'd ever consider buying.  More power for less drain on the batteries to start with and possibly quieter too ?  I too have an Ulterra and despise the darn thing..  

Is the Utrex brushless???

[Hunter53]

26 minutes ago, snagged in outlet 3 said:

Is the Utrex brushless???

No.  With that said I still really like mine.

For brushless it is either the garmin or lowrance.

[fshndoug]

I have used the same  Evinrude trolling motor since 1993 without many problems at all no spotlock or gps locator .I can see where the new tms would be great.It just depends on your fishing needs.Oh by the way I do have a Lowrance HDS 12 carbon pro on the boat.