Which Electric

[scott_b]

I'm looking at buying a bow mount electric . After reading about the Minn Kota's I'm a bit scared . What other brands are there and is there any comments or advise about buying electrics.
thanks wamjam

[macca]

Minn Kota is a great option.

Sure there is some negatives at the moment, but for ease of use, features and durability, I could not go past them.

I am on my second one in my second boat after having a riptide tiller steer on my previous boat, at the moment I have a Mk 55 Auto pilot bow mount. This motor is simply the best.

Macca

[Zeeke]

ive owned both a minnkota and a motorguide, and after the motorguide i wont go back, the MinnKota's are waaaaaaaaaaay easier to use, alot more quieter and have more options and user friendly features..

the motorguide motors are all cable steer systems and have only a 4ft long cable that isnt very flexible.. i had to drill a big hole through the bow of my boat so i could use the foot pedal on the floor instead of it hanging in the air, the minnkota motors have a 5 meter long cable so you can use it from anywhere in the boat.. the steering is slower but i havent noticed any time where the slower steering has affected my fishing or maneuverability, also the MinnKota's have the autopilot feature, handy if you want to hold a spot without anchoring up and also to move along a set heading and casting lures at the structure.. ive also fitted a Co-Pilot system to my MinnKota, it gives me remote control access to the electric so i can steer it aswell as turn the motor on and off from anywhere in the boat and upto 30 meters away, it acts just like the foot control but its a lil oval shaped keypad the size of a car alarm buzzer on your keychain.. it just snaps into a rod mount that comes in the package, and you can steer and control the boat with the touch of your thumb or finger.. very very very handy!! that cost $500 from america.. they sell a corded version here in australia and it costs that much, the wireless remote control version allows you to still use the foot control!

Tim

[clutter]

I'm looking at the motorguide at the moment. One big draw back with the Minn Kota is the price. A 54lb cable steer motorguide is nearly half the price of the 55AP Minn Kota. Admittedly the Minn Kota Riptide is a salt water model where the motorguide isn't, but you can buy an anode for them that will take care of that problem.

Cheers, Clutter

[Cloud_9]

the anode will not protect the electronics all mina kotas and motor glides saltwater models have sealed electronics. if it aint white its not for salt.

[Zeeke]

exactly what Jamie said, if it aint white, dont touch it!


Tim

[craigie]

G'day Wamjam,

Not too sure whats so scarry about Minn Kota's ??
I've got 2 of them (42 lb Bowmount Riptide AP, 40 LB trasom mt Riptide) and they have both worked fine .
If you look after them they should last for donkey's years.

Next one i buy will be the 65lb Bow Mount AP Riptide. With the way the Aussie Dollar is going these things should start to get cheaper ??

Happy 'Stealth' Fishing,

Craigie.

[billy7]

dont worry about the minn kotas wamjam there warranty is A1 when mine stopped i sent it back it was fixed and returned with in the week and didnt cost me a cent that was 8 years ago it hasnt missed a beat since and has been treated fairly rough.

[ANYFISH]

gday mate
looks like you got your answer. i'd go the bow mount minncota and get the biggest one your misses will let you buy. better hurry up if you want to get it on before we go to awoonga.
cheers
anyfish

[scott_b]

Thanks everyone
Sounds the only way to go . Has anyone checked the prices at Cabela's in the states , bloody cheap with the ausie dollar so high.
Thanks again wamjam

[craigie]

Yes Wamjam, I check Cabelas and Bass Pro all the time !!!
What's the best way to get a couple of these Minn Kotas from the States ???
As I mentioned earlier, there getting cheaper all the time !!!

Maybe we could ring them and find out ?

Cheers
Craigie.

[landy1]

Shhhh my minn kota is a fresh water model used occasionally in the salt. No worries so far only difference according to the salesman is the sealing of the electrics. tube of silcon no worries ;D ;D ;D
cheers
Mick

[Fordo]

Hi Guys,
I had read at another forum about different compasses in the AP models for the Northern and Southern hemisphere countries.
I have an email reply for the US overnight which confirmed this, Although I can't see what could possibly be the difference. You may need to be aware of this.

Someone else may know more about this subject, and can add to this

Regards
Fordo

[klyons]

Fordo

The bit about compasses is correct. Card type compasses have to be made to suit either northern or southern hemisphere. It all has to do with the angle of the magnetic fields. In the north, the fields are angled down towards the northpole ie towards the horizon while in the southern hemisphere the field is angled up ie above the horizon therefore one end of the needle needs to be weighted - the south end on a northern compass and the north end on the other.If you can get hold of a diagram of the earths magnetic fields you will see what I mean.

Hope I got that right.

Kev

[Fordo]

Thanks Kev,

That explains what they where talking about when they said "the card in the compass wouldn't be level" when referring to taking a Northern hemisphere MK into the Southern Hemisphere.

Learn something everyday

Guess I am still shopping around for a unit locally, so much for the change in currency lately

Fordo

[basserman]

i have had the problem with my elec. but as everyone says they are just more than happy to pick it up fix it give me a replacment for the time being and send my old one back when it is fixed
Alwasy go for the big brand name that way you know they will always look after you!
:D :D :D

[scott_b]

Fordo
Don't know anything about autopilots , but is this to do with the north and south hem.
Please let me know.
I have read you need a fish finder compatible to the Minn Kota. Do you need a GPS as well.
Thanks wamjam

[Fordo]

Hi Wanjam,
The Auto pilot we are talking of, is a feature on some of the Minn Kota's.
It works off an internal compass within the Minn Kota itself.
I guess it locks onto the heading when you press the AP button.
What it is apparently, is that the compasses are set-up differently for North and South hemispheres as Klyons has confirmed.

I am aware that sometimes you can get interferrence caused by the electric motor which can upset other electrical devices.
I believe you can get noise filters if this is the case, to remove the interference.
I will be running off a seperate Deep Cycle battery for the MK so it won't be a problem.

The other thing I have found out in doing my background work is, if the Minn Kota is mounted on the same side of the boat as the sounder transducer that you can sometimes get underwater disturbances caused by the prop on the MK showing on the sounder.

Hope this helps

Fordo