Minn Kota from the US

[Finbar]

Hi, new member. Have been researching Minn Kota to suit salt and fresh fishing. Usually target whiting/calamari around St Leonards in Port Phillip bay, but also troll for trout in W. district lakes and Eucumbene. The Minn Kota ipilot ilink Saltwater Ulterra 60in leg 80lb thrust is the model that would best suit my needs. The current 2016 saltwater model has now been superseded in the US with improved GPS and sounder link features but according to Minn Kota Australia is unlikely to be released in Aust anytime soon.
The improvements provide better auto anchor, which would be a big plus, especially chasing whiting, no need to constantly drop and retrieve anchor, now stated by Minn Kota to hold within the original claimed 5' radius. Further the new model would have inbuilt transducer plus ability to link with sounder. The current model in Australia will not be updatable, the new one in US is bluetooth based. My questions are these-
1. Is there any electronic/compass difference between US and Aust models?
2. Any reason not to buy from US if as stated by Minn Kota Aust rep they would honour warranty here?
3. Any other comments?

[chocolatemoose]

not sure who told you that. but the new generation of Minnkotas are all coming to australia with the exception of the hybrid cable/electric steer ULTREX "Which would sell in extremely low numbers in aus"

the updated Bluetooth based with heading sensoring ulterra is coming to australia. as well as the newer terrovas/ powerdrives with ezy lift system and enhaced acuracy

the freshwater versions remain the only ones with built in transducer options

minnkota AUS will not honour any US imported warranty.

[rayken1938]

minnkota AUS will not honour any US imported warranty
and not only that the techs in australia will not be trained to work on the usa models so you are really on your own if you have problems unless you have contacts to arrange cheap freight to usa otherwise you are looking at around a grand just to send it back and forward.
Wait and see what watersnake and motorguide and haswing have in the pipeline.
Cheers
Ray

[chocolatemoose]

haswing have a GPS dueo soon. the motorguides are doing well with acuracy but build quality is pretty average. watersnake is a price point unit .
these new minnkotas coming out look to be the best electric we have seen.

[perko]

Moose, is there a 80lb, 72 inch shaft I pilot available?

[NAGG]

Warranty would scare me off .... or should I say lack of warranty

I've owned 4 Minn Kotas and each & every one has had work done under warranty ..... one of them knew it's own way back to BLA it had been there so many times.

Chris

[millzee]

Warranty would scare me off .... or should I say lack of warranty

I've owned 4 Minn Kotas and each & every one has had work done under warranty ..... one of them knew it's own way back to BLA it had been there so many times.

Chris

With saying that, I'd assume you'd go the Motorguide next??

[NAGG]

With saying that, I'd assume you'd go the Motorguide next??

Probably not - I've seen quite a few issues with motorguide too . .... they are less robust (IMHO)

& whilst each Minn Kota has had an issue in one form or another - BLA have handled each and every one in an exemplary manner ...... & that does go a long way



Chris

[Donutmaster]

..... one of them knew it's own way back to BLA it had been there so many times.

Chris[/QUOTE]

Lost when I read this hahaha

Sent from my Nexus 5 using Ausfish mobile app

[scrotty]

I have had heaps of Minn Kota's and never had one issue. All been Aussie though. Not worth the hassle with a cheaper import in my opinion.

[China]

Digital oasis also, but with the exchange rate don't know if it is any cheaper.