I think , I am going to up grade my trolling motor this year. I really what the anchor settings . Right now I have the power drive , I am very happy with.
so I am looking the consensus, of you guys.
there is about $ 500 difference between, the three models I am looking.
Driver drive, Terrova and Ulterra oh yeah I am going up to a 24 volt , I now the the power drive is 10 less pounds of trust compared to the other two.
So I think I made up mine mind. I am going with the power drive. So I emailed 6 different boat dealers in the Minocqua area,and one by Wausau, and only one, got back to me. I asked about price on the trolling motor,two new batteries, and install. I really don’t upstand why businesses and contractors don’t return calls or emails. In today’s world it’s easier then ever to communicate.
I ran the Ultrex all last year and loved it. The new anchor mode is much more accurate and useful than the original version. Do use and anchor any more.
I bought the Ultrex because of the bracket. I fish from the front deck sometimes and put the motor in and out a lot. I like the foot pedal on the Ultrex because you don't have to look at the motor to see where it's aiming. The motor position relates to the pedal position. Also the bracket is much easier to deploy and stow than the Terrova or Auto Pilot. The bracket is also very strong. If you fish from the back of the boat the wireless control works the same as the Ulterra or Terrova. You can also get the Link if you want.
Any of the new motors with anchor mode will be very impressive.
What ever you get the Waukesha dealer is good. Also Brew City Trolling motor gives excellent service. They also do house calls. http://brewcitytms.com/
I am also looking at upgrading. My issue is I have used Lowrance equipment forever. I may or may not link due to I would need to upgrade electronics also but that may or may not happen. I also used Minn Kota all my life at 61 years. Motorguide years back had there issues and thus the reason I remained true blue to Minn Kota. From what I researched Motorguide has a good unit with the i5 and I have not heard anything bad. Prices are all over the place pending options.
Are there any big pros and cons between the two motors? Also it is confusing as to how much you have to spend in options to make the comparison between them. Seems each time I go to Cabela's to look and research the two motors I get different answers which I think it was a preference think with the sales staff.
Since you are set on upgrading don’t half ass it. To get the best performance out of a 24v system you’ll want at least 6ga wire. Most boats now come with 8ga or 10ga. The bigger the wire you use the happier your motor will be. 8ga wire carrying 24v can heat up more than you’d like especially if you work the thing hard. You’ll also experience enough voltage drop to potentially hurt the motor. These Terrovas and Ulterras need to be fed.
You’ll also want to wire in a circuit breaker. That’s just an insurance policy for an expensive piece of equipment.
I’d also suggest some sort of stabilizing mount for when it is stowed. The head, which contains the GPS stuff, is sensitive. By locking it down it’s another bit of insurance for the intricate circuitry in them.
Perhaps the biggest benefit of a stabilizer is that it will guard against accidental deployment. I personally know guys who have been clipping across a lake with just a little bit of chop and their trolling motor comes unpinned and deployed. Their motors flipped into the water and were destroyed at 40-50mph.
Obviously it’s time to get new batteries. Don’t run a mismatched set. Find a pair that are identical and have the same manufacture date. Get the biggest batteries you can fit into your boat.
I have an 80lb 24v ulterra I purchased last winter on my 18’ crestliner pro tiller. I researched a ton before I spent the money and I have no complaints. I did not go with the link. Had no issues with it in cold weather in the spring. The auto stow / deploy is beyond handy. Running a tiller, I can move from spot to spot without leaving the seat to put down the motor. I have used it for launching the boat alone as well which was a big selling feature for me. Spot lock is dead on, some reviews I read before purchasing had said there was issues with staying put, but I did not find that to be an issue. The ipilot is fantastic for trolling, and the 24v has more than enough power to pull my boat for a full sun up to sun down 2 day trip of trolling. I’ve used the foot controller a few times, but I much prefer the hand fob. There is enough cord with the foot pedal to reach my driver seat in the tiller ( no idea why)
I think the anchor system is gold. Your are making a real smart move moving to 24 volt. Depending on the size of your boat you might consider 36 volt. I can use my 36 volt on my 22ft bass boat for two solid days and never feel a difference.. What ever you do make sure to buy new big batteries at the same time.
Big Ed
