Minn Kota garbage....

[Wave Runner]

I also have a Motor Guide Xi3 70 lb. like @rockin-steelhead has for a couple of years now. So far much better than the Min Kota I used to have but of course today's technology has improved big time. I love the fact I never need to pull an anchor anymore and also the fact it steers the boat while I'm doing something more important like reeling in fish or netting.? Hey @big rod maybe on that Ranger tank you should consider using twin 105 lb. Xi5 electric motors like some fiberglass boats have twin outboards, maybe then you won't burn them out.

 

[fcsmls]

I can second that. I wasted over $1300 on a I pilot 55 12 volt. What a piece of garbage. I too it back twice for repair and they cant fix it loses signal. The remote fails to turn on
The prop get locked on occasion. Spot lock doesnt work. It seemingly has a mind of it's own. This past week when fishing north it stayed on after the remote shut off.i had to scramble to pull the power plug or run into rocks..junk ...buy a motor guide or anything but a power drive.....I sure miss the old cable drives...maybe the high end units better but for $1300...come on..junk

Sounds like you got a lemon. I've had just the opposite experience with this unit. Now going into fifth season with same unit on a 16' Lund. Never use an anchor as spot lock is so great, and battery life has been great. Key thing I found with remote is to remove battery over winter and replace with a fresh one at start of season. And the ability to control the unit from anywhere on the boat has been invaluable. No being attached to a foot pedal control for this person - tried it on a friend's boat and it sucks.

 

[big rod]

I also have a Motor Guide Xi3 70 lb. like @rockin-steelhead has for a couple of years now. So far much better than the Min Kota I used to have but of course today's technology has improved big time. I love the fact I never need to pull an anchor anymore and also the fact it steers the boat while I'm doing something more important like reeling in fish or netting.? Hey @big rod maybe on that Ranger tank you should consider using twin 105 lb. Xi5 electric motors like some fiberglass boats have twin outboards, maybe then you won't burn them out.

It was junk foot pedals and finally the motor died on the PowerDrive, the second Terrova needs, a seal kit, brushes and a armature bearing, i don't think the size of the boat is burning them out. I am glad you are happy with the Xi3, i will be looking at Motor Guide products as soon as the Junk Kota dies .

 

[garbageman]

I also bought an XI3 from angling outfitters in Woodstock. I bought the 70 lb 60 inch and it is much better than the old minn kota PD55 I replaced. I have it networked to my Elite TI2. Set up a route to follow the 15ft contour at bluff bar on tuesday and the xi3 did all the driving while i fished. It can also go to waypoints set up in the TI2. So far works for me.

 

[Wave Runner]

@garbageman... @big rod may need you soon to take away some Minn Kota garbage. ?

 

[jerk bait]

Sounds like you got a lemon. I've had just the opposite experience with this unit. Now going into fifth season with same unit on a 16' Lund. Never use an anchor as spot lock is so great, and battery life has been great. Key thing I found with remote is to remove battery over winter and replace with a fresh one at start of season. And the ability to control the unit from anywhere on the boat has been invaluable. No being attached to a foot pedal control for this person - tried it on a friend's boat and it sucks.

This was a common problem of the power drives. There was a service bulletin about this years ago. I always change the battery in the remote. When I returned it they told me yes it's a known problem and there is a fix..never got fixed only worse . It's like it loses signal over and over and will get stuck on. Other times the whole unit just loses power all together. Wait 5 mins sometimes and it comes back sometimes you have to unhook the battery from it. Sometimes it will work for half a day with no issues other times its constant.
As for the spot lock, its garbage. It may work out in the middle of erie where you have miles and miles but it will not hold you within a 50 foot radius even in almost calm water. It's super slow to react and when it does it goes the wrong way. I gave up a tried and true cable drive maximum 55 for this and I regret every second of it. I emailed min kota recently about the issues and NO reply. Motor guide or some thing else in the near future for me

 

[Red Hering]

Use your boat from March till Nov. If i used my boat from mid May till Oct 1 they might last longer. Didn't even fish the river this spring. Whats the point of having gear if it can't be used . Oh it was "showerstall" not curtain .I am happy for you on the longevity on your gentley used fishing gear. When my Terrova dies you can have my old one,(free and free delivery) , we can finally meet when i head London way.Tight lines & Fish On!!

O.K. @big rod you called a Lund a shower stall & I called it a shower curtain, almost the same thing. lol Yes,gently used equipment that I have and proud of it for its longevity.I definitely wouldn’t want to buy new equipment every so many years,because of the abuse that some anglers put their equipment through.I agree that your Ranger Boat,(built one at a time-slogan)is a better boat than a Lund,(I think ?),and if I had a boat that was going to be docked like yours for the fishing season‘s,it would be a fibreglass boat,(not necessarily a Ranger boat either),for I sure would not want to be hauling that fibreglass “tank” all over the place,for a aluminum boat would be definitely a lot lighter for that. Enjoy the rest of your Lake Erie only fishing seasons’s with your boat & tight lines back to you & Fish ON!!????

 

[shasang]

Good luck if you buy a Motorguide xi5 nothing but problems and a buddy has problems also. JUNK

 

[twodogs]

I also have a Motor Guide Xi3 70 lb. like @rockin-steelhead has for a couple of years now. So far much better than the Min Kota I used to have but of course today's technology has improved big time. I love the fact I never need to pull an anchor anymore and also the fact it steers the boat while I'm doing something more important like reeling in fish or netting.? Hey @big rod maybe on that Ranger tank you should consider using twin 105 lb. Xi5 electric motors like some fiberglass boats have twin outboards, maybe then you won't burn them out.

@Wave Runner. Do you know what the difference is between a MG Xi3 with GPS and a Xi3 that has GPS and SNR?

 

[Wave Runner]

Yes @twodogs along with Pin Point GPS the Xi3 units with SNR feature a built-in universal 83/200 transducer with a Lowrance blue/gray 7-pin connector. Adapters are available for other compatible Lowrance units using different connectors. I believe you can also get adapters to use with other brands of fish finders as well. Hope that answers your question.

 

[twodogs]

Yes @twodogs along with Pin Point GPS the Xi3 with SNR units feature a built-in universal 83/200 transducer with a Lowrance blue/gray 7-pin connector. Adapters are available for other compatible Lowrance units using different connectors. I believe you can also get adapters to use with other brands of fish finders as well. Hope that answers your question.

OK thanks @ Wave Runner. Does that mean the Xi3 units with gps and no snr will not have spot lock? Sorry its all new to me.

 

[Wave Runner]

OK thanks @ Wave Runner. Does that mean the Xi3 units with gps and no snr will not have spot lock? Sorry its all new to me.

If it has Pin Point GPS yes it has anchor mode. Minn Kota calls it spot lock with MotorGuide it's called anchor mode, same thing. ?

 

[Arawak]

I bought an Ulterra a few years ago because I fish alone a lot, and was tired of running up to the front to deploy/stow the motor, especially fishing in Sarnia drifting down towards the bridge. This is the model that self deploys and stows.

It also does the heading lock which is great for trolling either electric only or to steer when I'm trolling alone. Lots of other bells and whistles but mostly don't use those.

However, this thing has given me considerable grief in the 4 years i've had it, from day one. The feature set is great but the design and build quality leave much to be desired. It will frequently stick in the deployed state, or jam while self-deploying. Twice it has stuck down and i've had to take some tools up to the bow and remove it in order to get back under way. Fortunately both times it was dead calm.

There is a manual stow lever but if you use it, it has to go to a dealer to get reset. This is just shoddy engineering.

The controller was a nightmare to get paired when i first bought it, took several calls to a clueless support department. I'm a software architect by trade, generally pretty good with things that have buttons and blinky lights... it should not have been that difficult. My 75-year-old FIL would have just returned it.

Love the concept and the feature set, but the execution is a fail. I knew I was taking a risk with that much complexity, but thought a big company like Minn kota would be able to deliver. This is what lack of competition in the market brings, I guess.

When I replace it, I'll have a good long hard look at Motor Guide.

 

[Wave Runner]

Hey @big rod have you looked at the Gamin Force or Lowrance Ghost? I know they are very expensive but having brushless motors they shouldn't burn out. They apparently use much less battery power and can be used in 36 volt or 24 volt modes which would help with longer lasting batteries I would think.

 

[willisride]

Love my xi3 with gps and sonar. Had a minnkota before and ditched it a few years back. If I could afford it when I need a replacement I’d be looking at the lowrance. Looks amazing.

 

[Red Hering]

Good luck if you buy a Motorguide xi5 nothing but problems and a buddy has problems also. JUNK

Never owned a Motorguide x15 or any make of their models @petehayhurst for I am still “loving” my Minn Kota for years now.Too bad that you and your buddy had bought Motoguide—JUNK!! & that would Suck for you both believing that you bought a “good” product!!

 

[Cannonball]

Referring to MinnKota PowerGlide V2. I bought mine in the fall of 2012. The foot pedal was just fine. In 2013 I decided to upgrade to I-Pilot Link to give me many more functions. I purchased an I-Pilot Link Power Head and made the installation at my dock. Doing that removes the original power head and foot pedal. No problem. The I-Pilot Link remote has worked flawlessly. The motor still is working properly. For any repairs I might need I was told by Johnson Outdoors in Burlington to take the hardware to Hastings Starter in Hagersville. At this point I do not know if that location is still up and running. I do know that Angling Outfitters used to send MinnKota repairs there because when I went to Hagersville to check out the operation several years ago there were MinnKotas on the table with tags on them for Angling Outfitters. So anybody having MinnKota problems might try contacting Johnson Outdoors and/or Hastings Starter. They can both be located online.

 

[Richardscott999]

Sorry to say Hastings is out of business!

 

[big rod]

Never owned a Motorguide x15 or any make of their models @petehayhurst for I am still “loving” my Minn Kota for years now.Too bad that you and your buddy had bought Motoguide—JUNK!! & that would Suck for you both believing that you bought a “good” product!!

If you keep fishing out of other peoples boats your gear will last forever.

 

[big rod]

Sorry to say Hastings is out of business!

Blame Carol Baskin & Junk Kota.