CTFishTalk.com: minn kota vs motorguide - Connecticut Boat Repair, Electronics, and Motor Help ( CT Boat Repair, Electronics, and Motor Help ) - A Community Built for Connecticut Fisherman.

setterman · Joined: 10 Dec 2009 Posts: 28

I have a16' sea nymph set for a 12 volt system for a trolling motor. I want a bow mounted with fot control, autopilot is optional. Seems 55 pound thrust is the biggest I can get for system setup without rewiring. Any experience or recomendations?

SkeeterRon · Joined: 01 Jun 2007 Posts: 1173 Location: Newington, CT

Setterman,

I have had both brands and honestly Minn Kota I like the best.

You have so many locations to get parts and repairs.

Reynolds Marine (Lyme CT) has done repairs on my Minn and they were awesome. No delays got me back on the water fast.

Thayers Marine (Norwich) is the MotorGuide repair center for CT, and that I think was just within the past few years. Before them, it was a real pain. I had to ship the unit back to the manufacture.

I know Minn has a composite shaft which will bend and flex if you hit stumps etc. MotorGuide, most models have a steel shaft and will bend.

I once read somewhere that Minn Kota was also lighter by a few paounds then MotorGuide.

It's a tough choice, If you go with the Minn, Call the guys at Reynolds for pricing..

Good luck.

PS, Ask the guys at Reynolds the same question.
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slimecoat · Joined: 09 Nov 2007 Posts: 1576 Location: Newington, CT.

I am definately a Minn Kota guy. Love them for all the same reasons, plus they cut through weeds better than Motor guide's do.
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cjpd_00 · Joined: 14 Apr 2008 Posts: 57 Location: Stafford Springs

My dad and I have used both and we prefer minn kota. The motor guide we have has broke many times. the circuit board has burnt out 2 or 3 times and the gear in the top that steers the motor has broke 2 times. So far we have not had any problems with either of our minn kota's. Hope that helps!

setterman · Joined: 10 Dec 2009 Posts: 28

thanks for your suggestion, I bit the bullet and bought the minnkota v2 with autopilot

slimecoat · Joined: 09 Nov 2007 Posts: 1576 Location: Newington, CT.

I'm sure you will not be disappointed. The auto pilot feature is nice if your fishing offshore and you want to stay in say 9 feet of water, just set it at 9 feet and it will keep you on that outside edge the whole time even in the wind. At the same time you will discover offshore underwater humps and submerged points etc. It can make you a better fisherman if you pay attention.
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Just4fun · Joined: 08 May 2007 Posts: 1389 Location: Saybrook

I think you're mistaking the autopilot feature of MG there Gary,..the MK-autopilot maintains you on a compass setting rather than at a certain depth. You point the boat where you want it to go and then it just keeps going in that direction. It is very nice to have when fighting wind and/or current.
If you balance the speed just right,..it will keep you more or less in place off a windy bank and allows you to fish without needing to do a balancing act with your foot on the trolling motor!
I also like it when fighting a fish alone,..where I can just aim it out towards deeper water while I'm fighting/landing the fish,..so I don't drift over the spot where the fish was and spook anything else that was there! Wink

The only drawback that I find with the electronic steering is that you can't hold the motor up by the pull cord and steer with your foot in very skinny water like you can with a traditional tolling motor. Instead,..I have to hold the motor up and turn it with my hands for that sort of thing. Still do-able,..but just more of a chore than with the traditional steering! Cool

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slimecoat · Joined: 09 Nov 2007 Posts: 1576 Location: Newington, CT.

Yeah Mark you caught me, I got my manufacturers crossed, my bad. What Mark said is true. I love my Minn Kota just the same.
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