Big Tiller
01-15-2001, 02:14 PM
The bow mount trolling motor line up has never been better if you are a walleye angler. If you are in the market for a new front electric, consider these choices.....
1. Pinpoint - With the single transducer SX series, you get a depth tracking motor, and more importantly, Pinpoint's great sonar with no interference. If your serious and spend alot of time fishing from the front of your boat, you have to consider the Pinpoint SZ or 3000 Series motors. Low-Profile foot pedal is easy to run. We spent 2 hours casting a rocky shorline last April with the depth track set on 9' on a Pinpoint 3700 motor, and only touched the foot pad 1 time to adjust the speed when the wind picked up. It's that impresive. These motor are easy on the batteries also. 21 slot motors are slightly louder than the competition, but they run longer on a single battery charge. If you get a Pinpoint motor, you have to get the sonar also. Consider the 7500, 7800, or new 7420. This package, for the fisherman that know's what the motor & sonar are capable of, is a deadly combination. Everyone who knows how to run Pinpoint sonar, will tell you the same thing.
2. Minn Kota Genesis - This is a well built motor. The foot pedal problem is solved, and it may be the easiest foot pedal to run (much better than the old AutoPilot pedal). With the AutoPilot feature built-in, it is a nice motor, but you do pay for the power stow and deploy. If you purchase this motor, take the time to have the transducer cord from your front sonar installed thru the motor's shaft by someone that knows how to do it.
3. Minn Kota Grip Glide AutoPilot - If you like the old AutoPilot, this new motor has a much better bracket, and it is actually easy to lower the motor into the water. But the old style left/right ankle breaker foot pedal has not changed. The new system to run the transducer cable from the lower unit up the shaft has improved on these motors though.
4. MotorGuide Excel - MotorGuide may have finally got it right this time. These new electric steer motors are belt driven from an electric motor that controls the turning left to right, similar to the system Pinpoint has been using. The rubber belt means no more broken gears (ie:Lazer), a big improvement. This motor turns fast also, so guys that are use to the cable-driven Brutes, or Minn Kota Maxxums, will have no trouble switching over. New designed Low Profile foot pedal has a detent in the center for straight ahead. After you use this foot pedal awhile, you get used to the feel of this detent, and do not have to glance down at the steering indicator to know which direction the lower unit is pointing. When you hit the detent, the boat is steering dead ahead. Since it is steered by an electric motor, you don't fight the lower unit torque when the speed is set up at 60-100%. The motor keeps tracking straight when you take your foot off the pedal also. The momentary buttons are located on both sides of the pedal also. And MotorGuide has 2 models, a 24 volt and a 36 volt motor with a Pinpoint transducer built-into the lower unit, that will run any one of Pinpoint's 5 sonar units with no interference. If you want a Pinpoint sonar transducer on the lower unit, you have to choose from the Pinpoint motor, or take a hard look at this new Excel motor. If the depth track does not appeal to you, but Pinpoint sonar does, Excel may be for you.
1. Pinpoint - With the single transducer SX series, you get a depth tracking motor, and more importantly, Pinpoint's great sonar with no interference. If your serious and spend alot of time fishing from the front of your boat, you have to consider the Pinpoint SZ or 3000 Series motors. Low-Profile foot pedal is easy to run. We spent 2 hours casting a rocky shorline last April with the depth track set on 9' on a Pinpoint 3700 motor, and only touched the foot pad 1 time to adjust the speed when the wind picked up. It's that impresive. These motor are easy on the batteries also. 21 slot motors are slightly louder than the competition, but they run longer on a single battery charge. If you get a Pinpoint motor, you have to get the sonar also. Consider the 7500, 7800, or new 7420. This package, for the fisherman that know's what the motor & sonar are capable of, is a deadly combination. Everyone who knows how to run Pinpoint sonar, will tell you the same thing.
2. Minn Kota Genesis - This is a well built motor. The foot pedal problem is solved, and it may be the easiest foot pedal to run (much better than the old AutoPilot pedal). With the AutoPilot feature built-in, it is a nice motor, but you do pay for the power stow and deploy. If you purchase this motor, take the time to have the transducer cord from your front sonar installed thru the motor's shaft by someone that knows how to do it.
3. Minn Kota Grip Glide AutoPilot - If you like the old AutoPilot, this new motor has a much better bracket, and it is actually easy to lower the motor into the water. But the old style left/right ankle breaker foot pedal has not changed. The new system to run the transducer cable from the lower unit up the shaft has improved on these motors though.
4. MotorGuide Excel - MotorGuide may have finally got it right this time. These new electric steer motors are belt driven from an electric motor that controls the turning left to right, similar to the system Pinpoint has been using. The rubber belt means no more broken gears (ie:Lazer), a big improvement. This motor turns fast also, so guys that are use to the cable-driven Brutes, or Minn Kota Maxxums, will have no trouble switching over. New designed Low Profile foot pedal has a detent in the center for straight ahead. After you use this foot pedal awhile, you get used to the feel of this detent, and do not have to glance down at the steering indicator to know which direction the lower unit is pointing. When you hit the detent, the boat is steering dead ahead. Since it is steered by an electric motor, you don't fight the lower unit torque when the speed is set up at 60-100%. The motor keeps tracking straight when you take your foot off the pedal also. The momentary buttons are located on both sides of the pedal also. And MotorGuide has 2 models, a 24 volt and a 36 volt motor with a Pinpoint transducer built-into the lower unit, that will run any one of Pinpoint's 5 sonar units with no interference. If you want a Pinpoint sonar transducer on the lower unit, you have to choose from the Pinpoint motor, or take a hard look at this new Excel motor. If the depth track does not appeal to you, but Pinpoint sonar does, Excel may be for you.