MotorGuide Wireless

[Rick_66]

Anyone have  experience with the MotorGuide wireless trolling motors?  I am looking to purchase a new one with the transducers already installed...but just not sure, so I am looking thoughts and advice.  Thanks and much appreciated, Rick

[RobDar]

...this is one of those things I am just not sure about. The wireless ones are a chunk more money than the cable steer...I kind of think of my trolling motor as a utility....I am not sure I would pay the extra money for all the gadgets...but that is me.

I think the built in transducers are interesting...but I wonder what happens if there is a problem. these are the questions I would ask myself...

Is it like those all in one TV and stereos that if one component goes...you loose the whole deal till it is repaired?

If the motor fails will you loose your tranducer till repair...if the tranducer has issues will you loose the motor till repair?

Around here I would have to take the motor off, take it somewhere to have it shipped for repair...no one around here repairs that kind of thing...

Is the transducer something you can replace yourself?

Is the transducer specific to a certian graph? what if you want a different graph later...can you install a new tranducer to match a new graph?

What if the tranducer fails during a tourney...is it something I can replace on the fly while on the water?

On the wireless part...

I would have to ask myself if I would actually use the wireless function...

I seriously doubt that I would. Truthfully I would most likely loose that little hand held control in the first week...but I suppose some guys would use it...my father in law probably would.

what interferes with the wireless? Will it be like the wifes bluetooth...absolute junk if there is a truck near by or if she starts the car while talking?

those are my thoughts

[Fishing Buds]

Hey Rick66, funny thing is I was on line with BPS today reading feed back on the trolling motors(I'll be in the market myself soon) and I was reading one on the motorguide remote one.

It had pretty good feed back, sounded intresting, the issue on the darn thing was it kicking off a straight line when a (not so big)wave hit. another complaint was the biggons vibrated on high speed

The minnkota's complaints were about the cheap brackets? :-?

To me it was flippen a coin

[RobDar]

I think motorguide has always kicked off straight in bad water. Both the ones I have had do that...so does the father in laws...

If the bracket is cheap on the minnkota...I would find out about failures. If the bracket fails...that can stop a days fishing...a motor turning off straight in bad water will not stop a days fishing.

[LAURASDAD]

I have had one for about 6 months with no problems.  The wireless foot control works very well.  You can make small adjustments easily.

I bought it because the front deck on my boat is pretty small.  Its nice not having a cable taking up space.  I have the 75 lbs and have not had any issue with vibration.

I heard there was an issue with the transducer coming lose but I have not had that problem.  If you do get the wireless, I strongly suggest getting one with a built in transducer as there is not a good way to run the cable down the shaft due to the way the unit deploys.

good luck

larry

[Fishing Buds]

  Quote

I have had one for about 6 months with no problems. The wireless foot control works very well. You can make small adjustments easily.

I bought it because the front deck on my boat is pretty small. Its nice not having a cable taking up space. I have the 75 lbs and have not had any issue with vibration.

I heard there was an issue with the transducer coming lose but I have not had that problem. If you do get the wireless, I strongly suggest getting one with a built in transducer as there is not a good way to run the cable down the shaft due to the way the unit deploys.

good luck

larry

do you have the hand held remote also :-?

[IneedAnewScreenName9886691]

I am not speaking from personal experiance but I was in the market in the spring and my buddy has a MG with remote and his compaint was it did not resond very fast to the controlls.  His words were there was too long of a delay after telling it to turn or to power on.  I went with a MK 80 with traditional foot control.  The feature on this motor I love is the gradual on.  It causes less noise IMO and prevents my fat arse from getting thrown when on the higher settings.  

Just something to consider.

[LAURASDAD]

I do have the hand held remote; however I don't use it myself.

The way we use it, if I am at the bow with trouble with my line or changing lures, my partner in the back can take temporary control of the boat so the boat can stay in position.  It has worked out very well.

I have found the TM to be vey responsive but everyone has different expectations.

lb

[wannagofishin]

I bought one a few weeks ago and my only complaint is it needs a set of lights that tell you it's on and at what speed setting. You can stop the prop by hitting the - (minus, or slow button) but the unit will still be on. If it had a light bar graph that showed speed, you could change if you want to, but be able to return to the previous setting. As was stated before, there is no easy way to run the wire from an external transducer.

[Gatorbassman]

The thing I don't like about them is that you have to continually look down at the motor to tell what direction it is pointing. The other thing is if you need to make a quick turn to avoid a log or rocks you can't because the motor doesn't turn 180 degrees fast enough. There is an obvious advantage to cable steer.