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About ready to pull the trigger on a new saltwater GPS troller. Obviously I'm looking at the I-Pilot Terrova vs the XI5. I'm looking at the 24V 80lb thrust with 60" shaft. The XI5 in general is approx $300 less so the first thought that comes to mind is "what would I be getting other than the Minn Kota name that would constitute spending the extra $300?" I have no experience with either so I'm looking for y'alls advice.....thanks.

Probably the same as the Ford vs Chevy debate.

Personally I like Ford and Minn Kota.

Plus the Minn Kota Authorized repair facility is 10 minutes from my house. Motorguide is over an hour.

Last I heard, the MK Terrova 80# was hard to find.

Also there were some refurbished MK units for $1379 vs $1750.

Minn Kota

I swore off Motorguide many years ago because their Great White trolling motors were such junk. I have owned several Minn Kota's since that time, but to be honest they are not dependable either. Especially considering the cost. I have had problems with switches and boards going out. Once the motor gets to be about 5 yrs old, the parts are not available any more.

I just put a new Minn Kota Terrova 80 on my new boat. I can say I'm totally happy with it. It's VERY quiet, easy to use, and so far has worked flawlessly.

Two recommendations I would make are:

1) Make sure you mount it on the Minn Kota Quick Release bracket. If you need service or park in a bad parking lot.....you will want to remove that nearly $2,000 trolling motor.

2) Buy the "Micro Remote" for it. The main remote is a brick, the micro does almost everything you need to do in a much smaller and lighter package.

That's my experience so far. SilverKing on here has a new Motorguide that he is just as happy with.

I've fished with numerous guides who use Minn Kota and they love 'em. Of course, mainly were on the program so they were buying under Bubba deal pricing.

I could have bought either brand, but since I'm running a Mercury now I wanted to match up with the MotorGuide. Mine is a 12 volt Xi5 without GPS. Wanted to keep it simple and didn't think I'd use the tracks function or Anchor mode.

When I first got it, the noise was very loud. Took it to TM Service Center in Tallahassee (they work on both brands) and they fixed the problem under warranty. Now it's quiet as a mouse and very efficient on juice. I have a dedicated Odyssey battery and have yet to go below full bar on the light indicator. I charge mine by a solar panel. I usually run it on lower speeds, but at full power you could almost ski behind my skiff (Beavertail Mosquito).

Very happy with it overall. It is a Ford vs. Chevy comparison, though. Big fans of either brand. By the way, MG updated the Great White and have re-introduced it for those who want hand-operated units.

[quote="silverking"]Mine is a 12 volt Xi5 without GPS.... I usually run it on lower speeds, but at full power you could almost ski behind my skiff.

Silverking what thrust and how big is your skiff? I have a 20' CC and was figuring the 24V 80lb thrust would do the job.

With me, 60-hp Mercury, a 100-pound Rottie, gear and gas I'm still under 1,000 pounds. Don't think I'd go less than a 80-pound thrust/24-volt system with the size of your boat. Like outboards, it's always better to have more power than not enough. The Mosquito is 18' 2" LOA, with a 70-inch beam but cored and light. My Xi5 is a 55-pound thrust motor.

I have a Minn Kota I-Pilot on my Carolina Skiff 238 dlv. I love it. Very quiet and efficient. The gps anchor mode has changed the way I fish. Don't think I could go back to fishing without one. Mine is a 80lb/24v. If I could do it over again, I'd go with the 112lb/36v. Mine gets the job done, but on windy days I could use the extra power. No experience with the Motorguide, but I'm sure it's fine too. I chose Minn Kota because I've used them all my life in freshwater and have confidence in the brand.

I absolutely reccomend the Minnkota. Especially for Saltwater. It's a more dependable and much beefier motor. Get the Terrova style model. It's the RT in the saltwater riptides. There's nothing like a double hookup on reds and hitting that anchor button. I love the cruise control feature where I can set it to control my speed in conjunction with the autopilot while I make casts.

I agree with everything CL said except for the "anchor mode" while Redfishing. When I hit that button the motor invariably spins 180 degrees and kicks up to high speed to stop the boats forward momentum. That much noise will usually alert the remaining Reds so a follow-up fish is unlikely. This is where the Power Pole shines. Instantly and quietly stops the boat, like right now.

I have fished most of my life (50+ years) without a gps (or any kind of) trolling motor and power pole. You can catch tons of fish without either of them, but man if you can find a way to afford both, they are a heck of a combination.

Rocky do you have the dual GPS head unit or one of the older models? Try fishing into current and shutting off the motor first, then hit the anchor. Sometimes the older models would take a few minutes to get set.

crappielimits wrote:Rocky do you have the dual GPS head unit or one of the older models? Try fishing into current and shutting off the motor first, then hit the anchor. Sometimes the older models would take a few minutes to get set.

Mine is a brand new Terrova. I believe the difference is I like to fish downwind when ever possible. My boat is much quieter that way. I can see how the Anchor button would work much better going into the wind/current.

I will say Anchor mode worked great when I did a couple of light offshore trips. Never touched the actual anchor and rope, just hit that button.