frangkie Posted July 17, 2008 Share Posted July 17, 2008 hey guys i am looking for a bow mount electric. since moving back to qld ive found myself fishing estuaries mostly and after fishing on a boat with an electric, it's now a must have. does anyone know where to get the best deal from, shop, internet etc. My mate has a jarvis watersnake and it seems quite good, also reliable. I'm trying to weigh up weather to get one of them or a min kota. I'm looking at around 50+ lbs of thrust so i can run it off a 12v battery. The watersnake is about half the price of the min kota i believe. any advice? cheers Alex Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rizzo Posted July 17, 2008 Share Posted July 17, 2008 Matey have you checked out the Motor Guide salt water series with wireless foot and hand remote controls? they're the ticket rizzo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frangkie Posted July 17, 2008 Author Share Posted July 17, 2008 Matey have you checked out the Motor Guide salt water series with wireless foot and hand remote controls? they're the ticket rizzo no but i will have a look, do you have one? how much are they roughly? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jewgaffer Posted July 17, 2008 Share Posted July 17, 2008 (edited) Alex I've seen a fair few electrics up north mounted on the stern on runabouts and on a couple of open boats where one had the main fishing area at the stern. Would it make much difference if an electric was mounted on the stern? Cheers mate jewgaffer Edited July 17, 2008 by jewgaffer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nolongeramember Posted July 17, 2008 Share Posted July 17, 2008 Alex I've seen a fair few electrics up north mounted on the stern on runabouts and on a couple of open boats where one had the main fishing area at the stern. Would it make much difference if an electric was mounted on the stern? Cheers mate jewgaffer Jewgaffer, much better boat control when there mounted on the front. Ive got a 55Lb minn kota and its very good and reliable. Had it for about 4-5 years and never let me down. Dont know much about the other brands but if i was getting another one it would be Minn Kota even if it costs more. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bmar560 Posted July 17, 2008 Share Posted July 17, 2008 Alex I've seen a fair few electrics up north mounted on the stern on runabouts and on a couple of open boats where one had the main fishing area at the stern. Would it make much difference if an electric was mounted on the stern? Cheers mate jewgaffer I'd say yes it makes a lot of difference. Bow mount gives a lot more maneuverability of the boat. And having a foot control helps you control the boat with your feet while your hands are casting lures. Can't do that with a tiller steer stern mount electric. What sort of boat do you have Alex ?? Electrics are the way the go for estuary fishing, I've got a 70lbs riptide on my 4.1 poly, it's running on 2x12V batteries, I only have to charge every 3-5 trips whereas in the old days of my 55lbs I have to charge the batteries after every outing. price difference isn't that much between the 70lbs and 55lbs. Minnkotas have a pretty good after sales service. They usually have a pretty quick turnaround time. Do shop around ! I got mine from the site sponsor Huett Marine best deal in Sydney... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cflife Posted July 17, 2008 Share Posted July 17, 2008 Jarvis Marine bow mount watersnake SWDSB54 / 54lb 12volt 54inch shaft = $749 Minnkota bow mount RT / 55 / AP , 55lb 12 volt 48 inch shaft = now $1049 For an extra $300 id be going with minnkota Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frangkie Posted July 18, 2008 Author Share Posted July 18, 2008 (edited) I'd say yes it makes a lot of difference. Bow mount gives a lot more maneuverability of the boat. And having a foot control helps you control the boat with your feet while your hands are casting lures. Can't do that with a tiller steer stern mount electric. What sort of boat do you have Alex ?? Electrics are the way the go for estuary fishing, I've got a 70lbs riptide on my 4.1 poly, it's running on 2x12V batteries, I only have to charge every 3-5 trips whereas in the old days of my 55lbs I have to charge the batteries after every outing. price difference isn't that much between the 70lbs and 55lbs. Minnkotas have a pretty good after sales service. They usually have a pretty quick turnaround time. Do shop around ! I got mine from the site sponsor Huett Marine best deal in Sydney... Mario, my boat is a 4.15m sp seajay tinny. it has relatively high sides for it's length so i'm not sure what length of shaft is needed. either 48" or 54". Also what is the difference between running the 54lb compared to a 70lb pound thrust motor, power wise, batteries, price, ect. also is autopilot a must or just a gimic? cheers alex Edited July 18, 2008 by frangkie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bmar560 Posted July 18, 2008 Share Posted July 18, 2008 Mario, my boat is a 4.15m sp seajay tinny. it has relatively high sides for it's length so i'm not sure what length of shaft is needed. either 48" or 54". Also what is the difference between running the 54lb compared to a 70lb pound thrust motor, power wise, batteries, price, ect. also is autopilot a must or just a gimic? cheers alex The 50lbs should be OK for that boat. But if you can get the 70lbs also get the longest possible shafts nothing worst than having a shaft that's too short. Here's the advantages of running a 70lbs: 1. more power, means you can go faster I can get up to 2.5 knots on freshly charged batteries. you can also fish if the wind is blowing hard. you;ll be struggling if the wind is blowing hard on a 50lbs. 2. longer battery life, you have 2 batteries instead of 1 and you don't have to run them on full power all the time. disadvantages: 1. costs more $$ they're roughly $200-400 more (well worth it IMO) 2. extra batteries means an extra 25-30kgs on your boat. this also an extra cost, a good 100AMPhour batteries is around $200-$250 mark auto pilot is a good feature to have but they cost $300 more than the standard co-pilot model, so I didn't get it with mine. it's good when you're fishing along the banks, just press the button set the speed and you're on cruise control. I do miss it sometimes... also get the quick release bracket for the electric. can be quite handy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frangkie Posted July 18, 2008 Author Share Posted July 18, 2008 (edited) how do you measure your optimum shaft length on your motor? from which point to which point? another question, which batteries does everyone prefer? lead acid, glass mat, etc. and which is the best value for money? cheers alex ps. i found a watersnake 80lb, 54". for $1100.0 deal or no deal? Edited July 18, 2008 by frangkie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rizzo Posted July 18, 2008 Share Posted July 18, 2008 no but i will have a look, do you have one? how much are they roughly? No mate i havent yet but i plan to buy one soon my mate musty has one and i've seen them in action quite impressive i must say about the 1300 to 1500 dollar mark but shop around you always seem to find a bargain these days. P.S and also the 3 year warranty makes it more attractive too Cheers Rizzo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rizzo Posted July 18, 2008 Share Posted July 18, 2008 Rizzo has used the Motorguide wireless bowmount on my rig and was so impressed he's about to get one for his own boat. They retail anywhere from $1200-$2000 depending on what thrust u want and which accessories u want with them. They have a wireless foot control so it can be moved and controlled from anywhere on the boat. The foot control has a very low profile so u pretty much always have both feet on the floor or atleast 1 foot and 1 heal which makes balancing very easy and no need for a seat or bum rest. They have a quick release from the mounting bracket and a LED battery test feature on them. Optional accessories include a small control pad which u can hang from ur belt similar to a car alarm pad which u can use instead of the foot control, built in transducers and all thats fancy stuff they use to jack the price up. I'd recommend keeping it simple though. Warranty is 3 yrs backed up by Mercury Marine. I wouldnt say they are better or worse than Minn Kota but everyone has there personal preferences and for me the fact that its wireless and i dont have a big thick cable and a brick of a pedal made it the choice for me. I dont know much about the jarvis walker bowmounts other than the fact that they are noisier and keep in mind: You get what u pay for! True dat Musty truuuuuuuuuuue dat Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frangkie Posted July 23, 2008 Author Share Posted July 23, 2008 i did some research on the motorguide wireless and everyone says that the constant beeping drives you nuts, is this the case? the foot pedal looks cool but maybe not so practical, please correct me if i am wrong. with an on off button , a left or right button and a faster/slower button. does this mean that you have to be constantly turning it on and off even if all you need is a small nudge in a certain direction. I know with the jw motors there is left and right bottons, a speed wheel, and another switch connected to the middle botton that either allows constant motion or if you flip the switch it turns into a go/ stop button, that is realy handy. the motor guide probably does this also but the photo of the controls confused me. thanks for the input guys! cheers Alex Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kruzenvax Posted July 23, 2008 Share Posted July 23, 2008 (edited) I can speak of MinnKota only (never used anything else). My points (for what they worth) are: 1) I'd go for a longer shaft - sometimes I drop the head all the way down so it does not cavitate when waves are more than normal. 2) More power is better - yes 2x battery weight, cots (good charger is a must) but I troll when windy no problems (lets say started trolling - not that I catch many fish that way but 80lb pushes the boat well). Plus I run my livewell aerator etc out of leccy batteries 3) Autopilot is good when trolling or when I'm moving from spot to spot (say from racks to moored boats when breaming) and don't want to raise the electric, start the outboard, etc 4) Co-pilot (wireless remote) is also very good - e.g. I drive the electric from wherever I want still have my pedal at the front when I need it. HTH Edited July 23, 2008 by Kruzenvax Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rawlo Posted July 23, 2008 Share Posted July 23, 2008 Have had the motor guide wireless digital 55lb bowmount for a few months now, and as you stated the beeping issue was also one of my concerns. Yes it is loud in the shop or shed, however it is not as noticeable when out on the water. I did ask if there was a solution without voiding waranty with no luck, although I am learning to live with it. The foot control it easy to use and the on off button turns the motor on at the last speed set. Does what most other brands do. I find myself using the key fob control from the back of the boat a lot. I have a transom mount 55lb water snake, so I looked at the WS bowmount at around the $800 mark. The motorguide goes from the prop turning dead slow to flat out in nice fine increments. The MG quick release came standard and the built in battery monitor is also handy, WS and MK the quick release bracket was extra. WS has no remote option, MK remote , auto pilot battery maximiser,etc. were extra.The motorguide cost me $1350 not including a good battery and charger. The composite shaft is strong, I ran the motor up the bank whilst trying to retrieve a snagged lure on my own, the look on my face when the MG shaft flexed back under the boat would have been priceless. The shaft flexed back into position with much relief. I thought I'd broken my new toy however we live to fish another day. Talking to fellow fishers and getting their feedback the min kodas with foot peddle problems put me off a little, these appear to have been fixed in the latest models just couldn't get an equivalent one for the same price as the motor guide. As for shaft length I went the longest avaliable as I can use the MG on my 4.8m fiberglass boat or the 385 explorer. Bought a full deep cycle gel battery $320 and a $150 4 stage charger with dual 10A outputs which can charge two 12 batteries at 10A or one at 20A. Regards Rawlo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GregL Posted July 23, 2008 Share Posted July 23, 2008 Speaking only Minnkotas as that's what I have owned. 4 kotas later on 4 different boats I still love em. I first had the RT65, great motor but the foot pedal was a nightmere, in the end I had 3 foot controllers and a hand held controller just to make sure during comps. It is also slow in turning, thats a bugger in strong current and in tight situations. Plus im not a troller so I didn't end up even using the auto pilot funtion. Next I went a 70lb cable steer model, fantastic! never had a problem with it and turns instantly. Next was a 80lb on a slightly bigger boat and newer model kota. Same as old one with more poke. My last one on my latest boat is a Maxxum Pro 80lb. it has a transducer plus a ram to make it easy to lift up and down all built in. Cable steer seems the most reliable as there are no motors to turn the unit. Less parts to go wrong. Cheers Greg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frangkie Posted July 24, 2008 Author Share Posted July 24, 2008 (edited) Musty: I am seriously considering the motorguide wireless. what batteries do you need for the foot control? can you charge them when you charge up the main battery? cheers alex Edited July 24, 2008 by frangkie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kruzenvax Posted July 25, 2008 Share Posted July 25, 2008 Greg, I thought Magnims were freshwater only? Might be wrong... Thanks Alex Speaking only Minnkotas as that's what I have owned. 4 kotas later on 4 different boats I still love em. I first had the RT65, great motor but the foot pedal was a nightmere, in the end I had 3 foot controllers and a hand held controller just to make sure during comps. It is also slow in turning, thats a bugger in strong current and in tight situations. Plus im not a troller so I didn't end up even using the auto pilot funtion. Next I went a 70lb cable steer model, fantastic! never had a problem with it and turns instantly. Next was a 80lb on a slightly bigger boat and newer model kota. Same as old one with more poke. My last one on my latest boat is a Maxxum Pro 80lb. it has a transducer plus a ram to make it easy to lift up and down all built in. Cable steer seems the most reliable as there are no motors to turn the unit. Less parts to go wrong. Cheers Greg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frangkie Posted July 25, 2008 Author Share Posted July 25, 2008 thanks for the input guys! i have decided to go for the motorguide wireless. found a good deal! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jewgaffer Posted July 25, 2008 Share Posted July 25, 2008 i have decided to go for the motorguide wireless. found a good deal! Cheers jewgaffer Good stuff Alex we'll be in for more than a few jacks at Christmas Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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