Thread: Any reviews on the new and improved Minn Kota Spot Lock?

It should not be an end of life product if it is a new product release. I didn't buy the Ulterra for spotlock specifically, I got the Ulterra specifically for self deploy. I didn't want the us2, but had no choice. Sometimes when in the pee lock mode, the boat suddenly moves, leaving drippings on the deck. This is my concern.

I agree Cane. What they did was create a new product (the ulterra) with old technologies. I think they should have waited and put the new technologies in it. Toyota did it a number of years ago. They had too many parts left to walk away so they built their 1995 trucks. It was a 94 with a different sticker. Then, midway through the year they came out with the new model. Years later it would be known as a 95 1/2. Originally, you would order parts for the first model and get them for the second.

Do I agree with what Minn Kota did? No. But I understand the reasons.

I don't understand people that irritate me.

I don't have a problem with a new product coming out be it in a year....less than year....more than a year. I know that going in....and for those that don't then you shouldn't buy. I spent 38 years in the missile business....the equipment changed pretty fast....as time went on the faster the changes came. In the civilian world the changes come much quicker than in the military. It is just the nature of the beast. I know if one waits on technology you will be waiting forever....it just changes that fast.....and one needs to understand when you walk out that door with your new motor...sonar.....whatever it is .....it is very soon to be replaced by a much better newer model. My Ulterra has served me well....up to a point. I don't have any problems with spot lock....for the way I fish it works great. While I do not post about my trout fishing on here I will use the Ulterra to keep me just downstream a little from the generators on a trout river here and I will cast into the boils and catch trout after trout.....that is if the trout cooperate....LOL. The point is if I did not have the spot lock feature I could not do this. I could make one cast and drift down....constantly having to work the boat to get back into position. My batteries will only last a couple of hours doing this but I will have a lot more fun with the spot lock than without. If I had the money you can bet I would try to sell mine and get the new one....but I don't. The problem I have with Minn Kota is customer service. My motor has locked up 3 times in the 1.5 years I have had it. It gets to where it will not stow. Once I do the manual stow method I am good to go again. The motor may work for 6 months without doing it again....I don't know...but I do know it will do it again...and probably at an inopportune time. Minn Kota has what they call an "update" for my motor. It is the magnets and a belt block. I have been round and round with Minn Kota over this. Tracker Marine in Hendersonville wants you to bring your boat...or the motor.....in...but they go by first come first served. I know folks whose motor has been up there for months. I also know folks who were able to talk Minn Kota into sending them a prepaid box to ship the motor back to them and Minn Kota does the updates. As much as I have pleaded I cannot get Minn Kota to do this for me....and I am not taking my boat...or motor.....up to Tracker Marine to sit there for who knows how long. It is a catch 22. But I am very pleased with the spot lock....but sure would love to see the new one in action.


Regards

Originally Posted by Alphahawk

I don't have a problem with a new product coming out be it in a year....less than year....more than a year. I know that going in....and for those that don't then you shouldn't buy. I spent 38 years in the missile business....the equipment changed pretty fast....as time went on the faster the changes came. In the civilian world the changes come much quicker than in the military. It is just the nature of the beast. I know if one waits on technology you will be waiting forever....it just changes that fast.....and one needs to understand when you walk out that door with your new motor...sonar.....whatever it is .....it is very soon to be replaced by a much better newer model. My Ulterra has served me well....up to a point. I don't have any problems with spot lock....for the way I fish it works great. While I do not post about my trout fishing on here I will use the Ulterra to keep me just downstream a little from the generators on a trout river here and I will cast into the boils and catch trout after trout.....that is if the trout cooperate....LOL. The point is if I did not have the spot lock feature I could not do this. I could make one cast and drift down....constantly having to work the boat to get back into position. My batteries will only last a couple of hours doing this but I will have a lot more fun with the spot lock than without. If I had the money you can bet I would try to sell mine and get the new one....but I don't. The problem I have with Minn Kota is customer service. My motor has locked up 3 times in the 1.5 years I have had it. It gets to where it will not stow. Once I do the manual stow method I am good to go again. The motor may work for 6 months without doing it again....I don't know...but I do know it will do it again...and probably at an inopportune time. Minn Kota has what they call an "update" for my motor. It is the magnets and a belt block. I have been round and round with Minn Kota over this. Tracker Marine in Hendersonville wants you to bring your boat...or the motor.....in...but they go by first come first served. I know folks whose motor has been up there for months. I also know folks who were able to talk Minn Kota into sending them a prepaid box to ship the motor back to them and Minn Kota does the updates. As much as I have pleaded I cannot get Minn Kota to do this for me....and I am not taking my boat...or motor.....up to Tracker Marine to sit there for who knows how long. It is a catch 22. But I am very pleased with the spot lock....but sure would love to see the new one in action.


Regards

Success!!! Minn Kota has agreed to send me prepaid shipping label....I just have to get a box.


Regards

Minn Kota sent me the parts and I did the upgrade last summer. I guess I convinced someone I was capable of doing the repair. Works just fine. No more lock ups. I only use spotlock for retie situations and pee breaks..Never fails to "rabbit" whilst I pee. I upgraded to the larger Folgers red plastic container. This upgrade helps with keeping my pants dry during unexpected "surges".

Remember the Genesis [Junk] I took a beating on that, then the Terrova nothing but problems couldn't keep the foot pedal or remote key pad working. I went back to a cable Minn Kota that works very well but I would like to be able to have the spot lock that would work. can't make up my mind, may try the Xi15.

I don't think comparing automobile industry to electronic firms , especially those firms, dedicated to the sport fishing industry is a good analogy. The " hurry " to market with a shabby performing unit costs these companies in the long run. Look at the Ion/Onix fiasco 3K plus units that barely worked at all till the first software upgrade. They still have minor flaws that have not been corrected. They were advertised as " top of the line " " game changers " yadda, yadda. The actual field testing needs to be done by employees that actually put the product into every day use to discover its obvious flaws. Instead of telling the corporate heads what they want to hear. Paying or rewarding fishing industry pros that do nothing other than brag on product regardless of " true " performance is leaving a lot of us very wary.

These high end GPS/FF units and trolling motors require a hefty financial investment on consumers. Anyone else familiar with this pattern. Seems like every 2 years.
Rumors start about some great new thing coming. At first it is denied but then the top of the line units start being offered for sale at great prices. Then the rumors are admitted to but of course they won't be available for a few months. Meanwhile the companies produce videos with " Billy Bassbuster " super great pro circuit fisherman. That claims if you don't have this unit in your boat next year. Might as well take the loser crayon out of your box and color yourself. Photos are published that show how this new unit misses nothing. Photos that you can't match regardless of years of tweaking but I digress.

Eventually all this " mass marketing" makes all of us weary of selling claims that are never met. A more accurate analogy of this business procedure is Winchester Repeating Arms. The phrase pre-1964 means reams to the average gun collector. Because that was the year the executives decided that they could produce junk and still sell it because of the fame of the company name. It worked for awhile. But when they started laying a model 12 next to a model 1200. A used model 12 started to soar in price. Many years later they tried to correct it but too much damage to the companies once proud name had been done.

I am not picking on Humminbird alone . All the companies are engaged in this super hype. It was just the Onix was a glaring example. In my 69 years of life. I have learned to rely on sites like crappie . com and others. That the real truth comes out. It don't take long to find out who posts the honest reviews. As opposed to the " I got one so its the best " type. Compare the actual performance of the spot lock to the professional reviews seen on U-Tube and like sites. They aren't even remotely close.

So while I will not have cutting edge technology on my boat . I will have technology that is proven by the average Joe.