Hey IBNFSHN - researching

[Big Zig]

I'm researching trolling motor options, and came across a comment you made about MotorGuide's PTSv.
I haven't gotten to play with one yet, but am very interested in your experience with them.
Would you elaborate your "horror stories" with it?
(Maybe stop me from making an expensive mistake?)

[Barnacle Bill]

I'm researching trolling motor options, and came across a comment you made about MotorGuide's PTSv.
I haven't gotten to play with one yet, but am very interested in your experience with them.
Would you elaborate your "horror stories" with it?
(Maybe stop me from making an expensive mistake?)

I sure wished I would have known someone else was going to ask about this. I PM'd someone the story but didn't keep a copy. I'll write it again and keep a copy in word. It'll just take me a while.

[Barnacle Bill]

Here's what I sent Jeff. He was nice enough to send it back to me.

Hi Jeff, first off I ain't no "sir" , just an old retired Navy chief. Several years ago Cabelas advertised this Motor Guide (Pinpoint) that would track depths, shore lines and creek channels. I thought, although expensive, that would be great. Just set it up and fish away. I also got the sonar unit that worked with it. The sonar was ok I guess, it just had a lousy greenish display. What they didn't tell you was the limitations on it. Like it wouldn't track below 4 ft and wouldn't even read the bottom below 2 foot. I needed that because of some of the places I fish for white perch during the summer. Anyway, before I found all this out I was told to send it to a repair center of which there are only 3 in the US. I wound up sending it in 3 times at $80.00 a wack. Each time it came back worse than what it was when I sent it in. Meanwhile, Mercury bought out Motorguide and the warranty with Cabela's had expired. Mercury wouldn't even talk to me so I called Cabela's and explained everything to them. They were nice enough to take it back with the understanding I would buy a Minnkota from them. Which I did.

A couple years later they came out with the PTsv. I called Mercury again and asked them if this was the old Pinpoint or all new electronics. I was assured it was all new electronics and much better than the old Pinpoints. They even admitted it still had a limitation of 2 ft but I thought now that I know ahead of time I coud live with that. It worked ok the first 2 trips. It was time for our annual trip to Kerr Lake for a week so off we went. 2 out of the 5 days we were there it wouldn't even come on. Of course they wanted me to send it in for repairs. Fortunately I had bought it through BPS this time. I took it over to the store and explained everything to the manager. They took it back even tho I got it thru the catalog and I went back to Minnkota. No more Motorguides for me!!

My fishing buddy had one of the cheaper models and I had replace a plastic gear in the head of it twice before he got disgusted and went to Minnkota. Hope that helps. Maybe some people have had good success with them, but I don't know any of them.
Bill

[Big Zig]

Like it wouldn't track below 4 ft and wouldn't even read the bottom below 2 foot.

I have to be reading that wrong. In other words, if I wanted to follow a 15 foot contour line it won't do it?
If that is indeed the case, it's completely useless to me.

[Barnacle Bill]

I have to be reading that wrong. In other words, if I wanted to follow a 15 foot contour line it won't do it?
If that is indeed the case, it's completely useless to me.

It will follow a 15 ft contour. Just does a lot of zig zagging trying to stay on it. I will say one thing nice about it, the motor turns it very smoothly.

[Big Zig]

So for $1200.00 less, I can do the same zig zagging with a conventional TM. Only difference being I'm controlling the ziggin' and zaggin' (which I do now).

Thanks IB. You may have just saved me some leg work, not to mention some $$$$.