Minn Kota Ultrex.....

For those of you that already have one.

Did you go with link or non link version and for what reason?

Im wanting to order a 112/52 and not sure I would use the link very often.

I have the non link, not comparable with my graphs so no point for the link version to me.

I have the link and would be fine without it. I rarely use the link features. In fact, I only use them when I am trying to find ways to use them. The link features would probably be more useful if I was ever on an actual school or was more familiar with the lakes I fish and had more brush piles located or tracks saved.

In short, the link is cool to have but if I could go back I would save the money.

What is the difference in the link and non-link version?

Do you have to have the link for it follow a particular contour line on your map chip?

Yes. That's about the only difference besides being able to go to a waypoint from your graph. Only compatible with birds and lakemaster chips. I got the link version because that was all I could find at the time. It's definitely not necessary for 95% of fisherman.

I went with the iPilot Link.....because it was IN STOCK! Duh.

The other to consider though is that the I pilot link remote is different then the non-link remote. Again, I dont use the remote that much either, but there are more features in the link remote than the non-link remote.

Just picked up the 112/60 w iPilot

I have the Link version as well as Humminbird unit and Lakemaster chip. The Link version allows you to follow contours but also allows you to hold on or go to a specific GPS spot stored on your graph. Your non-Link unit will store 20 spots and you can direct yourself there with the remote but you can't actually see a visual representation of the spot. The Link unit will store hundreds of GPS spots as long as you have the Humminbird.

Also, you can control the trolling motor off of the Humminbird unit if you want.

99% of my use is tied to simple spotlock. But there are times that I use the Link features as well. I figured I was going to spend a ton of money on one anyway and that I might as well get one that I was not going to regret later. Buy once, cry once.

What size shaft on the ultrex do most of you guys prefer?

I have the 52. I wouldn't go any shorter but I fish offshore a lot.

I have a 52 as well but I think it depends a lot on your boat. My Skeeter and most skeeters that have been on would not work with a 46", other boats I would assume might work fine or else they wouldn't be making 46" units. There are times in high winds where my 52 still comes out of the water (but it is rare), and the most I have had to raise when trolling shallow was maybe 6-7 inches.

What do you drive? Maybe someone will have the same boat and can tell what worked for them.

I have a Triton and I'm going with the 52".....I'm gonna use spot lock more than anything the most. Might just go without the link even though I have new helix units....

Link. More is better.

Shallow, I have a ZX225 and a 60" shaft Terrova i-Pilot. I spend a fair amount of time in swells on Falcon and Amistad with water crashing over the front of the boat and my trolling motor rarely comes out of the water. I'm about to upgrade and have been thinking about the 52" for shallower water applications. Assuming you spend time in swells, does your trolling motor come out of the water often?

Thanks,
Joe

that's the funniest sig ever

Jobie, it will come out on occasion in the really rough stuff but it is rare And never fully comes out, just enough to gurgle. I spend a lot of time shallow but go deep to (not any good at it tough). The 52" will work just fine and keep from getting in the way when you work shallow.

Just an FYI but the 52 and 60 share the same mount. If you get the 60, you have to manually raise and lower it before you stow it if you want to use full depth. My partner bought the 60 but then had to take it in and get it cut off so it would fully rest on the mount when deployed at max depth. MinnKota needs to address this as the 60 inch is somewhat unusable with the current mount.

I have the 52" and wouldn't change a thing if I had to do it over. Great for rough off-shore fishing and not too much for fishing shallow. I did not buy the link but I also run Lowrance units. The features of the remote are cool but I haven't spent much time learning all the functions and use the foot control mostly. I don't know what I would do with out the Ultrex and anyone who gets one will love it!

I went 45, if it is too rough for it to stay in the water my tired old butt ain't gonna be out there anyway. And link, because as someone else said it was in stock and I do have Humminbirds. Spotlock is amazing.

If I had Hummingbirds I would probably spend the extra money for the link, what's another 4-500, I don't think I would use it much, as far as shaft length, I have a Triton 21 TRX and have never had a problem with the 45, also I can't stand the trolling motor head to be sticking way up on the bow when i get shallow. If I fished big lakes and open water I may change, but probably not.

Same way here. I have the 45" on my Skeeter. If the head is up, I'm hitting it when I flip and skip docks.

I currently have a 45 fortrex on my 20 x2 but with the spot lock feature I will venture offshore in rougher stuff knowing I can stay put and fish easier.....that is what has me considering the 52

Not hijacking your thread, but I saw your sig. are you affiliated with 6th sense lures? Man I love those those crush 50 and flat 75 squarebills! I gotta try the 250 and up ones next.

I'm going with the 45. Lance Vick runs a 45 and loves it. If it works for him it will work for me

I run a 21 ft. Ranger and just wanted to see what you guys were using?...thanks

112 with 60 inch shaft.

112-45 on my 21 I Skeeter. 52 is just too long for me.

U ain't going to step far enough off the bank to need one. Get a 52 or 60 if u do, they'll grab better in the wind. Link is a waste of time.

anyone know where I can get a 52 without the link?

112 or 80? Shut up & FIsh has a list of in stock Ultrex in the Trading Post right now.

Lol im trying to Nick....this will help me stay put out there!

112/52

I might recommend Tightlines Premium Fishing Tackle in Killeen, just picked up my Ultrex. Great customer service, talk with
Dean Thompson (254) 690-3474
9AM–6PM

Debra

This one is going to go fast so hopefully get in on it quick, this was just posted this morning on the BBC:

http://www.bbcboards.net/showthread.php?t=848257

I have one listed in classifieds for 100 less

Ok Ultrex guys, I purchased and installed mine about a month ago. I calibrated it and all seemed normal and good. On my first extended use this late week into the weekend, everything was fine with Spot Lock on Thursday afternoon. Sometime Friday I noticed that the unit made the warble sound and Spot Lock turned off. I was hoping that this wasn't going to be a persistent problem but I'm not so lucky. About half the time I set Spot Lock the unit twists and turns, warbles and SL turns off, Have any of you experienced or heard of this problem?

Something is stuck under the pedal, or the US2 cable is binding. Maybe even needs some lube on the bearings of the shaft.

Anything that obstructs the pedal or head/shaft/prop will cause the spot lock to cancel.

Make sure there is nothing up under the foot pedal or that your power cable is not impeding foot pedal movement. If anything keeps the pedal from moving freely, the unit will beep multiple times and kick itself out of spotlock. I ended up cutting about 18 inches off of my power cable so there would be no way that it could ball up under my pedal. But I also suspect that a water bottle cap or piece of trash could get up under there and cause trouble.

I appreciate the feedback. The motor is brand new and other than a few check out trips (I live on Lake Tyler so I only have to drop the boat into the water from the slip), this weekend was the first extended use of the motor. I didn't see anything under the foot pedal. I'm assuming you mean between the actual foot pedal and the module below. I didn't see any cables bound and would a new motor really need bearing lubrication? So I have a message into MinnKota to see if they have a solution. In its' current condition the motor function is not acceptable.

Ok Ultrex guys, I felt like I had to answer my post in case others have the same problem. My Spot Lock when recently engaged more often than not beeped repeatedly and shut off. This was a problem that crept up over the weekend as the trolling motor worked fine Friday afternoon, began acting up Saturday and continued into Sunday. I contacted service through the website and a technician asked that I check voltage to the motor saying the IPilot would misbehave if voltage was low. The voltage was fine so I contacted MinnKota by phone this morning. The woman, who had a thick Minnesota/Fargo accent "Don't you knooooow", said they had only recently determined that the system was being shut down by the interference between the heads of two zip ties, one in the rotating toe of the foot part and the other one of two zip ties on the base. She said when the two came into contact, the Spot Lock quit. Now I'm going to tell you I was skeptical at such a ridiculous technical explanation but before MK did anything else, I had to remove or reposition the zip tie in the pedal part and then try again. I carefully cut the small zip tie off as to not accidentally cut one or both of the small wires it held. I then put a zip tie on either side of where the old one was. An lo and behold the motor works fine this afternoon. No problems at all. So if you have a similar problem, tilt the foot pedal up, locate the zip tie on push pedal part, carefully remove it and place two small ties about 3/4 inch off on either side.

Thanks for the report. I'm gonna check mine as preventive maintenance.

Ken check with All Star, I got mine from there back in Feb and they told me they randomly get them in

Just got mine, check the post I made just above yours, give em a call.

Debra