Parts are cheap. I bought the cables and installed them myself to save down time.

The motor shaft? If it�s cheap enough, it literally takes a few minutes to change it out.

The shaft is lifetime warrantied... I tried to get one ahead of time just in case and they acted like I was stupid to be willing to pay to carry one around in my rv.

The shafts are pretty flexible. But soft. I flipped my trolling motor over a cable at Fairfield last year to hold me in the current at hot water outlet. I fished that spot for about two hours and wore a 1/2� groove into the shaft. Lol. I thought it would break there, but the hair line cracks all up and down the shaft seem to be more of a resin/composite issue.

Get the Ultrex

I wouldn't trade my Ulterra for anything. I fish solo a lot so I love the auto deploy. Back the trailer in, let the boat go hit a button and go park. As far as not rugged enough for bass fishing? I have no idea what that logic is based on. It's never given me a problem on my bass boat even when I fish in the stumps at Fork. Seen plenty of the Ultrexes in the shop for broken shafts. So this makes them better? My only complaint is that I can't put my 360 on it.

The Ultrex is still better than the Ulterra.

Ultrex for sure, wouldn�t worry about the repairs Steez is talking about he is pretty rough on his stuff hahaha! The lakes u fish durability wouldn�t concern me one bit

Here's a 360 mount for an Ulterra... there are a couple homemade solutions out there as well IIRC...

http://www.cumberlandcrappie.com/accessories.html

I've tried that cumberland crappie mount and it comes loose to often swinging away from the trolling motor. I also tried a similar mount from Cornfield crappie that is better made and it was too heavy and he hasn't found a solution yet. I'm just going to go with a different mount not connected to the trolling motor.

+1 on this



Why --- wouldn't that boil down to personal preference and what you are wanting in the trolling motor ?

For Bobby & myself the self deploy is pretty important (age and fishing solo) but that doesn't make it better or worse than the Ulterra -- just different.
I, personally, do not like cable steer, I would rather have a hand control trolling motor than a cable steer...�. balance, coordination with my feet ,,,, whatever but the electric & remote steer of the Ulterra works for me just GREAT
Not better or worse --- just works better for me.

the mount on the ultrex is the best feature over the ulterra if the ulterras would hold up to the punishment of the pros they would all have them on their boats the more moving parts you have on something that sits on the front of a boat the more liklyhood of trouble.

Excellent point right there. Buy what you like though, most of us amateurs are not that hard on our stuff. The Ultrex works best for me and have not had one smidgen of problems with it.

your points are valid.

you have the same remote with ultrex if thats what you wish to use.

If remote deploy makes you excited get a ulterra,

If the spot lock, follow contour etc is what you want and your coming from a fortex the ultrex would be likely what you would want. there are days I use my foot control only all day and others Ill only use my mini remote and even others Ill use my helix a lot to set it to follow contour.

Very true �.

BUT -- if you don't fish like a pro (hard and fast all the time) then you might want the other advantages of an Ulterra
so --- the moving parts would not get as much use as to what a PRO would put it thru
AND I just imagine the Marketing folks at Minn Kota realize that and suggest to their sponsored pros NOT to use the self deploy so no one will see it broke down during a tournament

WHY is it that all comparisons are made to how a PRO on the TOUR fishes. ???
Very few of us even come close to fishing that much and that hard
I have had my Ulterra for over 2 years without a single issue --- I average 50 days fishing per year

i fish solo 99% and my ulterra saves so much time with auto deploy. I fish 2x per week and have had it since they came out. Zero issues