Are they worth the extra cash?

I don't think so!! I always have fished salt water and never had any problem!!

Terry do you scream everything you say when you speak too? or just when you type?

if the exclamation point key on your keyboard ever breaks you aint gonna know what to do

I think the motors are the same...but the hardware will be stainless on the saltwater one. They are quite a bit pricier also.

All hardware is stainless also you'll have zinc plates for corrosion resistance saltwater is different than brackish & completely different than fresh I think we all know that. I see SS surface rusting leaving a stain where water falls off this happens when its exposed all the time.

I would ask myself how much I was gonna fish in the marsh. If that was all I was gonna do I would get the riptide. I haven't had anything else in yrs. but thats just me. If you don't go a few times a yrs and wash up good when you get home the non-SW will probably be fine.

Will u ever have your mud boat in saltwater? The marsh is a bit different. If u will b trolling the beach n the gulf, get the saltwater. Otherwise, the regular unit will be fine.

We fish saltwater area's, only need the white one if your gona use it alot in heavy salt (like Big Lake,etc.). A regular motor will do fine, just got our salt water motor out the shop Thurs.,less than 2 yrs old and had a corroded connection in the foot(minnkota). FYI the motorguide salywater does not have ss hardware, the one on bignutts brand new bayboat is rusting already at the latch pin.

Salty as hell would b a good reason to get a saltwater trolling motor.

I bought a Minn Kota Endura (freshwater model) in 2000 that I have used exclusively in the marsh and it still works great today. I guess it depends on how complicated the trolling motor is but all the internals like the motor are sealed. The only things that could rust are external parts and maybe a few parts in the head.

The saltwater motors are usually almost twice as much. Personally I wouldn't pay that but I also haven't bought an expensive motor like the Co-Pilot ones recently. There might be some critical external parts on the high end models that need to be stainless but on the simple ones like the Endura or similar bow mount models, save your money and just wash/spray them when you get home.

thats a good point. if you are getting a high end motor get a salt water one. if its a lower end motor then it isnt worth the extra, if you could replace it for the extra money. i have a great white on my bay boat. it has ss screews and an annode on it. the shaft and all the mounting pins are ss. this has been a great motor for over 10 years. i know if it were the fresh water model it would have been gone years ago. this was a $750.00 motor and i didnt want to replace it any time soon.