ipilot questions

[Freshtrax]

 

Hey everyone , have a few questions.  ive always just kinda used what was on the boat when we bought but we are in the market for a new bowmount /sonar combo for our new boat.

2005 19.5 ft legend 

will be mostly used for trolling big water and trips up north to lady e and nipigon

the biggest features (that we know about) are  spot lock and bieng able to hold a headding while the kicker is powering the boat.

what should we be looking at 24 vs 36v ?

dont need a crazy sonar sidescan this image that...any suggestions?

pretty much can someone give me a crashcourse on these things as i have no clue.

 

thanks.

 

 

 

 

Edited January 18, 2019 by Freshtrax

[BillM]

24v is all you'll need.  You've seen my rig, 80lb Terrova on the front will last me days before recharging on good batteries.   I've got a HB 958 up front on the bow attached to the US2 in the Terrova.    And really for Nip unless you're fishing lakers or pike, I don't even turn the sonar on, lol.   My console unit has all the cool stuff (SI, DI, etc).   The only other thing I could see that would be useful upfront would be a SI tranducer.  That can easily be attached to the Minn Kota if you wanted.

Edited January 17, 2019 by BillM

[AKRISONER]

My suggestion is go with a terrova, if you really don’t want to be fancy about it skip buying ipilot link and simply get a terrova with ipilot

bill is correct that a 24v system will move the boat fine but may leave you wanting more on rough windy days. If you can afford 110 just like an outboard more power is never a problem.

interestingly bill says that he never uses his front unit, I personally would argue the complete opposite. I use my front unit while I’m actively fishing a hell of a lot more than my console units. 

I would argue that side imaging is stupid for the front transducer and you are better off with down imaging and chirp at the front unit.

 

if you don’t have the fancy GPS simply use your basic gps unit because all minkottas come with Universal sonar functionality. Really allowing you to be pretty much plug and play. 

 

The amount of times im fishing along and mark fish beneath the boat on the front graph, hit spot lock and then drop a dropshot on the fishes head is too many to count.

ipilot link is an additional function that will send you down the rabbit hole of spending thousands on new units, cards, and a more expensive trolling motor. I would argue if you don’t know about it already don’t bother stick with standard ipilot.

the place you will enjoy it most is when you decide to jig up some Walleye on your favourite hump. You’ll pull up stealth, hit spit lock and the boat does the rest. No dancing around on the trolling motor, no trying to find the hump again, no readjusting or flying all over the place when a wind gust hits. You can’t beat it.

 

any more questions let me know, I’ve researched the stuff extensively and know more than any person that isn’t making a living selling the damn things should lol.

 

edit: I’ll add that if you can describe what your current electronics set up is, I can go into more detail about your options

Edited January 17, 2019 by AKRISONER

[porkpie]

Couple things, I have a very deep 18.5 foot boat.  I run my kicker with 80lb terrova for steering all the time.  The autopilot is by far the best feature of the minn kota for a troller.  I don’t even have a bow sonar because at least 70% of my time is spent trolling.  I might put my helix up front at some point but I just haven’t got around to it.  The only time I really miss it is when vertical jigging.  Unless it’s very windy, then the 80lb terrova is fine.  Really I just bump the throttle on the kicker if I need more.  If I was planning to just troll on the minn kota then it might be a problem on windier days with the 80.  Absolutely spend the money on the Minn kota.  It’s the best cash a troller in a tin boat can spend.  I use spotlock, but only when fishing vertical for perch or jigging.  It doesn’t factor in as much as I thought it wouldn’t but definitely useful!

[BillM]

11 hours ago, AKRISONER said:

My suggestion is go with a terrova, if you really don’t want to be fancy about it skip buying ipilot link and simply get a terrova with ipilot

bill is correct that a 24v system will move the boat fine but may leave you wanting more on rough windy days. If you can afford 110 just like an outboard more power is never a problem.

interestingly bill says that he never uses his front unit, I personally would argue the complete opposite. I use my front unit while I’m actively fishing a hell of a lot more than my console units. 

 

I never use my front unit on a specific lake we both fish.   I stated that in my reply     If you've fished it, you'd understand.

[Freshtrax]

no need when you can see down 15 ft and casting to 6 inches of water.

have a line on a 2018 terranova 80 60inch shaft  new in box from dealer with ipilot but  no link for 1899  good deal? seems like it but i dont know if these go on on sale at the boat show ect. 

Edited January 18, 2019 by Freshtrax

[John Bacon]

Do you have a preferrance for Lowrance vs. Humminbird?  MG Xi5s can be controlled via Lowrance HDS graphs.  Minn Kota iPilots can be controlled via certain Humminbird units.

You can use the build in transducers with either brand, but you get additional integration (for more $) with the correct pairing.

When considering the voltage, think if how many batteries you want to carry.  24v is probably fine; but 36v may come in handy if you have room for three batteries.

For big water trolling, I wouldn't consider anything other than iPilot or Xi5 if you go with MG; but you probably don't Link.

[Freshtrax]

im thinking of getting a hellix 9 for the console like the feature of creating your own maps allot of lakes i fish are not charted. or charted verry well.  for the bow i have an older 2d helix 5 to put up there for now.  

Edited January 18, 2019 by Freshtrax

[BillM]

3 hours ago, Freshtrax said:

no need when you can see down 15 ft and casting to 6 inches of water.

have a line on a 2018 terranova 80 60inch shaft  new in box from dealer with ipilot but  no link for 1899  good deal? seems like it but i dont know if these go on on sale at the boat show ect. 

You definitely want Link especially when creating tracks on the HB.  I control the Terrova from the HB for the most part.  Create track, and just get the boat to go back and froth between two points continuously at a certain speed.  Nice to be hands off when making cast after cast after cast.  

[fishindevil]

on my bass boat I have the 112lb minn kota all linked up with both my front graphs helix 10's with DI and ipilot its insane and use it all the time I also have sidescan and what I can do with it and what I can see is amazing its a game changer for sure

[porkpie]

Yeah side scan is pretty amazing.  We used it last summer to mark suspended fish on Erie, drop a waypoint on them, turn the boat over them and whammo.  It was pretty cool.  Very nice to be able to find rockpiles and structure off the side as well!

Edited January 18, 2019 by porkpie

[BassMan11]

11 hours ago, Freshtrax said:

no need when you can see down 15 ft and casting to 6 inches of water.

have a line on a 2018 terranova 80 60inch shaft  new in box from dealer with ipilot but  no link for 1899  good deal? seems like it but i dont know if these go on on sale at the boat show ect. 

If that has the new Ipilot with bluetooth then yes it would be a very good deal. 24V would be great but 36 would be better. Especially if your camping on an island out on Nip with no way to charge your batteries..... the extra capacity would be useful. Also don't rule out the Ulterra when looking. I have been running one for the last 3 years and love it. Launching and trailing the boat is a breeze by yourself and not having to go to the front of the boat to pull the motor up is great. Both are great options.

As for a sonar up front... I would say gps and standard 2d is fine. Save your DI and SI for the console unit. 

[Lape0019]

10 hours ago, BillM said:

You definitely want Link especially when creating tracks on the HB.  I control the Terrova from the HB for the most part.  Create track, and just get the boat to go back and froth between two points continuously at a certain speed.  Nice to be hands off when making cast after cast after cast.  

If you are solely recording a track of up to 2 miles, you can do this without link. If you want to follow contour lines or control the TM from the fish finder, you will need the link.

The definite advantages to the LInk version is you can store more tracks and waypoints and you can follow contour lines. But... you have to have HD lakemaster maps or create your own maps to follow the contour lines. You cannot follow lines from a navionics card.

[BillM]

2 hours ago, Lape0019 said:

If you are solely recording a track of up to 2 miles, you can do this without link. If you want to follow contour lines or control the TM from the fish finder, you will need the link.

The definite advantages to the LInk version is you can store more tracks and waypoints and you can follow contour lines. But... you have to have HD lakemaster maps or create your own maps to follow the contour lines. You cannot follow lines from a navionics card.

Which is why I suggested link just for the fact that you can control it from the Bird.    Easiest way to do it is just to drop two waypoints on the HB and go back and forth between them.    More then a few ways to skin a cat    Would be nice if you could follow the contours on the Navionics chips, because the Lakemaster coverage for Canada is garbage.   Although no maps for this specific lake anyhow.

[Lape0019]

Bill,

 

I only specified this because your first sentence clearly states you want link especially if creating tracks on the HB. Creating tracks being the key to my response as you dont really need link to create tracks. Everything else you stated, I agree with.

[Freshtrax]

thanks guys, you helped us spend a few bucks today.  ended up getting an ulterra ipilot link.   80 lb 60" $3000 seems every where wants $3500 for the same unit.  they wanted $2700 for the link on the the terrova  for the extra 300 the auto deploy was a no brainer.    now to save some pennies for a sonar.    we always have a small generator to charge the batteries when out camping so not worries about the exta battery drain. 

 

i feel like this is really going to change the way i fish cant wait. 

 

 

Edited January 18, 2019 by Freshtrax

[Lape0019]

That’s awesome Freshtrax. Enjoy the new TM. 

[BillM]

Auto stow/deploy is a slick feature.

[Freshtrax]

im just excited to fish more and not drive the boat all day. 

The link was a must have once we read up on it.

 

The auto deploy the more we talked about it the more we liked it especialy bieng able to deploy with the roof and bow cover on , deploying in rough water and not hanging over the boat, and fishing with kids. 

 

bring on soft water

[porkpie]

Sweet motor, enjoy!

[AKRISONER]

On 1/19/2019 at 3:40 PM, Freshtrax said:

im just excited to fish more and not drive the boat all day. 

The link was a must have once we read up on it.

 

The auto deploy the more we talked about it the more we liked it especialy bieng able to deploy with the roof and bow cover on , deploying in rough water and not hanging over the boat, and fishing with kids. 

 

bring on soft water

Make sure that when you purchase the new unit that it is a N (networking) model.

 

my buddy made the mistake of buying link but doesn’t have networking capable graphs so it was a waste of his money

[limeyangler]

On 1/19/2019 at 2:40 PM, Freshtrax said:

im just excited to fish more and not drive the boat all day. 

The link was a must have once we read up on it.

 

The auto deploy the more we talked about it the more we liked it especialy bieng able to deploy with the roof and bow cover on , deploying in rough water and not hanging over the boat, and fishing with kids. 

 

bring on soft water

I have the same motor, LOVE IT, when it works, its going back in for the third time, still arguing with them about the "lemon law", they are sticking on the fact the one time I sent it in was due to a voltage problem on my boat, I am arguing my electronic system is fine, don't think i'm going to win this battle, at least this repair is still under warranty, it is doing the same thing it did the first time it crapped out after I had it for 2 months, won't deploy properly at first, then gets slower and slower until it won't deploy at all, they had to change out the whole motorized unit at the base, second time was what they say was a voltage issue, even though while it would not stow it would still hold the boat in position in a 27kmh wind , when it does not stow and reset does not work you have to basically break it to stow it and then take it to a shop for repair, trying to follow the procedure to emergency stow on a bow mount in my small boat with 3 foot waves is no easy task. 

Not trying to put a downer on your new purchase, Like I said, I love it for the same reasons you do. I also fish alone a lot and I now cover waaaaaay more water in a day, leaving a spot to find another spot is effortless. I also like that you can trim the motor up and down, helps when sneaking up on shore to retrieve snags, or moving to another spot on the outboard that is not far enough away to warrant full /stow deploy. Now when I'm guiding all I have to tell the guests to do is shut up and fish....lol. Definitely worth looking into the autocrat live, love making maps of the humps i've fished for years. Waypoints give you and idea of the depth at any given point but not an overall layout of the structure, amazing what you find on spots you fished for years, add the jog feature into the equation and you can approach your hump, orient yourself according to wind and hop 10 feet at a time up or down the structure, when you find the depth the fish are holding at, follow that depth contour line, all done on your screen sat on yer behind.

[Freshtrax]

thanks for the candid review i follow your videos and imigine your gear gets a workout.   i have hearrd of a few bad ones leaving the factory most were gen 1 units from what i have read fingers crossed on ours.  do you lubricate the belt? if so what have you found works best?

[KraTToR]

I've owned several different MKs over the last 5 years so based on that, here are my comments:

• Don't limit yourself on features, you will grow into them. I would never buy a bow mount w/o a transducer for example. 
• Although the Ulterra is pretty slick and safer to deploy, because you travel as far as Nip, I would go with a Terrova as they have fewer parts that can go bad.  FYI, I have a gen 2 ulterra that took 3 trips to the repair depot last year to figure out an issue. 
• As others have said, 24 volt is enough, 36 is better. Go 36 if you have a spot for 3 grp 31 batteries.  If you don't, 24 it is. 
• Also, get an on-board charger with an extra bank to charge your starting battery. 

[KraTToR]

17 hours ago, Freshtrax said:

thanks for the candid review i follow your videos and imigine your gear gets a workout.   i have hearrd of a few bad ones leaving the factory most were gen 1 units from what i have read fingers crossed on ours.  do you lubricate the belt? if so what have you found works best?

you dont' lubricate the belt. Keep the shaft clean and  spray it with a silicone lube from time to time.  The Gen 1 issues were around the position sensors.

If you ever end up needing repair, the only place to go in southern ont is Rocky's in Orillia.  I had a very bad "Minn Kota" experience at Aikmans.