Have any of you upgraded your Minn Kota PD to I-Pilot w/BT? Questions....

[KevinWI]

It’s not that great. The TM tries to follow every little zig and zag. Can you imagine a course like a point that doubles back on itself? Better hang on.

That's why you drop your track first and then set to follow your track and back.....this way you control how your boat handles specific areas of a contour.

 

[Still Afloat]

That's why you drop your track first and then set to follow your track and back.....this way you control how your boat handles specific areas of a contour.

Hi Kevin,
I’m not sure that I caught that. Are you following a track or a contour?

I can’t honestly say that I’ve figured out how to get it to follow a saved track. The manual had some complex description of downloading a track to the TM. It seemed like more work than I was willing to do. Maybe I’m missing something?

 

[Still Afloat]

That's a really good question. I never tried it to see.....but looking at them, they have the exact same buttons but the link remote has the big touch screen with all the ipilot options. I don't see why it wouldn't work the basic operation for the TM....truthfully I like the old remote better....it's half the weight and size...and the touch screen can get touchy.
I always am afraid the remote will take a tumble out of the boat and become bottom structure. ....

It might be worth a try. I agree that the link remote is overgrown. It’s certainly more weight than I want hanging from my neck and it doesn’t fit well in a pocket.

 

[LDUBS]

Hi Kevin,
I’m not sure that I caught that. Are you following a track or a contour?

I can’t honestly say that I’ve figured out how to get it to follow a saved track. The manual had some complex description of downloading a track to the TM. It seemed like more work than I was willing to do. Maybe I’m missing something?

I didn't even know I had this iTrack feature until this thread prompted me to read the manual again. I agree it seems complex. First you record the boat's track. Then you select that track and the TM will take you along it again. There is an option to go in the reverse direction of the track.

When trolling for trout it is common for multiple catches at the same location, so this is a good feature I think. Hopefully, it will all become clear when I try it a few times.

At least now I know what that "GOTO" button does. Haha.

 

[Still Afloat]

I just reread that part of the manual as well. It is maybe not as complex as I recalled but, it’s still a lot of steps when I’d rather be fishing.

It sounds like Kevin is using iTrack or Routes rather than the follow the contour feature.

The iPilot link feature that has caught the most fish in my boat is circling around a point with a radius of 150’ or so.

 

[KevinWI]

I just reread that part of the manual as well. It is maybe not as complex as I recalled but, it’s still a lot of steps when I’d rather be fishing.

It sounds like Kevin is using iTrack or Routes rather than the follow the contour feature.

The iPilot link feature that has caught the most fish in my boat is circling around a point with a radius of 150’ or so.

yep.... I use my boat and big motor to make a track....can be done very quickly....you can even follow a contour, but instead of sharp turns, you make your own smoother turns.....then save.....it will always be there...when you come back, you just follow the track.... I do this for casting a shoreline.....rather than follow a contour, I run a distance away from the shore..... if there are fish, I just go back and forth for hours sometimes. If not...better luck next time....but the track will always be there for me.....
If you are in a new area, fishing...you can drop a track as you fish.... If you like it and catching fish, go over it again exactly as you did the first time...... so many options can keep you hands free to fish while the TM does the work.

 

[KevinWI]

It might be worth a try. I agree that the link remote is overgrown. It’s certainly more weight than I want hanging from my neck and it doesn’t fit well in a pocket.

I hang it from a short loop on my belt loop.

 

[CRS]

I use the tracking every trip and have some tracks for emergencies. The process is very simple and easy to use. The hardest part is labeling the track to remember what it does. Keep in mind it actually records waypoints and goes from point to point. It will record every little twist and turn so a little trick I use to get a straight line is to pause the recording and start it up again. The track between the pause and the restart will be a straight line, be sure you do not need to avoid anything as it will take you right thru it. Reversing the track is as easy, you just select to go to the start or the end and that controls which direction. Another thing I do is use two tracks to make the loop or the turn around. As I approach the end of the main track I end it and give it the start of the second track. The boat will straight line to the second track and follow it, then end it and pick the first track. Using this method if trolling you make a smooth turn around or connect the two tracks. A third track can be programmed so both ends of the main track can be smoothly joined without tangling your lines.
The emergency track is to get me back to the dock if it gets dark or a medical emergency, of course this only works using the trolling motor. I have used the trolling motor to steer while using the back motor to provide most of the power. I'm on all electric reservoirs so this is not a problem, with a gas motor pushing it would probably not work.
Tracking is not contour, contour goes by the depths on the map and hold to that depth line. The system also supports offset so if you are casting into say the 10 ' contour an off set can be called for that will keep you off that contour by your preferred distance either side of the line.
To date I have not been able to connect a contour with a programmed track, but am still trying.

 

[airshot]

Way to complicated for this old boy, I mostly use the anchor feature or when trolling just use the heading feature. The anchornlock is great when you want to move a fewvyards in any direction, sure beats wrestling an actual anchor, my book taljs about other features as well, but...it has taken my almost two summers to figure out the easy stuff.....getting a headache just thinking about creating a track ??

 

[EricMN]

After selling my Princecraft, I had a little left over, so I decided to upgrade to I-pilot with Bluetooth. This will be the first I-Pilot unit I have owned.

Here is the exact kit I have purchased: Minn Kota Riptide SP I-Pilot Bluetooth Conversion Kit

Sorry to ask you here, Thill… but I am going to order the same kit for my PD2.

Any issues with ordering through Trolling Motors Parts?

I am trying to decide between TMP or Notthland Marine as far as ordering.

Thanks and I appreciate you posting these questions

 

[Ray Clark]

That's a really good question. I never tried it to see.....but looking at them, they have the exact same buttons but the link remote has the big touch screen with all the ipilot options. I don't see why it wouldn't work the basic operation for the TM....truthfully I like the old remote better....it's half the weight and size...and the touch screen can get touchy.
I always am afraid the remote will take a tumble out of the boat and become bottom structure. ....

I have the same concern about smart phones, too. I have a floating case with transparent front for the smart phone. The ProNav Remote floats on it's own and it has a chartreuse lanyard.

 

[thill]

I always am afraid the remote will take a tumble out of the boat and become bottom structure. ....

I hope they float!

 

[LDUBS]

I hope they float!

Hmmm, attaching a floaty lanyard might not be a bad idea.

 

[thill]

Sorry to ask you here, Thill… but I am going to order the same kit for my PD2.

Any issues with ordering through Trolling Motors Parts?

I am trying to decide between TMP or Notthland Marine as far as ordering.

Thanks and I appreciate you posting these questions

Trolling Motor Parts is awesome. First rate service. I will be using them again and again! Too bad they don't accept Bass Pro store credits or I would buy more from them today.

Someone here recommended them, and I'm really glad they did. Saved me a bunch of money, and was delivered quickly.

 

[thill]

I'm loving this save track discussion! I don't troll much, but there is an area in the spring where the walleye lay, and it's a pretty exact track right off the cane beds. Being able to record and repeat it would be awesome!

This feature, I'm going to use!

 

[thill]

Hmmm, attaching a floaty lanyard might not be a bad idea.

This is what I had in mind, but if they float, it may not be necessary. Still, those neoprene lanyards might be a little extra insurance

 

[LDUBS]

I use the tracking every trip and have some tracks for emergencies. The process is very simple and easy to use. The hardest part is labeling the track to remember what it does. Keep in mind it actually records waypoints and goes from point to point. It will record every little twist and turn so a little trick I use to get a straight line is to pause the recording and start it up again. The track between the pause and the restart will be a straight line, be sure you do not need to avoid anything as it will take you right thru it. Reversing the track is as easy, you just select to go to the start or the end and that controls which direction. Another thing I do is use two tracks to make the loop or the turn around. As I approach the end of the main track I end it and give it the start of the second track. The boat will straight line to the second track and follow it, then end it and pick the first track. Using this method if trolling you make a smooth turn around or connect the two tracks. A third track can be programmed so both ends of the main track can be smoothly joined without tangling your lines.
The emergency track is to get me back to the dock if it gets dark or a medical emergency, of course this only works using the trolling motor. I have used the trolling motor to steer while using the back motor to provide most of the power. I'm on all electric reservoirs so this is not a problem, with a gas motor pushing it would probably not work.
Tracking is not contour, contour goes by the depths on the map and hold to that depth line. The system also supports offset so if you are casting into say the 10 ' contour an off set can be called for that will keep you off that contour by your preferred distance either side of the line.
To date I have not been able to connect a contour with a programmed track, but am still trying.

@CRS, I continue to learn a lot on this thread. The way you connect tracks to avoid a sharp turn makes a lot of sense. Thanks for sharing these points (no pun intended).

I also use the outboard when trolling and steer with the TM. The part I highlighted above -- are you talking about if you ever had to use the emergency track or using iTrack in general. Seems iTrack should work with an outboard motor running, as long as we don't turn the boat with it.

 

[LDUBS]

This is what I had in mind, but if they float, it may not be necessary. Still, those neoprene lanyards might be a little extra insurance

I'm pretty sure my I-Pilot remote would sink like a rock.

 

[KevinWI]

This is what I had in mind, but if they float, it may not be necessary. Still, those neoprene lanyards might be a little extra insurance

They float about as well as your anchor.

 

[KevinWI]

Hmmm, attaching a floaty lanyard might not be a bad idea.

The size of the float needed to get neutral buoyancy would be very large. I mean....It's not a set of boat keys.