So... This iPilot thingababob...

[AnglerC]

I have heard nothing but good things about iPilot.

So I'm just getting started in learning what it's all about. Not what it can do but whats the setup...

What do I need.

I learned there is 2 types of iPilot.

1.) iPilot Link = which talks to my Humminbird and can follow contours and all sorts of other things. From what I can gather I have a choice of the Helix, Onix, Ion or the Legacy Units for my Fishfinder. Then I just choose what trolling motor I prefer. Thrust, Voltage, Shaft Length and Deploy Method.

Am I close?

2.) iPilot GPS Remote = Which has a hand held remote to control it manually. And will spot lock at the push of a button.

Correct?

I'd like to know what your set up is. What has worked? What hasn't worked? What would you do different if given the opportunity? What if money was no object? If you were in my shoes, wanting the most boom for my buck and not being able to ever replace it. What would you do?

 

[rotus623]

Hey bud,

I have been an Ipilot fan for years.

First thing to mention. REMOTE STEER!!!! I striper troll a lot and absolutely LOVE this feature. You can set the motor on a course and speed, and set all 12 lines (downlines, planer boards, floats etc.) and not worry about the motor or the course it is on. You can also wind all your trolling rigs up and keep the motor going. Or, when you have a fish on, just concentrate on getting it to the boat rather than worrying about boat course.

The Ipilot can do GPS spot lock and keep the boat within a 5' radius. In a hard wind and heavy current, it won't do what you want, but it sure will try. Anything over 10mph winds is a no go in my experience.

The Ipilot will also record tracks. So if you run a trolling course you can have the gps head unit remember it, and then run it back. I never got much use out of this feature. Normally once I run through a spot I am done with it.

The last thing I like about the Ipilot is that it has auto pilot. If you set a heading it will do a great job at keeping the boat moving at the same speed and direction as what you set it at.




I haven't own the Ipilot link, but I know it is WAAAYYYY more expensive. The 2 things that I like about the link is that if you DO have a humminbird, you can set a waypoint on your graph and have the motor take you right there and hold the boat there as well. You can also plot a course for it to follow WITHOUT having to run it the first time.

I have had humminbird and lowrance. I prefer my lowrance for what I do, so the link isnt much use to me in that case.

I had a 12v minnkota terrova with Ipilot on my 16' aluminum boat and it worked really well, even on rough days. I worked the heck out of that motor and battery, and never ran completely out of juice after a HARD day of trolling. BUT, the battery died after a year and a half. I much have discharged it too much.

Now I have a HEAVY 20' fiberglass boat. I upgraded to the 24 volt minnkota terrova ST (saltwater version) with Ipilot and that motor will push my boat 2.5mph!! And I have NEVER felt a power loss, even after a very hard day on the water.

The upside of these motors is also their downside. Electric steer. They offer so much, but putting a pedal on it to bass fish is slower and louder than a traditional cable steer motor.

All in all, for what I do I would probably give up live bait trolling if I didn't my remote steer trolling motor.

I just dont think it is that much of a benefit pointing to a waypoint on my graph and having the motor take me there. I just watch the graph and steer the motor to my waypoint and set it. And for trolling a course I just pay attention to where I am going and adjust my course as we move forward.

If money were no object, sure I would have an Onix 12 SI and a minnkota Ulterra (electric stow and deploy) with Ipilot Link. But me, Im just as happy as a clam as what I got. Lowrance 12 touch and Minnkota Terrova 24v with Ipilot.

 

[rotus623]

Oh and one more thing, if you don't go BIG and get the Ulterra Electric stow and deploy, get the Terrova instead of the Powerdrive.
The stow and deploy of the Terrova is WAY nicer, smoother and easier to use than the cheap little collar lock on the powerdrive units. I have had both and wouldn't go back.

Also, with the Terrova you can have the remote to steer AND the pedal hooked up at once. With the powerdrive you have to choose.......

 

[AnglerC]

Oh and one more thing, if you don't go BIG and get the Ulterra Electric stow and deploy, get the Terrova instead of the Powerdrive.
The stow and deploy of the Terrova is WAY nicer, smoother and easier to use than the cheap little collar lock on the powerdrive units. I have had both and wouldn't go back.

Also, with the Terrova you can have the remote to steer AND the pedal hooked up at once. With the powerdrive you have to choose.......

All good stuff Rotus. Thanks a lot!!!

 

[Jim]

Thanks for the insight! :beer:

 

[rotus623]

Sure thing fellas! Happy to help

 

[AnglerC]

Hey Rotus may I ask. Why the Humminbird Onix over the Helix? Just curious. Both come with a pretty hefty price tag. Does the Onix do something the Helix or Legacy's don't?

 

[rotus623]

Hefty price tag is right.

The only reason that I said Onix is because they have a touch screen model available. Matter of fact, that is one of the main reasons that I went to Lowrance over the Bird. The Bird didn't have a touch model when I was shopping around.

I had a "Bird 798 at one point, then went to two 898's. The shallow water side imaging is much better IMO than the lowrance shallow water side scan. But, the Lowrance Down scan blows the birds away (cept for the onix) because of the dedicated downscan crystal in the lowrance (and Onix) unit.

All in all, if I had to do it again, I would certainly buy the lowrance elite 9ti, with sidescan. I have had a lot of graphs, and you cannot BEAT this unit for $1000. It has touch screen, side and down scan, chirp 2d sonar, gps, all on a healthy 9" screen. (You can get the 7ti with sidescan for around $800) The only thing it does NOT have, is networking capabilities. For that price, WHO CARES!!! The lowrance hds9 with SS transducer is in the $1500-1800 range. The only features that I can tell the difference is networkable and faster processor.

Helix is a nice unit and I got a couple buds that use and like it. For me, everything is going touch. My 12 Touch is over 2 years old and I could not be happier with it. I even have some really nice waterproof insulated gloves that are touch screen sensitive that I use in the winter, and I can use the graph with them on.

 

[AnglerC]

Thanks Rotus