Wireless/digital trolling motor question?

**rockmike** · 01-13-2010, 10:09 AM

Originally Posted by Buckrub

I will go against the grain here. 5 years ago I bought a new boat and on advice from friends bought the Minnkota power drive, autopilot, TM. Boy what a mistake.

First, you have to literally get up out of your seat, walk to the front of the boat (my boat is 19' Lowe) and use two hands and unlatch the motor with one hand and lift it straight up with the other, till it gets 2/3 of the way up and breaks over, then you begin to lay it down. What a mess. I almost died.

I saved my pennies and got rid of it and bought a MinnKota Maxxum and WHEW, finally the TM works the way it's supposed to.

It's nice to have a flat foot pedal, but it never worked like it should have. It was hard to steer (shouldn't have been, should have been easier). That should have been the sole selling point but it wasn't.

I strongly recommend you find someone that has one and get in their boat and try it out first.

FYI, the folks that recommended it to me were Northern Walleye fishermen, who spent the day trolling the bottom for walleye. It worked great for them.

But for stop/start/turn/stop/turn/start/stop type fishing that most of us do around brush tops, you need the mechanical functionality of the old kind, and you need to pull it up with a rope and stow it and go.

My two cents. Maybe worth less.

Can't argue your point, but a lot of us primarily troll, and you can't beat the powerdrive AP for that. I have a mount to interchange my Maxum and my Terrova.

**L.A. stumpjumper** · 01-13-2010, 10:14 AM

Originally Posted by creekslick

Jerry is your pd a v2? I don't think the I-pilot will work with the plain pd.

Yeah Wayne, I have the v2 with copilot.

**gasper_goul** · 01-13-2010, 11:01 AM

rockmike, i have a friend who i bass fish with every great once in awhile with a pd v2 mounted on a 19' triton...tried it and i agree...the foot pedal was difficult to get used to and was in the market for a maxxum because of this experience however i troll fish in open water with multiple poles 90 % of the time and really like the idea of the hand held fob which i would probably use the most and love what i've seen so far with the new mk i-pilot...my friend hated his at first too but wouldn't go back to a cable steer after getting used to it....thanks for all the input

**rockmike** · 01-13-2010, 11:21 AM

Originally Posted by gasper_goul

rockmike, i have a friend who i bass fish with every great once in awhile with a pd v2 mounted on a 19' triton...tried it and i agree...the foot pedal was difficult to get used to and was in the market for a maxxum because of this experience however i troll fish in open water with multiple poles 90 % of the time and really like the idea of the hand held fob which i would probably use the most and love what i've seen so far with the new mk i-pilot...my friend hated his at first too but wouldn't go back to a cable steer after getting used to it....thanks for all the input

From what little I've been able to use it, the IPilot is going to be the real deal.

**luvin.fishin** · 01-13-2010, 04:27 PM

Used mine today and put it through the wringer. I love it! The spot lock and cruise control is gonna be great. I found the foot control with the heel/toe steering to be almost like my 80# Maxxum. I've gotta get that Maxxum sold here soon.

**luvin.fishin** · 01-13-2010, 04:31 PM

Originally Posted by L.A. stumpjumper

Yeah Wayne, I have the v2 with copilot.

OOPS!

I told a mutual Power House friend of ours that I thought you had a plain PD. Glad it turned out to be the V2. He told me that you're retiring in a month? Boy! You're gonna be hard on the crappie. :D You and Sack all the way!! :D :D :D

**gasper_goul** · 01-13-2010, 05:06 PM

Originally Posted by luvin.fishin

Used mine today and put it through the wringer. I love it! The spot lock and cruise control is gonna be great. I found the foot control with the heel/toe steering to be almost like my 80# Maxxum. I've gotta get that Maxxum sold here soon.

that's good news bill...i'm leaning toward the 55 pd with ipilot...i need the 12 volt model on my smaller boat and the terrova only comes in the 24v with the ipilot factory installed...i'll still have to get the 54" shaft cut off of the factory installed model but i have a mk guy that can do that...pm me on the age of your maxxum and your selling price and i'll check around at work...those bass guys love the maxxums

**L.A. stumpjumper** · 01-13-2010, 07:08 PM

Originally Posted by luvin.fishin

OOPS!

I told a mutual Power House friend of ours that I thought you had a plain PD. Glad it turned out to be the V2. He told me that you're retiring in a month? Boy! You're gonna be hard on the crappie. :D You and Sack all the way!! :D :D :D

Hey Bill, my last day of work will be Feb. 12, I can't wait. Probably see you on the water soon.

**creekslick** · 01-13-2010, 07:14 PM

Originally Posted by L.A. stumpjumper

Hey Bill, my last day of work will be Feb. 12, I can't wait. Probably see you on the water soon.

Jerry congrulations on your retirement. They will have to start a crappie restocking program in south Arkansas this summer.:D

**luvin.fishin** · 01-13-2010, 08:40 PM

Originally Posted by gasper_goul

that's good news bill...i'm leaning toward the 55 pd with ipilot...i need the 12 volt model on my smaller boat and the terrova only comes in the 24v with the ipilot factory installed...i'll still have to get the 54" shaft cut off of the factory installed model but i have a mk guy that can do that...pm me on the age of your maxxum and your selling price and i'll check around at work...those bass guys love the maxxums

It came on the 2007 boat. 80#, 24 volt, 42" shaft for $300 plus shipping. I'll probably post it on here soon with some pics. Name: no 1.jpg
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