Looks like an I-pilot & MK Maxxum

[Don G]

The other day when I was testing my I-Pilot & DF's I failed to mention one thing..I pulled up to a dock and hit "spot lock" and was shooting out of the right side of my boat..With drift, current & wind I was moving around a little..After about 5-10 minutes of shooting I found myself still close enough to the original "spot lock" location but I was 360*..In other words the bow of my boat went from pointing to the bank to pointing out in the lake but only a couple of feet from the original spot...I had to change sides to shoot the dock..banghead

I have owned every kind of MK electric steer motors dating back to the earlier models..Under my fishing conditions which is dock shooting & brush pile jigging it is not to my liking...However, my old WWII friends want to go to High Rock and do some long lining..I think the I-Pilot will be great for this..Thumbs Up

I am now looking at buying a MK Maxxum foot control and swapping the motors out to suit the way of fishing that I will be doing..I know this is a pain but I have the MK bracket and other than TD wiring it shouldn't be too hard to do..

Not to start an argument, but if you are a dock shooter or brush pile fisherman you will not be happy with the I-Pilot vs foot control...I guess the IP is workable for some under these conditions but not for me..

[genec]

Hey Don, told you so. But for multi rods they are the best

[Corker]

Not to start an argument, but if you are a dock shooter or brush pile fisherman you will not be happy with the I-Pilot vs foot control

Don (and others who are new to iPilot) - iP's best features (spot lock, auto pilot, cruise control, and track recorder) depend on GPS technology which, as you know has a margin of error. Except for military-grade GPS devices, this technology can't guarantee pinpoint accuracy--generally you get a plot point that is within 20' of the exact location. The weather and number of available satellites further increase or decrease accuracy. It's unrealistic to expect fishing electronics to outperform precision guided munitions--and that's what it would take in order to "moor" your boat electronically with GPS-controlled motor systems like iP. A navy vessel may be able to hold a tight enough position to shoot a dock or vertical-jig a small BP, but we're not likely to live long enough to enjoy that level of precision.

As we all agree, there isn't a single fishing system that's perfect for all times, places, and styles of fishing. iP is no exception. I use it to great advantage in open water over structure, but too many misadventures have taught me to forget about it when I'm in tight places such as docks, spillways, bridges, tree-lined shores, and rafts of fishing boats. It's the same as using my truck's cruise control on a busy highway.

If a traditional foot-pedal-controlled TM like Maxxum gets the job done for you, then that's what you should use. Since a very high percentage of my fishing is in TMO lakes, I'm sold on a product that at the least provides autopilot. 20 to 30 minute runs would be painful if I had to steer with a foot pedal. Limited to that option, I'd go back to a hand operated transom-mounted motor.

[genec]

well said corker

[Ranger690]

Good pilots approach from down wind. Problem solved

[Don G]

Good pilots approach from down wind. Problem solved

Doesn't work too well around docks..You are just use to open water & shrimp nets..:D

[newly]

Wait before you switch. Have you heard cane pole on here ipilot switch box. You can use both a foot control and ipilot. What I understand is you plug both into a box he makes and sells and flip the switch and you can have either. I was trying to find the thread but on my phone I cant find it.

Newell

[Corker]

ipilot switch box

You don't need a blackbox with Terrova. It uses both the iP remote and the foot pedal interchangeably.

[downeast75]

My wife got me a MK Powerdrive with iPilot for my birthday. I also did not realize about not being able to use it without a footpedal. I sent it back to BassPro to exchange for a Terrova. I plan on upgrading the Terrova with an iPilot once I get it on the boat.... Should be awesome for trolling....

[Corker]

exchange for a Terrova... Should be awesome for trolling....

If you want a linear course at a specific speed, you're ready to go as soon as you pull away from the dock on your first trip. The track record/replay feature has a steeper learning curve, but will navigate along a predetermined course with any number of twists & turns. The only drawback with this feature (also spot lock) is that you can't save tracks from one trip to the next. My work-around is to use an earlier track (could be last trip, last month, or last year) recorded in my handheld GPS. I turn on the iP's track recorder, run the course indicated by the handheld, and then use the newly recorded iP track to rerun all or part of the course as many times as I want.