The best toy i ever bought

[Hlleonard]

Man, that is EXACTLY why I got rid of the AutoPilot that I had on my boat when I first purchased it. It was a seriously expensive motor, but all that expense was built into useless technology. I sold it for less than 1/2 what it was worth to a guy on here.............THEN I added a few bucks to the money I received and purchased a Minn Kota 70 / 24v system with cable drive.

My biggest issue was turning the dang thing. AND it's horrible method could be heard half way across the lake, so I guarantee the purty brownfish in my vicinity could hear it.

Yep, dropped that product as quickly as I could.

Now, don't get me wrong........it was FANTASTIC for pointing and forgetting and fishing. GREAT. But if I needed to navigate as fishin stated, it was very hard.

Later,

Geo

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I bought one of the power drives a good many years ago, I guess the gps wasn't an option then, I took it to the lake one time and returned it and got a cable model... The problem I had with it was I couldn't tell what direction it was pointed in without looking at the thing and would end up with the wire wrapped around the shaft of the thing so it didn't work for me at that time but now I'm a totally different fisherman than at that time, I spend a lot of time fishing bottom cover and it is tough keeping the boat located... I'm up in the air as to whether or not to get the model with a foot pedal also as I do a fair amount of moving through standing timber looking for fish with the depth finder.... It's amazing how different crappie fishing is than bass fishing.

[Fishin is life]

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I bought one of the power drives a good many years ago, I guess the gps wasn't an option then, I took it to the lake one time and returned it and got a cable model... The problem I had with it was I couldn't tell what direction it was pointed in without looking at the thing and would end up with the wire wrapped around the shaft of the thing so it didn't work for me at that time but now I'm a totally different fisherman than at that time, I spend a lot of time fishing bottom cover and it is tough keeping the boat located... I'm up in the air as to whether or not to get the model with a foot pedal also as I do a fair amount of moving through standing timber looking for fish with the depth finder.... It's amazing how different crappie fishing is than bass fishing.

The foot pedal doesnt help it turn any faster. He said you do not want to be in standing timber with it period

[mhall]

The foot pedal doesnt help it turn any faster. He said you do not want to be in standing timber with it period

Good to know as this sounds like a real down fall to this product. However if one doesn't ever fish standing timber it sounds like the shiznit...

[Hlleonard]

Good to know as this sounds like a real down fall to this product. However if one doesn't ever fish standing timber it sounds like the shiznit...

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That may be a drawback for me as I like to fish the standing timber at caverun... I'm probably going to get it and cuss it when I fish caverun... Sounds like I might as well save myself some money as the foot pedal adds $150 or so to the price, thanks

[waterdog101]

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That looks like it works pretty well, have seen a couple quick disconnects advertised for the power drive but that is the first vid I have seen showing how it works, thanks... Now I cant wait until next spring,I'm probably going regret waiting, amazon has the one I want now for $935 with no shipping charge but I just can't talk myself into buying it right now, I would have to look at it all winter before I got to use it and they have a 2 week window to send it back so I'll have to wait, I might get it and it not work next spring when I take it out... This is a fantastic idea if it works as advertised.... Did you get the one with the universal sonar and if so did you have to buy a cable to connect it to a hummingbird?.. I have a humming bird sonar on both boats and am hoping it will work with both units.

I got the Terrova i-pilot 24 volt 80 lb thrust, with the universal sonar built into the foot piece. and I did have to buy a little cable for it to interlink with my fishfinder. the cable at bass pro was 30.bucks, mine has the foot pedal and remote control. I read where Fishin is life, said his friend had trouble steering through standing timber. I was in standing timber on Laurel and never had any trouble at all and the coves on laurel is full of snags. and for me the remote works better in standing timber than the foot pedal did. the foot pedal is really hard to get use to. you don't work it by moving your foot up and down like the ones I've had before. it has 3 buttons on the rear end of the pedal, the middle one turns the prop, and the left one steers left, and right steers right. sounds simple but old habits are hard to break.

[Hlleonard]

I got the Terrova i-pilot 24 volt 80 lb thrust, with the universal sonar built into the foot piece. and I did have to buy a little cable for it to interlink with my fishfinder. the cable at bass pro was 30.bucks, mine has the foot pedal and remote control. I read where Fishin is life, said his friend had trouble steering through standing timber. I was in standing timber on Laurel and never had any trouble at all and the coves on laurel is full of snags. and for me the remote works better in standing timber than the foot pedal did. the foot pedal is really hard to get use to. you don't work it by moving your foot up and down like the ones I've had before. it has 3 buttons on the rear end of the pedal, the middle one turns the prop, and the left one steers left, and right steers right. sounds simple but old habits are hard to break.

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I don't need the terrova but was considering it to get the foot pedal, it's a hundred and fifty dollars or so higher than the one I want to buy... Do you use the foot pedal much, hate to pay the extra bucks for something I won't use.... Since I have gotten older, the foot control is tough on my joints.

[waterdog101]

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I don't need the terrova but was considering it to get the foot pedal, it's a hundred and fifty dollars or so higher than the one I want to buy... Do you use the foot pedal much, hate to pay the extra bucks for something I won't use.... Since I have gotten older, the foot control is tough on my joints.

I have used it more than I care to, just trying to get use to it. the best way to fish with one of the i-pilot units. is to record a trail of where you want to fish. and then let the trolling motor do the work for you. on your hummingbird fishfinder you can also select the dept to fish 20 or 30 feet from shore and the trolling motor will follow the dept you choose, and when you get to moving the speed you want to fish, just push the cruise control button and it will just ease alone and you don't have to do a thing except fish. this link will show you what I tried to tell you. only it will do a better job than I did. no need to make your joints sore anymore. let the i-pilot do the work for you.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DDkPBA2ndds

[Hlleonard]

I have used it more than I care to, just trying to get use to it. the best way to fish with one of the i-pilot units. is to record a trail of where you want to fish. and then let the trolling motor do the work for you. on your hummingbird fishfinder you can also select the dept to fish 20 or 30 feet from shore and the trolling motor will follow the dept you choose, and when you get to moving the speed you want to fish, just push the cruise control button and it will just ease alone and you don't have to do a thing except fish. this link will show you what I tried to tell you. only it will do a better job than I did. no need to make your joints sore anymore. let the i-pilot do the work for you.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DDkPBA2ndds

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I'm not going to buy the thing until spring, until then I'm trying to find out all I can about it... I think motor guide has a wireless, not the gps I don't think, It seems they offer a wireless foot pedal for their motor but so far I haven't seen a foot control offered for the v2 which is all I need for my 17 foot tracker... I might talk myself into buying the model with the foot control by march... I'll probably get the foot control and it will sit around on the deck in the way.... If I don't have a problem negotiating standing timber, I doubt Ill have much use for the foot pedal... The spot lock will be the work horse judging from the way I fish now... Would like to buy the thing and add the foot pedal later if it seems like I need it but I don't think that is an option from what I have read.

[Hlleonard]

I think this will be what you need, to use the same trolling motor on 2 different boats. Quick Release Bracket http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QceAXN0-qpg

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If you don't mind me being a worry wart, can I ask you if the foot control is detachable as in can you just unplug it from the thing, I don't think I'll have any use for the foot control on the pontoon and I might kick it in the water accidentally.

[waterdog101]

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If you don't mind me being a worry wart, can I ask you if the foot control is detachable as in can you just unplug it from the thing, I don't think I'll have any use for the foot control on the pontoon and I might kick it in the water accidentally.

My friend, I'm glad to be able to answer a question for you or anyone else. the foot control does unplug. and after you learn to use the unit to mark the areas you like to fish, you will be like me and won't use the foot control anyway. I live close to 2 lakes, and if you would like to try one of the i-pilots, before you invest your money in one. you are more than welcome, to go with me and see what it will do. but like I said, it's the best money I ever spent on fishing equipment.

[Hlleonard]

My friend, I'm glad to be able to answer a question for you or anyone else. the foot control does unplug. and after you learn to use the unit to mark the areas you like to fish, you will be like me and won't use the foot control anyway. I live close to 2 lakes, and if you would like to try one of the i-pilots, before you invest your money in one. you are more than welcome, to go with me and see what it will do. but like I said, it's the best money I ever spent on fishing equipment.

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Thanks a bunch, that helps, actually I have already made the decision to buy one of these next spring, now I'm trying to get over the obstacle of which one to buy... I have watched several videos and read a lot of post from fellas who have used them for a while and I'm thinking I will get the terova from what I have read... It seems guys are having more trouble with the v2 quick deploy feature than with the same feature on the terova... I think I would rather have the foot control and not use it than want it and not have it... The difference in price right now is $935 for the v2 and $1109 for the terova.... 175 dollars is a pretty good punch just for a foot control and it seems that's the major difference between the two.

[waterdog101]

I have one, but I entered to have a chance to win another one.
thought I'd share this link with all you guys. if I don't win it, I hope someone on fishin.com does Hlleonard sense you were talking about buying one. I hope you win one.
but Good luck to all.
Minn Kota Motors