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Post by mytoyzfishing on Apr 3, 2013 1:24:24 GMT -5
submerged debris and night time running is no fun. Hit something pretty good 2 weekends ago while running around at night during the tournament. scared the crap outa me and my old man. Hit it on the starbord toon, knocked my rear transducer up and had to back into a slip at the bridge to fix it. Have to give it to my old toon. thing is a beast
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Post by getlinewet on Apr 3, 2013 8:21:59 GMT -5
Mytoyz:
Nice to hear someone else fishes out of a pontoon. I thought I'd be laughed off the lake fishing off my pontoon. When we moved to Va my wife insisted on a boat that could serve duel purposes - fishing and pleasure. I really wanted a bass boat but had to get a pontoon to satisfy the wifey.
Now, I think I'm glad I did. I love my toon. 6 rod holders and a Minn Kota power drive v2 on the bow with co-pilot. That is the lazy man's way to fish. Now if I can only get the motor repaired. It's killing me not to be able to fish.
One thing....I've been looking at adds for i-pilot and it sure looks slick. Maybe I should have gone that route instead of co-pilot. It looks like you have to disable co-pilot to install i-pilot. Anyone ever used i-pilot?
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Post by mwardncsu on Apr 3, 2013 8:30:15 GMT -5
Yep - iPilot since day 1. It has it's pros & cons. I like the AutoPilot & CruiseControl features - the AutoPilot is more accurate than what is used in the co-pilot as it is electronic GPS based, vs. a compass. I've head of the Co-Pilot compasses breaking due to shock/impact on the lake, and the iPilot one would not. The CruiseControl feature is slick - set the speed and it will adjust - though when the wind is up I've found it does not keep up with as fine-grained control adjustment as I'd want with my boat - I may be a little under powered with an 80 lb thrust motor on my 24' bay boat when the wind is up though - something to consider for your pontoon as well. Lots of folks rave about the SpotLock feature, but I've never found it to be much value- the dang stripers just don't sit that still for me at least..... maybe it is useful when holding in current or such and trying to fish a specific point. I've never used the track record features - might be useful if I ever tried it. The one downside is the remote control- its the size of a cellphone. I REALLY wish they would let you use the small co-pilot remote AS WELL as the iPilot remote - use the small remote to adjust speed/direction, but if you want to use the advanced features then use the big remote..... the V2 iPilot has a little smaller remote, but not much more. Then there is the latest iPilot+ or whatever they are calling it that is almost 2X the size, interfaces to a Humminbird unit and special charts and lets the iPilot drive itself along depth curves... pretty slick, but expensive, the remote is the size of a multi-function TV remote control, and you have to have Humminbird gear All that said, if I were to but a new MinnKota trolling motor today it would have iPilot on it.....
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Post by striperseeker on Apr 3, 2013 8:54:56 GMT -5
One disadvantage of the iPilot, it that you cannot have a foot control unit. This makes it hard to bass fish. I wish someone would build a foot pedal that would interface with the iPilot.
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Post by SquidHound on Apr 3, 2013 9:37:04 GMT -5
On the terrova you can have both hooked up i believe. I always use remote and control a drift downstream so i never use the foot pedal, but did use it once when i had the remote break. Spot lock is useful for river fishing, not so much trolling for stripers. Powerdrive u can only have the remote or foot pedal hooked up a one time. The older ipilot remotes broke easily, but theyve come out with a new one last year
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Post by tateman on Apr 3, 2013 9:39:54 GMT -5
stripperseeker,
terrova has the foot pedal, and you still have the remote for the I pilot,
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Post by striperseeker on Apr 3, 2013 10:01:38 GMT -5
Hi Tateman!!! Yes I know. But I did not know when I bought my V2 ipilot. Had I known I would have gone for the Terrova. Hindsight is always easier and foresight seems to be a problem with me.
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Post by mwardncsu on Apr 3, 2013 10:05:57 GMT -5
With the "ST" version (Saltwater flavor of the Terrova), you can also use the footpedal along with the remote. Saved a trip for me one time when my early production unit remote broke and I was able to use the footpedal to control speed & direction, etc.
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Post by striperseeker on Apr 3, 2013 10:17:08 GMT -5
It seems to me that there is a lot of potential for a new product for all of the people like me. Minn Kota could sell tens of thousands of foot pedal units. I carefully read all the ads by Minn Kota before I bought my V2. The ads never said that you could not hook up a foot pedal later. I assumed it because it seemed so logical. Had I known I would have bought the salt water version of the Terrova.
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Post by mytoyzfishing on Apr 3, 2013 21:23:15 GMT -5
Getlinewet - yea love the pontoon just wish it was a little faster, which might be happing in the near future I got our pontoon in a partial trade when I sold my 22' CC. Same situation wife wanted a pontoon for a long time as it was more a family boat since she likes to cruise and beach to get out and swim. She always complained about the seating situation on the CC but I always told her I liked that feature, less people to bug me when I fish A lot of guys like there CC's, skiffs, and bay boats. The only complaint I have with my pontoon is the speed. Mines set up to my liking, 50gal Super Bait tank, 14 rod holders, plenty of under seat storage to hide my 4 batteries and chargers along with all my fishing stuff. MinKota Power drive V2 with copilot. Ive Spent several 24h stents on it and have to say its nice to strech out and take a nap on. On the use of the foot pedal, I use mine actually more than I thought. I use it all the time when trying to catch bait. I find it easier to use my foot to controll the boat and leave my hands free 100% of the time to throw the net.
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