iPilot - spot lock feature. Is it truly as good as it sounds

[marshgrunt]

I'm asking for feedback on the iPilot type trolling motors with the spot lock feature ... From you guys that have been using the device. What have you found to be some of its limitations?
The wife and I coastal fish quite a bit but it's mainly myself who runs the trolling motor and there are too many situations over the years where current and/or wind move us off a spot or towards an object when I'm taken off the front deck for one reason or another. It would be great to press a button and have the t-motor hold our position, be it near jetties, along the beach, out in open water over a reef, ... While spot lock sound great, is it really? What situation have you found the feature didn't perform well in. It's limitations.

I've got a 2110 Nauticstar with a 24v manual trolling motor that has sufficient power for about 99% of the situations I've encountered (pulls boat about 4 mph). Fishing grounds are big lake, vermillion bay / coast, Timbalier islands / bay to grand isle.

[cajun bill]

I may not be the best one to reply since I have only had mine for about 3 months, but here's my take: The anchor locks works great most of the time. The limitations I have experienced involve the time it takes for the lock to find and lock in your position. In low wind conditions, it will hold you right to the spot, but in a high wind, I've noticed that it will let you drift a bit before the lock takes effect, but once it does, it'll normally keep you at that spot (not necessarily where you were when you hit the lock). When trolling along and I want to use the lock, if I hit it while the boat is still moving, it'll lock then turn the boat around trying to get back to where you were when you hit the lock. For that reason, I normally stop my forward movement before I hit the lock. Other than that, it's great and I consider those limitations very minor. I especially love when you've saved a track and then you can go back and forth as many times as you want, even days/weeks/months later.

[smooth move]

teach the wife to use it, then you'll get more fishing time. fooling with the remote cuts into the cast and reek time.

[juicegoose]

I have one on my 2110. I like it sometimes and dong like it other times. Most of the time it is great. The spot lock feature is awesome as are all the other gps features. There are times though that fumbling with the remote takes more effort then just turning a handle. Particularly i dont like not having reverse. Yes i know u can just hold down the button to turn the head around but still. I find myself always leaning over trying to look at the direction the head is facing when im at the back of the boat because whoever is upfront is always blocking the view. Its a great machine though.

[jl8200]

I absolutely love mine and will never go back to a regular TM. If mine had the auto deploy that would be the cats ***.

[alphaman]

When on anchor lock you may not have the option to fish the front of the boat. being that the ipilot will determine were you will be fishing. that is the only small complaint i say but you just have to adjust.

[kcinnick]

I went on a Charter and the boat was equipped with Ipilot, I say it worked pretty damn well. It did surprise me a couple times when it started up when I was fishing the front of the boat, but that isn't a fault.

[rustyb]

I've had mine 2 years. And feel the same as others have stated. I would buy the self deploy next.

[meaux fishing]

Yes it really is. I use it like a second power pole all the time. Also have used it in heavy current fishing rigs offshore. A couple of times it won't lock right away, but it is pretty rare. I have fished in 2-3 ft of water with it on lock, and not had problems with it spooking fish

[wishin i was fishin]

Had mine for 2 years and love it. there are times im in the back of the boat and everyone else is in the front. it increases your fishing time.

it is important to hit the spot lock button twice to lock to a spot immediately, otherwise it will take 3 seconds to allow you to save the position, then lock. this is where alot of people go wrong. the 3 seconds lets you drift too far off the spot you want to fish. Also it is important tho let the boat "settle in" for a minute with the wind and current.

I have seen people zig zag areas with hand control motors fighting to stay on a spot.


you will not regret it one bit. Only thing I would do different is to get the self deploy.

[meaux fishing]

Self deploy takes a long time it seems like in the video. Not sure I would like it

[alphaman]

Originally Posted by meaux fishing

Self deploy takes a long time it seems like in the video. Not sure I would like it

S.O.L when you run up on a shallow area.

[rustyb]

Good info wishing. Didn't know about double clicking for immediate lock.

[speck-chaser]

I love mine too. Last month when we fished dularge, I used it both trips out offshore. Fished and hour the first time with spot lock on,never touched the remote till we were done catching. Second trip pretty much held our position again just moving occasionally, but ran it for about 3-4 hr. on anchor mode. Never touched an anchor rope last 3 outings. That self deploy does seem nice,but usually the more features you have, the more things to go wrong with it. My speed would be that it would deploy, then go out in the down mode,and I would have to unbolt the whole thing from the boat to come back in.

[Crawl79]

I hardly ever use anchor anymore. I especially like letting others fish front of boat and I control it from back. Only problem is I have to see which way head is facing. I use the anchor button the most. Couldn't see myself not having an Ipilot.

[B Shark]

I love mine, wouldn't be without one now.

[Wood]

Love my 12v, but like others said it will always face into the current/wind when using spot lock so sometimes I end up fishing from back of the boat. A few weeks ago we sat in about 18' of water perch perch jerking for 3 hours and never touched the remote after hitting spot lock. Stayed within 2-3 feet with light winds. More heavy winds or current move it sometimes, but still pretty darn close for the ease of use.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G900A using Tapatalk

[nozediver]

Mine just came in. I had ordered a riptide st 80 ipilot looks cool and all but the over hang is kind of a turn off. About a third of the base is hanging over the bow. Wish I can upload pic to show y'all, but man that looks bad

[cajun bill]

Originally Posted by wishin i was fishin

Had mine for 2 years and love it. there are times im in the back of the boat and everyone else is in the front. it increases your fishing time.

it is important to hit the spot lock button twice to lock to a spot immediately, otherwise it will take 3 seconds to allow you to save the position, then lock. this is where alot of people go wrong. the 3 seconds lets you drift too far off the spot you want to fish. Also it is important tho let the boat "settle in" for a minute with the wind and current.

I have seen people zig zag areas with hand control motors fighting to stay on a spot.


you will not regret it one bit. Only thing I would do different is to get the self deploy.

Hit twice for an immediate spot lock? Damn, wish I had read the instructions cuz I had that problem in Cocodrie a few weeks back. Thanks Wishing.

[marshgrunt]

Lots of great responses guys, sure appreciate it. While the iPilot is the subject of this thread how does motor guide's similar type unit compare?