Minn Kota I pilot - Page 2

jamesbalog · #11 03-13-2017, 06:46 PM

Thank you very much for the reply

Glad it worked out, I'll go ahead and buy the one I saw for sale

twhrider2 · #12 03-14-2017, 08:40 PM

Good deal James...I feel sure you will be happy. I know I struggled with the same questions after all it is quite a chunk of coin. If you do a lot of bass type of fishing I think there is a wireless foot control available that would be nice.

Troutkiller2006 · #13 03-19-2017, 10:04 AM

88 v20 dual console. bought it used last summer and it came with a minn kota on it. not sure of the model but its remote operated,no anchor feature though. its,also black, 60" shaft and 60 pound thrust. the po said hed been running it for three years, bought it used, and it does fine. just always rinse it off real well. i had my doubts

bout a year later and i have to say it does fine. i fish the northern gulf around the barrier islands and la marsh so i dont know about really strong currents but any trolling motor is gonna have issues in a strong whind. hell, just fishing in a strong whind has issues!

in the fall and winter here the trout and reds move up into the bayous and rivers. thats when ive really worked my trolling motor. in december i went out bout midnight to fish the falling tide. ran out to my starting point way up bernard bayou to ride the tide out the marsh, bout 7 miles from the boat launch. just after i got there a fog sat down that was so thick i literally couldnt see the bow of the boat. fish werent biting and i was wet and cold so after a couple hours i decided to do the stupid thing and try to make it out of there. had to navigate with my ears, listening for critters and splashes on the bank. so it was trolling motor only

i bet you that i put 30-40 miles on that trolling motor to make that 7 mile run. zigging and zagging. bumping into crap and getting turned around. finally made it to the dock just about sunrise. and the fog started to break. so i turned around and went fishing. fished all day, slaughtered them! went home and cleaned my catch, showered and fell right to sleep. back in the water before sun up the following day. fished all day again. and did it again the next day. all without charging the batteries. on the third day, bout 10 am, she started showing signs of fatigue and i needed to cut the grass. also, judging by the text messages i was getting if i didnt come home i was never gonna get laid again! those were walmart batteries. btw

i dont have an onboard charger. i will one day but there are so many things that im gonna do to my boat one day that i might as well name it "one day", lol. hell, i might do that too, one day... name it. but i can tell you this... if you leave the trolling motor plugged in to the batteries, when you go fishing the next weekend they will be dead as a doornail. ask me how i know!

jamesbalog · #14 12-08-2017, 08:48 AM

I still havent added a bow mount like i planned, the one i was trying to purchase was sold before i could get to it. I intend on putting one on this winter. my question for you guys is where did you put the batteries?

my boat is a center console that is already very stern heavy with a 200hp engine, a kicker, two batteries back there and 2-3 people back there fishing.

Ideally id like to keep them as far forward as possible. I have room in the bow to make a box but not sure if id want them up there with the severe pounding my boat takes on Erie. My other option is under the center console which i think may be the best bet.

CaptJaredV20 · #15 11-06-2018, 08:52 PM

Any pics of how you mounted the ipilot

Dschaffer · #16 01-18-2021, 06:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jamesbalog

I still havent added a bow mount like i planned, the one i was trying to purchase was sold before i could get to it. I intend on putting one on this winter. my question for you guys is where did you put the batteries?

my boat is a center console that is already very stern heavy with a 200hp engine, a kicker, two batteries back there and 2-3 people back there fishing.

Ideally id like to keep them as far forward as possible. I have room in the bow to make a box but not sure if id want them up there with the severe pounding my boat takes on Erie. My other option is under the center console which i think may be the best bet.

Did you ever end up doing this? I’m thinking about it and have the same concer with battery placement. I’d like to put them in the bow area but the pound on Lake Michigan is a real concern.