Best gps trolling motor and electronics

[Ender]

Hello, have had my boat for a year now and believe it's time to up grade. I was looking at the motor glide ix5 trolling motor and the Lawrence hds series electronics, is this a good combination, or is there a Minn Kota system that's better. 

[WRB]

I rarely respond to "best" titled threads because all you get is everyone's opinion on brands they own. What is better a Ford or Chevy the debates can rage for pages. This thread belongs in the electronic forum, let's sit back and listen.

Tom

[Ender]

Yes I see your point, I guess what I meant was what are some good combinations that work for people out there, I have no electronics at this time and a 45 lb. thrust trolling motor, I just want some good suggestions. I would like to buy once if possible. 

[WRB]

Price range and make, model of your boat?

Tom

[Ender]

2016 bass tracker 195, $3500 price range, for one electronics unit and trolling motor, if two fish finders are needed, I can do that as well. I like the idea of the "anchor" feature on the trolling motor.

Thank you for your help

[Wayne P.]

The electric steer motors do their own thing without any sonar unit connected so you can mix or match. Motor Guide and Minnkota have those type motors that do "spot lock".

SOOOOO, you can have Lowrance, Humminbird, Garmin, Raymarine or any other brand.

IF you want the sonar/GPS units to connect to the trolling motor, then it would have to be Lowrance/Motorguide or Humminbird/Minnkota.

If you get a trolling motor with a built-in 2D sonar transducer you can connect that to any sonar brand with a sonar brand specific adapter.

Not familiar with what the Lowrance/Motoguide sharing is, but Humminbird/Minnkota along with Lakemaster map software has "follow the contour" feature which is the motor follows the map contour that you select.

I think in both cases, connecting the motor to a sonar/GPS unit provides more memory for tracks the motor will follow and more GPS locations it will navigate to. The motors will do those by themselves within their more limited memory.

"Best" for you is a system that does what you want it to do and you have not stated that.

 

 

[Ender]

Wow!!! This is the kind of information I was looking for, thank you so much!!! Now that said, if one was to go with one sonar/gps unit, would one mount it on the bow, or console...or mount on console and have a mount that could swivel so to be seen in both locations. Also where is the most efficient place to mount the transponder, transom or get it in the trolling motor.

im looking to be able to see structure, chart spots I want to return to later, and be able to hold the boat in on location under moderate current and wind  

thanks again for your reply! 

[riverbasser]

That is also personal preference. I like to navigate and search from the console but I also need to be able to see something when I'm fishing on deck. You could get one finder with 2 mounts and 2 transducers so you can move the finder to wherever you are at.

Buying a swizel mount is ok but when using the gps it confuses me looking backwards at a map. I prefer 2 separate units but I can't afford the ones that link up so I am forced to make double waypoints which is a drag but saves me a lot of dough

[gim]

If it were me I would want the GPS unit at the console so I could see where I was going up on plane.  I used to have a larger GPS/sonar unit at the console and just a smaller sonar unit at the bow but I got sick of walking back to the console to look at the map so I upgraded the bow to GPS too now.

[slonezp]

My favorite feature of Ipilot Link/Humminbird is being able to mark a waypoint on the graph while on the big motor and hit GOTO and let the trolling motor take me back and anchor on the spot.

[FrankW]

I had a Humminbird mounted next to the console on a swivel mount.  I could switch it around and see it from the bow for the GPS.  It worked but not very convenient.  It is much better to have a GPS at the trolling motor also.  I didn't have any problem keeping the location straight.  When you look back at the chart  the left side of the chart is the left side of the boat.   

I found in my shopping for the bigger units that Lowrance was more expensive. 

Frank

[WRB]

Take a look at the VMax AGM batteries for marine deep cycle, lots of choices.

Tom

[Further North]

IMO, there is no "Best".

There are things I like, and things I can afford (or perhaps am willing to pay for.)

In every manufacturer's product line are ever increasing levels of features and prices...I have to decide if I like what they offer and want to pay the price for it.

In some cases (Humminbird/Minn Kota as an example) there are extra features available when they are integrated...and additional "bonus" if the features are ones you want.

The first thing I have to do when I'm looking for electronics is go and see if I like how they work, if their menu structures make sense to me, if they have the features I want...then out comes the calculator and I figure out if I can (or want to) pay the price for those features.

So far, that has put me squarely in the Humminbird/Minn Kota basket, but I can see why others prefer other brands.  I need to stay abreast of what's going on in the industry, and decide if a move is warranted.  Garmin's Panoptix has me looking...

[contium]

As of right now, I would say the Motorguide Xi5 with Lowarance HDS Touch is the best setup. That's primary comparing Motorguide Xi5 anchor mode with Minn Kota Terrova Ulterra Spot Lock. The Xi5's anchor mode is vastly superior on keeping you tight on a waypoint. Spot Lock drifts all over the place. I fished out of boats with both before I purchased an Xi5. The Xi5's steering motor is much quiter too.

That said, the Minn Kota Ultrex is going to be a game changer. It's supposed to have an improved Spot Lock that puts it on par with the Xi5. The big thing though is it is a hybrid cable steer/electornic steer. The Xi5, Terrova and Ulterra foot control's SUCK!!! The Ultrex will work like a traditional cable steer trolling motor when not using the GPS features. It's going to be costly though. $2000+. If I was starting over, that's the direction I would go. But at this point for me, replacing the Xi5 with a Ultrex and 3 Lowrance HDS Touches with Hummingbird is just too much.

[Ender]

Ok...so I went with the Xi5 trolling motor with the pin point GPS, best thing I have bought besides the boat. The anchor feature is the greatest thing ever, went out in some inclement weather last weekend and I was able to fish at the same time as my son, normally i'm doing all i can to keep the boat off the shore or slamming into docks. Now its time to pick up some electronics...I have set my mind on Lowrance HDS units (only because my trolling motor has a built in transponder) I realize that all the companies are close, but this is just easier. My question goes out to the folks running Lowrance HDS gen 2 units. I am planning on putting two HDS units on the boat (bow and console), now here are the questions. I don't have a good grasp on the hardware needed, and I my not have a good grasp on the terminology used to explain myself...but here goes.

1. The MotorGuide Xi5 trolling motor came with a universal integrated sonar utilizing Lowrance® 83/200kHz transducer pre installed. will this transponder work for side scan imaging, or structure scan imaging or both? Also how are the two different kinds of imaging used.  

2. If I want to have both side scan and structure scan will i need two different transducers? ( if so please give part numbers or explain the difference so I know what I need)

3. Can I run side scan and structure scan on the same unit, if I only purchase one unit?

4. If I was to purchase only one unit at a time, (I will buy two, might have to wait a couple of months for the second one) Should I mount it at the bow or at the console, and why?

5. would most people mount the side scan transducer in the trolling motor, or on the transom, or mount the structure scan scan transducer in or on the trolling motor, and why?

I understand some of the questions are straight forward, and some will be influenced by personal preference.

I would just like to buy once, so thanks for the help in advance. 

[contium]

1. Neither. The built in transducer is traditional 2D only and there are adapters for most brands of sonars out there. I used the Xi5's built in transducer with a Garmin before I moved to Lowrance.

2. With a HDS Gen 2 you will need a LSS-1 or LSS-2 transducer to get down and side imaging. If you want 2D, you will also need a 83/200 for that. If you get a HDS Gen 3, you can use a Total Scan transducer which is 2D, down and side imaging all in one. I have one HDS Gen 3 on my boat for Total Scan. Also have to HDS Gen 2's

3. I assume you mean can you run down and side imaging at the same time? If so, yes you can.

4. Can't help you there. Maybe a slight preference at the console first if for no other reason other than knowing how deep you are running the boat in.

5. I only run down and side imaging at the console. I don't find it useful on the bow. I run only 2D on the bow.