Minn Kota iPilot questions

[Smokinal]

So I found a pretty good deal on a Power Drive V2 55lb motor with iPilot.

I had some questions to anyone who has one.

First, how do you like not having a pedal? I'm trying to imagine this setup and not sure I like it.

Second, can I mount a Garmin transducer on the bottom of the motor as I would any other motor?

 

Anything else I should know about?

[slonezp]

I would only own a V2 with the Ipilot option. The foot pedal is garbage. I had the V2 Ipilot on my last boat and used the built in US2 transducer and an adapter cable for a Lowrance graph. That being said, You can use an external transducer with this motor but you will need to modify or buy the mounts for it to work for you. I've heard of guys using a coiled up air compressor hose to run the cable thru, among other things. There are a bunch of videos on youtube about modifications. Yes it can be done.   

[Allen Der]

I had a V2 that I added ipilot to.  The worst part is the stow and deploy mechanism is garbage.  I now have a terrova with ipilot.  So much better and you can still use the pedal.

[Allen Der]

If you do get it, make sure you have extra coin batteries for the remote because you won't have a foot pedal as back up

[Smokinal]

Thank you for the info so far.

I guess I need some schooling on these things.

 

I want a motor that has spot lock, but I want a foot pedal too; and be able to mount my Garmin ducer to the bottom as usual===is there such an animal?

 

[Scott F]

Minn Kota Terrova has a low profile foot pedal, spot lock, and a remote. A lot more pricey than the PD model. 

[redmexican5081]

32 minutes ago, Scott F said:

Minn Kota Terrova has a low profile foot pedal, spot lock, and a remote. A lot more pricey than the PD model. 

Not completely true. 

In the 55lb 54" (no US2 or link)model the difference is ~$50 from Minn Kota's site. The foot pedal is not included with the terrova but is only ~$200 more, I'm assuming it can still be used on the basic model.

If you include the US2 the price gap starts to grow and even more so if you jump to higher thrust ratings.

[Tennessee Boy]

The Ultrex has spot lock,  a cable controlled pedal,  and does not have lift assist so you should be able to mount an external transducer to it.  It is also the most expensive MinnKota.  Some people have found solutions to the external transducer issue for TMs with lift assist like the Terrova or Ulterra.  The same solutions should work with the PowerDrive.  Here is a video showing a third party bracket for routing the cable for an external transducer.  I have no experience with this product but it doesn't look very appealing to me.   You can search youtube for other approaches that people have taken to solve this problem.  

 

 

 

[MickD]

If it's a new motor it will have AAA batteries, not the coin type.  At least my 2 year old one does.  They last a long time, but of course you want spares on board.

 

[NHBull]

I have an ultra and use both the pedal and remote in tandem......I like that I can put the pedal where ever I want it

[jaimeastin]

I plan to get an ultrex... One day. I almost got the power drive with ipilot, but I decided against it.  I upgraded to a maxxum, no spot lock... But next Motor will have everything I want.

[slonezp]

On 3/26/2019 at 1:18 PM, Smokinal said:

Thank you for the info so far.

I guess I need some schooling on these things.

 

I want a motor that has spot lock, but I want a foot pedal too; and be able to mount my Garmin ducer to the bottom as usual===is there such an animal?

 

There is no "as usual" with mounting an external transducer on an electric steer motor. It can be done. The issue has to do with the mechanism that causes the motor to turn, and how/where to run the cable. I have a Humminbird SI transducer on my Terrova. The cable runs down a center track in the shaft. Lowrance cables are too large of a diameter and would need to be run with some modifications. I can't answer the question about Garmin as I don't know if the cable will fit in the track or not.

[Smokinal]

9 minutes ago, slonezp said:

There is no "as usual" with mounting an external transducer on an electric steer motor. It can be done. The issue has to do with the mechanism that causes the motor to turn, and how/where to run the cable. I have a Humminbird SI transducer on my Terrova. The cable runs down a center track in the shaft. Lowrance cables are too large of a diameter and would need to be run with some modifications. I can't answer the question about Garmin as I don't know if the cable will fit in the track or not.

Aaahhh; gotcha

I'm going to have to do some more homework on these!

Thank you

[dgkasper58]

On 3/26/2019 at 2:13 PM, redmexican5081 said:

Not completely true. 

In the 55lb 54" (no US2 or link)model the difference is ~$50 from Minn Kota's site. The foot pedal is not included with the terrova but is only ~$200 more, I'm assuming it can still be used on the basic model.

If you include the US2 the price gap starts to grow and even more so if you jump to higher thrust ratings.

I do not think it can.  I know last years models were not able to as I had to upgrade to the Terrova myself for both options.

[Dogface]

My Terrova came with the remote and the peddle. There was no extra charge.

[simek3ru]

On 3/28/2019 at 6:55 PM, slonezp said:

There is no "as usual" with mounting an external transducer on an electric steer motor. It can be done. The issue has to do with the mechanism that causes the motor to turn, and how/where to run the cable. I have a Humminbird SI transducer on my Terrova. The cable runs down a center track in the shaft. Lowrance cables are too large of a diameter and would need to be run with some modifications. I can't answer the question about Garmin as I don't know if the cable will fit in the track or not.

You took off the control head and routed it up that way?  Does your Terrova have lift assist?  If so, how did you do this?

[slonezp]

4 hours ago, simek3ru said:

You took off the control head and routed it up that way?  Does your Terrova have lift assist?  If so, how did you do this?

The motor is 6 years old so it's prior to lift assist. I don't know how lift assist works, so I can't answer specifically. This is pretty much how I did it.

 

[Happybeerbuzz]

I literally just finished installing a Garmin 93sv on to my  which does have lift assist. I used the Precision Sonar Cable Guard in the video Tennessee Boy linked.  It was pretty easy to install. I rotated my motor 360+ degrees both clockwise and counter clockwise, and I am confident that it will work on the water.  I won’t know for sure though until I get on the water. That won’t be until the weekend after mother’s day. 

 

I am hoping it will be negligible, but I am wondering if I will feel any drag from the portion of the cable that is submerged. 

[simek3ru]

15 hours ago, Happybeerbuzz said:

I literally just finished installing a Garmin 93sv on to my  which does have lift assist. I used the Precision Sonar Cable Guard in the video Tennessee Boy linked.

Good stuff!  I am pretty anal in wanting really clean installs of any add-ons, so running it up the center shaft of my Terrova looked like the perfect option until I realized lift assist might not make that possible. 

 

The video of the cable guard showed it to be a bit bulky - do you have that feeling now that you installed it?  This might be my only option, so trying to figure out which way to go.

[Happybeerbuzz]

10 hours ago, simek3ru said:

The video of the cable guard showed it to be a bit bulky - do you have that feeling now that you installed it? 

There is definitely a sense of increased bulk because of the coil hanging from the top of the unit all the way down the length of the TM.  In addition the two clamps are stainless steel which doesn’t match the black of the Terrova.  Finally, because of the way the Terrova stows, I had to mount the bottom bracket turned slightly counterclockwise at about 11 o’clock, perhaps a tad more, so there is a loss of symmetry in that regard.  However, the design does seem sound and functional. 

[simek3ru]

Thanks HBB.

 

I was reading in another forum from a post in Dec 2018 that Minn Kota was going to come out with the Gen3 transducer as an accessory part to be able to add it to the head.  Anyone else hear this?  I can't find anything from Minn Kota on it.