Need Some Advice From All Of You Experienced Vets

[einsteins]

Hi all

I bought my first used bass boat last fall and I am working on some upgrades.

I went to the BPS spring classic yesterday and bought a hummingbird 798ci so for the bow (boat has a lowrance x52 currently)

The issue came when I started looking at trolling motors...

I had thought I was going to get a minn kota v2 #70 with i-pilot.

I wanted to mount the 798 transducer to the TM but the sales person said that because of the way that any of the i-pilot capable units lift out of the water the cable for the transducers will be in the way.

So essentially I can't have my 798 mounted on the TM if I want i-pilot feature.

The other option was to mount the transducer on the transom but if I Am in the front it seems strange that what I would be seeing would be behind me.

I do realize the si won't work if the motor is turning but the di will.

How do you guys deal with this issue?

I appreciate your input so I can decide how and what install.

Thanks!

[slonezp]

The only solution I can think of on the v2 is to attach the cable to the locking collar that you adjust the shaft length, with a wire tie and leave some slack in it. Won't be clean but it will work.

[McAlpine]

I have the 80lb minn Kota with I-pilot and a 788 di on the front of my boat. The built in transducer in the motor can't do the di frequency so you have to put a puck on the bottom of the tm. You get some noise from the tm motor at times but the newest code for the 788 is supposed to help. Just upgraded this week so don't know yet. You have to run your transducer cable loose down the side of the tm shaft. Kind of a pain but the I-pilot is flat money. It's well worth dealing with the slack in the ducer cable to get the gps heading static set and the anchor feature alone. Good luck.

[einsteins]

Thanks for the input....I really want the ipiolot, I just want to be sure that this issue is manageable.

Anyone know of of a workable solution to keep the cable from getting in the way or damaged from raising and lowering the motor.

[einsteins]

Anyone out there using a wireless steering minnkota with i-pilot and a transducer mounted on the motor?

Just trying to figure out if the cable is as much of a pain as the guy at BPS said it would be.

Thanks

[Wayne P.]

Hi all I bought my first used bass boat last fall and I am working on some upgrades. I went to the BPS spring classic yesterday and bought a hummingbird 798ci so for the bow (boat has a lowrance x52 currently) The issue came when I started looking at trolling motors... I had thought I was going to get a minn kota v2 #70 with i-pilot. I wanted to mount the 798 transducer to the TM but the sales person said that because of the way that any of the i-pilot capable units lift out of the water the cable for the transducers will be in the way. So essentially I can't have my 798 mounted on the TM if I want i-pilot feature. The other option was to mount the transducer on the transom but if I Am in the front it seems strange that what I would be seeing would be behind me. I do realize the si won't work if the motor is turning but the di will. How do you guys deal with this issue? I appreciate your input so I can decide how and what install. Thanks!

Yes you can. I just described the procedure recently to another person. Here is what I sent:

You can with any Humminbird model, but no Lowrance models due to the transducer cable diameter.

That shaft groove is not used for any motor functions.

Guys that put a Humminbird SI or a DI unit on the bow, take the motor head apart, disconnect the wires, take the head off, pull the shaft out of the mount, and put the transducer cable plug through the mount. They then re-assemble it all with the cable in the shaft groove. A very little adhesive along that groove to secure the cable in a few places will give you an easily functioning setup.

If you choose the Humminbird 798, exchange the supplied transom tranducer for the trolling motor puck version (XTM 9 SI 180 T). Just call Humminbird for the exchange and don't open the package in the box.

[Wayne P.]

Additionally be aware of the cable getting wrapped up so don't do the 360 degree plus motor turns. When you make a complete turn, Rotate the motor back in the opposite direction each time for steering corrections.

[00 mod]

Yes you can. I just described the procedure recently to another person. Here is what I sent:

You can with any Humminbird model, but no Lowrance models due to the transducer cable diameter.

That shaft groove is not used for any motor functions.

Guys that put a Humminbird SI or a DI unit on the bow, take the motor head apart, disconnect the wires, take the head off, pull the shaft out of the mount, and put the transducer cable plug through the mount. They then re-assemble it all with the cable in the shaft groove. A very little adhesive along that groove to secure the cable in a few places will give you an easily functioning setup.

If you choose the Humminbird 798, exchange the supplied transom tranducer for the trolling motor puck version (XTM 9 SI 180 T). Just call Humminbird for the exchange and don't open the package in the box.

This is THE BEST WAY to do it!

Thanks again Wayne!

Jeff

[einsteins]

Thanks.....I found an article that describes this same process.

One thing it said was that the groove in the shaft of the power drive v2 is not large enough for the cable but the Terra Nova does have a large enough groove.

Have you found the same thing?

Thanks again.,...it is good to know this is doable!

[Wayne P.]

I don't know about the groove difference. My knowlege about the setup comes from some that have done it. I don't remember which models were involved.

I use Motor Guides and wouldn't have an electric steer motor if someome gave it to me.