My new Riptide with I pilot was delivered today! Hope to install it tomorrow. Any pros or cons will be appreacehed ! please give me your experances on instulation. I am hopeing to swap it back and forth on 3 of my boats, to use in fresh water and salt.
If you want to mount it on more than one boat, you will need quick release mounts. Just make sure when you drill the holes for the mounts, you have positioned the mounts with the trolling motor fully deployed!
Rick K
Couple of things:
- Always unplug the TM when not in use otherwise the motor will continue to “talk to” the remote and drain the remote’s battery.
- Get a couple of spare batteries for the remote, you’ll need them.
- If you use a quick disconnect mount, put a lock on it. If it’s easy for you to remove it, it’ll be easy for anyone else.
- Enjoy, I haven’t used my anchor in over 3 years, the spot lock is awesome.
Ice Blue Pathfinder 2200
“Kemosabe”
<’}}}><
Had to replace the “head” on mine after 3 months under warranty b/c the spot lock wouldn’t catch and the unit would just spin. They are very sensitive to voltage as well.
Murraymaker is REAL good with these units…he should chime in pretty soon
Ankona Cayenne
60 hp E-Tec
“There is something about hunting those fish that will stick with me and my future fishing plans like a bad case of striper herpes”
-SCOF
Make sure you use a fuse/breaker. Get one with a shut off so you don’t have to disconnect the battery every time.
Wellcraft V-20 sportfish with a 200 Evinrude
quote:
Originally posted by boatpoorMy new Riptide with I pilot was delivered today! Hope to install it tomorrow. Any pros or cons will be appreacehed ! please give me your experances on instulation. I am hopeing to swap it back and forth on 3 of my boats, to use in fresh water and salt.
What are you trying to install it on?
I had a hell of a time installing mine on my boat due toe the location on the bow of my boat combined with my limited access …
As it was I was only able to use the nut & bolt system on 2 of the mounting holes … I used Stainless steel screws in four more locations …
I was using a combination of lights, mirrors, and tape to try to get the nut & bolt system to work …
You do have to mark the mounting location with the unit fully deployed otherwise you risk impeding the full range of movement by the unit …
My anchor box is in the front of my boat so I mounted the plug in the box to keep the wiring out of the way …
You will also need to take into account where the motor sits when it’s not in use … Start off with figuring out how best to place the trolling motor in terms of how you approach docks and ramps … Hindsight I would have lined my trolling motor up on the Starboard side rather than the Port side since we’re used to approaching docks on the Port side (duh) … Hard to jump off the boat with the trolling motor in the way … just a thought with regard to placement …
Other than that everyone else has covered pretty much everything else (fuses, batteries, shutoff, etc) …
it’s my Wife’s fault we HAVE to fish now!!!
2005 Sea Pro 2100cc / Yama
All points made so far are true. You have to unplug the motor or disconnect the batteries. If not it will still talk to the remote as well as drain your batteries. If still plugged in the gps in the head will continue to acquire a position.
I have used 3 different ipilots on 6 different boats and each one was different. I think it’s just how they are put together…haha…The rip tides seem to be real sensitive to position when spot locking versus the normal power drive units. But they all have really revolutionized fishing.
I installed one on a 22’ sea hunt and that was kinda a bear much like ricks. IT took 2 people to do it. But I used needle nose vise grips to clamp the nut then taped the washer onto the nut in order to get the front 2 nuts tight.
And as everyone else said make sure the motor is COMPLETELY deployed before u mark holes to drill.
Enjoy
“Sea~N~Stripes”
21’ Hewes Craft Custom
115 Evinrude
Thanks god I had my current one installed when they built my boat…I installed one on my other skiff and it WAS A BEAR.
LC, had the same set up on my old McKee. Only problem I had was if I used the anchor the “sweat” did a # on my plug etc…
Ankona Cayenne
60 hp E-Tec
“There is something about hunting those fish that will stick with me and my future fishing plans like a bad case of striper herpes”
-SCOF
@RK - my anchor box is recessed and has a 3" lip all the way around it - which really hindered my ability to reach up towards the nose of the boat in order to bolt down the trolling motor - but that allowed me to mount a recessed plug in the top of the box and still stow the extra power cord out of the way without getting tangled up and/or prohibiting the use of the hard anchor - not that you would use the hard anchor AND the trolling motor at the same time, but stranger things have happened … LOL …
If I used the pre-installed plug (seen in the picture above) then the extra power cord would lay on the deck and I would inevitably end up stepping on it - I didn’t want that to compromise the existing plug so I moved it … no more issues
it’s my Wife’s fault we HAVE to fish now!!!
2005 Sea Pro 2100cc / Yamaha 150hp 4-Stroke
Well I finely got the thing positioned on my 20 ’ Glassmaster trihull, could not believe how long the shaft is, I’ve had a hand controaled on the boat before but it was not as long, I had to position it so its in the way of my 150 qt bow cooler so it would go all the way to the stop when stowed.It blocks the view of my bow light from port.
Thaught that I might have to have a transfusion with all the blood on the bow. I used my underwater camera to watch my hand and the nuts under the deck,worked great! Found a # 10 sj cord in my barn to use as the cable to the battery need to go by the auto parts store tomorrow and pick up a circuit breakers and stakons battery connectors
I would guess to install a switch in the line one would need a single pole? I can see I am going to have a time putting the thing on my 17’ wailer should be easy on my 23’ Robalo!, I think ill worry about them next spring!
Thanks for all the replies and info sure helped a lot! Hope to go to Greenwood tomorrow and check it out!
Had someone tell me today that the remote might effect my pacemaker! Got a call into my Dr. has anyone out there heard of this? I know a sinewave power inverter can effect it but not a microwave oven, who the heck knows?