Trying to decide on my next trolling motor. I currently have a Minn Kota Riptide with a remote.
I am trying to decide if I want to go to tiller stear or to stick with a remote.
My foot petal experience is not so great as I fish salt a good bit and it just didn’t last.
Also the remote is not convenient when trying to handle a fish or throwing the cast net.
Anyone had any luck with a better foot pedal ?
Looking at the Minn Kota Riptide Fortrex or the Terrova.
Any suggestionson 24Volt, 80lb thrust, ect.
I just bought the 80 LB 24-volt hand control riptide to replace same one that was 15-years old that I could not get parts for. If you buy hand control than I recommend getting the long shaft so it puts controller at good height for easy access. My old one was short shaft and I constantly had to bend over to steer. I personally like the simplicity of hand control and the lower cost is nice as well
quote:
Originally posted by contender1I just bought the 80 LB 24-volt hand control riptide to replace same one that was 15-years old that I could not get parts for. If you buy hand control than I recommend getting the long shaft so it puts controller at good height for easy access. My old one was short shaft and I constantly had to bend over to steer. I personally like the simplicity of hand control and the lower cost is nice as well
x2
quote:
Originally posted by contender1I just bought the 80 LB 24-volt hand control riptide to replace same one that was 15-years old that I could not get parts for. If you buy hand control than I recommend getting the long shaft so it puts controller at good height for easy access. My old one was short shaft and I constantly had to bend over to steer. I personally like the simplicity of hand control and the lower cost is nice as well
I use a handle extender, works really well on my riptide.
I wish they had the option to put the ‘spot lock’ on the tiller versions. I get it that it has no reverse on the iPilot and the head would be swinging around wildly if there was a handle on it…
I’ve asked these same questions and still haven’t made up my mind on mine either. I was thinking of getting the foot pedal when I do get the iPilot, I’m sure by now they handle the elements better then they did years back.
Fishing Nerd
“skilled labor isn’t cheap, cheap labor isn’t skilled”
quote:
Originally posted by StumpNockerquote:
Originally posted by contender1I just bought the 80 LB 24-volt hand control riptide to replace same one that was 15-years old that I could not get parts for. If you buy hand control than I recommend getting the long shaft so it puts controller at good height for easy access. My old one was short shaft and I constantly had to bend over to steer. I personally like the simplicity of hand control and the lower cost is nice as well
I use a handle extender, works really well on my riptide.
I wish they had the option to put the ‘spot lock’ on the tiller versions. I get it that it has no reverse on the iPilot and the head would be swinging around wildly if there was a handle on it…
I’ve asked these same questions and still haven’t made up my mind on mine either. I was thinking of getting the foot pedal when I do get the iPilot, I’m sure by now they handle the elements better then they did years back.
Fishing Nerd“skilled labor isn’t cheap, cheap labor isn’t skilled”
spot lock would be good,but PPole is a decent alternative.
i steer with my thigh : ).
I have a MK Terrova purchased and installed at Charleston Marine. I tried the remote at first. Lasted about 2 trips before I pulled the trigger on the foot pedal. Now I can’t fish without it! Its not cheap… ~ $200 but for me its indispensable equipment.
1966 13’ Boston Whaler “Flatty”
2018 Sportsman Masters 207
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I have been using the hand control for years. Minn Kota. Install and on/off foot switch. Gator I think is the name of it. I cannot use a remote with any degree of ease when fishing a bank. I need to be fishing or running the motor.
But it would be nice to have the spot lock on this one as well.
If you have enough room for the third battery I would definitely go wiith the 112lb. I myself would not give up my spot lock. I have been thinking about getting the foot control also but just haven’t got around to it.
I am fragile.
Not like a flower.
But like a bomb.
I thought hard about the spot lock feature and if I had a bay boat that I was using to occasionally fishing the reefs and deeper water then I would definitely have upgraded to the spot lock. Mine is on my flats boat that I use almost 100% inshore and I have both my stick it and my push pole that I use for shallow water anchoring already so upgrading to get the spot lock was money better spent elsewhere.
IF YOU CHANGE FROM REMOTE TO TILLER, THE MOUNTING HOLE PATTERN IS VERY DIFFERENT.
THE REMOTE (COPILOT) IS ALSO A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT EXPERIENCE THAN FISHING WITH THE NEW I-PILOT.
I HAVE USED ALL 3 TILLER, REMOTE, AND I-PILOT.
I CANT IMAGINE FISHING WITHOUT THE I-PILOT.
WHEN FISHING A BANK INSHORE AND YOU JUST WANT TO STOP AND MAKE 3-4 CASTS IN 1 AREA, SPOT LOCK.
www.teamcharlestonmarine.com
www.bombislandboats.com
IF I RESPOND IN ALL CAPS, ITS NOT ON PURPOSE, AND I AM NOT YELLING
With all the advances in voice recognition, I’m surprised no one has come out with a TM that lets you use voice commands from a mic on a headset or clipped on your collar.
'07 198 DLX Carolina Skiff
DF90 Suzuki
Striperskiff I have been running the voice command feature for several years now with my tiller steer trolling motor. Perhaps that’s the reason why I opted just to stick with tiller steer this year when I replaced it. The voice feature coupled with the tiller steer is extremely expensive and it often does not obey verbal commands as it should. More often than not I’m having to tell it to slow down. However, when my 10 and 9 old’s favorite thing to do when inshore fishing is running the trolling motor I try not to complain too much. So long as they are on the water and having a good time I figure I’m halfway there. I can only hope that they will continue to want to go when I’m an old man because after paying for college I will not be able to afford an I pilot so the voice command may be my only option. #128512;
I am actually getting ready to make a purchase on a MK Riptide. The comments on MK in the reviews online have me concerned so I am considering MotorGuide too. Does anyone have experience with MotorGuide?
Also I saw an advertisement for a Lowrance TM too…
Mark Ingle
1660 SeaArk w/ 50HP Tohatsu
…Engineered to fish!!!
I have the Motorguide Xi5 36v / 72” shaft. I don’t know what all the hoopla is about with the Minn Kota. I have no complaints with my Xi5. It does the anchoring as advertised. I have a Simrad Evo3 MFD and it integrates nicely there.
I would say if you have a modern Simrad/Lowrance device Motorguide is the better option until Rhodan drops their NMEA 2000 connection later this year. Being able to control the trolling motor from the MFD is a very useful feature.
Kg, not all that long ago there was a saying… motorguide = motorfried
They have come a long way since then, even then, it’s not like they were all that bad. It was just a bad news travels fast kind of thing from a few bad apples. Much like the Ulterra of today. They are all gonna have good ones, and bad ones. Go with what you want and what is compatible with what you have/want. There is no wrong choice in my opinion.
Fishing Nerd
“skilled labor isn’t cheap, cheap labor isn’t skilled”
motor guide currently really only has 2 issues.
in this market I dont think there is a repair shop, and the GPS is WAY LESS accurate than the 2nd generation Minn Kota.
The first gen Minn Kota and Motorguide were almost identical in performance, until a few years ago when Minn Kota came out with the 2nd sensor.
Now minn Kota is much more precise, plus it has the “jog” feature, which allows 5 foot position changes in any direction you desire, with the push of a button
www.teamcharlestonmarine.com
www.bombislandboats.com
IF I RESPOND IN ALL CAPS, ITS NOT ON PURPOSE, AND I AM NOT YELLING
I have a 2 year old X-I5 and I am extremely pleased with the performance. I believe that it has 2 GPS sensors. In any case there are no issues that I have seen with the anchor lock. I can position 2 feet from a dock or piling and it never moves more than 6 or 8 inches. It also has the 5 Ft jog feature that Chris V mentioned.
quote:My Xi5 performs the same way, has the jog.
Originally posted by tailspotI have a 2 year old X-I5 and I am extremely pleased with the performance. I believe that it has 2 GPS sensors. In any case there are no issues that I have seen with the anchor lock. I can position 2 feet from a dock or piling and it never moves more than 6 or 8 inches. It also has the 5 Ft jog feature that Chris V mentioned.