My 10 yr old motor finally bit the dust.i cant decide if i should get the tiller control or the co piolet with the foot pedal and the hand held remote. I like the foot pedal kind becasue i can creep around docks and cast at the same time and i have always had this type. However,the foot control seems to tear upeasily. Do yall find it difficult to do this dock fishing with the tiller control one? any input is appreciated.
I would STRONGLY suggest the co-pilot with remote. I got mine last year and it was a game changer. Here are some of the best features from my point of view.
Ability to tell it to go a compass direction. Now the boat goes where I want it to and no constant steering. I often don’t adjust for long periods of time as I work a bank. It doesn’t sound as cool as it is. It is like telling someone - hey, I want to go right there and they take you there no matter the current or wind.
Ability to ‘anchor’. This is the thing my friends think is the coolest. It does work +/-5 feet. It also seems to have the uncanny ability to find any line I have in the water and wrap it (easy to undo, just one nut that is hand tight - again well designed).
Ability to record a specific route for my favorite spots and ‘replay’ it so I almost don’t have to drive at all.
I specifically wanted to get away from the foot control because it gets in the way when I am not using the motor. To be fair the model I replaced was about 15 years old so I am sure they are smaller and lighter now, but that was my point of view at the time. I was skeptical about the remote, but it is awesome.
The only thing that frustrates me is the ‘rabbit button’ (full speed immediately) is placed beside the button to light up the remote at night. I am not saying that I have almost thrown my son out of the boat numerous times when we were gigging, but I have heard it could happen to others 
I love mine. Send me a PM if you want to drop by one afternoon and take a look. My boat is in the water all the time.
I think you just desribed the I-pilot.
“Banana Pants”
Indigo Bay 170
90 Johnson
I think you just desribed the I-pilot.
“Banana Pants”
Indigo Bay 170
90 Johnson
Hello there. I had a copilot trolling motor for 3 years. I LOVED it the first year and couldn’t imagine using another motor. The best feature to me was beiping able to steer from anywhere on the boat. Next was to steer clear of an area while fighting a fish thus keeping the strike zone undisturbed. Then, the bearing on the shaft started to corrode and finally locked up. It took a couple of inefficient trips to finally lock up, but it was aggrevating. So, I replaced the bearing and two months later it started to corrode again, then locked up. Finally, after a couple of inefficient trips, I changed the bearing and seals again. Then the remote started acting up intermitently. I eventually replaced that, then the motor gave up as well. My point is, my tiller motor NEVER quit steering and after the first year with the copilot, every trip was a hassle due to the bearing or the remote. I just bought a new tiller motor. If I was a guide, I would buy the copilot.
Good luck, O.C.
“Junk always sounds best.”
old cat, I know, i had to get my current one fixed because it would only turn one way. Then, the foot pedal quit working so I got a new one. It gave me problems after a year. That is why I am leaning toward the tiller. Just too much to go wrong with the co-pilot. Electric steering,remote,foot pedal,etc. Plus I can get a more powerful with the tiller without spending the extra cash. I am just worried that the precision at which i move around docks will suffer. I am sure i will get used to it.
Floundegig, is that the ipilot or co-pilot that you have? on their website it says that the ipilot is only compatible with humming bird and i have a lowerance.
Sorry guys, I think you are right this is the Ipilot. It was over a year ago when I got it an all the *pilot’s got me confused even then.
I don’t hook my motor to any other electronics at all. The unit has everything built in. I agree on concerns about all that electronics in saltwater. That was why I got a 2 yr warranty and put it on a CC that adds another year.
You are looking at the Ipilot Link setup. It connects to Humminbird maps and will follow contours and such.
You want the regular I pilot.
“Banana Pants”
Indigo Bay 170
90 Johnson
I don’t know what you guys are doing. I have 13 years combined on two motors and now on my third power drive with the co-pilot and never had to change the gears on the shaft. One was the salt water model the last two have been the fresh water model. I did have some issues with the remote control, everytime i changed the battery it seemed to make the buttons less responsive. I think I messed up the rubber behind the buttons. Buying a new remote always put me back into business for a year or two.
I do wash it religiously every trip, and mine is garage kept (the whole boat is in the garage). I have a quick mount on the motor so even if I didn’t have the whole boat in the garage I can quickly take it off. If it weren’t in the garage, I would take it off to keep it safe!
I can’t use the foot pedal because my balance isn’t good. I wouldn’t do without it anymore.
17 Trophy-Merc 90