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Minnkota Terrova with Ipilot versus Minnkota V2 with Ipilot???

15K views 46 replies 22 participants last post by  Oyey 
#1 ·
After this last Saturday on Pueblo I am sold its all about boat control and this makes it light years easier and makes for more accuracy and fishing time. I know the foot pedal doesnt work with Ipilot on the V2 but it does on the Terrova. There is basically a $300 difference between the two models so it isnt just the foot pedal. The internal guts and specs arent really spelled out on the Minnkota website. Has anybody done research and talked to anyone and have any thoughts on what makes the Terrova that much more expensive than the V2? I know am going to pull the trigger on one of them this week so any input would be much appreciated.
 
#27 ·
My 02c worth. Absolutely love my terrova with I pilot. I will use spot lock if I want to fish a wind blown point sometimes that means fishing off the back of the boat. You have to check the head unit religously. As it makes corrections in the wind sometimes the computer tells the motor to do a complete 360. If you are not paying attention the power coil cord will be wrapped around the head several times. You also have cords inside the shaft of the unit that can potentially wrap around themselves. Also There is a sliding locking collar on the shaft when the unit is not deployed. Always lock it down. It doesn't take much for it to release slamming the shaft through the housing and exploding the shaft. Then you are up a creek...(personal experience). The best thing you can do is buy the ram mount for the trolling motors. It keeps everything really stable on the water and on the road..hope this helps.
 
#29 ·
setthehook said:
shaane said:
The best thing you can do is buy the ram mount for the trolling motors. It keeps everything really stable on the water and on the road..hope this helps.
Zactly!! Been doing this on every boat I have owned, dont understand why it is not a standard offering. Bouncing T-motor heads are not good.
Yeah no doubt! Watch what they do when they aren't secured: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A0c3mtzAwlA


Fun Fact: at 1:07 on the left is the bay my daughter caught her first eye!
 
#33 ·
shaane said:
The best thing you can do is buy the ram mount for the trolling motors. It keeps everything really stable on the water and on the road..hope this helps.
Why? Maybe I'll learn something new here. I have always made sure to slide the adjustment collar all the way down the shaft (towards the prop end of the shaft) and tightened her up before I rip ass across the lake. I would think that's enough to keep the Terrova from deploying - am I wrong?

When I'm traveling, I just remove the motor and put it in the back of the truck.
 
#34 ·
Had a PREMATURE deployment at full speed last year :mad: broke the shaft

As for the spot lock, the motor will change speeds based on wind,so if it is calm the motor barely runs and sometimes is OFF, in a stiff breeze it will modulate up and down with the force of the wind. The biggest advantage is for big fish on in windy conditions. I lost more than one big fish in very windy conditions because i had to worry about the boat ending up on the rocks.
 
#39 ·
How "still" does the spot lock keep you in say a 10 MPH wind from a constant direction? For example, if you turn on spot lock in a 10 MPH constant wind, will the boat move around enough that it will be difficult to keep from dragging a bobber around?
 
#40 ·
RD3 said:
How "still" does the spot lock keep you in say a 10 MPH wind from a constant direction? For example, if you turn on spot lock in a 10 MPH constant wind, will the boat move around enough that it will be difficult to keep from dragging a bobber around?
I was on Crack yesterday it was very gusty and my spot-lock kept us within 35 ft or so. There were times when I didnt even think about the boats' position for 30 minutes at a time. A bobber would have been difficult. But it would have been difficult with any anchoring in that wind.

We were within 40 feet of structure and I never once worried about scratching the Slayboat!

Ive got a 55 lb on a wide boat so a 80lb would be even better. prolly a lot better-
 
#41 ·
It's been said before and I'll say it again, but one of the best advancements for boats ever made. Being able to stay on spot and not worry about the anchor breaking lose is worth everything, and being able to follow a set course over, and over, and over. In fact, I bought my Terrova with 80 lb. thrust with Aurora in mind, just glad they don't charge me extra for it (see Zmans thread on Larimer county if you don't get the joke).
 
#42 ·
Rd3

The last one I seen up close was a 19 foot Lund Tyee...a pretty good sized boat...we were in whitecaps on the main lake at Pueblo...there was some drift in and out but it kept us over fish most of the time...in those conditions doing it yourself takes a lot of work and you are almost spending more time with boat control and your buddies are fishing...backtrolling and treading water may become a thing of the past for me...

Oh and thanks everyone...I pulled the trigger on Saturday at Bass Pro Shops...I had gotten a $50 off coupon for a $500 purchase from Cableas in the mail...Bass Pro honored it...I then bumped into a forumite (Zenile and his handle escapes me right now) who I told I was buying one...he asked me if I had a Bass Pro Credit card cuz if I didnt I could get 10% off which amounted to $120...and since I used my card they also gave me a $100 gift card for spending more than $600 plus Minnkota has a $55 rebate on the one I bought...so thanks for everyones reccommendations on the Terrova...much appreciated!...soon as I get it put on I will be having a good sale for my old front mount motor for a good price...
 
#43 ·
zman said:
Rd3

The last one I seen up close was a 19 foot Lund Tyee...a pretty good sized boat...we were in whitecaps on the main lake at Pueblo...there was some drift in and out but it kept us over fish most of the time...in those conditions doing it yourself takes a lot of work and you are almost spending more time with boat control and your buddies are fishing...backtrolling and treading water may become a thing of the past for me...

Oh and thanks everyone...I pulled the trigger on Saturday at Bass Pro Shops...I had gotten a $50 off coupon for a $500 purchase from Cableas in the mail...Bass Pro honored it...I then bumped into a forumite (Zenile and his handle escapes me right now) who I told I was buying one...he asked me if I had a Bass Pro Credit card cuz if I didnt I could get 10% off which amounted to $120...and since I used my card they also gave me a $100 gift card for spending more than $600 plus Minnkota has a $55 rebate on the one I bought...so thanks for everyones reccommendations on the Terrova...much appreciated!...soon as I get it put on I will be having a good sale for my old front mount motor for a good price...

Good deal, Z! Welcome to the new age of angling!
 
#44 ·
Without question the Ipilot is the best thing I have ever purchased for my boat. It has made my fishing experience so much better. Your going to love it.

As far as the anchor feature it works pretty damn good. My boat is a 19' deep V. It sits high in the water and catches a lot of wind. Mine will hold me pretty damn steady even in winds over 20MPH. My bow will swing a little, but pretty damn good. It really shines on a cold spring or fall day when the wind is blowing. I can point my bow into the wind, anchor and fish a wind blown shoreline or point from behind the windshield in my boat. Forget it's even working most of the time.

As far as mechanical anchors go, I have no problem using them. I know the anchor rope if not positioned properly will move fish out of an area. I had three kids in the boat one day and we were pounding walleye on a submerged hump. Graph thick with fish on the bottom. It was windy and I was working my ass off keeping them on fish and helping them rebait/unhook. Decided to anchor the boat and the only way to do it put the anchor rope over the hump. Once anchored the screen was pretty blank and we quit catching. Blew those fish off that hump. Ipilot would have been way more practical and stealthy.
 
#46 ·
hobiecat said:
walleye seeker said:
if you try to anchor on many of the good spots at pueblo, you better bring a lot of anchors because you will be leaving many of them on the bottom of the lake
Yep...The rip rap at John Martin and Trinidad is pretty unforgiving also.
Dike #1 and Columbine Bay at Graby also-
 
#47 ·
zman said:
Rd3

The last one I seen up close was a 19 foot Lund Tyee...a pretty good sized boat...we were in whitecaps on the main lake at Pueblo...there was some drift in and out but it kept us over fish most of the time...in those conditions doing it yourself takes a lot of work and you are almost spending more time with boat control and your buddies are fishing...backtrolling and treading water may become a thing of the past for me...

Oh and thanks everyone...I pulled the trigger on Saturday at Bass Pro Shops...I had gotten a $50 off coupon for a $500 purchase from Cableas in the mail...Bass Pro honored it...I then bumped into a forumite (Zenile and his handle escapes me right now) who I told I was buying one...he asked me if I had a Bass Pro Credit card cuz if I didnt I could get 10% off which amounted to $120...and since I used my card they also gave me a $100 gift card for spending more than $600 plus Minnkota has a $55 rebate on the one I bought...so thanks for everyones reccommendations on the Terrova...much appreciated!...soon as I get it put on I will be having a good sale for my old front mount motor for a good price...
Bravo Z... you won't regret it.
 
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