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Posts: 41
| I did a quick search on here and didn't see any comparisons or updates on how the new Motor Guide Xi5/Pinpoint is working out when compared to the Terrova/Ipilot/Ilink. I'm planning on upgrading to one of these this year but would like to hear what people who already have them think.
I've heard nothing but good things about the Terrova/Ipilot, but I like Lowrance units so I'm leaning towards the motor guide but I'm hesitant because they're first generation and I haven't heard much from people who have them.
Any descriptions on how the MG Xi5 is working out would be great. |
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Posts: 437
| Pinpoint connect is not yet available for the Motorguide. So there hasnt been any real world feedback to compare against iLink.
Comparing the Pinpoint to Terrova I can share some comments on because I have the xi5 Pinpoint and used the Terrova with iPilot.
The Motorguide is far quieter and smoother. The Motorguide also turns much faster than a terrova. I havent used the foot pedal at all so no comments on that. Comparable features would be cruise control and heading lock (motorguide terms).
I used both of these exclusively while fishing the past week on LOW. If there was a sudden gust of wind, the motor would adjust the speed to achieve the desired set trolling speed.
How this works on motorguide is you hit the cruise control button. By default the speed is set to 1.0mph. You can use the + or - buttons to increase/decrease in .1 MPH increments to achieve your desired speed.
Much of the time I was running .4 to .8 trolling for walleyes. It seemed to work flawlessly if there was either no wind or consistent wind. In scenarios where it was gusty (calm one second then a big blow the next) there was a bit of a delay before the unit responded. By bit of delay I mean, a couple seconds. I am sure this is solely due to how frequent the GPS is refreshing. Perhaps this could be adjusted via an update? I was going to call motorguide and find out.
Further to this I firmly believe that if I was traveling at higher speeds it would not have been an issue, but since I was trolling so slow it was made more evident.
Comparing the anchor mode (motorguide) to the similar features from Terrova. I have seen pictures of a GPS log where a guy used on both the terrova and motorguide and you could clearly see the motorguide did a better job of holding closer to the spot. Nice features that the motorguide offers is the "jog" feature. When in anchor mode you can use the directional arrows to move 5 feet in any direction by pressing one of the buttons once. Pretty sweet. I have used it and it worked really well.
Recording a track. I only recorded one and it worked really well. I will continue to use this more in the future. |
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Posts: 1247
Location: Walker, MN | I upgraded from a Terrova 24v to an Xi5 36v with pinpoint this year and I love it. The anchor mode IS much tighter than spot lock. It is quiet, smooth, turns quicker and has rock solid stow/deploy mechanisms. I like the fact that the wireless foot pedal has a anchor mode button on it so you can anchor while figure 8ing or while fighting a fish without reaching around for the remote.
My three negatives are: There is no speed read out on the remote, heading lock has to be turned on with the remote (no button on foot pedal) and the heading lock is not quite as good as the autopilot on the Terrova imo.
I like it better than Terrova. |
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Posts: 437
| I agree on the speed readout on the remote. That would be nice. That being said I have my GPS mounted right there and speed displayed so I just watch that, but it would be nice to have feedback on the remote so I know WHAT it was actually set to since the speeds on my GPS can vary so much being the front of the boat. I should just display the speed from the GPS at the console on the bow. That rarely jumps around. |
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Posts: 1247
Location: Walker, MN | As long as they are integrating with sonar/gps, what about being able to mark a waypoint from the remote?....maybe the link does that already, I don't know?? |
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Posts: 296
| How do you guys like the Xi5 foot pedal compared to the Terrova? I use the remote for some things but while I am casting for muskies I use the foot pedal exclusively. I wasn't impressed with the design when I saw them at a shop. Seems like you get the captain morgan stance of the cable drive motors in a wireless pedal. |
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Posts: 437
| Both footpedals are rocker style. I am not a fan personally of this design and have not used it. |
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Posts: 1247
Location: Walker, MN | NickD - 6/25/2014 3:34 PM
How do you guys like the Xi5 foot pedal compared to the Terrova? I use the remote for some things but while I am casting for muskies I use the foot pedal exclusively. I wasn't impressed with the design when I saw them at a shop. Seems like you get the captain morgan stance of the cable drive motors in a wireless pedal. Good point, I guess it is a little thicker. I use my remote more...hung from a belt loop. When I do use the foot pedal (Xi5 or Terrova) I just reach over and toe tap it... not rest my foot on it.
One more thing...being able to "jog" 5 feet in any direction while in anchor mode is really nice. If you want to move the boat 20' straight ahead you just hit the arrow four times and it will jog you ahead and re-anchor. Nice for working weed beds, rock piles etc. |
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Posts: 10
| Now the season has been over for some time. For those of you that have used the Xi5, Do you recommend it? I'm considering making the switch to link with my Lawrence system. Its tough finding reviews on these. |
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Posts: 437
| Highly recommended here. I absolutely love it. Spent a week in Canada on LOW with it and it performed flawlessly. It uses far less juice than a comparable Terrova (Max Amp draw 38 vs near 50 for a Terrova 80#).
The anchor feature is one that I found myself using a ton for fishing suspended crappies and walleyes. It was amazing with 25 MPH winds, boat full of wife and kids and we literally stayed on the spot without any other anchor for as long as I wanted. The other boats around us were dragging their anchors because the wind was so strong and they wouldnt hold, but I held position. It is so nice to be able to "anchor" and jog forward, back, left or right a few feet to fine tune your location. Not something you can do with the IPilot.
I have seen comparisons where a guy compared the anchor function side by side with a Terrova and the xi5 was far more precise and didnt roam at all compared to the Terrova. You could see all kinds of tracks on this GPS is how he was comparing the two.
Recording and playback of a track is seemless. I used it a couple times, but honestly I found myself just using heading lock and cruise control 95% of the time. I cannot get over how quiet it is and smooth and fast the head turns.
I highly recommend it. |
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Posts: 117
| Anyone have one of these rigged with a side-imaging transducer on the trolling motor? if so, how do you run the cable on this?
I had my terrova with the ducer cable run up the groove in the shaft and threaded through the motor-mount, as I don't find it an acceptable solution to leave the ducer cable loose along the shaft. Does Motorguide have a solution for this? |
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Posts: 1247
Location: Walker, MN | +2 on running the Xi5 in a big wind, it's a game changer. Being able to anchor and jog saved many outings for me this year. You just have to bring along extra batteries for the remote (AAA's) because you can kill them in a weekend of jog-jog-jog, your boat control will never be better though.
I'm still really sold on mine. My new boat came rigged with a Terrova and I gave that another shot but...i'm glad I held onto the Xi5. I predict that they will sell a pile of these this year. I had one malfunction in the GPS head (durring a tourney of course) but it's really my own fault as they sent out an update to owners who actually sent in their owners registration. A quick trip to Reed's and a 3 min. plug-in solved this issue.
I am a fan of Minn kota products but Motorguide had to hit a home run with the Xi5, and they did.
Edited by Masqui-ninja 1/8/2015 8:16 PM
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Posts: 10
| Thanks guys. This is exactly what I was looking for. It sounds like even though it can be linked up with Lawrence, it doesn't have the ability to follow contour lines, other than that it really sounds like a workhorse.
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Posts: 1247
Location: Walker, MN | NorthstarFitness - 1/10/2015 7:25 PM
Thanks guys. This is exactly what I was looking for. It sounds like even though it can be linked up with Lawrence, it doesn't have the ability to follow contour lines, other than that it really sounds like a workhorse.
Apparently it does not follow contours. It has been hard to find info on the Gateway Connect but it's finally available.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T26DadXCa70
Edited by Masqui-ninja 1/11/2015 8:02 AM
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Posts: 437
| The follow contour feature isnt available yet, but it is in the works.
One thing to look at is total cost here. The cost of this is FAR less than getting into an iPilot with iLink. Basically once you have the xi5 Pinpoint you download the latest lowrance SW update (must be Gen 2 or higher unit) and have the network backbone, thats it. The iPilot link is upwards of $700 on top of the terrova.
In theory the follow contour feature seems brilliant, but I think recording your own path and replaying it is far more useful. Both units do this. If youve ever noticed the map chips are really pretty good these days, but they are far from being 100% accurate. SOmething to consider. |
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Posts: 106
| A terrova with I-pilot link installed at the factory 80#, 24 volt, 60" shaft is $1820. including Ethernet cable to connect to Humminbird graph.
A Motorguide Xi5 pinpoint 80#, 24v, 60" shaft, is $1510. plus $250. for the gateway cable needed to connect to Lowrance graph, for a total of $1760. |
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Posts: 457
Location: Minneconia | I'm wondering about this as well, will be making the switch from cable drive this season. Has MG made any changes to the current Xi5 remote, such as adding a LCD screen? Also, any issues with the MG foot pedal? My fear with the MG is that they haven't quite worked the bugs out of it, but as a Lowrance user it's something I'm considering.
Edited by Dirt Esox 1/12/2015 10:38 PM
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Posts: 437
| ranger618 - 1/12/2015 4:27 PM
A terrova with I-pilot link installed at the factory 80#, 24 volt, 60" shaft is $1820. including Ethernet cable to connect to Humminbird graph.
A Motorguide Xi5 pinpoint 80#, 24v, 60" shaft, is $1510. plus $250. for the gateway cable needed to connect to Lowrance graph, for a total of $1760. I was referring to if you add iPilot link which is what many guys do since they already have a Terrova.
Glad to hear they have their wits about them and dropped the price if factory rigged though. |
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Posts: 106
| Captain - 1/13/2015 2:43 PM
ranger618 - 1/12/2015 4:27 PM
A terrova with I-pilot link installed at the factory 80#, 24 volt, 60" shaft is $1820. including Ethernet cable to connect to Humminbird graph.
A Motorguide Xi5 pinpoint 80#, 24v, 60" shaft, is $1510. plus $250. for the gateway cable needed to connect to Lowrance graph, for a total of $1760. I was referring to if you add iPilot link which is what many guys do since they already have a Terrova.
Glad to hear they have their wits about them and dropped the price if factory rigged though.
I was happy to see LOW/MG competing with HB/MK. The competition will push both of them to up quality and control prices.
I can't say which is better. I bought a Terrova I-pilot link and Humminbird 898s. I'm happy with it so far. But I have read good things about the MG as well. |
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Posts: 1638
Location: Minnesota | like Ranger said competition is a good thing. Both companies come up with better and better units I went with hummingbird and Minn Kota because the x5 was not available at the time |
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Posts: 437
| muskyhunter47 - 1/13/2015 8:41 PM
like Ranger said competition is a good thing. Both companies come up with better and better units I went with hummingbird and Minn Kota because the x5 was not available at the time Yes! This is a great thing. |
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Posts: 457
Location: Minneconia | Ninja, how often do you have to replace the foot pedal batteries in your Xi5? |
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Location: Walker, MN | Dirt Esox - 1/17/2015 9:36 AM
Ninja, how often do you have to replace the foot pedal batteries in your Xi5?
I'm probably in the minority for Muskie guys as I mostly use my remote. I have only changed the battery in the wireless foot pedal a couple of times in 80+ outings.
Edited by Masqui-ninja 1/17/2015 8:30 PM
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Posts: 337
Location: Watersmeet, Michigan | Glad to see Motorguide using a composite shaft. Does anyone know whether it's strong enough to do away with the necessity of securing the unit when moving the boat?
Fr. K |
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Posts: 437
| I have never secured my trolling motor when stowed. All I have ever done is slid the collar down to the motor housing. That way if it were to somehow bounce out it isn't going into the water. I did this with my minn kota and now the xi5.
Its probably not a terrible idea to secure it otherwise, but I have never had an issue. |
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Posts: 158
| Great topic. I dont mean to change the course of the thread but it was brought up about how quite the MG is so i thought I'd ask. I got an 80 terrova with the link last summer. When casting I like to run the auto pilot down a weedline and if its on its lowest speed setting I cant hear the motor but as soon as I hit 1.0 and higher the terrova to me sounds like its down right loud! When the guy in the back of the boat can hear the TM running I cant think thats a good thing. What are your thoughts on the terrova noise? Any fixes? Does it spook fish? How can something that costs that much be that loud when my last V2 was perfectly quiet? Thx. |
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Posts: 555
Location: Tennessee | Not sure how the noise we perceive applies to the fish but a good question I'd like to know as well. I have had plenty of fish seem to ignore it when running though unless they followed on spotlock or something and it kicked in and the propwash spooked them. |
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Posts: 437
| I have had muskies hit the prop on my outboard on multiple occasions so I don't know that it affects them too much. Other species I would imagine it would. |
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Posts: 1023
| Just saw the Xi5 today at the Toronto Fishing Show.
Wow! It is totally silent and better than the Terrova IMO.
Not sure about reliability obviously.
May go back and buy it tomorrow?? |
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Posts: 38
Location: WI | Nice topic here and all good information going. I am also interested in the xi5, also going from a cable steer. Anyone running humminbirds and using the xi5. I personally like the feature of the pinpoint over the terrova spot loc. Do not plan on getting rid of the birds and would just use the pinpoint and sonar. I know they have a adaptor cable for the sonar hookup, has anyone used this yet? And.... is the foot pedal or remote response quicker with the xi5 or the terrova.
Edited by HunterDM 2/21/2015 7:29 AM
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Posts: 1089
Location: Hayward, WI | The sonar adapter works fine with a standard Humminbird (not DI or SI).
Response seems about the same, but turning speed is faster and takes a little getting used to. |
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Posts: 1023
| I noticed a slight delay when using the pedal compared to my V2 but I liked the pedal design and it does turn fast. The Turing motoris totally silent and the lower u it was also silent.
I think it's performance is clearly superior - provided it is reliable - and there have been some issues. Do a search.
I am gonna let someone else test the first generation of these and if all is well, will buy next season. |
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Posts: 38
Location: WI | Thanks to everyone for your added information/findings. All good stuff! |
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Posts: 13688
Location: minocqua, wi. | the only "problem" i've discovered in my research comes if you leave batteries in the pedal so key is just to make sure and remove them after use and then load them up when you go out again. love the true remote pedal, anchor on pedal and all the other things mentioned in this post. i really appreciate the reports from users and can't wait to get mine mounted this year! |
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Posts: 206
| I was told by a sales rep at a big box store that HB is updating the processor for the iPilot Link which will tighten up its radius on spot lock similar to MG. It's an interface thing with satellite communication. This will be on the Ulterras when they are available this year but not on the standard Terrova iLink until the following year. I asked if there would be a software update to address this on existing Terrovas and the answer was no, it's a processor improvement not software.
Spot lock is awesome and most days it works great, best single invention IMO in the past decade for the way I fish. If my next TM has a tighter hold, even better...
Edited by smalljaw 2/24/2015 7:43 AM
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Posts: 7
| Love my Xi5, very precise in its heading adjustments. Also love the anchor feature much more accurate the Mk's. One thing to also consider over and above the wireless foot pedal and remote, is that when you add the gateway connection to your Lowrance unit you can control the motor right from your dash unit. I am adding one this spring, it will be awesome for trolling and jigging with the anchor feature. Also Motorguide is offering a free gateway with the purchase of an Xi5 with Pinpoint GPS and a Lowrance unit. Also a $50 rebate, that's like $300 off. I think Lowrance is offering some discounts too. Wish I would of had that deal when I bought mine! |
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Posts: 1023
| I am hoping it outperforms the Terrova. Keep us posted on its performance |
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Location: Contrarian Island | being in the market for a new TM I might have to check out the Motorguide... do they hook up to Lowrance units easily/no hassles etc...I have an older Powerdrive now and was going to get the Terrova but this thread has me thinking I should look at the MG... anyone else run the new Xi5 ...likes/dislikes? |
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Posts: 437
| Connection to Lowrance is seamless. The xi5 comes prerigged with the Lowrance Sonar Adapter plug on it so literally all you do is plug it into your Lowrance unit. In fact, I actually used the quick release bracket from my Minn Kota on the Motorguide. Worked great!!
I bought my xi5 Pinpoint almost a year ago. It received a TON of use last year. One thing you will notice is how quiet it is and the amp draw on full load is 38 amps vs over 50 for the comparable terrova. That makes a big difference in how much juice it takes up in a day.
I am not sure I can say one bad thing about it. I sent motorguide a few suggestions for S/W or firmware updates. Basically when using cruise control mode, if there is a big gust of wind it seemed to have a couple second lag in responding. I was thinking they could tighten that up a bit. For 99% of the time it isn't a big deal and it just pushed me slightly off course, but that was the only thing I could nit pick. I would think they could clean that up a bit considering how responsive the anchor mode is. Otherwise this has been one of the wisest purchases I have made for my boat.
Edited by Captain 2/25/2015 11:17 AM
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Posts: 1089
Location: Hayward, WI | They hook up to HDS units via NEMA network. You need a gateway to hook the XI5 to the NEMA network. The gateway was not available unit we had ice on the lakes this past fall, so have not used on the water. I did get to use a prototype last summer a couple of times and worked pretty nice. When paired with a Touch screen Lowrance it is pretty nice setup. |
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Posts: 296
| How do you guys like the foot pedal? The quieter/faster turning and lower amp draw have my interest. Seeing one in person though with the raised cable drive style pedal was a major turn off. I use the bottom buttons on my terrova. I despise standing on any pedal while fishing. I use the remote when bass/eye/panfishing. Not a fan of using the remote for muskies. Using up one hand to run a remote while trying to work large baits or boat side action is not ideal.
I'm only concerned with reliabiltiy and ease of use. As long as the spot lock/anchor feature keeps me remotely close to where I start it I am happy. Don't use much other than autopilot with my ipilot. |
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Posts: 437
| kjgmh - 2/25/2015 11:18 AM
They hook up to HDS units via NEMA network. You need a gateway to hook the XI5 to the NEMA network. This is true if you are using the pinpoint gateway to control the unit from your HDS. If you are just hooking up for sonar is the supplied cable that is connected to the xi5. |
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Posts: 437
| I have never used the pedal. Coming off using a MinnKota with Co-pilot I use the remote religiously.
What I do is set the motor in cruise control mode with heading lock on. Cruise control maintains the speed and heading lock the direction. I will make fine adjustments as we work a piece of structure, but its not a big deal. It comes with a long lanyard that I hang around my neck so it ends up being right about where my chest is. Easy to reach over and touch a button to fine tune the heading or whatever.
Just make sure you don't hit the anchor button! I joke about this now, but the first time I was making adjustments without looking at the remote I hit the anchor mode button. The first thing the motor does is goes 180 degrees the other direction. I almost went into the lake. Not prepared for that! LOL I was used to my copilot remote and that button was in a similar spot to the prop on button. Oops. Now its no big deal. After a few hours on the water you will have it figured out. |
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Location: Contrarian Island | so question for the guys that have the Xi5...I'm a "pulser" in that 80% of the time i like to pulse my trolling motor...looking at the pics of the xi5 footpedal it doesn't look like I could do that w that footpedal? I do not want to keep my foot on the footpedal and for casting I also do not want to use the remote to pulse with... |
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Posts: 437
| Not sure I know what you are trying to do, but are you saying you would turn it on for a short period of time and off and coast? Not sure how you do it today, but I would think once you set the speed on the foot pedal, you just hit the continuous button to engage it, then hit it again to turn it off and coast. Is that what you want? I haven't used the pedal at all so I am not the best to comment, but I don't think you have to be standing on it to use it. I know with cable steers you had to, but not with electronic steer. |
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Location: Contrarian Island | yes, if you are familiar w the minn kota powerdrive pedals there is a momentary button at the bottom, same with the terrova foot pedal....I just hit it and like you say, coast.. I prefer that over leaving it on continuous. to me the MG foot pedal does not allow me to do that...which i'd lean towards the terrova even tho I think both foot pedals are junk!  |
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| One tap on. One tap off. Coast. It also had spot lock button on pedal. |
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Location: Contrarian Island | right so i hit it 2 x when i can do it w the terrova w one... who thinks up these foot pedal designs? engineers..sheesh! |
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Posts: 437
| OK, on the footpedal there are two buttons (grey) on the bottom front of the unit. One is the power, the other I believe is the "continuous". There is a dial for speed and then a momentary button toward the top of the unit on the other end. You can set the speed, then operate the continuous button to move, then hit it again to coast as you call it. Or you could set the speed and use the momentary button on the top of the pedal.
I would think this is comparable to what you are wanting to do the main difference in the pedal vs the powerdrive pedal is that the motorguide pedal is a rocker style and the speed adjustment is a round dial vs a slider. The dial would be easier for you to hit with your foot to adjust speed I would think. Thinking back at what a pain my powerdrive pedal was and that slider, that thing never worked well.
Edited by Captain 2/25/2015 3:24 PM
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Location: Contrarian Island | no, i'd like a left button, a right button and a "pulse" button, just like the bottom area of the terrova pedal and the powerdrive pedals.... to me looking at the MG pedal to turn it left and right i have to use the rocker ? seems dumb to me.
and i don't want to use the remote control when casting for sucker fishing remotes are great... |
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Posts: 437
| Oh, nope, it doesn't have that.
The motorguide pedal is more like a cable steer pedal than what minn kota decided to do with their electric steer models. Heel toe.
If you have a Harley you would love the MG pedal. LOL
I hate having the pedals on the floor. Just something else to trip over when fighting fish. I put mine in the dry storage and haven't touched it since.
Edited by Captain 2/25/2015 3:28 PM
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| BNelson - 2/25/2015 3:23 PM
no, i'd like a left button, a right button and a "pulse" button, just like the bottom area of the terrova pedal and the powerdrive pedals.... to me looking at the MG pedal to turn it left and right i have to use the rocker ? seems dumb to me.
and i don't want to use the remote control when casting for sucker fishing remotes are great...
You can turn the pedal sideways and tap front for right or back for left. Its the only option right now. They do have a floor control that is just like you describe but so far it doesnt work with the Xi5 |
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Posts: 315
| Bnelson, they are right, there is a momentary on the new pedal I believe but not sure how convenient it is. The continuous button is very convenient but you would have to tap it twice. I currently run an older MG digital steer with the same sort of rocker pedal but it does not spring back to a center position like the new one does and obviously does not have all of the new features. I actually wish it would turn slower. I am also in the market for a new TM and am heavily weighing out the pros and cons. I myself usually run continuous depending on the spot I am working and sometimes use bursts but I do not like the small size of the momentary button on terrovas, so with that I usually hit constant on and off when I run my friends motors. One of the reasons for me making a switch in the first place is because my knees are bad the way it is and get really sore on a ten hour day of fishing. Usually I have to have a foot on my pedal because I do not have heading lock/autopilot. i want a terrova for the most simple feature of the left/right turn buttons which is the single most greatest features on those pedals meaning I can spend a lot more time standing on two feet. However, the features of spotlock and things like that I have noticed are much more spot-on on the new Xi5 from running my friends.....decisions decisions.... |
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Posts: 13688
Location: minocqua, wi. | my current auto MG you can pulse with no problem and that's how i roll too. i think there is a similar button on the Xi5 if i remember correctly ... from seeing it. |
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Location: Contrarian Island | nope, Sled from pics and others I think the current xi5 pedal does not have a pulse/momentary button but i have heard from a couple that claim the next foot pedal for it will. I too, like standing on 2 feet and not having to have a foot on the foot pedal. I use left, right and pulse and very rarely run on continuous....
all the features of the MG sound intrigueing but for ease of use this foot pedal actually looks WORSE for my style of running the boat than the Terrova...the terrova at least at the bottom has a left, right, and pulse button....such odd way to design footpedals...
Edited by BNelson 2/27/2015 10:50 AM
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Posts: 349
| If there's no momentary on/pulse feature, then what exactly does this button do?
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Location: Contrarian Island | that is probably the continuous button that one would have to hit once for on, and once for off to pulse it...and um yah, not exactly in a good spot.. |
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Location: Hayward WI | I'm in the market for either the Terrova or the Xi5 also, good info.
Brad, looks like the circled switch is the momentary on/off according to page 21 of the owners manual, the constant on/off is the bottom right, the spot lock is bottom left.
http://www.motorguide.com/userfiles/file/Support/OwnersManuals/90-8...
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Location: Contrarian Island | ok cool, still would be hard to hit w out turning the motor maybe? I can see it being clumsy esp in the fall w big boots on...wish they had it in the middle bottom sorta like the terrova w left and right on the sides of it.... hmmm I'll have to see it first hand and try it...
ahhh so the only way to turn the xi5 is w the foot pedal..there aren't any left and right buttons on it like the terrova... that is most likely a deal breaker for me...
Edited by BNelson 2/27/2015 11:21 AM
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| ahhh so the only way to turn the xi5 is w the foot pedal..there aren't any left and right buttons on it like the terrova... that is most likely a deal breaker for me...
the Motorguide pedal seems to have been designed primarily with the bass market in mind. many bass fishermen are used to rocker-style pedals that are placed in recessed holders on the front deck of the boat in order to avoid "Capt'n Hook" leg. in that case, the momentary on-off is in a more sensible location.
the MinnKota pedal feels like an attempt to please both bass fishermen with the rocker and walleye fishermen with the buttons.
i'd like it better if they offered two different pedal versions, one rocker style and one that was purely tap-buttons. but i suppose the economics of that approach aren't good for the companies?
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Location: Contrarian Island | I agree, I've always said I'd love if Minn Kota simply offered the Powerdrive footpedal for the Terrova...simply plug and play !
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Posts: 13688
Location: minocqua, wi. | tswoboda - 2/27/2015 10:53 AM
If there's no momentary on/pulse feature, then what exactly does this button do?
that's the one i use on my other motor ... |
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Posts: 437
| tswoboda - 2/27/2015 10:53 AM
If there's no momentary on/pulse feature, then what exactly does this button do? I am almost 100% sure that button in the upper right is the momentary button. The continuous button is the bottom right prop button. I wish I had actually used it, but that is how I remember the layout when I looked at it. |
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Posts: 437
| M Winther - 2/27/2015 11:28 AM
the Motorguide pedal seems to have been designed primarily with the bass market in mind. many bass fishermen are used to rocker-style pedals that are placed in recessed holders on the front deck of the boat in order to avoid "Capt'n Hook" leg. in that case, the momentary on-off is in a more sensible location.
the MinnKota pedal feels like an attempt to please both bass fishermen with the rocker and walleye fishermen with the buttons.
i'd like it better if they offered two different pedal versions, one rocker style and one that was purely tap-buttons. but i suppose the economics of that approach aren't good for the companies?
This is most certainly it. |
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Posts: 1247
Location: Walker, MN | Hmm. I do the tap-tap a lot too, I just turn the pedal sideways and tap the left or right side...bigger target than a button.
Honestly, the cruse control is bomber too. Set it on .3, .5, or 1.2 m.p.h. and let IT compensate for wind waves. It works great.
The anchor and jog is really the best boat control I can imagine. It would be really sweet if they could incorporate that feature into the pedal.
As long as I'm dreaming out loud...What about a button on the foot pedal that would mark a waypoint! A customize-able foot pedal is the future? |
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Posts: 299
Location: Nowheresville, MN | I'm a boat control freak. Fishing mid lake steep breaks is my favorite. I'm getting a new TM in the next month or two on my "new" boat that has a perfectly working Maxxum. I really want the xi5. It sounds like it has the Terrova beat in every category except the most important one. That foot pedal. I was really disappointed when it finally was released and that was the pedal they went with. I'll be going Terrova without question and I run Lowrance too. Bn, sounds like your like me. In fact I may go Ulterra, if they are re-released in time, just for the fact that the spot-lock button is on the foot pedal. To me that is just as cool as the self deploy. It would be awesome if they offered two pedal versions with the xi5. |
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Posts: 315
| I am with you as well!! The foot pedal is the most important thing! Too bad all the other features aren't as good as the MG. I am all Lowrance too but I dont care about linking in any way, I just want the terrova foot pedal with the right left arrows. |
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| Motorguide has the pedal. Just not sure if it works with Xi5.
Part # 8M4000952 |
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Posts: 315
| I believe thats the wireless foot pedal for their older wireless model...im not sure if it works with Xi5 either |
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Posts: 552
Location: deephaven mn | i too like the Xi5 but won't buy one with the current foot pedal
how soon before a different version is available?
Edited by kap 3/7/2015 8:01 PM
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Posts: 228
Location: Tinley Park, IL | Anyone know the dimensions of the Xi5 pedal? |
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Posts: 183
Location: Grand Forks ND | One thing I haven't heard anyone talk about is the Heading Lock (MG) vs. AutoPilot, and this is the main reason I am hesitant to switch to MG.
On iPilot you have advanced AutoPilot which is GPS based (has the circle around the N on the remote screen) as well as standard AutoPilot which is compass based (no circle around the N). MotorGuide has just a GPS based Heading Lock.
I fish with standard Autopilot on 99% of the time because if you do some drifting the motor will stay pointing forward, which is nice for speed and/or location adjustments. With a GPS based lock your trolling motor would be turning trying to get back on that straight line it draws out from the motor when you turned the setting on.
Example, let's say the bow of your boat is pointed towards shore and you're drifting from right to left down the shoreline. With a compass based system your motor will always point ahead to the shoreline. With a GPS based system your motor will now be turning to the right as you drift until it is pointed basically 90 to the right.
So in this case with a MotorGuide you would not be able to use heading lock at all and have to run your motor in a "manual mode". Have any of you MG owners encountered problems with this, or what did you think of this when you switched from Minn Kota to MotorGuide? |
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Posts: 437
| MuskyManiac, I have commented on course lock before, maybe not this thread as I think there was another one about the MG last summer.
If you want the motor to stay pointed forward in the situation you described, don't turn on courselock, its as simple as that. I had probably a 2 mile stretch of shoreline that I was fishing on Lake of the Woods last summer that had all sorts of nooks and crannies, but the wind didn't cooperate to just fish it in a trolling pattern so I drifted along it as you described. I just pointed the bow toward the shoreline and didn't use courselock at all. I would kick the motor on from time to time to maintain the depth or distance from shore that I wanted and it worked well. Previously when I had the MK autopilot motors I would turn off the autopilot and fished it the same way. It wasn't a change for me at all.
I find myself using Courselock with Cruisecontrol about 90% of the time. Like MinnKota, xi5 uses GPS accuracy for its courselock. It actually sets a series of "virtual" waypoints in a path in the direction your are heading when using this feature and continues down that path until a user input. If you decide you want to head a little bit left or right, just use one of the arrows on the keypad or tap the pedal the direction of the new course and it splashes the "virtual" waypoints on the new course and you are in business.
Using these two things with cruise control is awesome because you can dial in the exact speed you want to go and it will adjust for current and wind direction automatically. This probably applies more for walleye fishing than musky I think, which is how I used it predominantly last year.
VERY impressed with this motor. Not a single regret from me. I had MinnKota on my boats for over 30 years and it wasn't an easy switch, but after thorough research it became obvious for me and this was supported with my on the water experience.
I am not a foot pedal guy so the concerns expressed about that have no bearing on me. I put that thing in the storage compartment and haven't taken it out since. I guess all the years with the crappy Power Drive pedals converted me to a remote. Those things never worked right.
Edited by Captain 3/10/2015 10:46 AM
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Posts: 1100
| This is a bit hard to explain, but can you use heading lock, to drift down a river with the current, but slower than the current?
Eg. If I point it downriver, press headinglock set it to 0.5knots and the current speed is 1 knot, would the boat then swing around and be slowed down by heading lock?
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Posts: 437
| Thats a good question, but I think you would want the boat pointed with the bow up river in order to do that. I haven't tried doing that at all. Kinda slip drifting. I am not sure how the cruise control feature will work because when you configure the unit you actually synch the trolling motor so it knows which is the bow of your boat. I am not sure how this will work.
You might have to just point the bow upstream and set the motor on continuous and trial and error until you get the desired speed.
Now you have me thinking I will have to try this when our nearly 3 feet of ice disappears. |
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| you can do that with the Terrova...select the "old" style (compass) AutoPilot pointed upstream and turn the trolling motor on just enough to slow your drift. it's great for slipping along structure on windy days too. it would work with the "new" style (gps) on the Terrova or Xi5, just not as well.
i particularly like having the option of the "old" style for slipping along structure horizontally to the wind with the bow pointed away from the structure. this is only possible using the compass-based setting to control boat positioning without it also trying to change boat orientation as you drift along. it slows you down and allows for parallel presentations that cover the entire break. |
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Posts: 1100
| Thanks for the replay guys  |
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Posts: 183
Location: Grand Forks ND | M Winther - 3/11/2015 9:41 AM
i particularly like having the option of the "old" style for slipping along structure horizontally to the wind with the bow pointed away from the structure. this is only possible using the compass-based setting to control boat positioning without it also trying to change boat orientation as you drift along. it slows you down and allows for parallel presentations that cover the entire break.
This is exactly what I was talking about in my question. You can do this in the MotorGuide if you turn off the GPS based Heading Lock, but I think you will be constantly adjusting the position of the trolling motor. Otherwise I like everything better about the MG but this part, and it is this "minor detail" that might keep me from switching. |
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Posts: 2427
Location: Ft. Wayne Indiana | Just reading this for the first time....if getting a Xi5, and you plan on fishing alot...you will need to make a trip to Menards or some other hardware store. I ran my Xi5 last year and had two foot pedals, I broke the tension springs in both foot pedals after about 40 days of use on them. Not easily replaced..but the heavy duty springs you buy at Menards are like 80 cents a piece. I broke all 4 springs last year and once I put the springs in, it worked great. I loved the motor....the foot pedal...not so much. The anchor button is in the wrong spot and every day I would accidentally hit it with my foot as it slip off the pedal. It's a great motor. Strong, quiet, turn speed is awesome....just with a little bit more thought and quality would have been put into the foot pedal. |
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Posts: 1247
Location: Walker, MN | 4amuskie - 2/28/2015 12:32 PM
Motorguide has the pedal. Just not sure if it works with Xi5.
Part # 8M4000952
F.Y.I. motorguide finally got back to me, apparently the Brute wireless foot pedal does not work with the Xi5. |
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