# I-pilot or CoPilot?



## Chris Beutel (May 2, 2018)

I am thinking about upgrading my trolling motor and I'm trying to decide between the copilot or I-pilot. I mostly fish shallow water and have a traditional hand operated trolling motor with a micro power pole anchor. When we get on the fish I usually kill the motor and drop the anchor. I'm trying to decide if its worth the extra money for the i-pilot since I have a power pole. Any feedback is appreciated. Thanks


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## NativeBone (Aug 16, 2017)

Chris Beutel said:


> I am thinking about upgrading my trolling motor and I'm trying to decide between the copilot or I-pilot. I mostly fish shallow water and have a traditional hand operated trolling motor with a micro power pole anchor. When we get on the fish I usually kill the motor and drop the anchor. I'm trying to decide if its worth the extra money for the i-pilot since I have a power pole. Any feedback is appreciated. Thanks


I have the ipilot. Its cool, like the spot lock feature, and wireless control but I think if I ever have to replace for whatever reason I would go back to the traditional manual trolling motor. Looking back, I am not so sure if the extra money was worth it. If you have the micro pole I suggest sticking with the manual setup and save the funds for a new sled if I had the micro pole, I would had definitely went with the traditional trolling motor.


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## TheAdamsProject (Oct 29, 2007)

I went copilot as I only use a TM a few times a year when I go visit family in Jax and depending on tide its hard to always be on the pole. I did not feel it was necessary to spend the extra money and plus now the Minn Kota spot lock antenna is externally mounted which is another pain, that used to not be the case.


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## Smackdaddy53 (Dec 31, 2012)

I had the CoPilot on my last boat, this time I’m going with the iPilot, the spot lock/virtual anchor mode is tits when you need it.


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## trekker (Sep 19, 2015)

I have never used co pilot, but got the ipilot 2 months ago. Pretty sweet.


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## Backwater (Dec 14, 2014)

Chris Beutel said:


> I am thinking about upgrading my trolling motor and I'm trying to decide between the copilot or I-pilot. I mostly fish shallow water and have a traditional hand operated trolling motor with a micro power pole anchor. When we get on the fish I usually kill the motor and drop the anchor. I'm trying to decide if its worth the extra money for the i-pilot since I have a power pole. Any feedback is appreciated. Thanks


Neither..... Xi5!


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## FlyBy (Jul 12, 2013)

I have an I-Pilot and never use the spot lock. Too intrusive in shallow water. Power Pole micros. Have had two Co-Pilots and they were fine for what I do. Last TM I got the price difference was only 40 bucks, so I got the I-Pilot for resale purposes.


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## windblows (May 21, 2014)

If you are going to get the remote controlled motor, get the i-Pilot. Do not get the co-pilot. While you may not use the spot lock/anchor feature ( I do regularly when fishing offshore, around docks or on other structure), you WILL use and like the autopilot feature. This allows you to maintain a GPS heading without having to make manual steering adjustments.

Case in point, this past weekend I fished a tournament out of my buddy's boat with a co-pilot. Saturday, the wind picked up and blew 20 knots. We were trying to fish the edge of a trough and with his trolling motor, it required CONSTANT manual adjustments to work the edge to the point we eventually just put the PowerPole down and worked from the anchored position. In my boat with the i-Pilot we could have maintained heading easily.


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## ifsteve (Jul 1, 2010)

What windblows said. Ipilot all the way. The features are just to useful. And yeah maybe you don't need them....until you do.


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## FSUDrew99 (Feb 3, 2015)

Id personally look into the motorguide xi5 it has spot lock and has held up a lot better mechanically than my last minn kota and I beat the hell out of it.

Nice thing is if you have a PP deploy it and then spot lock your TM and you're set in a stiff current.

My trolling motor guy in town was telling me about a new salt water tm unit that actually is foot operated, but can also be manually overridden and utilize the gps spot lock.... unfortunately I don't believe thy have a hand held like that yet, but its only a matter of time.\

The hand held is nice as you can turn and get out of stuff faster than with the remote, but for now its pros and cons on both sides...


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## saltydg0089 (Apr 15, 2013)

Ipilot or no trolling motor at all...........


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## Zika (Aug 6, 2015)

Another MG Xi5 user here, although without the GPS component. Fishing solo most of the time, the remote control is extremely handy for working the creeks versus poling. I would use the lock feature at times if I had it, but not enough to justify the extra cost. Motor Guide does offer the GPS as a separate option if you decide to add it later on. Very satisfied with the overall performance, quietness and battery life of my motor. I have the 55-pound thrust model on a BT Mosquito and have yet to see less than a full charge display on the battery indicator even after prolonged and high speed use throughout the day. Power is a single Odyssey battery recharged with a Coleman solar panel. I also have a regular Power Pole, so the combination of the two (with remote control) is great when working schools, laid-up fish or specific zones.


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## Chris Beutel (May 2, 2018)

Thanks for all the feedback. I was leaning towards the I-pilot over the Co-Pilot but now I need to look into the Xi5. Having the ability to just set a course and go without adjustments sounds really appealing.


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## Zika (Aug 6, 2015)

MG now has a saltwater version of the Xi3 as well. Not sure about the differences besides the 3 having a smaller base footprint. Worth a look if you're comparing units.


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## ZaneD (Feb 28, 2017)

Don't want to derail the thread too badly, but has anyone installed a Motorguide Xi5 on a MinnKota Ipilot quick release bracket? I am thinking of going Motorguide but my boat already has the MK puck and it would be very difficult to replace it without pulling my fuel tank.


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## windblows (May 21, 2014)

ZaneD said:


> Don't want to derail the thread too badly, but has anyone installed a Motorguide Xi5 on a MinnKota Ipilot quick release bracket? I am thinking of going Motorguide but my boat already has the MK puck and it would be very difficult to replace it without pulling my fuel tank.


I can't help you, but if you call Trolling Motor Services Plus at (904) 573-0480, I guarantee he would be able to answer that question.


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## State fish rob (Jan 25, 2017)

Ive got both 24v copilot ,36v ipilot. The copilot doesnt do any thing the ipilot cant. I like spot lock use it quite a bit ,more than i thoutht i would


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## ibefisherman (Apr 20, 2017)

I have the XI5, love it, and I have had Tarpon come close to the boat while running underway, they didn't care.


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## Str8-Six (Jul 6, 2015)

The other day we lost a spot because the tide came up and wind started blowing, couldn’t see the bottom to find structure. We couldn’t find it even when right on top of the X on the GPS. Then I remembered that the ipilot will take you to the last 6 spot lock locations. Sure enough it took us right back to where the fish were and we caught some more. Ipilot all day.


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## jonterr (Mar 24, 2013)

Str8-Six said:


> The other day we lost a spot because the tide came up and wind started blowing, couldn’t see the bottom to find structure. We couldn’t find it even when right on top of the X on the GPS. Then I remembered that the ipilot will take you to the last 6 spot lock locations. Sure enough it took us right back to where the fish were and we caught some more. Ipilot all day.


I


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## Mike C (Feb 27, 2017)

I have the Xi-5 mounted on a puck. The spot lock is also great for fishing heavy current and just holding its place.


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## Mike C (Feb 27, 2017)

BTW, Motorguide sells a remote foot control for this unit also


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## Godzuki86 (Nov 30, 2013)

Backwater said:


> Neither..... Xi5!


I second, or third, or whatever number it is now.


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## Gatorgrizz27 (Apr 4, 2015)

I run a tiller TM, but can see the spot lock being handy even when you aren’t actively fishing. I’m in a lot of tidal creeks and shallow bays with oyster bars, it’s annoying when you are poling or drifting and need to re-rig, grab a beer, answer your phone, take a leak, etc. In 10-15 seconds you’re slammed up against spartina grass or grinding into a bar. It would be nice to hit a button, take care of business, and get back to it.


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## 17376 (May 5, 2017)

Chris I went with the ipilot because it has a “jog” feature that allows you to go left, right, forward or back in 5’ increments from a locked position. 

I am not sure if the xi5 does this. If you want to meet up and play with the ipilot on my skiff you are more than welcome.


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## Godzuki86 (Nov 30, 2013)

Travis Smith said:


> Chris I went with the ipilot because it has a “jog” feature that allows you to go left, right, forward or back in 5’ increments from a locked position.
> 
> I am not sure if the xi5 does this. If you want to meet up and play with the ipilot on my skiff you are more than welcome.


The Xi5 also jogs.


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## Steve_Mevers (Feb 8, 2013)

When they came out with the remote control trolling motors I said I would never own one. I replaced a hand control TM with a Ipilot this year and it has been an absolute game changer. I fly fish a lot down shorelines, and I can just set a course and fish with only making a course correction now and then. If I hook a nice fish I just hit spot lock and it holds me in position while fighting the fish. Turn off spot lock and it puts me back on the same track. Great unit.

Also, I decided against using the quick release mount because all someone has to do is cut the small lock and they can walk off with a $1800 trolling motor. I though bolted mine to the deck.


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