This is the most recent installment in my series of reviews and field tests of the MinnKota i-Pilot accessory for Terrova and PowerDrive V2 bowmount trolling motors.
With the FLW league championship now in the past, I had a chance to spend some time working with the i-Pilot’s “Spot Lock” feature. Spot lock, which makes use of i-Pilot’s internal GPS receiver, will maintain the trolling motor within a 5-foot circle of a GPS-identified position. If current, wind or waves moves the trolling motor out of that 5-foot circle, i-Pilot automatically adjusts prop speed and direction to return to the 5-foot circle. Once back in the circle, i-Pilot will adjust the motor speed to zero.
Now, I could have picked a flat calm day to demonstrate the Spot Lock feature, but that wouldn’t have been fair. Rather, I ran these field tests under less-desirable, yet far more realistic conditions of overcast skies, drizzle, and 20-25 mph winds from the W/SW. This first photo (below) illustrates today’s environmental conditions. By the time I finished my work, these 1-2 foot waves had built to 2+, and the wind was gusting to 32 mph (as indicated by our National Weather Service office). Good conditions under which to test i-Pilot’s ability to hold a spot!