minnkota engine mount vs their ipilot bow mount?

[Expidia]

terrova Ipilot 55 runs around $1200. The 55 EM engine mount runs $619 here on iboats, free shipping and no tax.

I have an upfront battery box and also an 8 gauge line running down to the back of the boat from that box to my onboard charger.
So I'm all set up for either bow or transom power. i used to use. Minnkota transom mount until it died last year.
I hated the transom mount as it is a pain to steer.
But a bow mount is no bargain either as I lose real estate if its mounted (even with a quick release bracket). Its still a pain to keep removing it so its not stolen when boat is parked.

so with their engine mount version I can steer while sitting in my drivers seat. its also 1/2 the price.
I would plan on removing that unit too when parked.

So my question is for those who have experienced a motor mounted trolling motor being that my o/b is only a 40 hp 4 stroke and I can pop to plane in like 2 feet. i worry about the extra weight a 30 lb troller on top of the cav plate is going to cause a drag.
Also some reviews say this troller wont sit low enough in the water to work correctly (but that was on a pontoon).

Opinions please before I have to go thru buying, mounting and returning?
Thx

 

[GA_Boater]

Re: minnkota engine mount vs their ipilot bow mount?

How deep is an engine mount going to sit in the water at rest or slow speeds? In my opinion, it will be too high just like the pontoon.

 

[Expidia]

Re: minnkota engine mount vs their ipilot bow mount?

Here is a youtube vid from minnkota
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SwI-TLDxKfg&autoplay=1&app=desktop

I just measured and it looks like I have 5.5 from cav plate edge to the ob. They say at least 3.5 needed
The height they say at least 7.25, I think I have plenty.
I have what looks to be 15 inches at rest from the algae line on the ob to the top of the cav plate when trolling.



Another thought of mine is that even though I can steer from the steering wheel I expect the EM version to steer as bad as my former mk transom mounted because since a boat is narrower at the bow the wind tends to move it around.
A bow mount is more efficient because it is pulling the rig not pushing it.
Lastly, the i-pilot model has a built in GPS that will hold a course and I can also program a course say in a big square for trolling 1 mph for lake trout.
mk says 100 amp battery will troll at low speed for 20 hrs on the engine mounted version.
This engine mounted version would be a better fit for me though if it would work on my rig. I'm going to call MK support for their opinion.
Shipping weight of package is 32lbs so I figure the motor itself must be at least 25 lbs. That makes me hesitant adding that much weight to my ob.

 

[Expidia]

Re: minnkota engine mount vs their ipilot bow mount?

Just spoke with MK support. Pretty useless. They used to be great but I guess like most other companies they just hire clerks to answer phone calls. At least she spoke Englesssh :d

Not much help. She said to go to a boat dealer and let them tell you if it will fit on my motor. You think they would have a listing of which outboards the product will fit . . . but no cigar!
I don't think that would be a lot to ask for $650 and then drill 4 holes in my cav plate to find out it won't do the job and then return the whole thing!

 

[Pony]

Re: minnkota engine mount vs their ipilot bow mount?

I have an 80# EM MinnKota on my boat. It fits my use when I troll....which is primarily for walleyes on Winnebago, although the previous owner trolled Lake Michigan for Salmon with it. Even when I am drift fishing, I like being able to change course or maneuver if need be with just a turn of the dial.

It destroys my holeshot, which isn't necessarily something that I care about. It clears the water once the boat is planing. The boat handles about how you would expect it to, but having the ability to control everything from the helm is a huge plus. I have a 80# Maxxum on the bow that I still use for when I am up there and casting etc.

 

[Expidia]

Re: minnkota engine mount vs their ipilot bow mount?

Thanks for those replies and especially Pony's. I had to search around for even a pic of what the EM mount troller looked like.
Your picture was the deciding factor. Where I fish on busy lakes and rivers a hole shot is important to me just to be able to jack rabbit out of harms way. When I originally bot my rig new, the boat dealer dumped a 2006 30 HP merc 4 stroke on me saying I can save money as its a year old but still new on the crate. 2007 40 had a design change and was 30lbs lighter than the 30! The first outboard took me 500 feet to plane. If a third passenger was in the boat Id have to leave the helm and take a few steps towards the bow to get it to plane at all. then of course another boat would cut right in front of me and the fun started all over. So 2 weeks later I gave it back to him and he ordered me a 40 (boats max) for $500 more. Pops up on plane in 2 feet with two of us.
So your pic tells me the whole story of whats going to happen to me "again" as soon as I bolt another 25 lbs to the far back edge of my 15 foot rig which is the same style as in your pic. It also looks like I can't easily unbolt for a quick takeoff even if I left the cabling loose over the top of the transom for the times the boats in a restaurant parking lot or over night in a dark parking lot at a motel. We do a lot of weekend trips.
Looks like bottom line for me an EM troller is a sweet idea "but for a bigger rig" your explanation shows me that if I have a 3rd or 4th passenger for those few times I'd have to unbolt and remove the EM system for the day which ruins the day for trolling if some of us are fishing.

All the above pretty much makes it night and day for my decision and spending $1200 on the MK i-pilot 55 (50 rebate before June).
At least I can mount it on a MK quick release plate and whip it off quickly or leave it off for the times I'm just cruising around.

 

[Pony]

Re: minnkota engine mount vs their ipilot bow mount?

It also looks like I can't easily unbolt for a quick takeoff even if I left the cabling loose over the top of the transom for the times the boats in a restaurant parking lot or over night in a dark parking lot at a motel. We do a lot of weekend trips.
Looks like bottom line for me an EM troller is a sweet idea "but for a bigger rig" your explanation shows me that if I have a 3rd or 4th passenger for those few times I'd have to unbolt and remove the EM system for the day which ruins the day for trolling if some of us are fishing.

Yeah it would be VERY difficult to take off in those situations. I don't have a picture of this, but there isn't really a quick disconnect at or really near the EM. There is a fairly long cable connected to a smart box that is mounted near my battery. From the box there are the cables that run to the battery bank and the cable that runs to the helm controller. There are 6 pretty large bolts that hold it on as well.

We have pretty different boats. The 25lb difference will probably make a huge difference for you, where as for me it really doesn't. The killer to planing is really the drag it creates in the water initially.

Certainly not for everyone. I think that you are making a GREAT choice! I really wish I had the Terrova instead of the Maxxum up front so I can pair it with my Humminbirds at the helm and use co-pilot.

Here is my "bad" holeshot for comparison....

 

[Expidia]

Re: minnkota engine mount vs their ipilot bow mount?

Thanks Pony. i ordered the Terrova 55 i-pilot of a site for $1192 no tax, free shipping so it saved me $203 over Amazon's price. Amazon was higher on the unit plus they charge sales tax in NY. I know iBoats price matches, but since I still see an infraction in my profile from 2010 still listed (from a dispute I disagreed with, but they hit me anyway) then my $1200 went to some store in GA. Thats too bad as since iboats gives us this free forum which I've learnd a lot and I try and give back to others when it comes to helping out another boater . . .

i have to continue to protest with my wallet and shop else where. Too bad too, because I tend to buy the top of the line and spend around $2000 a season buying new accessories or upgrading old ones.

Thanks for your input and pics which helped me with my MK purchase today.

 

[Expidia]

Re: minnkota engine mount vs their ipilot bow mount?

Pony, thx for the vid too. I didn't see that before. Just saw it . . . slow hole shot true, but it's still making me sad watching that since due to the poor weather I have not been out yet this season. I miss the sound of my outboard
And it's almost Memorial day already . . . usually I'm every weekend.

 

[Expidia]

Re: minnkota engine mount vs their ipilot bow mount?

GA_Boater . . . I see you are from GA. The store I ordered my Terrova from today is also in GA: Okefenokee Outdoors, Hazlehurst GA . . .small world!

 

[Pony]

Re: minnkota engine mount vs their ipilot bow mount?

Pony, thx for the vid too. I didn't see that before. Just saw it . . . slow hole shot true, but it's still making me sad watching that since due to the poor weather I have not been out yet this season. I miss the sound of my outboard
And it's almost Memorial day already . . . usually I'm every weekend.

Shot it last year unfortunately. I was going to go yesterday, but it was 35F and raining.I was still going to go, but the 20mph winds kept me off the lake. It was only 42F here today. The one or two days we have had in the 60's I have been stuck at work.......the itch is getting bad!!

 

[GA_Boater]

Re: minnkota engine mount vs their ipilot bow mount?

No idea where that is, but I'll assume down in south GA. Must be near the Okefenokee. Open the box carefully in case they stuck a gator inside. LOL