Is the iPilot worth your time and money? Does it live up to the marketing hype? YES

This review will explain what the Minn Kota I Pilot technology brings to the world of fishing.

If you’ve done any research into Minn Kota trolling motors, you’ll have noticed that quite a few of the company’s motors either come with or can be ordered to include the new Minn Kota i-Pilot system. This system harnesses modern technology to help make your days on the water more productive, successful, and safer. Of course, if you’re not in the know on what this system is, it can be pretty confusing.

What Is an I Pilot?

Ultimate freedom while fishing. In simplest terms possible, the i-Pilot system is an autopilot capable, GPS explicitly designed for boating and fishing. It’ll give you better control over your boat using cutting-edge GPS technology to ensure accurate positioning at all times, but there’s a lot more to it than that.

6 winning features 

1. Spot-Lock
2. i-Tracks
3. Auto Travel
4. Advanced Autopilot
5. Copilot
6. Cruise Control

Functionality of i-Pilot

1. Lock Your Spot: A feature to love is the ability to lock in GPS coordinates. Called Spot-Lock, this feature ensures you never forget that perfect hotspot again.
2. Track Your Progress: The i-Pilot offers a function called i-Tracks that essentially maps your most “productive trolling paths”. The system can store up to 16 tracks, and each can be a maximum of 2 miles in length.
3. Auto Travel: Don’t want to fiddle with the tiller or the foot control to get back to your saved spots or your tracks? Don’t worry about it. The i-Pilot’s auto go-to feature allows you to kick back and enjoy the ride while your boat automatically heads to your preset destination.
4. Advanced Autopilot: Want to spend your day on the water fishing, rather than manning the motor? No worries. The i-Pilot uses advanced functionality that allows you to tap your destination into the controller and then do your thing while the motor handles all the work. The motor automatically corrects for any forces that attempt to drive you off course, such as wind, waves, and currents.
5. Copilot: You’ll find Minn Kota has built a copilot into the i-Pilot system that allows you to use a wireless remote control to change speed and headings, start or stop the motor, and more. Just press a button, and you’re good to go. No more dealing with the hand tiller or foot control.
6. Cruising: Fish in peace while maintaining the perfect speed for the bait you’re using. The cruise control on the i-Pilot system promises to do just that, with incremental adjustments so you can dial in the ideal speed for your situation.
7. Mobile App compatible with later model iphones and ipads
8. Uses Bluetooth connectivity that enables connection to access software updates and add new features. Communicate between the driverless remote and remote itself to control the boat.

The Verdict

There’s a lot to love about the i-Pilot. It even comes with a 2 year warranty, just like most of the Minn Kota trolling motors on the market.

Is the i-Pilot worth your time and money? Does it live up to the marketing hype? YES

But there is something that you need to know before rushing out and putting your money down.

NOTE:  Make sure that you can buy the system for your motor. An Ipilot is only compatible with Minn Kota trolling motors, and not all of the company’s offerings can be outfitted to work with the system. Older trolling motors are definitely off the table, too.

Once you have verified that your motor is compatible, you’ll find that the i-Pilot system absolutely lives up to the hype. It’s accurate, provides excellent control over your motor in both manual and automatic modes, and simplifies the fishing experience by eliminating deck clutter and one more thing to break or go wrong (your foot control).