Last chance to do some upgrading before I pick up my boat

[EricD]

I’m going in to the dealer for a rigger’s walkthrough on Monday and it will be the last chance to upgrade anything that comes with the boat. I’ve been thinking of doing two things.: going from the Minn Kota V2 70 pd trolling motor to the same motor with auto pilot (an extra $200) and going from the Lowrance X-125 to an X-510C for the color screen (an extra $200). Are either of these upgrades a good idea? I’d hate to be penny wise but pound foolish on a boat that costs better than twenty grand but I found myself explaining to my wife that we didn’t need any more heating oil this year anyway because it’s almost spring. When I heard myself say that I thought that didn’t sound like a reasonable man talking and maybe I should stick with the original plan.

[PerchJerker]

My opinion - I'd go with the color graph for sure, if you're not sure about the money or the autopilot feature then I'd pass on that (really has a lot to do with how much you use the trolling motor).

[RiverBassGuy]

Autopilot users tends to be a split crowd of fishermen. People either can't live without it, or consider it wasted money. Personally, I'm a control freak and I am constantly adjusting the trolling motor. Autopilot is pointless for me. I would rather take that $200 and put it towards a nice color sonar/gps!

[Walleyeguy32]

Once you fish with a color sonar you will never go back to B&W.

[bassNspear]

i would do a color as well. The reason that i would do this is becuase its alot easier to watch and learn. Like walleye said, once you go to a color, you will never go back, and thats what i say as well. Its so much nicer to have the color and be able to pick up on smaller things that you cant with black and white.

[Sandmannd]

Autopilot isn't what it's cracked up to be. It won't keep you on a weedline or a drop. If you want great control, go with the co-pilot instead. Color graph would be great too.

[Down Deep]

I think both are great ideas. I have a 510C and it is a powerful unit capable of rooting out fish flat on the bottom. The color also is a big help in decerning weeds and rocks from fish. There is no sun wash out.

I've been using autopilot for years. Autopilot does not run without some attention by the operator, but once it is set it make for much easier overall control of the boat. If you can afford it take the step up to a co-pilot.

Tell the wife that you will be so happy that she will be amazed at how willing you are to help her out with those honey-dos........ provided its not on a weekend or during your vacation.

[Northlander]

I wont have a trolling motor without auto pilot.

[Pherris]

I would go for the color graph and skip the auto pilot. I have not found it a benifit for my style of fishing. Good luck and enjoy your new baby.

[EricD]

Thanks, everyone. I think I'll make the jump to the color fishfinder. I'll have to think a bit more about the trolling motor but it seems as though these units can go from $650 to $1000 pretty fast and I think I'll want to keep a lid on that kind of spending.

[BoxMN]

Autopilot kicks butt, I would suggest that you gof for that. Even if you are a control freak, the autopilot will do most of the work for you, and you can always fine tune it even more from there. The co-pilot is also a great addition to the auto pilot.

The only draw back to the AP is that older ones used to go goofy a lot. The newer ones seem to have been fixed, but it is something else to break. But for my money, I would always get one. You can always add co-pilot later, but you can never add AP if you don't get it now.

I also would get color, but again, that is something you can add later, i.e. next year get a color one, and put the B&W one on the bow. But if you don't get AP now, you would have to get a whole new TM if you ever wanted it, lots more $$$.

Good luck and have fun with the new rig!!!

[RiverBassGuy]

Motorguide came out with a pinpoint trolling motor system that would navigate you along a certain depth contour a few years back. Autopilot is just a straight-ahead internal gps. A.K.A. lazy man's fishing. Being a bass guy, it's pointless to have autopilot when I'm navigating in and out of tight or windy shorelines. It all depends how you fish. We have close friends that live on the Mississippi river and he wouldn't trade his autopilot for anything. He can control the boat in the current much much easier and allow himself many more casts. Afterall, it's all about keepin that bait in the water!

[NELS-BELLS]

I would get the auto pilot before the color graph. I use my AP a lot. It is especially nice when you get distracted and have to take your eyes off of the direction your going. It keeps you on course otherwise you'll find yourself going for someones dock or out into the middle of the lake or where ever. If your just casting shorelines than you probably don't need it. You can shut the motor off until you have finished with what distracted you. But for trolling its a must, especially if someone else is fishing with you.

A good B & W locator is all you need. Color is just nicer to look at.

Nels

[FishGUY]

If you can get the wife to allow it I would get both, I use the autopilot a lot and it works great. Color is also a great feature, much easier to see different images.

[Big-Al]

For the slow troll and fishing alone for walleyes I have to have my auto pilot.

[EricD]

Hmm. Looks like there's lots to think about. I suppose it's particularly expensive to upgrade a trolling motor. What I buy now I keep for a long time. We've got snow falling right now. But I might turn down the furnace anyway and maybe by Monday I can save enough for both. Let's see.. 100 gallons of oil at $3.25.....

[Juan Grande]

I have autopilot and like it. It's nice when you're trolling a shore casting for bass or whatever.

One bit of advice on the trolling motor, I wouldn't recommend the Minnkota Powerdrive series. I have one and it's hard to deploy the motor and retract it when you're done. Unless they've re-engineered it recently, I'd go with a motor that has a rope handle.

[wplatehunter]

The color graph is worth the money.