Thread: Trolling motor warning!!!

All I can say is the smarter things get, the dumber I get. I am 100% of the KISS metholigy...Keep It Simple Stupid....

The only thing the heading sensor is really used for is to keep track of the compass heading of the boat and allow for the "jog" feature to be used to move your boat within 5 foot increments of the spot lock setting. In other words, it is used for spot lock and that is about it. All other functions including navigation, autopilet etc... are handled by the GPS head on the trolling motor itself.

The calibration of the device is not any different than the Chevy vehicles of the early 2000's that had a compass in the mirror. Sometimes that compass would get screwed up because you were in different latitude lines within your state or during your travels. It would actually flash "CAL" for calibrate and you had to put your vehicle in a tight circle for a turn an a half. If memory serves me, you also had to preselect a number based on your location within the US. Those numbers ranged from 1-9 based on the latitude line you were close to.

The offset is used to distigush the angular difference between the arrow point direction on the heading sensor and the natural "straight" position on your trolling motor. Even if you were able to get that little line 100% accurate with the keel of your boat, if your trolling motor is like mine, when you deploy it, it runs out at an angle. This offset is designed to allign the head unit to be straight with the little line on the heading sensor.