Thread: Any reviews on the new and improved Minn Kota Spot Lock?

Originally Posted by Oakwood

Can somebody please tell what in the owners page it talks about boat scale. I can not find it. I am looking in I-pilot manual is this right manual to be looking in? Thanks for or help.

First, make sure you have the 2017 product manual which can be downloaded here ..... http://www.minnkotamotors.com/Accessories.aspx

Use the FIND function of Acrobat PDF reader and search for...... Boat Scale ..... upper and lower case matters. Pg 43 is one of the reference pages in the I-pilot (not link) manual.

Pg 68 of the ipilot link manual.


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Originally Posted by Gabepeeps

When the new spot lock first came out, people were converting their old to the new by buying the new individual parts and replacing them. Then MinnKota caught wind and stopped selling the external GPS puck. I think if you want one now, you have to send them the old one.

That sucks, what if you use a quick release brack and own two boats? I'd want to use the trolling motor on both boats? They should allow you to purchase a 2nd puck.

Thanks bobB I found it.

I also turned down the boat scale on my Terrova 80 to -1 and it helped a bunch did not jerk at all.

I know this thread is getting pretty old now but wanted to mention my experience with the new improved Ipilot link and spot lock. I have had a Terrova with Ipilot since 2009. I thought it did really well when it came out. Heck I was impressed anything could keep me close to where I locked without staying on the pedal. Well it is 2017 and I had finally gotten enough of it moving around when on spot lock. I would go up and lock a spot and seemed like every time it finally got where it wanted to be I was 15 feet back from where I wanted to be. I fish brush piles straight down so it is critical I stay where I want to be. I had read plenty of threads on MK haters saying it was all a hoax and it is not much better than it used to be. Well I had to do something so I figured I would go spend my $2550 on a Ulterra and roll the dice.. Well let me tell you, it is nothing like the old spot lock. It stays right where I want it, it reacts quickly not after I am 20 feet away and the jog feature is worth its weight in gold. If you have an old unit with spot lock and are on the fence for a new one, if you fish vertical, it is fantastic. That is coming from someone who has fished MK spot lock since 2009. I would do it again tomorrow if mine fell off...

I just bought a 36 volt ultera and I have not installed the puck yet. It is a compas and not a GPS. How far away from the trolling motor should it be mounted. It is on a 22 ft toon

Originally Posted by sinkermaker

I just bought a 36 volt ultera and I have not installed the puck yet. It is a compas and not a GPS. How far away from the trolling motor should it be mounted. It is on a 22 ft toon

I think the manual said 24" from the base unit of the trolling motor at a minimum. I actually put mine closer than that just because that is the area I wanted it and I had no magnetic interference there. Really the key is making sure you have no interference. You can take a compass and kind of scan the areas you want to put it with the compass and if you see the area has any affect on the compass, do not put the puck there. Also if you are near any big wires like trolling motor wires or engine wires, make sure when you scan, you have those items turned on so they have current flowing so you can see how it affects it. I always recommend you find the area you think works, do not drill a hole, just tape the puck to the spot you want it, take the boat out and test it. If it seems to have issues, that is not a good spot. With this, there is no real way I know of to see what the puck is reading vs what it should read. There is a simple calibration step at the end but thats about it. I also use a Humminbird puck and with that I can see what my boat heading is and what the heading is my puck says so its easy to tell if that is a good place or not. Anyway, if the place you picked seems to be good, drill, run your wires and finish the job. Or roll the dice but you may have to move it if once running it has an issue. I did not worry much about my big motor wires because I figure when I am using my trolling motor my big motor will not be running. I gambled a little on that but mine is on the bow and works great. The only thing the puck really does is works the jog mode which I think is worth its weight in gold.. Good luck.