motorguide xi5

[scott1987]

Hey guys
I'm looking at a boat with a new motor guide xi5 on it. The gps (I pilot equivalent model). Just wondering if anyone has any feedback on them or experience using them. If so how was the performance and what did you think of them.
Cheers scott

[Simonosy]

I'm waiting for my 80lb 54" to arrive at the moment. Did a bit of digging and spoke to a few people who have got them. Pretty much heard unanimously (in my circles) that they *%&# all over the minn kota <- from people who have had and raved about the i-pilot. And if it means you don't have to deal with BLA - THUMBS UP!

[scott1987]

Awesome. Watched a few videos last night. The jog feature seems cool. Be able to move pontoon to pontoon easier when chasing jacks in the canals. Meant to be better on batteries and run time then the minn kotas as well. Plus not dealing with BLA is a plus. Have heard some horror stories about them in the past with wait times and servicing times

[Twoshoes]

I've had one since the start on my new boat and that boat replaced a boat that had just got a new Ipilot put on it. From my experience I'll try and list what I can tell so far (a few months now)

Pros:
Battery Life (although I've gone from a 12v to a 24v system, I still think the battery life is significantly better)
Spotlock is far FAR more accurate
Noise; it's a lot quieter
Remote is less complicated and to me works a lot better (my Ipilot remote was notoriously unreliable)

Cons:
BUILD QUALITY, mine doesn't unlock and pull up overly well (not the shaft lock but the actually tilting mechanism) I've also had the prop fall off completely after tightening the nut the night before.
I also had this strange vibration through the shaft (and you can feel it through my 800kg fibreglass hull) that's meant to be fixed with a different prop.

Overall I think the features outweigh the build quality issues I'm having, but to me it doesn't feel even as solid as my old Motorguide Wireless.

[thecheif]

I've gone from ipilot to an xi5 would never go back at this point haven't had the issues other than the vibration which is easly fixed via there's a little hub the goes under the prop nut which doesn't centre itself I found just doing a basic wheel alignment on it solved that issue otherwise great

[scott1987]

Hopefully it goes well for me. I went with the gps model 55lb. Get the boat if all goes well first week of febuary. Hopefully a big mangrove jack is the first fish on the deck.

[thecheif]

good luck mate enjoy all the time you can out on the water

[parmo]

I have had one for a few months now and would never go back to a mini kota, anchor is bang on.
I have it linked to my HDS touch now and that has some cool features.

[scott1987]

I was going to go with the hds touch, but just out of the price range. Went with the lowrance elite 7 chirp model. What benefits do u get from linking it up with the sounder?

[parmo]

you get all the features on the remote, plus autopilot to any waypoint or you can just "go to curser" and it navigates to it. its also got a whole heap of autopilot features like different lines to take, do a u turn zig zig or spiral out from the centre. i didn't get a chance to use many off them.
I like that i can just tap an exact place on the map and it takes me there, good if you need to rig up.
I have a lot of my local mapped out with insight genesis so its awesome to put the boat exactly in the place i want in relation to say a drop off.
The link cables price is a joke but

[scott1987]

Cool will have to look into down the track. Sounds like it'll be handy fishing some of my spots. Will have to get used to using an electric and sounder first as this will be my first boat