Sorry if this question seems dense but I’ve seen numerous videos on this and still don’t quite understand how this feature works (despite me using it all the time, LOL!)
When setting the heading on the troller, do…
You point the head of the troller in the direction you want to go, and it will take you in that specific direction
or
Do you get the boat moving in the direction you want, and it will keep you going in that direction regardless where the head of the motor is pointing?
I always thought it was #2, but some videos I saw made it seem like its #1
As a follow up question, how do you adjust your heading once set?
A. Adjust the head and point
B. Getting going in a new direction and reset?
Sorry, I play with this setting all the time and sometimes it does what I want it to, and sometimes I struggle to get it headed in the direction I want…
Rovster, if you havent already, look into the 2 different versions of the heading lock. One is legacy (or something) and one is the newer “advanced” version. The new “advanced”version, imo absolutely stinks. The old one is great. You can change the setting in the remote. I hated my BT ipilot for a year because of the new autopilot heading program until i stumbled onto the fact you could change it.
Play with them because the newer ones use different terminology. Basically, one mode holds the head in it’s position and never adjusts so basically you will go in a circle unless you are perfectly straight. The other will adjust your left/right to keep you on course as if you were heading for a fixed spot on land so it adjusts as needed to get you there.
This has all been mentioned already, but … the older motors, I have a 2012 Minn Kota legacy ipilot, it’s called Auto Pilot and the other function is Advanced Auto Pilot. Auto Pilot - the motor stays pointed in the direction its pointed in, and as mentioned you end up going around in circles. Advanced Auto Pilot (that’s the useful one) - point the TM at a tree or whatever a mile away and its gonna take you there, automatically steering to fight wind, current, etc. I use it all the time fishing solo - work a relatively straight section of mangrove bank until the shoreline changes direction, then just point the motor in the new somewhat parallel to shore direction, and fish … repeat.
I just got a newer Minn Kota TM. They now call it Course Lock and Heading Lock - one is the old Auto Pilot, and the other is the old Advanced Auto Pilot.
FWIW mine is a newer model (2022). It definitely adjusts the head when I set it so its not a fixed position. My question was more does it use the boats exisiting heading or do you point and go? And how do you adjust the heading during the path or do you have to reset the heading? Because when on path you can move the head.
Not the boat’s existing heading. It goes in the direction the control head of the trolling motor is pointing - when you enable the function. If the TM is pointing at a tree a mile away at the 3 0’clock position - you’re gonna go to that tree. To change your destination just use the steering button(s) - any time you change the steering during the use of the function you’re going to the new place the TM is pointing right after you change the steering.
It works best with a puck. A line through the puck and the head of the TM establishes your heading. If you calibrate the puck when setting up, this heading should be your boat heading, even if the puck is not aligned parallel to the boat heading. I know that’s not clear, but this the third try at editing/explaing.
Regardless, if the heading is set at 33° (not that we need to know) It takes you on that heading until you change it. The boat may or not be aligned with that heading, depending on wind and current.
I think they (Minn Kota) call the puck a Heading Sensor. I did an install on someone else’s boat. There is a calibration process for the sensor. Seemed like the function of the Heading Sensor is to enable a ‘jog’ feature to Spot Lock - you can move in 5 ft increments left/right and forward/backward to fine tune your spot lock position. Maybe other functions with it. You can still use Heading Lock and Course Lock functions without the puck
