Something I never thought about...

What if you are using a conventional trolling motor (Foot controlled) and while
moving from one brushpile to another (Say 50 yards)and you bump an underwater
stump, lose your balance and fall overboard. Boat stops when your foot leaves
the foot control and you reboard. If necessary your fishing partner ,if there,
can use the trolling motor to come get you. But at least the boat stops.

Same situation using an autopilot trolling such as Motor Guide's Xi5. You
point the motor manually with the remote control toward the destination and
turn it on. Motor will continue in the direction aimed until you manually turn
it off. OK so far, but you fall out now and the boat will leave you and the remote in the lake. In my boat the foot control is packed away in a storage box
(I never use it) and the passengers on the boat have no way to stop or control
the motor. If they unplug the motor or hit my kill switch the motor will stop but becomes unusable.

Maybe they start the big motor and pick me up before I drown or maybe not.
Or maybe I'm alone and the boat is gone over the hill.

I purchased a second remote that stays on the boat just in case and always wear a life jacket when alone.

Anyway something to consider.

Make sure you're seated when you're on the motor then Mr Ernest and you should be okay! Can we install seat belts on the seats near the trolling motor up front just in case?

Water proof wireless controller with man overboard that will stop the boat, or maybe just hit anchor , don't that stop the boat ? I am getting the Xi5 installed on my boat next week. lol

These are scenarios we should all consider....

Good question. I Have been wanting a spare remote anyway, now I have good reason to buy one.

MotorGuide PinPoint GPS Replacement Remote
8M0092071
$119

Be sure to keep the camera rolling with
instructions to post immediately as a instructional video.

It is always good to be reminded of the way things can happen. Thanks for making me think about my own situation as I fish alone in my boat nearly 100% of the time, and the only time I put on my life jacket is when I am using the big motor and then only when going fast. Will see about wearing it more often now in different situations. Thanks again.

Hopefully when the motor is headed to the next waypoint you have anchor set so the boat will stop at that point and you can swim to the boat before hypothermia sets in.

The xi5 remote control is not water proof? If it is and it is still hanging on your neck, you can remote it back to you, right? I'll have mine next week

Since I can barely swim with clothes on and both hands free I doubt I could pilot the boat back with the remote even if it would work. I better wear some floatation in my drawers.

You have a water proof phone to wifi to your trolling motor?
ProNav app is a free download available from the Google Play Store and coming soon on the iTunes App Store.

You just need someone to go with you Ernest. If you can't get anyone else I'll go.

Wow!! I have a hand controle with foot switches on the deck...I've never thought about it, but the same thing could happen to me when I've got the lever flipped over the button for continuous run...That would be a bad day.

This is a scary situation, even if you have planned for it. I always wear the Mustang PFD with auto inflation.

Having a second remote on the boat maybe a good idea, but only one handheld remote will work with the Xi5 at a time, so the second one would have to be "paired" with the Xi5. Don't know if anyone left on the boat would have the capability to do this once the "captain" went over board with the "operational" remote around their neck.

With that said - wearing a pfd with auto-inflation is a must, IMHO! Hope to hear from others about how they could handle this situation.

Drycase.com

You could put the remote in there. Hang that around your neck. Now it's waterproof.

Good subject though Ernest.

I wear my life vest the entire time I'm on the water.

Those that don't are rolling the dice. Things can happen in a split second out there as we all know.

Remember Keyboards story where he jumped for his boat and missed.

Just saying...

Be safe!

Good call out, Ernest. I will usually not use autopilot around stumps but seems like I get more clumsy every trip and one of these days I'll probably take another unplanned swim. Wonder if David would waterproof test some remotes and give some feedback! LOL. No, surely the manufacturers have that information available somewhere and the approximate range they will work in. Next to fishing, getting back safely is my second goal every day.

I agree. This is the best option. I've fished alone many times but starting to rethink that even at my young age of 59.

At 72 and fishing alone most of the time I totally identify with Ernest on this. I haven't gone overboard but came VERY close a couple of years ago. Did not have a self-inflatable at that time. Last Fall my wife made me get one. I am glad she did because I know how quickly unexpected things can happen. And for you younger guys, don't think you're bullet proof. It can happen to you. Saw an article that said if you go overboard with even a slight breeze, within 5 - 10 SECONDS your boat will be too far away for you to reach it. Even for a good swimmer.

Last winter I was a Squaw , bumped a stump , foot slipped on the deck button and relocated the guard to on all the time , fell in head first about 10 ' of water , by myself except for my dog , came out of water like a moby dick , boat kept going finally getting hung up at tree , swam to boat climbed in trolling motor still running until I relocated the guard , was wearing a life jacket . The guards on both switches have been removed .

I like to fish alone for the peace and quiet. Wearing my PFD was a promise I made to my wife so she didn't have to worry all the time I was gone. I haven't fallen overboard yet, but I'm pretty sure it will happen at some point. The thing I worry about most is ruining a set of hearing aids. Very expensive loss, should I fall in!

The Xi5 is not waterproof to the level that I would trust my life with like in Ernest's scenario. I was once putting in condos in the water and the remote went underwater for a minute and I had to take it apart to dry it out before it started working again.

Wear a PFD and tie a rope to the you and the boat at least you will always be a rope length away.

Seat Belt's! There ya go!!