Motorguide XI5 - very pleased

The XI5 is the Motorguide version of the Ipilot. I bought the 36V 105 pound thrust version. Its one nice piece of equipment. Takes a little getiing used to it but the anchor option is awesome. The foot control is what takes time to adjust to. I use the remote 90% of the time. I put it in an iPhone arm band pouch and strap it to my forarm that I hold fishing rod with.
Even in all the wind we had this weekend the Anchor option held us in place so we could fish.

Thought I would post this incase some of you were thinking about getting one. Ill never go back to a regular TM.

Awesome

How close was it holding you in position? 5 ft, 10 ft, 15 ft radius? Just curious.

Interested in this as well.... I have the ipilot right now but I'm rigging a new boat and was considering the xI5

That is the frustrating part about the I pilot- You set the electronic anchor and after a couple of minutes you are on your spot---until then you are 20 ft behind it, 20 ft in front of it, slammed into the tree you were wanting to fish....etc

In Stock



David @ shut-up-and-fish

Regular GPS is just not accurate to keep you locked on an exact spot. The boat can drift around quite a bit and your Ipilot or XI5 might not know the boat has moved. Garmin's bread and butter is GPS, and they only 15 meter accuracy for their GPS receivers.

My Ipilot holds a lot closer than that ...... You can't just run up on a spot and throw the anchor button!
Get to your spot, let the gps "lag" catch up ..... anchor .. It will hold quite well ....

+1

Mine held very good in 20 mph winds. I was testing it alot also. I would let the boat get to drifting fairly fast or have it on high bypass cutting across a cove and hit anchor and it would turn the motor around and haul butt back to spot where I hit anchor. The XI5 seemed to keep me with in 5ft even when the wind would gust extra hard. My fishing partner has the ipilot and he said that my XI5 seemed to turn and respond faster but he likes the way the foot control is set up on the Ipilot better than my Xi5.

Both units are good units. The ipilot has been out longer so more likely to be bug free but I have always had great luck with motorguide and MG has always seemed to be a more powerful TM in my opinion. Thats why I choose the Xi5.

Thanks that is good information to know. What kind of boat were you on?

I have a Triton Bass boat 19ft 6inch. The 105 might be over kill for my boat but if you ever need the extra power you will be glad you have it.

I Just pulled the trigger on an Xi5 SW 105 GPS 36v 60" to hang on my 22ft Blue Wave CC220. Nice to hear a report from another brave soul. I went with motorguide because of my previous experiences with the greatwhite. Now that it will also talk to my Garmin electronics I opted for it instead of the Ipilot.

Tight Lines!
Kevin

I got an xi5 105 about a month ago and love it. It will hold you within 5ft even in high winds. I also just use the remote. Haven't had a need to use the foot control. Now I wish they would hurry and come out with the device to link it to my hds-10!!!

Really glad you posted that, very interested!