Having installed my Ghost trolling motor a few weeks ago, I have put approximately 30 hours on it at this point. Here are a few of my thoughts.
Installation:
1. It was very straight forward. However, I recommend to install the mount 1st, then install the head unit to the mount. The instructions have you mount the head 1st to the mount then to the boat. There is no advantage to this, but it does typically require an additional set of hands. Installing the mount 1st will save some awkwardness.
2. The mounting holes will work for existing Minn Kota and Motorguide units. Use 3m 5700 sealant (or equivalent) with the mounting bolts. Put some sealant on the backs of the washers and they will stay in place while you fiddle with getting the lock nut installed.
3. Make sure the velcro strap is oriented correctly before tightening bolts (ask me how I know).
4. Motor does not activate in stowed position. (fly by wire is the reason due to motor orientation).
Programmable buttons: Buttons 2 & 3 will be programmable through the graph units, but only once the new software update is released. No date has been published as of yet of which I am aware.
Anchor Mode: Absolutely fantastic and is a game changer for me. I have sat on anchor for nearly 2 hours and it has thus far been flawless. I typically stay within a few feet of my initial mark, Be aware of obstacles such as trees, stumps, and/or bridge abutments in that the head unit is the anchor point as the boat is subjected to wind and current.
Motor: The motor itself is very responsive and utterly quiet. The shaft motor sounds a bit like R2D2, but you get use to it very quickly. Very responsive to foot pedal control. Pulls my Ranger 519VX with a 200 Merc with no issues.
Foot Pedal: The motor seems to have a slight lag, but becomes unnoticeable after a few uses. The pedal is fly by wire, but it very much feels like a real cable control. Knowing which way the motor is oriented is no different than when using a cable pedal.
Probably the most significant single upgrade one can make to a bass boat. I would upgrade trolling motors before upgrading graphs. Much better investment. Feel free to ask questions if anyone has any.
Regards,
Brian