Lowrance + xi5 or Garmin + minnkota ultrex

[MBDiagMan]

New to the forum. Looks like a good one. I’m getting back to fishing after about 30 years. I last fished out of a stick steer Tarpon with a flasher. I live right off of Bob Sandlin/Monticello in NorthEast Texas and about 45 minutes from Lake Fork.

Buying a really well kept but ‘99 model 18’9” Ranger with Mercury 175. Everything in nice condition but old tech. A reputable dealer has it and are going through everything getting it ready. They will install whatever gear I buy for no installation fee and their prices seem in line with Bass Pro Shop. They are a lowrance dealer. The boat has a flasher at drivers seat and the front and a small old small lowrance graph and flasher at the steering wheel. I don’t mind putting a few thousand into it to upgrade the gadgetry into this decades technology.

Being a Lowrance dealer they are offering Lowrance 7ti2 for the front and a 9ti for the back. I saw where these can interface with the motorguide xi5 for routes and such. It appears that these two graphs and the xi 5 would run something like $3750 altogether. From what I can tell, the similar Garmin/ minnkota setup would be about $4500 plus I wouldn’t get free installation.

I have given thought to only putting the 9ti at the drivers seat and the xi5 trolling motor, then fish from the back controlling the trolling motor with the remote.

I also have given thought to just using it a little as is before upgrading, but I hate to go less than prepared for what little is left of this springs fishing.

Is the Garmin stuff superior?

Thanks very much for sharing your experience with someone who is a rookie with all the new gadgetry.

[jasonjeremiah]

I would go with the Garmin/MK setup. I have the Elite 9Ti and Xi5 combo and they DO NOT work correctly together. The Lowrance will not follow a route created on the finder. The Xi5 works fine with the fob alone, but don't expect to be able to navigate to waypoints using the Lowrance to steer. This seems to only effect newer manufactured Xi5's. Navico and Motorguide are both aware of the issues and have been for over a year now. If you ask them, they will say they are still working on the issues but offer no ETA of when these issues will be fixed. I doubt they will ever be fixed especially as both companies now have newer trolling motors and that is their focus now. They could care less about yesterday's technology. I'm in touch with no less than 50 individuals across the world who have the same issues. One such person is getting ready to go live with the website motorguidesucks.com where everyone can post their experience with this faulty combo with absolutely no help from either Navico or Motorguide/Mercury. So, I would suggest avoiding the headache and go with something other than the Xi5/Elite Ti combo if you're wanting to use them in conjunction.

[R2Tracker]

I currently have HDS Carbon and Xi5, mine happens to work, and I very much appreciate the trolling motor graph integration. Plotting a route on the map and having the trolling motor follow it w/o having to make constant corrections with either the pedal or remote is pretty awesome.

That said if I were buying new trolling motor and electronics, integrating them would be very high on my list of desired features. If I were in the market for a Lowrance Ti2, I would likely be strongly considering the Ghost. If I were dead set on having a Minnkota, I would probably be looking at Hummingbirds. If I thought I had to have a Garmin graph, I would consider pairing it with the Force.

My boat had the Xi5 on it already when I bought it, and I was already leaning towards Lowrance, so it worked out for me.

[Wayne P.]

I would go with the Garmin/MK setup. I have the Elite 9Ti and Xi5 combo and they DO NOT work correctly together. The Lowrance will not follow a route created on the finder. The Xi5 works fine with the fob alone, but don't expect to be able to navigate to waypoints using the Lowrance to steer. This seems to only effect newer manufactured Xi5's. Navico and Motorguide are both aware of the issues and have been for over a year now. If you ask them, they will say they are still working on the issues but offer no ETA of when these issues will be fixed. I doubt they will ever be fixed especially as both companies now have newer trolling motors and that is their focus now. They could care less about yesterday's technology. I'm in touch with no less than 50 individuals across the world who have the same issues. One such person is getting ready to go live with the website motorguidesucks.com where everyone can post their experience with this faulty combo with absolutely no help from either Navico or Motorguide/Mercury. So, I would suggest avoiding the headache and go with something other than the Xi5/Elite Ti combo if you're wanting to use them in conjunction.

A Gamin won't communicate with a Minnkota in any manner so that is not a good consideration for matching sonar brand and trolling motor brand.
Garmin and their Force trolling motor will communicate with each other.

[MBDiagMan]

Thanks a bunch for the great replies! There is some really good information there.

RJTracker, can you tell me more about ”ghost”? I am new to all this and completely unfamiliar with the term/product.

I kind of had to move fast, so I went with a 7ti2 at the trolling motor and a 9ti2 at the drivers seat and will stay with the foot op trolling motor for now. Since it was indicated above that they’ve had trouble with the ti2 to xi5 interface, sounds like I lucked into the right decision by kicking that can down the road. My dealer guy wasn’t excited about the motorguide even though he’s a motorguide dealer. I think he thought I was downgrading. He might have been worried about the interface.. I have enough new stuff to get familiar with for now. I will make the automated trolling motor decision later.

Again, thanks for sharing your knowledge and experience. I hope you guys will keep it coming and it is good to be involved in this forum..

[flyinghappy]

The Ghost is Lowrances trolling motor that just came out this year (Maybe late last year). It connects to the TI2, HDS Carbon or HDS Live units and can be auto-piloted by those graphs. It's $2999 though. Looks like a sweet motor.

[RazorShine]

Power Pole has one coming out, that is suppose to be really good.

[MBDiagMan]

Okay guys, I saw a thread about ghost and figured out it’s a trolling motor, then came back to find your answers. Thanks for accommodating my ignorance. I sure am glad I didn’t buy the xi5! I have my hands full getting up to speed on the ti2’s quickly so I can get some time at Lake Fork in April.