This past Saturday was my third trip with my new Ultrex 52/80 I Pilot Link. We were at a very small timber infested, big bass haven. We were on the TM all day...didn't even start the big motor until I put the boat on the trailer.
We had fished one side of the lake and was heading across the only open water on the whole lake to fish the other side. I had the Ultrex on Auto Pilot at about 7 or 8...we were clipping along pretty good. I was bent over with my hands on my knees watching the Helix on SI and concentrating on it. Out of nowhere there's a 3" or 4" limb sticking up out of the water. What happened after I yelled, "HANG ON!!", is sort of a blur....we hit the limb and that sent the boat off to the left which in turn sent me off to the right...I don't know exactly how, but I ended up clinging to the butt seat on my belly (sort like planking), doing a 180 and coming down on my knees back behind the seat post. Fortunately, I didn't have a rod in my hand and nothing got kicked over.
A couple of big IF's could have made this story not quite as funny. IF...I had gone overboard and IF I had been alone, I would have been in some pretty serious shape. Remember the boat was on Auto Pilot....it was going to the other side of the lake whether I'm in the boat or not. I always clip on the motor cutoff lanyard when I run the big motor but no such thing exists for the self driving Ultrex.
So, I have learned a big lesson that I would like to pass on. The Ultrex is a wonderful trolling motor but one should use some common sense when using the automation features. It's easy to put that thing on Auto Pilot or contour following and start wandering around the boat and letting your attention slip away from the boats trajectory or unseen hazards.