North Australian FISH FINDER TM forums

DOUG wrote: But you're right about the I pilot nomad my mate has the 80lb and still has his anchor rope in a could on his boat he reckons its spot on can do slow drifts or adjust your self perfectly !

how big is your mates boat Doug?
looking at an 80lb for my rig but just want to know if it'll be worth it - i'd like to use it for out in the blue as-well.

His is a heavy 5m territory marine boat not the ocean master the other one they sell has a 140hp Suzuki and I was surprised how much more power the 80lb has than a 55lb on a lighter boat !!
The 80lb is alot more powerful motor that's for sure !

NathanL

I have 80lb on a 5.2 plate boat (it would be considered as heavy for its size), I have used it in blue water quite a few times and it holds fine, mind you ive only used it on neapish tide.

Yes Nathan, if I had my time again, I probably would have gone for the 80lb unit. There are just a few times when the 55lb won’t hold.

Yeah my 5.4m pig is a bit of a wind magnet – gets blown around by it a lot.. so want something with a bit of grunt!
How many hours run time you getting out of yours Ben Jam between charges?

I have the 80lb on a 6.1m top ender and its sweet. The only place I have found that it wouldnt hold is the top of the Sth Alligator in a big load of run off. But you would also expect that. As to run time, I honestly dont know because I have never run my batteries flat. But I have had 2 days of heavy use with no problems

Have you got twin 130 amp hour batteries lats? I think I need to p..s the shitter anchor that came with the boat off and buy a decent one. Then go and layby an 80lb ipilot.

Pretty sure my batteries are either 105 or 110Ah AGM. George from NT Unique put me onto them and spoke to the manufacturers who mentioned that they really put out above 120Ah. I cant remember the make as I am at work. As for the pick... I kept on straightening the reef anchor prongs while trying to fish which shitted me off no end, then I used the mud anchor one day on reef because I wanted to keep on fishing and bent one of the prongs on it trying to get it off hehehe. I knew that might happen. I since got myself a Mooloolaba pick (google it). Sticks to reef like poop to a blanket. Not the best mud anchor though. Will hold you on mud up a creek but struggles with blue water tide and wind. The pitching nose lifting the chain is probably the cause of this though

I spent the money on top quality 2 x 120 AGM batts and I've gotten three days from it. That's about eight hours a day. Well worth the money spent on good batts. Just be careful not to flatten your crack batt as its easy to forget to started your motor with everything else running off your crack batt (sounder, music and radio) Done it twice now, lucky I have jumper cables in the boat

My Minn Kota batteries are completely separate to my 2 motor batteries. I have a 240V 20amp (10 per battery) Minn Kota charger connected to the AGM batteries

Mine are completely separate but when using the minn Kota I tend to forget to turn off the sounder and music which drains the batts.

Back to anchoring, I allways do the same as 86 but like said it is all practice and conditions at the time. Wind and flow - wether canopy up as sail etc etc.
Keep trying you will get it. I drop an old anchor on a seperate rope on wreaks to hook up, I have lost too many good ones on them.
All suck and see at the time.
Best of luck Jack