Minn Kota Riptide problem

[Goodoochaser]

Has any one experienced this problem, I have a 42 pound thrust riptide autopilot that has served me well, but just lately it has developed a mind of its own, when on autopilot everything can be fine for hours, then all of a sudden the the steering takes off and spins around, you have to catch it on the foot control and steer it back on course, then it may take off in the other direction.
I have looked at the compass in the head and it is free, what I did notice is there are two small coils or or what are known in the electronics business as pots with ajustment screws in them. I guess they are ajustments for sensitivity or degree of streering correction, does anybody out there have any information on their setting.

Cheers and Good fishing over Easter

Howard the Goodoochaser.

[basserman]

mate forget the composse ider i would have to say (as i have heard of this many times before) the circurt borde in the peadle is gone or on the way out
best bet would be to take it back to a minn kota dealer and explaine the problem they will either send it back if under warrinty or if not you could ask around for
a electrican that deals with them sort of things
only a small probem but a real pain in you know where ;)

[Goodoochaser]

Thanks Basserman, certainly is a pain, worst situation is when you have a good fish on and next thing is you are doing 180s in the amongst the sticks.

As my background is an electrician I still think there is some ajustment that can be made on the coils, I am reluctant to play around with them as the problem is intermittant, if I knew which ajustment was what I may have a fiddle, the motor is not under warrenty and I am not near or handy to a dealer, perhaps an email to Minn Kota.

[aussiebasser]

They will all do this if they are not mounted flat. Sometimes the problem will occur when you go over waves or the wash of another boat. Mine does it sometimes, but it's just a matter of tapping the direction pedal to stop it. As you are a sparkie, have you thought about runing a couple of wires to the foot pedal so you can turn the auto pilot on and off without going to the bow. I rckon this would be a great feature, and you could stop the intermittent circles by turning the switch off.

[Goodoochaser]

Thanks Aussiebasser,

Motor is mounted level and the problem occurs on dead flat water, but thats a good idea re the switch, it has always been a pain to have to go to the bow to switch from auto pilot to manual, a tap on the foot control usually fixes the problem but as sure as eggs when you have that fish on, you are left dancing on one leg and unable to get to the bow.

I have a spare switch on the panel that controls the nav lights and pump at the stern I could wire a 2 way system to that.

I have seen that a new remote is available that goes on the wrist or belt and I think you can control the auto from it (off on) has anyone tried them or knows how much they cost.

Cheers.

[aussiebasser]

I have a Co Pilot, which is the wrist mounted control, it doesn't turn the autopilot on and off though. Your's should be easy to convert because you have the switch on the casing. Mine has the push button on the head of the motor, so I haven't tried to change mine.

[McCod]

Rocky outcrops,Big boulders, Cliffs faces etc affect the autopilot as well.
Did it to me old 42 lb bow mount and now the 55 lb bow mount thats been in use
for 4 years. Something to do with magnetic force i think. ??

[Goodoochaser]

McCod,

I think you may have something there with that theory, I was suspicious for a while that there could be magnetic infuences at work, one particular dam I fish contains a lot of granite bolders and the problem occurs on a regular basis in one particular spot, I had also noticed that going under power lines could trigger the steering problem.

I would be interested to hear if anyone else has experienced the same problems, then it may be worth following up with Minn Kota, it still be might be possible to correct with a little bit of fine tuneing.

While fishing Glen Lyon dam yesterday I had no auto steering problems for the first hour, then all of a sudden it started to play up, thinking back to where I was I cannot think of anything that was obvious that could have influenced the steering so still not sure?

Howard the Goodoochaser