So I am a member of al these different groupings regarding, Humminbird, garmin etc... and I see a consistent pattern. Now I know I’m jut reading a small dose but it seems like it’s always the same story. The linking of electronics and trolling motors, for ex I am getting a helix 10 msi just one unit for now. So I join all these groups to learn and a large percentage of the post are how the linking always has issues and something isn’t working. Whether it’s the electronics or the trolling motor isn’t registering what the unit is trying to do. And me not being tech savvy it becomes overwhelming. 

now I like fishing deep structure and that’s what the reservoirs I fish call for. Would I be silly to thinking that goin to two units, two transducers and wired immediately not linked will be fine. Also not linking trolling motor just operate normally and when I wanna use stop lock just use it until I’m ready to move and go from there. Just seems when trying to link everything together causes more harm and headache l, when reality is these tools suppose to make our life easier.

You are correct that everything will work normally if not linked.  The biggest problem with having two units that are not linked is not being able to share waypoints.   If you mark something while idling at the console you have to find it again while fishing or enter the coordinates on the bow unit.  That’s a real headache.   If you can turn the bow unit around so you can see the map while fishing then it would be less of an issue.    I have everything linked on a Humminbird network and the other features provided by having everything linked are great but not essential.  I have had issues with the network but when it’s not working it puts me in the same situation temporarily as someone that is not networked is in permanently.

I have 2 birds and a Terrova all linked together and have never had an issue