Custom bracket for Minn Kota bow mount - need feedback!

[Bawanga]

A couple of years back, I decided I wanted to add a Minn Kota Riptide ST 55 to the bow of my 17' daycruiser, but was unable to find a good way of mounting any of the standard brackets, so I shelved the project. I even made a post on this board, but nothing much came of that. This is the front deck of my boat:

I recently decided to see if there was a way of mounting the engine using a custom made bracket, and I wanted to get feedback on an idea.

I started by making a cutout of the "footprint" of the Minn Kota and figured out a way of placing the engine that would allow for deploying/stowing. As you can see, the main challenge is the anchor locker.

So how about attaching a bracket to the back wall of the anchor locker? To be safe, I would be adding a backing plate (starboard?) to the other side of that back wall, which I can reach from the cabin. I would also be running the wiring through that back wall.

This would require having the locker hatch open when using the trolling motor, which should be fine, as it has a drainage hole, and the locker isn't currently being used anyway. This part of the bracket should be pretty easy to make:

The second part of the bracket (pink) gets bolted to the underside of the Minn Kota, and would slide into the first part, and be locked in place using some sort of locking pin. (Note: The shape of the "horizontal" part of the bracket is not correct in this illustration - see next image for view from above)

How it would be mounted to the underside of the Minn Kota:

The engine/bracket would also be resting on the front "lip" of the bow.

So, some questions:

1) Most important: Would this work at all?

2) What material should I use for the bracket? Aluminum? Stainless steel?

3) What thickness material should I use to ensure proper strength/rigidity of the bracket?

4) Any ideas for improving this design?


I'm pretty new to all of this, so some feedback would be real useful before contacting someone to have the bracket made. Thanks for looking!


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Bawanga

 

[gm280]

Re: Custom bracket for Minn Kota bow mount - need feedback!

I kind of see what your wanting to do and the plans you have for accomplishing it. Not being there and being able to evaluate your situation, I can say it looks like it could/would work. I'd use aluminum and make it with stainless hardware as well. Make sure it is solid, because you will eventually run into stumps and such and it will work on the mount and mounting hardware. Also, you may even consider having it powder coated to keep it from corrosion. Yes even aluminum will corrode. It gets a white powdery corrosion after a while. Keep up posted as you built it and assemble it and mount it on your boat. We love before and after pictures as well as how it was built and works out too...

 

[Teamster]

Re: Custom bracket for Minn Kota bow mount - need feedback!

My first question would be what is your use going to be???

It looks like you'll have to climb over the windshield to deploy it?????

 

[Bawanga]

Re: Custom bracket for Minn Kota bow mount - need feedback!

I'd use aluminum and make it with stainless hardware as well. Make sure it is solid, because you will eventually run into stumps and such and it will work on the mount and mounting hardware. Also, you may even consider having it powder coated to keep it from corrosion.

Thanks for your input GM, I'll be sure to look into that powder coating. Not too worried about running into stuff where I'll be using it, but better safe than sorry. If this project happens, I'll be sure to keep you updated.

My first question would be what is your use going to be???

It looks like you'll have to climb over the windshield to deploy it?????

Yeah, forgot about that part. My use: I'll mostly be fishing in water 50-900 ft deep, and I suspect 90% of my use will be the spotlock feature. I fish in a norwegian fjord for cod, ling, coalfish, halibut etc. Tides and currents often make it nearly impossible to stay in the same spot for very long, so that's where the Minn Kota comes in. I may also use it for trolling salmon, probably by running the outboard in "idle" and using the autopilot feature to control direction. Also, having a secondary engine (even a small one) is a safety feature in itself in case the outboard engine should fail.

As for stowing/deploying, I fortunately don't have to climb the windshield There are walkways on both sides so I get up there in a couple of seconds. I usually stay in the same general area for the duration of a fishing trip, so I don't see myself having to deploy/stow the engine more than a couple of times per trip.

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Bawanga

 

[ondarvr]

Re: Custom bracket for Minn Kota bow mount - need feedback!

We use mounting brackets like that to mount many things on our boats, they work well.

Use aluminum, we use 1/4" and it should work fine for your application, but slightly thicker may flex less.



The anchor lockers aren't normally made very strong, so it will need to be reinforced.

I use my Minn Kota in the same way.

 

[Bawanga]

Re: Custom bracket for Minn Kota bow mount - need feedback!

We use mounting brackets like that to mount many things on our boats, they work well.

Use aluminum, we use 1/4" and it should work fine for your application, but slightly thicker may flex less.



The anchor lockers aren't normally made very strong, so it will need to be reinforced.

I use my Minn Kota in the same way.

Good to hear Ondarvr. Sounds like this is doable, I guess I'll order the Minn Kota and start working on the details.

Still, if anyone else wants to jump in and shed some light on the choice of material considering the torque from the engine, length of the shaft, strength of welds etc. please do so, I wouldn't know where to even begin calculating all this stuff. Am I right thinking that the 90 deg. angle in the part of the bracket that attaches to the motor will be the weak point?

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Bawanga