[sturdavj]

I have an aluminum 16ft bay runner style boat with an upswept bow.

I have fabricated a bow plate and mounted a Minn Kota power drive starboard side of centerline. The motor is angled slightly upward; I could wedge the mounting bracket leaving a gap along the bracket but I would prefer not to if it’s not necessary.

My question is how important is it for the shaft to be plumb and the motor level?

I will be using this set up for low speed trolling.

[Silvertip]

Think about trimming your outboard or outdrive. Obviously the motor is most efficient when the prop is running straight. So shimming the mount is highly recommended. The shaft can be canted sideways and even if it is not perfectly plumb, performance will not suffer greatly. If the angle way off plumb then I would shim it.

[sturdavj]

Thanks the quick response Silvertip.

I wasn’t sure if on the electrics the trim was as crucial. I am better off setting it up right from the get go, instead of spending time wonder if that was why the fish weren’t biting….

I’ll be taking my shims & tools to the water tomorrow.

[Splat]

I'm assuming you have the auto pilot version. The more level the motor shaft is the better it will track. If the motor is off kilter then the magnetic sensor will be slightly tilted and will cause some degree of variance.

On my boat using a Terrova with auto pilot there is a difference in front to back height of maybe 3/8 of and inch. Not a ton but it is noticeable if you look at it, especially with the shaft down. I have no problems with the autopilot working correctly.

Bill

[sturdavj]

I got her mounted today, shaft is plumb. To provide some idea of how much the bow sweeps up, it required a 1 & 1/2 inch shim at the rear with the front of the mount sitting flush on the plate.

Splat; I am planning on upgrading to an auto pilot, I talked with the local Minn Kota service center and they seemed to think it could be done> Mine is a 1996 and I forgot to tell them the year. I guess I’ll find out