Depth Finder and Trolling Motor Questions...

Been working on restoring a boat. It already had a depth finder on it, but it has dual sensors. One for the back, and one that mounts on a trolling motor Im assuming up front. I cant get any trolling motors that mount on the bow because the clamps arn't wide enough. Its an old 65 lonestar so the edges around the bow are a couple inches to wide. First question regarding the trolling motor, would it be possible to take a couple pieces of 2by4 and put two lag bolts through it with nuts and washers on the back side that are wide enough to clamp to. And if that is not recommended if I hook the sensor onto the trolling motor and clamp it off the transom in the back how will that affect the results coming through my depth finder, seems like with the two sensors so close it would be redundant, and I might add I really dont want to mount the motor off the back!

Re: Depth Finder and Trolling Motor Questions...

What you have not been clear on is whether the depth finder you mention is really just a depth finder, or if it is a locator (fish finder) which also gives depth readings. If the boat had two transducers and both are for locators, then the boat also also had two head units, or it had a transducer switch. You can't typically run two transducers simultaneously from the same head unit.

Re: Depth Finder and Trolling Motor Questions...

Yes it does have a switch. So that is a switch that changes between the front and back sensors. So it wont even matter if i dont have one on the trolling motor because I can only use one at atime, and its just a basic Hummingbird Unit and I do believe it is a depthfinder/fish finder it has a fish alarm option and what not

Re: Depth Finder and Trolling Motor Questions...

so, your T/M has clamps (like a transom-mount T/M) instead of the folding bow mount?

I think what you're proposing will work ok.

Keep in mind that being up on the bow, the T/M will take a pounding in any kind of rough water, so your installation needs to be really beefy.

Large bolts, lockwashers. On the back side, a piece of plywood or maybe aluminum as a sort of backing plate.

Re: Depth Finder and Trolling Motor Questions...

I was thinking taking a 1/4in plate and putting it under the top lip plus a thick washer and nut through two pieces of 2by4 on top with a lag all the way thriough. Is it really that big a deal to have it mounted to the transom?

Re: Depth Finder and Trolling Motor Questions...

Transom mount motors "push" the boat forward. If you mount it up front you need to spin the head around 180 degrees otherwise the tiller handle will point forward. Since you are restoring a boat, it seems odd you would want to bolt ugly lumber to the bow. Why not use a pontoon mount and a quick release plate. Both are sold right here on iBoats.

Re: Depth Finder and Trolling Motor Questions...

I don't know what your boat looks like. Of course put the trolling motor where you're going to be fishing.

On the bow, it'll give you great control for positioning the boat just where you need it. Transom mount will be sluggish.

Transom mount motors mounted on the bow are ok if you are sitting down low in the boat, but if you're up on a casting deck, you'll wear your back out bending over to control it.

Not to mention which, all the trouble it is to deploy for fishing and stow when you fire up the big motor.