Installation of trolling motor on 17' Four Winns Horizon Fish and Ski: DONE!

[natemoore]

Mounting a trolling motor on my bowrider was tricky because of the slopping, curvy gunhale and the railing there upon. The only flat spot on the bow gunwale was where the running lights are. So, this was going to require relocating the lights further forward and down a step.

I cut a 6" diameter disc out of 3/4" UHMW polyethylene to raise the trolling motor base up past the rim of the bow seating area. This would also provide a low friction surface for the base to pivot on.

 

[natemoore]

Re: Installation of trolling motor on 17' Four Winns Horizon Fish and Ski: DONE!

In order to bolt the trolling motor base to the gunwale, I had to cut an access hole using my Rotozip tool. That fiberglass is hell on those spiral cut bits. I'll cover this hole with a deck cover from the iboats store. View attachment 113155

 

[natemoore]

Re: Installation of trolling motor on 17' Four Winns Horizon Fish and Ski: DONE!

The old hole for the running lights was not in the right spot, so I drilled it out to 1/2" diameter, then epoxied in a 1/2" fluted hardwood dowel. After the epoxy cured, I drilled a pilot hole to keep the 1/2" hole I drilled next on course.

View attachment 113156

View attachment 113157

View attachment 113158

 

[natemoore]

Re: Installation of trolling motor on 17' Four Winns Horizon Fish and Ski: DONE!

I've got a good, stable pivot point now, but I needed a way to lock the base in place, so I bolted the UHMW disc to the deck, then drilled a 1/4" hole through the base, disc, and deck for a lynch pin I picked up at Lowes. I'm going to order a stainless steel one soon. I applied a liberal amount of white silicon to the bottom of the disc to seal out water and help hold it firmly in place.

View attachment 113174

 

[natemoore]

Re: Installation of trolling motor on 17' Four Winns Horizon Fish and Ski: DONE!

Here's the bottom side of the trolling motor base. I used a 1/2" stainless steel bolt as the pivot.

View attachment 113175

 

[natemoore]

Re: Installation of trolling motor on 17' Four Winns Horizon Fish and Ski: DONE!

Here's the base fully deployed, ready to take me into speckled trout or redfish heaven. The running lights will go on the gunwale below the base.

View attachment 113176

 

[natemoore]

Re: Installation of trolling motor on 17' Four Winns Horizon Fish and Ski: DONE!

With the trolling motor in the stowed position, it rests nicely off to the side, neither interfering with the railing, seating, or canvas cover.

For ease of handling the base, I used a section of PVC pipe in place of the actual trolling motor.

View attachment 113178

 

[natemoore]

Re: Installation of trolling motor on 17' Four Winns Horizon Fish and Ski: DONE!

Don,
Why are some of the images previewing as thumbnails and some are only links? I went through the same steps on each post.

 

[natemoore]

Re: Installation of trolling motor on 17' Four Winns Horizon Fish and Ski: DONE!

Here are a couple more shots of the base with the relocated running lights.

View attachment 113850

View attachment 113851

 

[gozierdt]

Re: Installation of trolling motor on 17' Four Winns Horizon Fish and Ski: DONE!

Very nice job!! . If you have the pictures somewhere else on the web, I'd appreciate it
if you pm me the url. I'd like to save copies. I haven't fished in the last 30 years until
a week ago, but the old bug has bit hard! I'm ready to put a trolling motor on my BR
in the sig.

Also, what model Watersnake Assult did you get?

Thanks,
Gene

 

[natemoore]

Re: Installation of trolling motor on 17' Four Winns Horizon Fish and Ski: DONE!

Very nice job!! . If you have the pictures somewhere else on the web, I'd appreciate it
if you pm me the url. I'd like to save copies. I haven't fished in the last 30 years until
a week ago, but the old bug has bit hard! I'm ready to put a trolling motor on my BR
in the sig.

Also, what model Watersnake Assult did you get?

Thanks,
Gene

Thanks. Why don't you right-click on the picture and do save-as?

I got this Watersnake through Walmart for $299. Free ship-to-store. Best price for a salt water trolling motor I found. So far it looks like good quality for the price. It's the 55107, 12V, 54" shaft, 54 lbs thrust, tiller steer version.

http://www.watersnakeusa.com/motors/bow/assault.html