Anyone use a transom mount TM on a 17+ foot boat?

sidechoke67

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Oct 24, 2007
Messages
244
I just bought a '01 Glastron 175 to use mostly for tubing with my 3 kids. I will also use it for bass fishing, and would like to add a trolling motor. I don't see an obvious flat spot on the bow, and am wondering if mounting something on the swim platform is an option.

Everyone seems to agree that you have a lot more control with a bow-mounted trolling motor. However, is anyone use a transom mount on a 17+ foot boat? If so, how hard is it to steer, etc? Are we talking a little difficult or nearly impossible? I am thinking that I can fish from either the swim platform, or else sit on the transom with my feet on the swim platform if it is a little choppy. My boat has the removable stern seats on either side of the engine doghouse, and I am thinking that I might also be able to take a seat out, and stand inside the back corner of the boat and still reach the trolling motor handle.

If I went the transom mount route, I can't think of a way to rig it so I can retract it when not in use. I am thinking of using a removable bracket, building a "L" bracket on the adapter plate, and then just taking the motor off when not in use(?)

I'll keep looking into options for a bow mount. However, right now I keep looking at the bow, and thinking "man, that is awfully curvy" then I look at the swim platform, and think, "man, that is awfully flat...". I also keep looking at the nice bow-mount motors and think "man, that is kind of expensive" and then look at the transom mount motors and think "hey, that is kind of affordable." :)

Thanks for any thoughts!
 

tashasdaddy

Honorary Moderator Emeritus
Joined
Nov 11, 2005
Messages
51,019
Re: Anyone use a transom mount TM on a 17+ foot boat?

it will be nearly impossible to control the boat, and fish at the same time, with a transom mount.
 

Silvertip

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Sep 22, 2003
Messages
28,771
Re: Anyone use a transom mount TM on a 17+ foot boat?

If you have fiberglassing skills, make a form (use the expandable foam) to make a pattern of the bow area where you want to mount the motor. When that foam has cured, shave the top flat. Now make a fiberglass pad from that mold and bolt a quick release plate to it and the boat. You can now slide the motor off for storage and to keep it safe and you can actually enjoy fishing rather than not fishing because its too much of a bother to ready the boat. When making the foam form, cover the area of boat with saran wrap where you will place the foam. This will keep it from sticking to the boat.
 

sidechoke67

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Oct 24, 2007
Messages
244
Re: Anyone use a transom mount TM on a 17+ foot boat?

Thanks guys. You've convinced me to further explore bow mounting options...
 

sidechoke67

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Oct 24, 2007
Messages
244
Transom mnt on the bow of a 17+ foot boat?

Transom mnt on the bow of a 17+ foot boat?

Is anyone using a transom mount trolling motor on the bow of a 17' (or bigger) boat? I have read a few posts on this board from people who turned a transom mnt handle around to mount on the bow. My question is whether I will be able to find a transom mount trolling motor with a long enough shaft to reach the water from the bow. The longest shaft I've seen on a transom mount is 42". Anyone know (or care to guess) if this will be long enough to mount on the bow for a 17' open bow boat? My boat is a '01 Glastron 175.

I'll measure the distance in the Spring - but would love to hear any thoughts now. These are the things I think about to get me through winter...

Thanks for any thoughts!
 

tashasdaddy

Honorary Moderator Emeritus
Joined
Nov 11, 2005
Messages
51,019
Re: Anyone use a transom mount TM on a 17+ foot boat?

this bracket is on 2008 205 Bayliner.
 

Attachments

  • MVC-163S.JPG
    MVC-163S.JPG
    43 KB · Views: 0

sidechoke67

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Oct 24, 2007
Messages
244
Re: Anyone use a transom mount TM on a 17+ foot boat?

tashasdaddy, Do you think the problem with a transom mount motor is mainly how hard it will be for the motor to control the boat from the stern?

In other words, say I installed a MotorGuide wireless on the swim platform in the back, do you think I would be able to control the boat and fish from the bow - with the motor mounted on the back of the boat? Or do you think the problem is having the motor in the back, regardless of where I am standing/fishing?

Thanks!
 

tashasdaddy

Honorary Moderator Emeritus
Joined
Nov 11, 2005
Messages
51,019
Re: Anyone use a transom mount TM on a 17+ foot boat?

regardless of where you are. when the trolling motor pulls the boat , the boat follows, when the motor pushes the boat, wind, current, interferes, i have had both bow and stern mount motors over the years. i now have the motor guide WP 45 wireless control, not cables, wires to trip over, and control from any where in the boat. it is well worth the money. i also only use the key fob for control, rather than the foot control. the mounting bracket is a quick release, so the motor can be stowed when having family fun.
 

raekmike

Seaman
Joined
Jan 27, 2008
Messages
58
Re: Anyone use a transom mount TM on a 17+ foot boat?

I'd agree Whole-Hartedly... Do what you can to get it mounted on the bow. We had to use a little ingenuity to get the motorguide wireless mounted up front on our Bayliner but man was it worth it. Simply used pvc to create pedestals to compensate for the shape of the bow area. The bolts go through the middle of the pvc. At the bottom of the pedestals we used a large metal washer and a rubber washer that goes between the metal washer and fiberglass to absorbe any shock and prevent cracking. Underneath the fiberglass is another large washer and nut. Been using 2 years now and it works great. The key fob wireless remote is the way to go. Nothing beats sitting in the back of the boat relaxing with no wires or footpedals to trip over.
 

Attachments

  • bow1.jpg
    bow1.jpg
    49.7 KB · Views: 0
  • bow2.jpg
    bow2.jpg
    44.5 KB · Views: 0

Texasmark

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Dec 20, 2005
Messages
14,648
Re: Anyone use a transom mount TM on a 17+ foot boat?

Totally agree with the suggestions. BTDT

A small hp "force" cannot push the boat and have you expect any kind of control.......like you can get from your main propulsion unit.

You have to pull the boat and like tasha's dad said, the boat will gladly follow......kind of like trying to drive along the side of a muddy slope in a 4 wheel vehicle expecting to be able to control the front wheels.....like stay level, or climb the slope (which you can't).............without 4wd; only worse.

On my first experience with this subject, I'd get tired of fighting it and just back the boat around (essentially putting the transom forward where the TM is "pulling" and navigate that way) and I could get where I wanted to go that way.....as long as the waves permitted it. Ha! The other problem with that particular rig was that I ran the TM off the engine battery and guess what? When it was time to crank up and go home, I got to see how a rope pull starter worked on an 85 hp engine. Got it started, but it twern't easy. Obviously as soon as I had funding that boat was a goner.

Mark
 

tashasdaddy

Honorary Moderator Emeritus
Joined
Nov 11, 2005
Messages
51,019
Re: Anyone use a transom mount TM on a 17+ foot boat?

totally agree with, raekmike, wireless is the way to go i have the same motor he does, here is a really good deal. ebay # 270210213526
 

Texasmark

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Dec 20, 2005
Messages
14,648
Re: Anyone use a transom mount TM on a 17+ foot boat?

Hear you on the wireless. Back in '89 when OEM's were trying to get away from conventional control devices, I had an electrical box on a long cable that had 4 direction switches on it and the speed stuff (all OEM).

Like the guys said, I could get amidship, under the bimini and control the TM. Course it had the wire but I learned to live with that.

It was Minnkota's first attempt at it I guess and I was replacing the switches frequently.

Mark
 

sidechoke67

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Oct 24, 2007
Messages
244
Re: Anyone use a transom mount TM on a 17+ foot boat?

I have to say, it is not that I'm doubting the learned contributors
to this board (I love this board), but I don't understand why everyone
seems to feel that a transom mount on a 17' fiberglass boat will be useless.

I've been using a 14' aluminum boat for awhile. It has a 36 lb transom mount
motor. Out of, maybe, 3 dozen fishing trips last year, I can think of
one time where I had trouble steering the boat from the back due to wind.
The rest of the time, the transom mount was fine for my needs.

OK, moving from a 14' aluminum to a 17' fiberglass puts me in a heavier
boat. I don't know what my old aluminum boat weighs....maybe 600 lbs with
a built-in floor and 9 hp motor (?) My new boat weighs 2,000 lbs.

Is boat weight the sole reason that makes the transom mount not a realistic
option in everyone's opinion? If I got a strong enough trolling motor,
I don't understand why I couldn't expect the same results as my previous
boat?

Not sure if this changes anything, but I live in upstate NY and fish its finger lakes.
For the most part, I don't constantly run my trolling motor; I tend to move
to a dock, drift fish for a bit, then use the trolling motor to move me
to the next dock.

Thanks again for all the help!
 

tashasdaddy

Honorary Moderator Emeritus
Joined
Nov 11, 2005
Messages
51,019
Re: Anyone use a transom mount TM on a 17+ foot boat?

you have 3 times the weight, also more free board for the wind to catch. you may try trolling backwards, it will give you more control. the head on at transom mount motor can be turned around, so you can have the handle toward you. mount your 36lb on next to the motor and try it backwards.
 

Paul DuLaney

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
Mar 17, 2007
Messages
145
Re: Anyone use a transom mount TM on a 17+ foot boat?

I have a 2001 Taho Q3 ski/fish it has a motor guide 52lb bow mount.have been using it to troll for walleye,striper and work the banks for bass & pan fish sense I bought it new.I use the big motor (not running) to fine tune my steering. My only thing it's hard to steer and land fish at the same time, thats why I'm looking at the wireless 55 lb by Motor Guide.
 

sidechoke67

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Oct 24, 2007
Messages
244
Re: Anyone use a transom mount TM on a 17+ foot boat?

Do you think a transom mount trolling motor mounted on a swim platform would be any more/less able to control a boat than an engine/shaft mount trolling motor of the same lb. thrust ?
 

tashasdaddy

Honorary Moderator Emeritus
Joined
Nov 11, 2005
Messages
51,019
Re: Anyone use a transom mount TM on a 17+ foot boat?

engine mount is going to be much better, you are going to have to get on the swim platform to control it.
 

sidechoke67

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Oct 24, 2007
Messages
244
Re: Anyone use a transom mount TM on a 17+ foot boat?

But, do you think the engine mount would actually control the boat better, or just be easier to steer - being in the boat? If the water were calm, and I didn't mind fishing from the swim platform, do you think there would be a difference in boat control between a transom mount, and engine mount of the same lb. thrust?

Thanks again for all the info!
 

tashasdaddy

Honorary Moderator Emeritus
Joined
Nov 11, 2005
Messages
51,019
Re: Anyone use a transom mount TM on a 17+ foot boat?

you have the foot of the motor also acting as a rudder.
 

WTL

Seaman
Joined
Jan 7, 2008
Messages
56
Re: Anyone use a transom mount TM on a 17+ foot boat?

I think a lot of people don't realize just how much an outboard contributes to working a bow mount TM. It does act as a rudder and keeps the wind from toying with you so much. The weight in the back also helps a lot.

I always think you should try to mount a TM to the bow, but it can be done on the transom and you can just go backwards. That isn't so bad, and its often what I used to do at state lakes when I brought my trolling motor to use on their boats. But since we are talking about your boat here, I would think it would be best to spend the time thinking about how to put that TM on the bow. They do make brackets that accomplsih this, or your can weld or fabricate something out of fiberglass or wood.
 
Top