Engine Mount Trolling Motors

jdoggie

Recruit
Joined
Nov 14, 2021
Messages
3
Hi Guys,
I recently bought my first boat. A little 16' 1962 lone star "biscayne" with the original johnson 75 outboard (pretty much everything is original and in great shape). It will primarily be used for putting around the harbor here and fishing inside the breakwall where I live in Long Beach, CA.

The old johnson runs pretty well but I'd like to add a trolling motor as a fallback "just in case"... and also because the old 2 stroke smokes people out quite a bit when I'm cruising the tight canals here.

The ideal setup in my mind would be to have a little trolling motor attached to the cavitation plate that I could flick on and steer the boat as normal at slow speeds... but it looks like the only manufacturer I can seem to find for those was Minn Kota and they've discontinued them 😞 Before I go too far down the rabbit hole on hacking up a normal trolling motor to build something custom I figured I'd ask to see if anyone knows of any other options that exist out there for engine mounted trolling motors?
 

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matt167

Captain
Joined
Sep 27, 2012
Messages
3,630
Indeed, with the advent of troll modes on modern 4 stroke outboards, Lower unit mounted trolling motors were a niche product for some time and have finally been discontinued for a year or 2
A trolling motor will fit on your transom
 

jdoggie

Recruit
Joined
Nov 14, 2021
Messages
3
Yeah, it’ll fit on my transom... but kinda ruins the look and I’ll also have to steer it with separate controls. I’m hoping to rig this up so I can continue to steer normally and the whole trolling motor is more or less hidden under water.
 

Texasmark

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Dec 20, 2005
Messages
14,544
Hi Guys,
I recently bought my first boat. A little 16' 1962 lone star "biscayne" with the original johnson 75 outboard (pretty much everything is original and in great shape). It will primarily be used for putting around the harbor here and fishing inside the breakwall where I live in Long Beach, CA.

The old johnson runs pretty well but I'd like to add a trolling motor as a fallback "just in case"... and also because the old 2 stroke smokes people out quite a bit when I'm cruising the tight canals here.

The ideal setup in my mind would be to have a little trolling motor attached to the cavitation plate that I could flick on and steer the boat as normal at slow speeds... but it looks like the only manufacturer I can seem to find for those was Minn Kota and they've discontinued them 😞 Before I go too far down the rabbit hole on hacking up a normal trolling motor to build something custom I figured I'd ask to see if anyone knows of any other options that exist out there for engine mounted trolling motors?
Slightly off topic but your comment about smoking people out, that was before 50:1 fuel mix....24:1...quart of "motor oil" to 6 gallons of "gasoline".

Somebody else will have to jump on whether or not you can decrease your oil ratio when using today's TC-W3 (Two Cycle-Watercraft 3rd iteration) but even if you have to add a quart to 6 gallons, you might give Pennzoil Super Premium semi-synthetic oil available at wallyworld sporting goods dept for about $4.50 a quart a try and add some Sea Foam, 1 oz per gallon of fuel mix, to clean up any combustion crud....available in ww auto parts dept, 16 oz white/red marking can for about $7. I use them in a later model 2 cycle/stroke engine at a pint to 6 gallons oil plus SF and you can hardly see any smoke. Applying that analogy to your situation, you might see "a little" smoke plus your engine would start and run better.
 

JimS123

Fleet Admiral
Joined
Jul 27, 2007
Messages
7,952
Looks is subjective, so that's up to you. Hooking it up to the main motor so you can steer both engines from the helm is easy peasy. You can even add a control box so you can shift and work the Kicker's throttle from the helm.

Your motor is designed for 24:1 oil ratio. Regardless of what some people might tell you, even though you might use modern TCW3, DON'T go to 50:1. It's more than just the oil technology.

P6090016webtwo.jpg
 

jdoggie

Recruit
Joined
Nov 14, 2021
Messages
3
Looks is subjective, so that's up to you. Hooking it up to the main motor so you can steer both engines from the helm is easy peasy. You can even add a control box so you can shift and work the Kicker's throttle from the helm.

Your motor is designed for 24:1 oil ratio. Regardless of what some people might tell you, even though you might use modern TCW3, DON'T go to 50:1. It's more than just the oil technology.

View attachment 352809

I was told to run 50:1... Next time out I'll try 24:1. Thanks for the advice!

I'm thinking about picking up one of these cheap 62 lb 12v newport vessels trolling motors: https://www.amazon.com/Newport-Vess...+vessels+l+series+62+lb&qid=1637166079&sr=8-2
Looks like I can remove the switch that controls speed from the tiller head unit and add a dial on it to use up at the helm
Might as well remove the whole tiller head... then rig up an arm that connects to my main motor steering arm like in the pic above. Eventually I might try to fabricate a mount for the trolling motor lower unit so I can mount it on top of the cavitation plate like those old motor mounted trolling motors.
 

Grub54891

Vice Admiral
Joined
Jun 17, 2012
Messages
5,908
Whatever you do, remove the trolling motor from the main motor if you bring it to the shop for service please. I've serviced lots of boats with different setups, and it adds hours to a service order as we have to remove all the junk attached to do an impeller and stuff. Saves ya money to remove it yourself.
 

racerone

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Dec 28, 2013
Messages
36,033
That looks like the electric shift model.------A bit thirsty but a great running motor.------It will run just fine at 50:1.------Many ways to connect a trolling motor to the main motor for steering.-----Lots of things to look at to make that wonderful motor as reliable as a new motor.-----No need for $100+ / hr shop support on that 1962 model.
 

JimS123

Fleet Admiral
Joined
Jul 27, 2007
Messages
7,952
Surely, the advent of TCW oils was a great improvement. But the change to 50:1 was more about the engine upgrade to roller bearings. Some of the oldies had brass internal parts.

I run a couple of motors on 24:1, and I even have one that I use 16:1. Right now I'm using std. Quicksilver oil. I only see smoke at idle. On plane its hardly detectable.

You can run whatever ratio you like.. But, a little extra oil ain't gonna hurt.

As the experts say: "Oil is cheaper than parts!"
 

racerone

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Dec 28, 2013
Messages
36,033
Perhaps you should look at the parts diagrams of a 1962 and a 1964 model !!----You will see that the 62 and 64 had the same bearings as well.----This whole concept of oil in 2 strokes is not well understood.
 

Grub54891

Vice Admiral
Joined
Jun 17, 2012
Messages
5,908
I've been running 50/1 in all my stuff for all my life. Haven't had an issue.
 
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