Trolling Motor Bracket Mount

[Hoss 350]

Good day, folks!

I am working on the installation of a trolling motor bracket mount on the intergral fiberglass swim platform on my 1996 Four Winns Horizon 170 fish/ski.

A few specs:

I plan to purchase a 7.5 horsepower, 2-stroke Johnson or Evindrude gas motor.

I plan to use this mounting bracket (I don't necessarily plan to buy it from the linked site, it just had the best pic of it).

The swim platforms on my boat look like this more or less, this is a pic of a newer, more contoured model of the same boat that I have. It is basically an integral, fiberglass platform, to which the bracket would mount to the top.

My question is rooted in the fact that my wife wouldn't let me get a fishing boat for a reason: she likes having a sleek, pretty, fiberglass ski boat. That would be, a sleek, pretty, fiberglass ski boat WITHOUT trolling motor brackets attached to the swim platform...

You see my problem.

What I need is a method to quickly attach and detach the bracket from the surface of the platform, so that when i am not fishing, I can take it off and it won't be there in the way.

Screws into and out of the fiberglass won't last long with repeated de/re's, so I need some method of permanently attaching/screwing in a set of steel machine threads into the fiberglass, then using those to mount and demount. I cannot get to the underside of this platform, as it appears to have a fiberglass bulkhead between it and any access points.

Any ideas?

PS: any advice on sealing it so the holes don't leak?

 

[sidechoke67]

Re: Trolling Motor Bracket Mount

I had basically the same exact problem - except I am using an electric trolling motor instead of a gas one.

I ended up using a Minn Kota removeable mount on the swim platform. When I'm not using the trolling motor (i.e. tubing/skiing with the kids), I am just left with the puck through-bolted to the swim platform.

Don't know if they will help, but there are some pics of my finished mount in this thread:
http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?t=234469&highlight=glastron+175+trolling+motor&page=2

 

[Hoss 350]

Re: Trolling Motor Bracket Mount

I had basically the same exact problem - except I am using an electric trolling motor instead of a gas one.

Thanks, Sidechoke. That looks really nice, I'm pretty sure that wifey would find that acceptable. I am concerned about using well nuts to hold on a big, heavy gas motor, especially trailering it on rough gravel roads, etc, so i wish like heck i had underside access the way you do. If I was able to through-bolt it, my problems would be solved...

If I could through bolt it, I could use a puck-type setup like you have to mount the brackets to from the side, or even the top, and then through-bolt the puck to the swim platform, and leave it there permanently...
I really like that setup, and that idea.

If I could come up with some reliable way to mount the puck to the platform, now.... Anyone have experience with these well nuts? Am I liable to leave my motor by the side of the road somewhere?

 

[Boatist]

Re: Trolling Motor Bracket Mount

Here is another option.
My motor is mounted on a lift bracket and the bracket slides into a plate mounted to the transom. Actually mine has two brakets tied together and they slide into two mounting plates. To remove the motor and braket first remove the motor then turn the little lever at the top of the mounting plate and the mounting bracket lifts off leaveing just the mounting plate.

I have to tell you that once I mounted mine I only take it off for cleaning and maintenance. For me it is such a good felling knowing I have a second way to get in if something hapends to the main motor I always have my second motor on.

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Trolling Motor Bracket Mount

Saturday, was eating lunch at a waterfront resturant, in Astor, FL. i saw something i have never seen before. it was an Angler center console, with tower, outboard. but on each side on the transom was mounted remote controlled trolling motors. with hydrolic rams, like trim tabs, and a joy stick on the console to control them. the boat got away before i could finish lunch.

it was a fantastic to this situation. and others like it. twin trollers.

 

[Hoss 350]

Re: Trolling Motor Bracket Mount

Here is another option.
My motor is mounted on a lift bracket and the bracket slides into a plate mounted to the transom.

That would ultimately be the best way to mount it, but the problem is that I do not have a single vertical surface anywhere on my transom to which to mount such a plate. The only mounting surface that I have available is the horizontal deck of the swim platform, so unless the bracket you showed me will accomodate a horizontal deck for it's mounting spot, i don't know how to make it work.

I have to tell you that once I mounted mine I only take it off for cleaning and maintenance. For me it is such a good felling knowing I have a second way to get in if something hapends to the main motor I always have my second motor on.

Will you call my wife and tell her that? I've tried to explain this very thing to her, but she isn't interested in listening. She wants a sleek, pretty, fiberglass ski boat. Like I said, her vision of that does not include a kicker motor or a bracket mount for the kicker being mounted to it.

 

[david_r]

Re: Trolling Motor Bracket Mount

Saturday, was eating lunch at a waterfront resturant, in Astor, FL. i saw something i have never seen before. it was an Angler center console, with tower, outboard. but on each side on the transom was mounted remote controlled trolling motors. with hydrolic rams, like trim tabs, and a joy stick on the console to control them. the boat got away before i could finish lunch.

it was a fantastic to this situation. and others like it. twin trollers.

yeah i would like to have some of those, but the cheap ones cost $1600 ...............but they would be great for fishing. 164lbs of thrust.......man i could troll with that much on the back of my boat!


as far as the bracket: i have seen the vertical mount removable kind....where a small detachable piece stays bolted to the boat. i dont think i have ever saw one that was removable for the horizontal mount.

 

[Boatist]

Re: Trolling Motor Bracket Mount

We do not see a picture of your boat but the one you posted I do not think the bracket you posted would work at all. I think the motor even with a long shaft would not be deep enough in the water to work very well.

When mounting a trolling motor bracket do not ever use screws. Instead you use bolts that go all the way thru the fiberglass and have a stainless steel backing plate or aluminum backing plate. The bolts would not go into the fiberglass, they would go thru into a nut on the bottom side of your backing plate. These nuts would not wear out in 50 years but even it they did you would just put in a new set. The nuts could be welded or glued to the bottom of the backing plate. Also there special nuts that would go thru the backing plate up into the fiberglass but not so long they would come out the top of the fiberglass.

From the deck you want to mount your motor on how many inches is it down to the bottom of the hull. I think your type bracket will have the top of the motor mount at least 5 inches above your deck. I would messure the distance from your deck to the bottom of the hull then add 5 inches. If this is more than 20 inches I do not think you will find a 7.5 hp motor that will work. Most 9.9 you can get with a 25 inch shaft but I do not think I have ever see a 7.5 longer than 20 inches.

If you mount and the motor cavitation plate is above the bottom of the hull then the motor will not back up well at all. Also if the water intake is not at least 5 inches below the water then it will suck air and would be hard on your water pump. Days with waves then the water intake still need to stay below the water.

As far a convencing your wife you just need to take her out in the Ocean and shut the motor off. Then ask what would happen if the motor will not restart or is broken. How could we get back in. Inland lakes and rivers most of the time a motor problem is not life threating but offshore it is. You can still get pretty cold when your on the water after dark with no way to get back. Get her hooked on fishing.

 

[Mark_VTfisherman]

Re: Trolling Motor Bracket Mount

This sounds like a great solution for you:
http://www.minnkotamotors.com/products/trolling_motors/engine_mount/freshwater.aspx

Then again, if you need the HP of a gas engine, it won't work. Then the slip-in brackets mentioned would probably be your best choice.

You could have a fabricator make a custom bracket like those above that would mount in a sight-unseen place on the swim platform.

My thoughts...

 

[Hoss 350]

Re: Trolling Motor Bracket Mount

This sounds like a great solution for you...
Then again, if you need the HP of a gas engine...

I already have a bow-mount electric for pass, pike, and mack fishing on the lakes 'round here. I need the gasser to backtroll the Snake River out of Lewiston, ID. Too much current there for the 'lectric to keep up.

I had considered just putting a troll plate on my primary, but came upon a 1994 Evinrude 7.5 horse for free.

Yes, that's right. Free.

And it runs good.

It then occured to me that it would be great to have the little guy there as a backup in case the power pack on my Johnson ever fries again.... And I was sold on the idea of a gasser trolling motor.

 

[Butt_Cheek_Bay]

Re: Trolling Motor Bracket Mount

Hoss,

Did you find a way to mount a kicker on your boat? I just bought a 1999 170 horizon, with a 115 Johnson on it. I have the exact same problem . I am curious how you managed to solve the problem with not being able to access the inside of the transom wall. I cannot blame the pretty ski boat on my wife. I got the boat for a steal, and couldn't turn it down. I would like a fishing boat, but this will have to do for a while.

 

[5150abf]

Re: Trolling Motor Bracket Mount

3 year old thread and the Op hasn't been back since Sept 2011.

It si best to start a new thread rather than dredge up one from 3 years ago, oh and welcome to iboats.

 

[Bumperlt12]

Re: Trolling Motor Bracket Mount

For the sake of helping Butt, here's what i did. Only works if there's some sort of well attached ladder though.

 

[Butt_Cheek_Bay]

Re: Trolling Motor Bracket Mount

5051,
Thanks for the advice in using this forum. I am new to boat ownership and also new to online forums.

Bumper,
thank you for the picture, I will have to do something similar to that. Great idea!