Putting in a place to bow mount a trolling motor??

[ngt]

Not even sure where to start. Here's what it looks like. I have a minn kota riptide st 55lb. What do I need?

Pressure treated wood? Metal? Marine carpet? I'd like it to look nice but I've never done anything like this before. I took the light and ropes off already and would like the platform I install to have room for the battery under it, but I don't want to take away the front seat. I'd like that grey marine carpet everyone uses...

Thoughts? Direction to get started? Hardware or installation tips?

thanks!

 

[jigngrub]

Re: Putting in a place to bow mount a trolling motor??

Is it a foot controlled trolling motor with the pedal that steers the unit or a wireless control unit? Pics of your TM will help too, especially the mounting base.

These little platform/decks are an easy build, this is the way mine is built from the factory:

The red lines indicate 2"x2"x1/16" thick aluminum angle brackets attached to the hull with rivets, but you can use Stainless steel machine screws. lock washers, and nyloc nuts if you want. Plywood is 3/4" thick and attached to the angle with said screws, washers, and nuts.

 

[ngt]

Re: Putting in a place to bow mount a trolling motor??

Yeah, that's somewhat what I'd like. Thing is, I'm not sure how to get around that plate that's already there. I don't think it's coming off. It slants out and forward. Most likely have to build over/on it.

 

[jigngrub]

Re: Putting in a place to bow mount a trolling motor??

Mine has a nose piece too, you can see it (black) to the left of the mounting base. The deck builds under the nose piece and the TM mounts on top. Use washers and the rubber isolator discs that came with your motor to shim/level the base plate. If your motor didn't come with mounting hardware you'll need 5/16" dia. stainless steel hex bolts, lock washers, and nyloc nuts to mount the base plate.

 

[greenbush future]

Re: Putting in a place to bow mount a trolling motor??

I would add to what you have< I just installed my trolling motor, my bow had enough room to add it with no modifications, but a little fabrication and a few cuts, you clould use alum. and rivits, supported or backed with wood or a syntetic material. That's how mine came from the factory, just remember there is some touque that will be applied to the area, so build if on the stout side. The rubber insulators that are used to mount, are a must IMO. I just returned from my shake down test, it performed well. The 6 guage cables for two betteries are kind of expensive, I used an old pair of jumper cables for most of my job. Just cut the old clamp ends off and I have 2 nice 12 foot cables to build my connections.

 

[ngt]

Re: Putting in a place to bow mount a trolling motor??

Went to the hardware store and got everything but for some reason I was thinking "stainless steel" for everything and they didn't have the angle brackets. I'll go back and get aluminum in the morning.

thanks to both of you for the advice!




If there a special type of wood I should be using? Or is pressure treated wood ok? Or should I be making this out of something else?

 

[ondarvr]

Re: Putting in a place to bow mount a trolling motor??

No PT. I would go with a piece of diamond plate aluminum.

 

[jigngrub]

Re: Putting in a place to bow mount a trolling motor??

3/4" exterior grade plywood will work fine (not treated). You can get 24"x24" of 3/4" ply panels at Home Depot to keep from buying a whole sheet:
3/4 in. x 24 in. x 24 in. Pine Plywood Project Panel (2-Pack)-1502014 at The Home Depot

Seal the plywood with exterior grade spar urethane before carpeting, or you can just paint it with 3 or 4 coats of exterior grade enamel paint and skip the carpet.

 

[ngt]

Re: Putting in a place to bow mount a trolling motor??

they have spar urethane in a spray, or spar varnish that says marine durability for brush application. does it matter or just get the spray?

 

[jigngrub]

Re: Putting in a place to bow mount a trolling motor??

Get the marine durability brush on.

Are you going to carpet this piece?

 

[ngt]

Re: Putting in a place to bow mount a trolling motor??

Get the marine durability brush on.

Are you going to carpet this piece?

yeah. I'm using the left over carpet from the trailer boards.

 

[ngt]

Re: Putting in a place to bow mount a trolling motor??

trying to level the platform, but it's on the trailer in the garage so how accurate will it be? once it's in the water, it won't be the same, so if I'm trying to judge it, should i leave it a little slanted up since once the motor and battery are in the front and I'm fishing from the middle, it will go down a bit, or just try to get it as level as i can on the trailer and not worry about it,?

 

[jigngrub]

Re: Putting in a place to bow mount a trolling motor??

Don't go by level, go by the same dimension down from the top of the gunwale or flush with the top of the gunwale.

Say for instance if your metal nose piece on the bow holds the plywood down 3/4" in front where the plywood touches it, make it 3/4" down on both sides at the back. It'll be more pleasing to the eye and work better.

Levels are pretty much useless in boat building, everything should be put in using the top of the gunwale for a reference point.

 

[ngt]

Re: Putting in a place to bow mount a trolling motor??

My metal nose piece isn't straight. It's on top of the gunwhale and if I set the wood on top of the gunwhale as well, it makes a house roof type angle. Which of the angles should I stick with? the wood or the nose piece?