Tinny Bow Mount Trolling Motor, Maybe?

[64osby]

Picked up a Minn Kota Turbo 555, 33lbs of thrust, at an auction. Cost was under $40 and spent a few hours repairing the cables. It's working perfectly now.

Looking for ideas on how to try and mount it. If it even possible or feasible.

I have some nice lengths of extruded aluminum that would be used to attach it. The gunwale is very narrow, about an inch, and it is angled upward.

Here is what I'm working with.

I can sit in the seat and there is just enough leg room with it sitting as is.

The other thought would be to run it parallel with the gunwale on the starboard side. Maybe have the plate above the gunwale, mount the plate with support to the seat and then up towards the bow some how.

I've searched tons of web sites for ideas. Seen lots of setups, but none on a simple Tinny like this. Anyone have any suggestions or great ideas.

 

[64osby]

Re: Tinny Bow Mount Trolling Motor, Maybe?

Alright, lots of lookers no bites, kind of like my fishing.

Round #2, see if this gets any bites.

 

[BonairII]

Re: Tinny Bow Mount Trolling Motor, Maybe?

Deleted.....
Pics weren't showing up at first)

 

[TerryMSU]

Re: Tinny Bow Mount Trolling Motor, Maybe?

The first one looks a lot more mechanically sound. The bottom one will take less boat space, but will flex the daylights out of your hull. My dad did something similar with a canoe and a stern mount TM. He ran a board across the top of the canoe and clamped the TM on the board.

TerryMSU

 

[GA_Boater]

Re: Tinny Bow Mount Trolling Motor, Maybe?

I missed your first post, 64. And I would have said it looks like it was taking away all your knee/leg room.

Phase II. I think if you drop the mount down to the bow cap and add some support on the STBD gunnel, you got it licked. Anchoring to the cap would eliminate or minimize flexing, I think.

 

[fishrdan]

Re: Tinny Bow Mount Trolling Motor, Maybe?

^^^ I'm with GA, drop it down to the bow cap and gunnel, probably have to fab up an adapter plate. Maybe some 1/8" aluminum and 1-2" round spacers cut out of a plastic cutting board. Grind/sand down the spacers, so the aluminum plate sits flat across the surfaces. A removable pole mounted bow light would probably be needed....

Something to consider, the TM should be mounted so it's easy to deploy and stow, so you don't go swimming. (I waxed the pull cord on my bow TM and it's much easier to deploy.)

 

[64osby]

Re: Tinny Bow Mount Trolling Motor, Maybe?

Thanks for lending some helpful advice.

I will be looking at phase 3, still trying to see if I can get it mounted without moving the bow light. Another bracket will be formed.

The green piece is extruded aluminum. Thinking if it has enough support from the other brackets it should work for a good mounting plate.

Never had one of these before, pretty obvious huh.

What are the optimum things to look for, besides a really secure mount
horizontal to the water or a certain angle on the boat, 90 degrees? or a little down at the bow.
As close to the keel as possible.
Don't think there will be a depth issue, it's almost 4' long.

 

[GA_Boater]

Re: Tinny Bow Mount Trolling Motor, Maybe?

4 foot long, jeez - It's a TM and a Talon shallow water anchor, all in one. I found this on-line, I watched it - Don't know if it will help.

This seems to have some words that make sense. http://www.ehow.com/how_4507190_install-bow-mount-trolling-motor.html

A Google search with some install info. https://www.google.com/search?q=minn+kota+bow+mount+installation+instructions&hl=en&client=firefox-a&sa=N&rls=org.mozilla:en-USfficial&source=univ&tbm=vid&tbo=u&ei=0H9jUdCRCqnh4AO0x4GgDg&ved=0CFUQqwQ4PA&biw=1280&bih=597

 

[64osby]

Re: Tinny Bow Mount Trolling Motor, Maybe?

Bringing this bow mount trolling motor back to life, or trying.

I had picked up a 1/8 sheet of diamond plate that is just about the right size for the TM.

Figuring out how to mount the plate is a little challenging. What I would like to end up with is something like this. It would end up being clamped on with 4 backers bolted through the plate. Used Google SketchUp for the drawings.

Is it possible to form the edge to fit over the gunwall edge as pictured? It is a radius, and looking to put two bends in it. This would be something that would be done without a brake or press.

Any tips or suggestions?