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Author Topic:   Front Mounted Trolling Motor

ron3637 posted 05-20-2003 11:54 AM ET (US)
thanks [Hey ron, I have told you before to not put the article into the TOPIC. When I edit the topic your article goes with it--jimh]
spotsnspecks posted 05-20-2003 12:39 PM ET (US)
I assume you mean Center Console. I used one on my 17 Outrage, a friend has one on his 18 Outrage and another has one on a 21 Outrage. On all three models something to consider is the bowrail. On mine and the 21, the mounting bracket is far enough forward that the motor clears the bowrail. On the 18, my buddy (cringe) cut his bowrail and had a custom latch built that allows a section of the bowrail to flip up and snap down in place.
On the 21 the height of the bow is the other concern. My buddy has an EXTRA long shaft on the trolling motor (I'm not sure exactly how long) that allows the prop to spin under water. His does not work as well as on the smaller boats on windy days. The shaft flexes a good bit.
The short of it is that I would not put one on the bow of a 21. I think I would rig some kind of transom mount.
Good luck!
Out of curiousity, do you have a trolling motor and want to buy a boat to put under it?
ron3637 posted 05-20-2003 02:45 PM ET (US)
Thanks for the answer. Does anyone out their have any experience with transome mounted trolling mortors on larger whalers thanks
andygere posted 05-20-2003 03:11 PM ET (US)
In anything but flat calm water, an electric is not going to perform very well on a 21+ foot Whaler. Have you considered a small 4-stroke kicker with electric start and controls at the helm?
Barry posted 05-20-2003 03:15 PM ET (US)
I have no experience but I think the "best" transom mounted solution for a larger boat would be Lenco Troll'n Tabs. They are expensive, won't work with existing tabs, and may not work with some boats.
http://www.lencomarine.com/troll'ntabs.html
Seabrook posted 05-20-2003 03:21 PM ET (US)
Most of the professional guides fishing Galveston Bay use 22-25 ft Outrages with transom mount electric trolling motors with 100+lb thrusts. They push the boat just fine when following schools of trout under the birds or working your way around the reefs or jetties. Several also use them offshore for working up and down weedlines. They have plenty of power to push the boat but since they are 36 volt, they require 3 batteries.
John W posted 05-20-2003 03:41 PM ET (US)
There are 26' boats here in west Florida that use bow mounted trolling motors (100+ lb thrust, 36 volt, 3 batteries) for snook & tarpon fishing, and up to 30 footers using the Lenco Troll-N-Tabs. There are 62" shaft, stock slatwater motors available, and longer shafts can be ordered. The size of your boat isn't the issue as much as bow rails getting in the way, storing 2-4 batteries, etc. I have no first hand knowledge of using a bow troller on a large whaler, but I see no reason why it couldn't be done. What kind of fishing are you planning on doing?
rkong posted 05-20-2003 04:45 PM ET (US)
spotsnspecks,
Do you have pictures of you outrage with your bowrail and trolling motor? I'm interested in putting a bowmount on my dauntless, but I don't want to cut the bowrail like your friend. Thanks.
andygere posted 05-20-2003 09:54 PM ET (US)
Considering that ron3637 is from Washington DC, I imagine he is interested in trolling rather than sneaking up on sea trout and tarpon in the flats. On a boat that size, why go through the hassle of 2 or 3 batteries, funky mounting and weak performance over a traditional 4-stroke kicker? Again, even if the thrust is there, you've got to keep the prop in the water for it to work, which is tough to do with a bow mount in anything other than very protected water.
jimh posted 05-21-2003 09:41 PM ET (US)
[Administrative post]
Ponchee posted 05-22-2003 09:59 AM ET (US)
I second Seabrook's post.
I have a guide friend who has a 36 volt great white transom mounted trolling motor on his 25 outrage. (batteries in the console)
I've gone out with him and and I think it works fine it moves the big boat rather easily.
He, on the other hand, thinks it's a bit slower than it needs to be.
Of course he's entertaining customers and wants to get there quick no matter the current or the wind. He's talks about adding another 100# motor, that's how serious he is..
He previously had a 22 outrage with an 80# 24 volt great white (transom mount/batteries in the console) worked about the same as his 25/36 volt set up.
I have an 18 O/R with an 80# transom mounted great white. It does everything I want to do and more. Three batteries and onboard charger under the console so there is plenty of room in the back to stand or fish.
Transom mounts are fine for guides and two person fishing but when it's windy or fishing across a current it can be a handful to keep parallel with a feeding school.
You do get used to it but you pretty much stay busy keeping the boat in the right location/direction.
The batteries last long enough to do all the trolling he needs/wants for that particular day of fishing. When he gets home he just plugs the boat in his house plug and the on board charger recharges the whole bank of batteries for the next day.
It was a nice set up that why I set mine up that way.

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Author	Topic: Front Mounted Trolling Motor
ron3637	posted 05-20-2003 11:54 AM ET (US) thanks [Hey ron, I have told you before to not put the article into the TOPIC. When I edit the topic your article goes with it--jimh]
spotsnspecks	posted 05-20-2003 12:39 PM ET (US) I assume you mean Center Console. I used one on my 17 Outrage, a friend has one on his 18 Outrage and another has one on a 21 Outrage. On all three models something to consider is the bowrail. On mine and the 21, the mounting bracket is far enough forward that the motor clears the bowrail. On the 18, my buddy (cringe) cut his bowrail and had a custom latch built that allows a section of the bowrail to flip up and snap down in place. On the 21 the height of the bow is the other concern. My buddy has an EXTRA long shaft on the trolling motor (I'm not sure exactly how long) that allows the prop to spin under water. His does not work as well as on the smaller boats on windy days. The shaft flexes a good bit. The short of it is that I would not put one on the bow of a 21. I think I would rig some kind of transom mount. Good luck! Out of curiousity, do you have a trolling motor and want to buy a boat to put under it?
ron3637	posted 05-20-2003 02:45 PM ET (US) Thanks for the answer. Does anyone out their have any experience with transome mounted trolling mortors on larger whalers thanks
andygere	posted 05-20-2003 03:11 PM ET (US) In anything but flat calm water, an electric is not going to perform very well on a 21+ foot Whaler. Have you considered a small 4-stroke kicker with electric start and controls at the helm?
Barry	posted 05-20-2003 03:15 PM ET (US) I have no experience but I think the "best" transom mounted solution for a larger boat would be Lenco Troll'n Tabs. They are expensive, won't work with existing tabs, and may not work with some boats. http://www.lencomarine.com/troll'ntabs.html
Seabrook	posted 05-20-2003 03:21 PM ET (US) Most of the professional guides fishing Galveston Bay use 22-25 ft Outrages with transom mount electric trolling motors with 100+lb thrusts. They push the boat just fine when following schools of trout under the birds or working your way around the reefs or jetties. Several also use them offshore for working up and down weedlines. They have plenty of power to push the boat but since they are 36 volt, they require 3 batteries.
John W	posted 05-20-2003 03:41 PM ET (US) There are 26' boats here in west Florida that use bow mounted trolling motors (100+ lb thrust, 36 volt, 3 batteries) for snook & tarpon fishing, and up to 30 footers using the Lenco Troll-N-Tabs. There are 62" shaft, stock slatwater motors available, and longer shafts can be ordered. The size of your boat isn't the issue as much as bow rails getting in the way, storing 2-4 batteries, etc. I have no first hand knowledge of using a bow troller on a large whaler, but I see no reason why it couldn't be done. What kind of fishing are you planning on doing?
rkong	posted 05-20-2003 04:45 PM ET (US) spotsnspecks, Do you have pictures of you outrage with your bowrail and trolling motor? I'm interested in putting a bowmount on my dauntless, but I don't want to cut the bowrail like your friend. Thanks.
andygere	posted 05-20-2003 09:54 PM ET (US) Considering that ron3637 is from Washington DC, I imagine he is interested in trolling rather than sneaking up on sea trout and tarpon in the flats. On a boat that size, why go through the hassle of 2 or 3 batteries, funky mounting and weak performance over a traditional 4-stroke kicker? Again, even if the thrust is there, you've got to keep the prop in the water for it to work, which is tough to do with a bow mount in anything other than very protected water.
jimh	posted 05-21-2003 09:41 PM ET (US) [Administrative post]
Ponchee	posted 05-22-2003 09:59 AM ET (US) I second Seabrook's post. I have a guide friend who has a 36 volt great white transom mounted trolling motor on his 25 outrage. (batteries in the console) I've gone out with him and and I think it works fine it moves the big boat rather easily. He, on the other hand, thinks it's a bit slower than it needs to be. Of course he's entertaining customers and wants to get there quick no matter the current or the wind. He's talks about adding another 100# motor, that's how serious he is.. He previously had a 22 outrage with an 80# 24 volt great white (transom mount/batteries in the console) worked about the same as his 25/36 volt set up. I have an 18 O/R with an 80# transom mounted great white. It does everything I want to do and more. Three batteries and onboard charger under the console so there is plenty of room in the back to stand or fish. Transom mounts are fine for guides and two person fishing but when it's windy or fishing across a current it can be a handful to keep parallel with a feeding school. You do get used to it but you pretty much stay busy keeping the boat in the right location/direction. The batteries last long enough to do all the trolling he needs/wants for that particular day of fishing. When he gets home he just plugs the boat in his house plug and the on board charger recharges the whole bank of batteries for the next day. It was a nice set up that why I set mine up that way.