CONTINUOUSWAVE

How is a trolling motor mounted on the the side of the bow?

ASIDE: I own of a 1978 OUTRAGE [of unspecifed model length].

[Moderator’s note: when mentioning a particular Boston Whaler boat always provide the model length designation so readers can have a grasp of the boat you wish to discuss.]

Do you have access to be able to add a backing plate and washers and nuts under the area where you would like to mount the trolling motor on the bow?

If you have access to through bolt the mount I would do that.

A trolling motor is generally mounted on the deck or gunwales at the bow. Mounting off-centerline is very common because many boats have a navigation lamp mounted at the bow as well as a Sampson post or cleats or chocks.

Usually an electric trolling motor is used.

Usually the trolling motor is mounted to a plate or other fixture. These devices are generally part of the trolling motor assembly. The details vary with the trolling motor.

Usually the mounting plate is attached to a Boston Whaler Unibond hull by through-bolting. If through-bolting is not workable, and if there are substantial embedded reinforcement materials embedded in the Unibond hull, then a multitude of smaller screw fasteners are used to affix the mounting plate to the foredeck or gunwale.

Custom fabrication of brackets or other structures by owners of Boston Whaler boats to facilitate crafty mounting methods is common.

There generally is not a single, universal, one-size-fits-all approach or method or design or layout or arrangement of the trolling motor on the bow of a Boston Whaler boat.

Because a trolling motor mounted at the bow is typically an electric motor and operated at low voltage, large diameter electrical cables must carry the electrical power to the motor from the electrical power source. Due to the nature of the Unibond hull construction, unless a particular boat was designed to have a large diameter rigging tunnel leading to the bow and provisions designed into the boat to provide space for an electrical connection—all of which may be additional cost options that must be ordered in advance of the hull being molded—then the electrical cables are usually run in the open deck area.

The choice of a particular model of trolling motor, its thrust output, its operating voltage, its mounting, and its control system for both engine speed and steering direction is usually made with regard to the length, beam, and weight of the boat to be propelled by the motor and the degree of control desired by the operator.

The source for the electrical power to operate a trolling motor depends on the voltage needed. The energy to be provided to the motor depends on the amount of thrust to be produced. The operating time depends on the amount of thrust used and the energy reservoir of the energy source.

Typically a storage battery powers the motor. This battery is usually isolated from the cranking battery for the main propulsion engine. The storage capacity depends on the specific battery or batteries used. A method or restoring electrical power to the battery is necessary.

Considerations of the electrical power aspect of an electric trolling motor are topics for the SMALL BOAT ELECTRICAL forum, not this boat repair and modification forum.

Although it is unusual some electric trolling motors are mounted to the transom. This may be a location favored for those who use a trolling motor for actual trolling.

Thank you [all] for your replies, The boat on which I plan to install an electric trolling motor is a 1978 Outrage 19.

There is no access under the deck for a through-bolt mounting.

I could cut an access hole in the hull liner, clean out the foam, and install a plate below the deck for a through-bolt mount. This modification would be stronger [than a mount that used no modification of the hull], but thehull modification will be a lot more work and would damage the hull esthetics.

Can an electric trolling motor be mounted directly through the top of the deck to the right or left of the Sampson post?

The forward cap of the Outrage 19 and the anchor locker doors are going to make installing a trolling motor more difficult than on most models.

While you can add a hinge to the rail, it may be necessary to have a complex mounting assembly that spans the curve of the bow and long fasteners to allow you to through-bolt.

A shelf with vertical risers cut at an angle and a flat plank where the motor is secured may work The risers will have holes drilled to allow long bolts to fasten through the lip with shaped washers.

Here is a rough drawing to show the concept.



There are slides available for some motors that you can add risers to.
https://shuttleslide.com/shop/

My 1987 MONTAUK 17 and your OUTRAGE are different boats, but some of what I did may work for your OUTRAGE.

My installation is not pretty but it is sturdy and works. See:

1987 MONTAUK 17 Trolling Motor Installation Illustrated
https://continuouswave.com/forum/viewto ... 609#p42608