Bow-mount trolling motor

[TroutCowboy]

After a bone-jarring trip across the width of north Lake Coeur d'Alene the other day, I am starting to doubt my thoughts about mounting a trolling motor to my bow. I hit a few waves that caused the boat hull to flex enough to let my split windshield fall through. I got to thinking how badly a motor might flop around up there.

So, a question for any of you guys with bow-mounted electric trolling motors... How well do they hold up to that kind of pounding? Do they anchor down pretty well? I would hate to crack, tear out or strip anything mounted into my fiberglass hull. And my motor going down with the fishes.

Any info would be helpful. Thanks!

[danielt]

Just get a stabilizer. It goes onto the upper shaft of your trolling motor and when stowed it sits on the deck of your boat leaving no room for the shaft and upper part of the motor to bounce.

There's a few different types but this is the one I found. you will need to get the size that going to fit from how much room is between your shaft and deck. I think the minn kota one here comes extra long and you cut it down to the right size. I could be wrong about that too.

http://www.boatersworld.com/product/369631155.htm

[clam man]

DanielT is right on about the stabilizer, but the fact is common sense is needed even with one. If you are jarring that bad, you should probably slow down a little, or alter course in the waves. The bow mount is up front, and will still recieve a lot of jarring.

Another big consideration for fishing big waves with the bow mount is to ensure that you have enough shaft length to keep the motor in the water when the boat bow bobs up and down in bigger waves. MinnKota and Motorguide both make long shaft motors....just measure from waterline to top of boat coaming, and add at least 18 inches to that to determine min shaft length.

RAM mounts are also available to keep motor from bouncing too much!

Good luck

[TroutCowboy]

Another big consideration for fishing big waves with the bow mount is to ensure that you have enough shaft length to keep the motor in the water when the boat bow bobs up and down in bigger waves. MinnKota and Motorguide both make long shaft motors....just measure from waterline to top of boat coaming, and add at least 18 inches to that to determine min shaft length.

Great info guys, I appreciate the responses. For the record, I'm not a speed demon. I'm still breaking in a new motor and rarely above 25mph. I also have two young children on board most days. These are just big rollers on a wide east-west stretch of a big lake that gets a lot of wind and big boat (30ft +) traffic, and the slamming is just the bow or front 1/3 of the boat landing on the top of one wave after ramping up the previous one. The overlapping flange on my split windshield is only about a 1/2" or so and a little bit of hull flexing (fiberglass boat) and the windshield will fall thru, fishing rod tips are a waggin' and my beer in the cupholder getting shook up and going flat. ;-)

Back to your point I quoted though, I'm glad you pointed out shaft length. Odds are once I'm fishing I'll be close to shore or in a bay away from those big waves, but I'll measure up my current MotorGuide and bow before deciding if/when I proceed.