change trolling motor or boat?

[Dallas]

After months of lurking I finally have a question for all you boat gurus. I bought this boat a couple weeks ago and need a trolling motor now. I found that the foot control TM's wont work with my current setup because the front deck is just the right size that the pedal would just hang over the step without sitting flat on the floor. I have seen bow mount hand control TM's but dont know how that works. Or I could change the deck. Any ideas on this tm situation. I am open to ideas on the rest of the boat too.

 

[Nevillizer]

How wide is you boat at the floor? You could extend your deck out but depending on the width it could become a little tipsy.Of you cold mount your foot control on the floor and leave the bow mount on the upper deck.

 

[WhiteMoose]

You ought to be able to make a block w/ layers of plywood to get a place for it. Here is what I did.

 

[russ010]

I have seen bow mount hand control TM's but dont know how that works.

You just solved your problem with that statement... These trolling motors work just like transom mounted - you can put an extension handle on there and work it from anywhere in the boat depending on the length of the handle you use

The mounts can be done several different ways - there are homemade types like you'll see on here -- OR -- motorguide makes a hand control bow mount for the front of the boat.

 

[WhiteMoose]

OK, ignore my post. I think I misunderstood what you were asking. If the pedal is the problem, can't you move it to where you want to? I usually operate my TM pedal from the back seat.

 

[russ010]

OK, ignore my post. I think I misunderstood what you were asking. If the pedal is the problem, can't you move it to where you want to? I usually operate my TM pedal from the back seat.

I doubt the trolling motor he's talking about is like yours... my guess is yours is one of the digital steering ones where the cable is like 15' long. (I think that's what you have based on the type of mount you have)

Most cables are like 4-5' long and aren't digital - they are actually mechanical steering -- BUT, your type of motor would solve his problem too!

 

[Dallas]

Yeah I have no motor yet and I have been looking at the digital ones but have read mixed reviews on that and how hard it is to control but I assume it would just take getting used to. I am stuck between a bow mount hand control and a digital one. Any opinions on those two choices?

 

[russ010]

I don't have any personal experience with the digital motors - but from most of the guys I know who had them - they were a nightmare. They didn't keep them very long before they reverted back to the mechanical type because of the problems they were having with the actual pedal.

Some guys love them, some hate them.

One of my best friends has the 55# hand control on the front and likes it a lot. He can just reach down to the handle and do little adjustments and has gotten so used to it that he's having a hard time deciding if he wants a foot control or not. He's in a 1436 alumacraft and stands to fish 99% of the time

 

[redbug]

The power drive motors are fine some guys love them The only problem I had with it was the turn speed. you need to anticipate your turns so you don't hit any rocks. You wont go wrong either way

 

[lswoody]

I've not used one but I have heard good things about the Minn Kota Power Drive t-motors.