where to mount a bow trolling motor on a 1542

Zum · Aug 27, 2012

Trolling motors aren't built for speed purposes,it's as simple as that.
Your 80lber is more powerful but speed and power are two different things,gearing and mostly your prop is whats limiting your speed.I bet your 80lbs will get you to the top speed quicker then the 55 but it's still only going to be around 3-6mph.
I've heard that someone does make a different style prop for some TM's but I've never tried one.

As far as your boat traveling at an angle,are you sure the stern TM is straight?
Only reason I say is because if my gas motor is alittle off center,the boat will travel at an angle(rudder).

Sorry can't help you with your mounting problem as I'm having a hard time understanding whats actually happening?
Maybe a picture would help us.

Leelatt · Aug 28, 2012

I will try to get pictures up next week, I'm leaving later today for vacation.

in the mean time, maybe this will help:

https://store.minnkotamotors.com/products/392894/MKA-21_Quick_Release_Bracket

this is the bracket I'm curently using to attach my motor to the boat. that center "puck" with the 4 screws gets mounted to the deck of the boat, the outter rectangle piece gets attached to the motor's base. that little handle thing slides out to seperate the puck from the base. it's designed so you just drop the motor on top of the puck and then slide the handle in to lock them together.

the right side of the bracket in the image is the front, (where the motor would deploy over the bow). as you can see, there is a large space between the last 2 screws on the left side and the end of the bracket, this portion is what's pulling up when I deploy the motor and put any type of pressure on the deployed shaft/prop area.

I'm wondering if it's worth getting one of these instead:

https://store.minnkotamotors.com/products/392897/MKA-32_Quick_Release_Bracket_with_Cover

https://store.minnkotamotors.com/products/392893/MKA-16-02_Quick_Release_Bracket

nlester · Aug 28, 2012

I think your tracking problem will require a bigger rudder. I only have a 32# minn Kota on the front of a 10' semi-v so I can get away with a small rudder on the back or have my 2.5 hp in the water to keep the boat alined. Think about it, a big part of the lower end of my motor is rudder shaped. Your 55# only has a small tab on the bottom that is rudder shaped, so I don't think it does you much good keeping the boat tracking straight when you are using the bow mount. I think that your 80# can cause a lot more torque on your boat than my little 32# and requires a bigger rudder than what you are providing. Play around with a simple one made of wood and some c-clamps to clamp it to your transom until you determine the size that you need, then make it pretty. Also, I think the futher your bow motor is off of the centerline, probably the torque involved and the more rudder you will need.

Ever since I was out with a friend that ran head on into a stump with his 24v bow mount and crack his mounting bracket, I have used a safty line attaching my troling motor to the boat.

Buddychrist · Aug 28, 2012

I say you could do a dual rudder setup using two fins from a hydrofoil mounted on the rear of the boat.

You could put them on a bracket in the center and if you really wanted control install a small swivel, and a steering stick up front and you could swing the rear where you wanted as long as you are moving!

Leelatt · Sep 25, 2012

Well I'm back from travelling and I figured out all of the issues,

for the mounting problem I switched over to the MKA-16-02, it's very stable and there is ZERO play/wiggle in the motor and it doesn't feel like it will rip up from the wood deck like the last one did, got to test it out the last few days at my aunt and uncle's lake house, hit a stump at full speed (not intentional and full speed of the trolling motor) and it didn't even phase the motor one bit, mount didn't even budge.

as for the driving at an angle problem I bolted a small piece of wood (sealed it first) to my endura 55# transom motor's shaft just above the motor housing and it's keeping the boat steering straight now. you were right, the little tab at the bottom wasn't enough.