Trolling motor to be used primarily as a GPS Anchor

I rarely anchor my boat except for fishing and all boaties know that wind and current are a bitch.
Have decided to get a trolling motor to use a GPS Anchor and have decided on a unit.

My problem is mounting the bastard to the bow. My boat has the room if I remove the Anchor stem/hold the rope thingy and the bow rails. Motor has say a 200 x 200mm footprint. I plan to have it detachable for storage etc.

My question is, is there anyone else on here, that has mounted one on a similar setup? Would I be better off making a bracket for the motor to mount on? It is producing 55lbs of thrust max so maybe a bracket thats slightly offset to the side may work?

Pics attached of the stuff in the way on the bow. Dont really want to remove it all but will if I have to.

Cheers.https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202...eeed43c3a1.jpg

Sent from my SM-T510 using Tapatalk

so if this thing is under GPS control.......so it zips itself up and turns itself etc....can you mount it on side instead???like beside where you will be sitting,maybe on swivel mount so can flick it up and tie along top of flat and swing down when you want to use it....

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Micky Duck

so if this thing is under GPS control.......so it zips itself up and turns itself etc....can you mount it on side instead???like beside where you will be sitting,maybe on swivel mount so can flick it up and tie along top of flat and swing down when you want to use it....

---

I am no expert and really not sure but the motor will hold position and direction perfectly in reasonable wind and current. I would guess it would be able to do that more efficiently on the bow?
If they work as a side mount just as well, I would do it

Sent from my SM-T510 using Tapatalk

Trolling motors are pretty common up here. All the ones I've seen are mounted slightly offset from the bow on a dedicated platform/bracket.

Once you get used to using it, you won't want to use a bloody great big bit of metal and a rope again! It's been a game changer for our hapuka/deep drop fishing.

They work best on the bow, to hold position when pointing into the wind.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I’d be asking someone like @veitnamcam to run up a wee Outboard bracket with a clamp on the back that drops in here and locks onto those bow rails...

Attachment 155647

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by ishoot10s

I’d be asking someone like @veitnamcam to run up a wee Outboard bracket with a clamp on the back that drops in here and locks onto those bow rails...

Attachment 155647

---

The reason they are usually offset is so when in the horizontal position they dont protrude any further forward than the bowsprit, but also so the anchor system is still able to be used if need be


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

so you can buy out board brackets that pivot and swing motor up and inwards..sort of about 10'' up and inwards..... almost looks like you could poke one on upright flat of cabin wall and it would allow enough to go out and over side......I take it there is reason to NOT just put it on arse end like normal aux motor??

Nice Mclay :) have one myself
As mentioned I wouldn't put it in the way of the anchor area incase you need to drop it. The ones I've seen on the fishing shows ( as mentioned) are mounted just off to the side of the bow. If it's one of the micoda type ones that raise and lower themselves then you might be able to reduce the size of the footprint to fit on the side ( about 100mm ? X 200mm) and make a bracket to also mount to the pipe.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Micky Duck

so you can buy out board brackets that pivot and swing motor up and inwards..sort of about 10'' up and inwards..... almost looks like you could poke one on upright flat of cabin wall and it would allow enough to go out and over side......I take it there is reason to NOT just put it on arse end like normal aux motor??

---

The reason is that it can hold the bow into the wind far more effectively when mounted up front


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by MSL

The reason is that it can hold the bow into the wind far more effectively when mounted up front


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

---

Yup I would hazard a guess doing so with less power etc.

Sent from my SM-G975F using Tapatalk

Been having a nosy. Minn koda do a removable bracket which marine deals sell by the look of it. With the rails near the bow, you might need to mount it a bit further back so it clears them when it does its' downswing. You can also buy a mount that clips over the side but as mentioned I don't know mounting it half way down the boat would be the best.

As others have said I would be mounting it just to the side of the pointy bit so that.
It doesn't interfere with the use of that most valuable bit of safety equipment the anchor.
It doesn't increase the boats overall length and is not the first thing hit.
Would like to have one myself on a bigger boat.

Sent from my S60 using Tapatalk

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by MSL

The reason is that it can hold the bow into the wind far more effectively when mounted up front

..

---

and less chance of a fek-up with fishing gear wrapped round it..

This is quite a good idea. Mounted above anchor, and looking at your photo, I think you could make it work.

Attachment 155686

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Beaker

This is quite a good idea. Mounted above anchor, and looking at your photo, I think you could make it work.

Attachment 155686

---

Bow rails are in the way and a bracket like that is getting expensive.
I have decided to remove the bow rails or maybe shorten them.

Sent from my SM-G975F using Tapatalk

Keep us posted R93. I may end up going that way too after my wallet has recovered from the new sounder.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by rugerman

Keep us posted R93. I may end up going that way too after my wallet has recovered from the new sounder.

---

Will do. I'm still trying to nut out a mounting option. We have an alloy jetboat builder up the road and I might hit him up for some ideas.

Sent from my SM-T510 using Tapatalk

Normally I'd be a bit reluctant to chop bits off my boat, but as you probably know those rails don't do much except help a bit when your launching. they are way to low to help walk around the front and with the screen back and low you can't really hold onto that either.
Good luck. the more ideas the better I reckon before you start. Might even be worth contacting Mclay and asking them if they know of anyone who has attached one to the front of one of their boats.

Yup, gunna ring them tomorrow.
I don't recall ever using the bow rails.

Anything I do up the front is thru the hatch anyway. I may get them shortened and lowered or completely remove them.



Sent from my SM-G975F using Tapatalk

I've seen boats with trolling motors that have bow rails with a hinged section that flips up to allow the shaft to be deployed/stowed.

Gorse out of pockets and do it right.

With that hull/boat/config, I'd put the motor above the non existant anchor roller at a 30 deg <match to fit inside existing rails> lift angle, may have to alter. It's a easy fix.

And a very worthwhile one.
They are bloody good.

(circa 15k to fit one to my tub - and I wish I'd tick'ed that option when I got it)

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by MB

I've seen boats with trolling motors that have bow rails with a hinged section that flips up to allow the shaft to be deployed/stowed.

---

I have done a bit of youtubing looking for ideas and seen some as well. Problem I have with the 521 McLays narrow nose and bugger all room because of the anchor post is I would have to have both rails cut to allow the motor to lay down when not in use.
May as well cut the things off imo. Or have a bracket that allows it to deploy and lay down outside the rails making it liable to get damaged if I'm not careful around jetty and trees etc which is highly likely knowing me[emoji16]

Sent from my SM-T510 using Tapatalk

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Beaker

Gorse out of pockets and do it right.

With that hull/boat/config, I'd put the motor above the non existant anchor roller at a 30 deg <match to fit inside existing rails> lift angle, may have to alter. It's a easy fix.

And a very worthwhile one.
They are bloody good.

(circa 15k to fit one to my tub - and I wish I'd tick'ed that option when I got it)

---

Yeah I'm not gunna be anywhere near 15k as it is almost half the value of the boat[emoji1787]


Sent from my SM-T510 using Tapatalk

Beaker doesn't have a boat, it's more like the fuckin Interislander :)

yeah apart from ya crashing it, I would say mounted just outside of the rail laying down next to it would be my pick. There sure ain't much room up the front aye. Mines a 521 as well

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by rugerman

Beaker doesn't have a boat, it's more like the fuckin Interislander :)

yeah apart from ya crashing it, I would say mounted just outside of the rail laying down next to it would be my pick. There sure ain't much room up the front aye. Mines a 521 as well

---

Old Beaker for once, come up with a reasonable plan after chatting on the phone. [emoji1787]
Will see how it goes.

Do you have the Sportsman or center console?
Love my boat apart from being underpowered a bit.
Still, it does 50kph @5000rpm with 2 people and a bit of gear in clamp conditions.

Sent from my SM-T510 using Tapatalk

Sounds good mate, hope it works out.
Mine is the Sportsman and it came with a 60HP 2 stroke Mercury. It was the display model at the Manfield fielddays a few years back so they had put a bigger motor on to make it look good :) they came with a 50HP normally I think.
I had 2 coastguard guys on board when I was learning how to go over the Foxton bar and it managed to get all 3 of us fatties up and planning which was good.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by rugerman

Sounds good mate, hope it works out.
Mine is the Sportsman and it came with a 60HP 2 stroke Mercury. It was the display model at the Manfield fielddays a few years back so they had put a bigger motor on to make it look good :) they came with a 50HP normally I think.
I had 2 coastguard guys on board when I was learning how to go over the Foxton bar and it managed to get all 3 of us fatties up and planning which was good.

---

Yeah I got the 60hp as well but the 4 stroke. It needs a 90 imo if you want 4 people with dive gear etc. Takes a while and everyone up the front to get off its ass with that load on[emoji1787]
Otherwise she's a practical boat for where I live. Easy towing on long trips and can launch it myself if needed.
Just spoke with Mclay and they have done them but usually as part of the build on larger boats but have sent a few smaller boats to aussie ready for a bow mount. Think I will have to shorten or remove the rail on one side.

Sent from my SM-T510 using Tapatalk

Just saw this. It's real and in NZ :wtfsmilie:

https://i.ibb.co/5M73g0H/130972625-1...47930266-n.jpg

Rebuilt the sliprings in one of these the other week. First one id every seen, about $7.5k I think he said, Was a big piece of kit

Geez some guys love their toys. Mind you I suppose you can't carry an anchor on a jet ski so would help keep you in one spot if you weren't drift fishing I suppose. Does look a bit crowded on there though

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by MB

Just saw this. It's real and in NZ :wtfsmilie:

https://i.ibb.co/5M73g0H/130972625-1...47930266-n.jpg

---

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by rugerman

Geez some guys love their toys. Mind you I suppose you can't carry an anchor on a jet ski so would help keep you in one spot if you weren't drift fishing I suppose. Does look a bit crowded on there though

---

Despite owning what I now know to be the second most tricked out jetski in NZ, I think it is a bit over the top!