Originally posted by: ouachitabassangler on 6/16/2005 3:28:14 AM

Jon boats pick up trolling motor vibrations too easily, so when you mount the base be sure to use the rubber mounting tees. That would require you to mount it on a flat surface thin enough for the tees to pass through, like a thick sheet of aluminum the length ofthe mounting base. I'd mount that on top of one side of the bow, preferably on the side opposite where one operator normally sits to balance the boat load. You could mount some stout degree brackets inside and out to come up flush with the top of the gunwale, then attach a long plate of aluminum to those. Bend the brackets up or down to make a flat mounting possible. You'll need at least 6 brackets, three outside the boat hull, three inside to make it stable and prevent damage to the plate from running the motor into a stump. Drill the mounting holes for the tees and install.

What you'll have is a plate suspended over the top edge of the hull by brackets attached to the hull. Hope that makes sense.

Jim

Originally posted by: acorn on 6/16/2005 3:00:53 AM

Fishing buddy has 14' jon boat. I'm using an aluminun block clamped to the front to mount the trolling motor. Works well enough but looses stability at times. Have seen small decks attached to boats about the same size. But cant figure a way to mount this to the boat. Either clamping or drilling into the boat. Using a light sheet of aluminum or treated wood.
If anyone can give some good advise on how to make this I would greatly appreciate it.
We have the deck mount for a Minn Kota 75t.

Originally posted by: WalleyeWayne on 6/16/2005 5:13:38 AM

I don't have a Jon Boat but the way you described it makes perfect sense to me, Jim. You're a very resourceful guy, among all the other advice you offer, when it comes to this kinda stuff and it is appreciated <!--graemlin:;)-->.

Originally posted by: acorn on 6/16/2005 9:09:32 AM

Hey Jim. Thanks.
Get the picture...
And I agree w/ WW

Originally posted by: ouachitabassangler on 6/17/2005 4:02:17 PM

I appreciate the kind remarks, but can't take credit for the idea. I look over thousands of boats while monitoring the launch ramps, so I get a lot of good ideas stuffed away for later use by someone. It's just the way most do it around here for a jon boat with a recessed front seat. Nobody wants to give up that area for a trolling motor, so the only good place for it is the side for the guy on the bow "seat", if you can call it that being too small for most big rears, which requires making an out-of-the-way level platform to mount on. If there's a front pedestal seat, all the better for a foot controlled motor.

The neatest setup I can remember is one a machine shop made for a boater. He took the boat down, and they folded a piece of aluminum so it would snap over the edge, then they bolted it through the side using carriage bolts (nice round heads) on the inside. It was painted green to match the boat. Very sturdy, looked like an original part of the boat. I think it cost him $40 installed on the spot. You could make the rig I described earlier for $10 or less out of scrap metal.

Jim