Can i fit a bow mount on this boat?

[Craigums]

I would really like to have a bow mount trolling motor on my boat. I currently have a transom mount and its difficult to control my boat and keep it on course. It's only an old 14ft aluminum with a fairly shallow hull. Does anybody have any ideas how I can mount a bow mount to this thing?

Thanks alot,

Craig

[gregg52]

backtrolling is easy than forward looks like a pretty small trolling motor try alittle bigger one

as rule backtrolling in way better control than bow mounts

you should have precision trolling in that boat

unless you are on mille lacs...lol

[hamms-scooter]

Nice little boat! You could put a piece of carpeted plywood on the top of the boat (just screw it down to the top up front) and mount your trolling motor on that.I have seen lots of them done that way and it looks good too.You could make a casting deck easily on that as well.

[bemidjibasser]

Check out my reply in the bass forum...

[harvey lee]

I agree, it could be done without to much hassle. I have seen many done this way.

[delmuts]

Craig. I had a similar issue when i had my small lund. I got two pcs. of alum. angle iron from a trailer manufacturer, where i ran these on the inside of the bow. Then i screwed a pc. of plywood to it so i could mount the trolling motor.The lund had a small angle seat in the nose, so i just built a cabinet from the top pc to the seat to house the battery for it.

[PerchJerker]

Have you tried putting your transom mount motor up front? I did that for years with a similiar boat. I used two pieces of 1x4, one on each side of the gunnel, and clamped the transom mount motor over them. It works great. You can turn the head around on the motor too by removing one screw, so the more powerful forward speeds will move the boat forward.

[pulleye16]

If you are sitting in back, how high does your bow go? Probably will need a longer shaft since your boat is light and you'll be raising the bow if you sit in the back. It may also be akward and hard to balance those smaller boats casting and controlling the foot petal unless you have a flat floor (surface). Just some things to think about. It should work though if you can mount somehting on the bow to hold the motor.

[kosterguide]

this winter we built a mount for my duck boat and i hope it works. we just took a cunck of steel and cut it out to match the v and rails and made a couple of braces and its strong. if you need help give me a call 218-556-9409

[Agent Andy]

Don't forget to renew your lic. on the boat>

[BoxMN]

For that sized boat, and even bigger, here is what I would do... turn the head 180 degrees on the troll motor... Then you will be backtrolling, giving precision trolling like mentioned above, but with all the "forward" power. I.e. you hit forward on the motor to go backward... I think it just takes two screws to be loosened/removed and replaced if I recall.

Sure would be a lot easier and cost you nothing... But I also know it is easy to put a little bow up front too. Good luck.

[196thDLR]

Many years ago I owned a 1980 S-16 DeLux Lund. I had the same problem with control and I figured that a bow mount would correct the problem. I built a frame of 2X4's level with the front bench seat, 5/8" marine plywood cut and beveled to the contour of the bow to include the top of the bench seat. All the wood used was sealed with a good polyu and cured it well. I put outdoor carpet on the plywood, and screwed it down on the frame and the seat.

Once that was done, I built a 1/2" plywood hutch for the battery in the extreme front of the bow, polyed that, screwed my new bowmount trolling motor to it and went fishing. Worked Great. The frame and plywood of the deck lasted 20 years before it had to be replaced. Good Luck!

[Bassinbob84]

I Cut a peice of plywood and sheet metal screwed it onto the rails. Then I bolted my trolling motor onto that