Talon rigging

[MN Hooksetter]

Hope you're all having a good winter, Bass season can't come soon enough!!!

I'd like to add two 12' Talons to the back of my boat this spring.  The boat is a 2015 Alumacraft Competitor 185 with Yamaha F150 hanging on the back.  I'm trying to decide whether to mount directly to the transom or have the sandwich brackets put on.  If I keep the boat for many years to come, with the talons mounted directly to the transom, do you guys think its possible the transom could wear out over time or prematurely due to the strain put on it from the talons doing their job.  The sandwich brackets are a much more expensive mounting option, but it seems like they may take more of the strain with some of the flex and the fact that they're mounted between the engine and the transom.  The transom itself seems to be built pretty beefy, so I may be worried about nothing here and its a horse a piece on whatever way I decide to mount them.  If you guys wouldn't mind sharing your thoughts on what is the best way to mount these on the transom with the long term in mind, on an aluminum deep V hull, I'd appreciate it. 

(I've found some info on this topic on the internet, but most talons or power poles seem to be mounted directly to the jackplate on a bass boat)

Thanks,

Bob

[bassfshin24]

I would check with Jeff Gustafson on how he has his Talon's mounted. I'm sure you know who he is but if not he is an FLW Pro that fishes out of a Lund Aluminum boat and has two Talon's mounted. 

I have a 10ft Talon mounted directly to my jack plate on my 18ft bass boat. If it was me I would probably go with the sandwich bracket. 

[Todd S.]

Tony, I just pm'd Jeff, he uses sand which mounts. But his all rigged at time of motor install not retro, 

mnhooksetter-it would cost a little more still but have you thought about adding a 6" jack plate?  You will get a performance improvement then you can use the universal side mounts for the Talon which are easy to DYI the install and take off if you sell your boat and want to keep the talons. 

Jeff sent me another message saying Jim Lindner mounts his direct to transom for what it's worth.