Bow mount with hand control

[cartfan]

Anybody have anything good or bad to say about a bow mount trolling motor with hand controls? I currently have a motor with a food pedal, but I have a bad back that doesnt allow me to use it very long without it starting to hurt. Thanks

[Gus]

Are you talking about mounting a transom mount motor on the bow so you can use the hand control?

If you are, I would highly vote agaist it. My inlaws did this on a brand new boat to save a buck. What a waste. It's just a pain in the butt to use and you really have to reach over and around to turn it. Even with a handle extention you end up reaching further than is usually comfortable. Just my thoughts though.

If I were you, I would look into getting a Minnkota with the co-pilot, or adding co-pilot to your existing motor if it is possible. You should be able to use the wireless hand held remote with ease. It's about the size of your keyless entry remote for most cars.

Just my .02 though.

[Wayne Ek]

Cartfan, I think both major trolling motor companys have bow mounts with hand control that are designed for the bow. You can also purchase a after market handle or big foot from some of the catalog that are coming out this time of the year. I did have a bow mount hand control on a lund and did not like it at all, I went back to foot control. That was prior to back problems and operations. What I have now is a cut out in the front deck of my ranger, mine is an after market, but now I believe that you can order your ranger and I would assume other brands with a factory cut out for the trolling motor foot pedal. I also went to a bow pedestal seat that come up high enough to hit me in the small of the back, it design to stand against, not sit on. My back will still be sore after 8 hours of fishing but not near as sore as prior. I spend almost every day on the water and this has helped immensely.

[cartfan]

Thanks for the replies. Yes, I was thinking of switching over to a motor that is designed for the bow. But operates with a handle instead of a foot pedal. Gus brings up a good point. Can I purchase a co-pilot and use it on a 65 lb powerdrive with auto-pilot?

[Gus]

It sure looks like it:

Add CoPilot to any existing PowerDrive™ motor. Simply attach the CoPilot receiver to the right side plate (2 screws) and plug it into the foot pedal plug at the back of the motor. Optional plug on the receiver allows you to switch back and forth between CoPilot and foot pedal controls.

I got that bit from Minnkota's HSOforum.

Good luck!

[Gus]

I was at the store last night looking at the Co-pilot and on the box it says that it will work on any Minnkota motor made after 1991 with the flat foot pedal connector. I might have to upgrade myself this summer!

[lawman]

I added a co-pilot to my Minnkota bowmount and I just love it. I keep the controller on my wrist. In rough water while fishing alone I can stand rearward in the boat and run it from there. I thought of a hand controller but then you keep taking your eyes off your rod. The foot pedal can be operated w/o looking.

[Bushwacker]

I have had the co-pilot for two summers now and I love it. I have gotten so used to it that I don't even have to look anymore. It makes it easy to use the whole boat and not have to stay in the front by the trolling motor.

[RK]

Hiya,

I've had hand controlled bow-mounts on several boats in the past. Sometimes I wonder why I ever switched to a foot control. There are some times- slipping in current or corsswinds, following breaks with a crosswind, etc. - when nothing's better for controlling your boat.

To get the most out of it though, you need to add a couple accessories. One is a handle extension. I used the Pro-kon-troll handles. Great devices. Once you get used to it, you can sort of steer with your hip or just slap at it without looking and go wherever you want to go. The other hting you want to add are some Bigfoot 'stomp boxes'. These are basically on-off switches you wire into the TM's power cord so you can use your feet to turn the motor on and off. I usually had three of them screwed along the edges of my front deck, one left, one right, and one dead center from the bow. Just tap them with your toe to toggle the power on and off. Between these and a Pro-kon-troll handle, you can really get efficient, precise boat control with just a little bit of practice. And..no standing on one foot all day...

Cheers,

RK

[cartfan]

Great idea about the co-pilot. I looked into it and it seems to be the best option. I also found that the foot pedal is difficult to use. Is the co-pilot easier to control and use than the foot pedal?