"genius" wrote in message
...
Hey all,

We have a 2000 caravelle 176 open bow and my dad wants to install a
trolling motor. He got a Minnkota transom mount with 54" length (prop
to motor) and planned to just clamp it on the fiberglass siderails
behind driver or passenger seats. The problem is the siderails are
tapered at the top where the tonneau cover goes and the trolling motor
keeps slipping off. We want the trolling motor to be removable since
it will rarely be used and we don't want a bow mount because a lot of
times, in colder weather, we run with the front tonneau snapped in
place to reduce wind and the motor and/or bracket would interfere with
the tonneau. We were really hoping to have a motor that we can run
right on the boat that's easy to remove and store without any
permanent brackets. Does such a thing exist?

I was also thinking on the stern, there's a flat area near the ladder
that might be a good place for a permanently mounted motor that we can
lift in and out of the water, like a bow mounted. However, my dad is
in his late 70's and having to crawl over the engine cover to get to
the trolling motor seems like a recipe for disaster to me!

1. Bolt a kicker motor mount to the back of the boat. Put a removable
linkage between it and your outdrive for easy steering.

2. Put your trolling motor on the bow with a removable mount plate
(designed for easy removal).

3. My choice in trolling motors depends more on usage than on ease of
mounting. As a bass angler and an occasional club tournament angler I can't
get by without a bow mount trolling motor on my bass boat, but for back
water fun fishing or duck hunting out of my square back canoe a bow mount
would of course be just plane stupid. (Actually for 99% of applications I
use a kayak paddle in my canoe instead of either). I have both fished and
duck hunted out of it in the last week. If I was doing a lot of "trolling"
a transom mount might be a better choice than a bow mount, but a cavitation
plate mount might be even better.

4. Please seal all bolt holes with 3M 5200 or equivalent sealer in the
hole and around the nut and bolt head. YES MAKE A MESS WITH IT.