I am using a SeaDoo Utopia 185 for fishing. Yeah, I know, wrong boat,
but it's what I have. I would like to add a bow mounted trolling
motor, but there is very little room to mount it and the bow isn't
flat. Has anyone done this or have suggestions as to how it might be
done? Thanks.
--

Larry
Email to rapp at lmr dot com

L. M. Rappaport wrote in
:

Has anyone done this or have suggestions as to how it might be
done? Thanks.
--


How about on the swim platform off to the side of the jet? Use one of
those trolling motors that swings up and lands on deck out of the water
when you're underway.

Utopia isn't for fishing... I'd like the Islandia but my dealer is a jerk
who tried to cheat me on a 1200CC Yamaha PWC in 1997. I wouldn't buy a
spark plug from a SeaDoo dealer like that....

--
Larry

L. M. Rappaport wrote:
I am using a SeaDoo Utopia 185 for fishing. Yeah, I know, wrong boat,
but it's what I have. I would like to add a bow mounted trolling
motor, but there is very little room to mount it and the bow isn't
flat. Has anyone done this or have suggestions as to how it might be
done? Thanks.
--

Larry
Email to rapp at lmr dot com

Get a 6 x 1 x 3/16" angle bracket at the hardware store. Open it
out a bit, and bolt it to the bow so part sticks up like a little
flagpole. Bolt a piece of wood to it so you can clamp on the motor.
Sit on the battery. Steer with your feet.

Terry K

L. M. Rappaport wrote:

I am using a SeaDoo Utopia 185 for fishing. Yeah, I know, wrong boat,
but it's what I have. I would like to add a bow mounted trolling
motor, but there is very little room to mount it and the bow isn't
flat. Has anyone done this or have suggestions as to how it might be
done? Thanks.
--

Larry
Email to rapp at lmr dot com

Have you considered a chimney rod conestoga bimini and a fold out
lawn chaise, with drink holder? A floating chair would qualify as a
liferaft. You could tow a cooler if it had skiis.

Add a leeboard (you carry a paddle, anyway, right?) and you could
rig it to sail!

Now, trolling under sail on a sea-doo is a real mindbender, you will
need pads, and a goalie mask.

Terry K

On Tue, 16 Aug 2005 13:41:01 -0400, Larry wrote (with
possible editing):

L. M. Rappaport wrote in
:

Has anyone done this or have suggestions as to how it might be
done? Thanks.
--


How about on the swim platform off to the side of the jet? Use one of
those trolling motors that swings up and lands on deck out of the water
when you're underway.

Actually, that's not a bad idea, other than the problem that it would
stick down awfully far in the water. If I bought one of those foot
controlled motors the cable might be long enough to allow fishing from
the stern.

Utopia isn't for fishing... I'd like the Islandia but my dealer is a jerk
who tried to cheat me on a 1200CC Yamaha PWC in 1997. I wouldn't buy a
spark plug from a SeaDoo dealer like that....

You're right, it certainly isn't, but that's what I have. I had
thought that the boat was "pretty" enough to attract the wife, but
despite what she said earlier, she just doesn't like boating enough to
come out on it very often. I trailer to lakes, so having a jet drive
made sense. If I had it to do again, I'd get some kind of
fishing/skiing combo...

Thanks,
--

Larry
Email to rapp at lmr dot com

Well, fwiw, here's what happened: I spoke to a product advisor at
Worst Marine who told me to go with the shortest shaft possible and
that the unit would be able to be raised. The shortest shaft turned
out to be Motor Guide, now a division of Mercury which has a 36" shaft
and reasonable thrust. However, no website specified the length of
the cable and whether the cable was mechanical or electrical. (If
electrical, I felt I could lengthen it)

I called Motor Guide and their tech support said it was a bad idea
because (1) the cable was only 6'9" (not enough to get over the
upholstered rear seat to the floor from the swim platform, (2) the
motor cannot be pointed in the reverse direction and even if it could,
(3) that would further shorten the cable, which, by the way, (4) is
mechanical so it can't be extended. However, they do make a digital
motor which can be controlled by a key fob remote and is highly
adaptable to installation on a curved bow. I've ordered that motor.

So if there are any other folks out there who want to add fishing
functionality to a sport boat, that's the scoop.

I also figured out how to add downriggers, but since nobody responded
to that post, I won't go into that. If interested, email me.

--

Larry
Email to rapp at lmr dot com