# transom mount trolling motor



## camp (Jul 31, 2011)

I want to put a trolling motor on my 18 ft. Panga but I can't afford to spring for the bow mount motor that is best suited to the boat. I'm thinking of buying a transom mount because they are relatively inexpensive and portable so I could also use it on another small carry down boat I own. I'm thinking that I can sneak around in reverse and cast out off the stern. Is this crazy?


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## Rookiemistake (Jan 30, 2013)

Theres a screw under the head of the trolling motor where the handle is. Just unscrew it and turn the shaft and you will have it going the correct direction.there are wires in the shaft just make sure you dont cut one putting it in.i did it with my variable speed 55lb transom trolling motor.just need to get a bow mount bracket and your in business.
http://www.marineproducts.net/deck-mount-trolling-motor-bracket/


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## camp (Jul 31, 2011)

wow I never even thought of this. looks like a great way to mount a basic trolling motor the bow. Can you run at speed withe the motor up?


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## firecat1981 (Nov 27, 2007)

Save your cash and wait or you will just be replacing the trolling motor in a short while. 

Problem with mounting a transom mount trolling motor on the front is the tilt bracket that comes with the them are all junk. They are fine on the back of a jon boat, but they aren't made to take the pounding of a boat riding. I've gone through 2 motor guides and 2 minn kotas in 2 years, the motors hold up ok, but the cheap brackets crack and ware out. 

The only thing that helped was having Anytide make me a support for the trolling motor shaft. After a while the bracket still started to ware out.

Save your cash, or buy a used bow mount and save yourself the headache.


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## Rookiemistake (Jan 30, 2013)

> Save your cash and wait or you will just be replacing the trolling motor in a short while.
> 
> Problem with mounting a transom mount trolling motor on the front is the tilt bracket that comes with the them are all junk. They are fine on the back of a jon boat, but they aren't made to take the pounding of a boat riding. I've gone through 2 motor guides and 2 minn kotas in 2 years, the motors hold up ok, but the cheap brackets crack and ware out.
> 
> ...


Well mine lasted over a year i just sold the boat and it worked fine set up that way.a support bracket might help but its not a must.


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## Net 30 (Mar 24, 2012)

I have a bow bracket on my HB and a transom mount Minn Kota. Bracket has held up fine over the past 1.5 years and shows no sign of wear. 

Good thing is that the Bluepoint bracket has 1 large allen head into a deck plate and it removes from the bow in about 1 minute.


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## firecat1981 (Nov 27, 2007)

Yes you might get a year or so out of it. I had one on the front of my Gheenoe that lasted several years just fine, but we are talking about a Panga here which can do more then stay in protected smooth waters. These trolling motors are not intended, or designed to take any kind of beating. 

Again I'd save and wait for a real bow mount, I won't use another transom mount unless I have no other options, like on the Gheenoe.

Here's a pic of my setup, I went through 3 brackets before the support and the 4th has some ware on it too.


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## mark_gardner (Mar 18, 2009)

Personally i would wait till you can afford a bow mount motor. I've had them all and while a transom mount motor will work expect to have the mount repaired periodically cause they can and do break.in addition i have been refused warranty repair because the head was turned 180* so lesson learned is to return the head to it's original position before taking it in for any warranty work just to be safe


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## PG350 (Jan 19, 2012)

Panga's are my favorite boats. Pics please....


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## camp (Jul 31, 2011)

thanks for all the input guys. Sounds like the bow mounted transom motor is a very short lived solution. Another problem I discovered is that because the pangas bow is so high the builder recommends a 60 inch shaft which only comes on the expensive transom mounts. Not much savings. In the short term I think I will look for an inexpensive used motor to mount on the stern. Firecat you have a picture of a fresh water motor on your boat. How quickly does the salt destroy a fresh water motor?


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## WhiteDog70810 (May 6, 2008)

As much as I love look and utility of pangas, that high bow can poise problems for inshore fishermen who pole or troll. I've seen bow mount TMs on pangas while cruising the net, but I am not sure of the brand. There are options out there.

Nate


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## camp (Jul 31, 2011)

yep Pangas have limitations like all boats. Their strength is the ability to get you to and from where you want to fish and the ability to fish reasonably shallow once you get there.

The trolling motor issue can be resolved easily for a couple thousand bucks, MinnKota rip tide, 80# thrust, quick release mounting plate, 60 inch shaft, I Pilot. Only problem is the $.


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## firecat1981 (Nov 27, 2007)

The salt doesn't bother the freshwater motor much. I spray anti corrosion stuff on the screws and rinse it off after each trip. I was all set to buy another riptide, but then I noticed they used the same cheap mount.

I thought there was a difference in the electronics between fresh and salt models, but I had a service guy chuckle when I said something about it. Really the only difference I can find is the paint, the saltwater motors have a more durable coating, and the screws are galvanized instead of stainless.


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## Capt. Eli Whidden (Jun 7, 2012)

> Yes you might get a year or so out of it. I had one on the front of my Gheenoe that lasted several years just fine, but we are talking about a Panga here which can do more then stay in protected smooth waters. These trolling motors are not intended, or designed to take any kind of beating.
> 
> Again I'd save and wait for a real bow mount, I won't use another transom mount unless I have no other options, like on the Gheenoe.
> 
> Here's a pic of my setup, I went through 3 brackets before the support and the 4th has some ware on it too.


Your mount is not wide enough, your putting to much pressure on the bracket


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## firecat1981 (Nov 27, 2007)

My mount is slightly wider and thicker then the expensive birdsail mount all the hells bay guys like to use. Plus the one on my previous skiff was much wider and an inch thicker then this one and the same issues arose. Trust me, the mount is not the issue.


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## Capt. Eli Whidden (Jun 7, 2012)

Sure looks like it in the picks. I highly reccomend a thicker mount. Back in the day, my old flat bottom 14ft Jon ran 250 hrs a year with a similiar trolling motor here in Biscayne Bay in some nasty @hit sometimes. Never had a bracket issue. I did lose 2 from not periodically checking the tighness on the hanger bolts.


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## WhiteDog70810 (May 6, 2008)

> yep Pangas have limitations like all boats. Their strength is the ability to get you to and from where you want to fish and the ability to fish reasonably shallow once you get there.
> 
> The trolling motor issue can be resolved easily for a couple thousand bucks, MinnKota rip tide, 80# thrust, quick release mounting plate, 60 inch shaft, I Pilot. Only problem is the $.


Ouch. Maybe you'd be better off with a decent push pole? 

;D

Nate


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## firecat1981 (Nov 27, 2007)

> Back in the day


That's the key Capt! A few years ago they changed the bracket design to save money, it's now a cheap, not durable plastic. The old aluminum ones would last forever, hell even the plastic ones from 5 years ago were much better, but the new style that both MK and MG are using are total crap IMO. The mount isn't the issue, the new cheaper design is, and it's the racketing mechanism that wares out, not the base of it.


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## camp (Jul 31, 2011)

there have been several references to Hells Bay owners using transom mount motors on the bow. I'm guessing, from the cost of the boat, that they have gone this route for a reason other than cost. What up with this?


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## firecat1981 (Nov 27, 2007)

It's to save deck space, and because the birdsail mount is removable. However I have found that you don't really save much deck space at all (especially with the newer smaller brackets on many of the trolling motors today). Also if you use the removable plate from minn kota then the only thing that is left on the deck is a small puck that won't snag any fly line, if that's what you are into.


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## Net 30 (Mar 24, 2012)

I don't know but my Riptide has been bulletproof after fishing 3-4 days a week for the past 1.5 years.  White part of mount is made of aluminum and black is hard plastic....pretty beefy design IMO.


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## firecat1981 (Nov 27, 2007)

That is not the same bracket they had when I was looking at them a few years ago. How old is the TM? The black plastic parts for the ratchet mech is what usually gets slop or just breaks.


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## Net 30 (Mar 24, 2012)

> That is not the same bracket they had when I was looking at them a few years ago. How old is the TM? The black plastic parts for the ratchet mech is what usually gets slop or just breaks.


It's about 1.5 years old and feels very solid & secure even under way...


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## firecat1981 (Nov 27, 2007)

Maybe they went back to the aluminum brackets after the dismal failures of the plastic ones? Either way it's a moot point, that setup will not be ideal for a Panga.


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## gary0319 (Jan 16, 2013)

> I don't know but my Riptide has been bulletproof after fishing 3-4 days a week for the past 1.5 years.  White part of mount is made of aluminum and black is hard plastic....pretty beefy design IMO.


Net30, who makes the mounting brackett pictured here?


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## Net 30 (Mar 24, 2012)

gflorida....Bluepoint Fabrication. Bottom of page - $300

http://bluepointfabrication.com/My%20Webs/polingplat.htm


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## mark_gardner (Mar 18, 2009)

Imo the birdsal mount has 4mount bolts the blue point has only 1. Stainless steel is soft. Bad dreams of 1 bolt shearing off and my trolling motor sinking to the bottom of the river had me calling birdsall to order theirs


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## ggoodman (Jun 16, 2013)

Love my squatty panga










I'll snap a pic of my red neck mount tomorrow.


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## hardin083 (Nov 22, 2008)

> Maybe they went back to the aluminum brackets after the dismal failures of the plastic ones? Either way it's a moot point, that setup will not be ideal for a Panga.


Just picked up a riptide 55# variable speed for my Gheenoe. Motor is brand new from the Palm Bay bass pro which has only been open a few months so I assume this is a latest model for this motor it also comes without the tilt handle  shame on minn kota!!  So it appears they are still using the plastic type mount.  I've ran this setup before on another Gheenoe years back without any issues, hoping for the same results.  This is ideal for me cause of the price and I fish a lot without it so couldn't justify buying a higher end model!  Here's a few pics I snapped real quick.


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## ggoodman (Jun 16, 2013)

Mine although quite a bit older, has a nice beefy mounting bracket.


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