How to mount trolling motor

[Roydan]

I have a 170cc with the bow railing and would like to add a trolling motor for fishing, with out cutting the rails or rear mounting.

Has anyone done this or have any ideas.

Thanks in advance for any help.

[cagrove]

I have a 2003 170CC that came with the bow rail. I took the rail off and replaced it with small grab rails and mounted the trolling motor on the bow. There really isn't a way to keep the bow rail and mount a trolling motor. I love the setup now much better than before.

[steveb.]

I took 2 pieces of starboard and traced them the same width as the trolling motor mount but about 10 inches longer.I mounted them to the bow and traced the front inside curve of the bow with a pencil underneath the starboard and removed.I then took the mount and holding it ontop of the starboard i drilled the 4 holes and took furniture nuts (they're nuts with 5 points on them)and put them under the 2 pieces of starboard and then bolted the mount into the nuts.then i just mounted the whole shebang to the bow.can't lay the motor down tho, but i raise it up and bungie it to the rail when traveling.I know i made no sense right. STEVEB.

[Fischer53]

Try to get some pictures loaded on the site. I think I understand, but a picture will make it very apparent.

[Rastus]

Well did we ever get some pictures I have the same problem. I want a stern type trolling motor to mount on my bow with the large handrail. That way I can take it off and on when I go skying? Can anyone help!

[woodNfish]

The proble with mounting a stern type trolling motor on the bow is that the control handle will be backwards. Unless you can rotate the control head 180 degrees, you will not be able to use that type of trolling motor. Minnkota does have a new trolling motor that mounts onto the cavitation plate of your engine. That won't help you in shallow water where you have to raise your engine and they are expensive!

My suggestion is to bite the bullet and go with cagrove's solution. You'll still have your rails and you can get a nice foot-pedal operated trolling motor that will get you into and out of skinney water.

woodNfish

[cagrove]

I've posted pictures of my trolling motor and side rails in the 170CC Mods section. I also use my boat for tubing/skiing. Still haven't been able to throw anyone out of the bow section without the rail...but I'll keep trying.

[Deltaviller]

I'm picking up my 06 170CC tomorrow. Ordered a Minnkota saltwater 55 with autopilot. Mainly got the autopilot because it allows you to use an optional "copilot" control that mounts on your fishing rod and communicates with the trolling motor via radio freq. Its about the size of one those key-fobs that unlock car doors, beep the horn etc. remotely. I think it also includes a footpedal, but if the copilot system works, I won't be using it much.

No bow rails on my boat, so that wasnt an issue. We do a lot of shallow water casting in Chesapeake Bay creeks.