Thread: Fabricating a Offshore Trolling Motor Mount

Lots happening around here, I can't catch a break. My Trolling Motor guy needed a extreme duty trolling motor mount for offshore service and it is going on a extremely curved bow that has almost no access to thru bolt.



I have a 5ft level on the cockpit deck shooting for a 1-1/2 to 2 degrees up on the bow.



Getting a good height worked out, we don't want the trolling motor on any plane other than 90 degrees down while in use. I slid the 2x4 pieces up under the provided plate till I got a level bubble.



Using J-Channel for a deep flange I still had to move it 2 inches inboard so mounting holes could be centered in the flange. Now I made a pattern for my guy so when he drilled the mount he would drill the pattern at the same time so perfect hole alignment will happen. No tracing with a 1in piece of pencil in a place you can't reach. I didn't have to do the finish work just make a bulletproof offshore TM mount.



Both sides of the J-channel had to be tacked then using a pry handle bent till each flange sat flat on each side then I put enough weld that hull damage will happen before a weld breaks. I used my Miller 350P with 5356 3/64 filler and serious current for aluminum for deep penetration.



The QD TM mount is traced out on the plate. Centered up ready for delivery to the installer.

I messaged the TM dealer today and he said his customer loved the mount. I like to follow up when I do something like this.