I picked up a transom mount trolling motor and I want to turn the head around and use it as a bow mount. I have a 1448 Lowe tin and I need some ideas and pics of what others have done. I would also like to know what works and what doesn't. Any help would be greatly appreciated!
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Transom to bow mount
- Thread starter rusty2112
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nlester
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You might want to do a search in previous posts, this has been covered several times . Just a suggestion.
That said, there is a pin or a bolt that holds the head in position on the top of the shaft, remove the bolt, turn the head 180 degrees and reinsert the bolt. Do not lift the head off the shaft, just twist it on the shaft. Be careful of the wiring when you reinsert the bolt. I like to use a Phillips screw driver to feed through the hole to spread the wires before I reinsert the bolt from the other side. it takes longer to describe, than to do. I was really scared that I was going to mess something up the first time but it so quick and easy that I could not believe it. Just don't take the head off the shaft and be careful of the wires. There is nothing inside the shaft but some wires that you have to feed the bolt through when you reinsert it after turning the head an there is enough slack in the wires to easily turn the head. You should not have to force any thing.
It is a good idea to keep the motor mount as low as possible. Since I have mod-v the motor sits higher on the bow than on the transom. You might want to measure the motor to make certain the prop will be in the water when you mount it on the bow. On my old motor with a 30" shaft, even low waves caused the prop to rise up out of the water, a new 36" shaft fixed that problem. For my mod-v all the ready made mounts lifted the motor too high. I shaped some wood blocks and screwed them to the side of my bow as far forward as possible. I drilled holes in the wood where my screw pads fit and have a safety line from the motor to the boat.
An other issue with a transom mount moter on the bow of a mod-v is that if it is mounted offset on the side of the bow, you need some thing in the water to make the boat track straight. An outboard engine in the water on the transom will let you track straight. If I leave the outboard at home or run with the outboard lifted, I clamp a wooden, fixed rudder on the transom to keep the boat from crab walking when using the trolling motor on the bow. I don't know how this would work with a square bow since the trolling motor could be mounted in the center of the bow.
There are some extensive ideas in previous posts about how to build a motor mount for the bow.
That said, there is a pin or a bolt that holds the head in position on the top of the shaft, remove the bolt, turn the head 180 degrees and reinsert the bolt. Do not lift the head off the shaft, just twist it on the shaft. Be careful of the wiring when you reinsert the bolt. I like to use a Phillips screw driver to feed through the hole to spread the wires before I reinsert the bolt from the other side. it takes longer to describe, than to do. I was really scared that I was going to mess something up the first time but it so quick and easy that I could not believe it. Just don't take the head off the shaft and be careful of the wires. There is nothing inside the shaft but some wires that you have to feed the bolt through when you reinsert it after turning the head an there is enough slack in the wires to easily turn the head. You should not have to force any thing.
It is a good idea to keep the motor mount as low as possible. Since I have mod-v the motor sits higher on the bow than on the transom. You might want to measure the motor to make certain the prop will be in the water when you mount it on the bow. On my old motor with a 30" shaft, even low waves caused the prop to rise up out of the water, a new 36" shaft fixed that problem. For my mod-v all the ready made mounts lifted the motor too high. I shaped some wood blocks and screwed them to the side of my bow as far forward as possible. I drilled holes in the wood where my screw pads fit and have a safety line from the motor to the boat.
An other issue with a transom mount moter on the bow of a mod-v is that if it is mounted offset on the side of the bow, you need some thing in the water to make the boat track straight. An outboard engine in the water on the transom will let you track straight. If I leave the outboard at home or run with the outboard lifted, I clamp a wooden, fixed rudder on the transom to keep the boat from crab walking when using the trolling motor on the bow. I don't know how this would work with a square bow since the trolling motor could be mounted in the center of the bow.
There are some extensive ideas in previous posts about how to build a motor mount for the bow.
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