Homemade Transom to Bow Mount Trolling Motor Bracket

Hey guys!

This is my first post so bare with me. In Feb of 2016 I bought my Tracker Grizzly 1754sc with the 60hp Mercury 4stroke. I struggled with drilling holes in my new boat and with limited funds after the down payment couldn't justify the almost $200 difference in troller just because one was made for a transom. So below are pictures of what I did to remedy it to get me out into the stumps of the local lakes where I fish. Please feel free to comment and ask questions!


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!!! You did such good job with painting it to match that I had to look for a while to even see where the new DIY bracket was.

Very well done, and better than a couple of brackets that I cobbled together over the years.

richg99

richg99 said:

!!! You did such good job with painting it to match that I had to look for a while to even see where the new DIY bracket was.

Very well done, and better than a couple of brackets that I cobbled together over the years.

richg99

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Thank you!

I knew what I wanted to do but it racked my brain and that's what I came up with. I installed it back in April and it's worked like a champ with the 36lb thrust that's on it and scoots the boat pretty good.

If you look closely it's got 1/2" rubber washers between the bow and the mount which has proven itself several times when I smacked a big stump.


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Great idea, nice use of a roller bracket =D> !

overboard said:

Great idea, nice use of a roller bracket =D> !

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Thanks! All the hardware only costed me maybe $40 and it's a much cheaper solution than others I've seen.


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Very nice =D> May do the same on mine. What did you use or how did you attach it to the bow?

misunderstood said:

Very nice =D> May do the same on mine. What did you use or how did you attach it to the bow?

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As you saw I used a simple 5" roller bracket from academy. trimmed down a block of wood to fit in there snug then used 3" x 1/4" galvanized lag bolts to secure it.

Once I got that complete I threw my motor on it and marked 4 holes for my bolts. My bolts were 1/4" grade 8 stainless bolts. From top to bottom it went:

Bolt
Stainless fender washer
Bracket
1/2" thick 3/4" around rubber washer
-deck which included 3/4" plywood directly under it
1/2" fender washer
1/4" lock washer
1/4" stainless nut

I snugged it down fairly tight. Tight enough to where the rubber washers squeezed down creating a good seal but loose enough to allow the bracket to slightly move. That way, the mount not only absorbs any vibrations from the motor but allows a little more give should you stump bump with your troller.

I've probably made a good 60 trips with it and hit numerous stumps and haven't had any issues out of the bracket.


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The only change that I might suggest is to substitute a sandwich of exterior plywood in place of the 2x4. A 2x4 can split if left in the rain too many times.

Nice job! richg99

richg99 said:

The only change that I might suggest is to substitute a sandwich of exterior plywood in place of the 2x4. A 2x4 can split if left in the rain too many times.

Nice job! richg99

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I agree, this was just a mock up that turned into a finished product. What I really wanted to do is weld a solid piece of aluminum or galvanized steel in place of the wood. I may do that in the future, as for now it's holding up pretty solid!


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Actually, I think wood, whether plywood or solid, makes for a much better "grabbing" surface for the clamps. Metal has no "give" and could be too slippery. Just MHO.

regards, richg99

I agree now as well... my brother and I were fishing on his 14ft and he had a welded metal bracket on the front, we hit a stump and it shifted the motor to the left and i thought that thing was going to fly out of the water!