Mounting a bow mount trolling motor on an aluminum bow

I was fortunate enough to find a used bow mount trolling motor for my 14' aluminum v hull. Now the front of my boat does have a aluminum piece at the bow of the boat. Big enough, I believe to mount to. I will probably have to move my light, but I figured I had to replace that anyways. My question is, should I brace it underneath or on top somehow? Maybe a sheet of plywood put underneath, on top? Maybe pieces of a 2 x 4 that has been coated in spar urethane? I want to make sure the torque doesn't make the front piece flex and be ruined. It is a 30lb thrust electric motor.


Thank in advance.

A backer plate would be a very good thing to install under your nose piece. I don't think the torque from that motor is a problem, but if you hit something with it she might take a swim. 1/8" aluminum plate would work well with nyloc nuts underneath. If you use plywood you'll have to retighten the nuts every once in a while.

I think you'd be okay with wood or the aluminum plate. I have my 40lb bow mount bolted directly to plywood and I haven't had to tighten the nuts in the three years it's been on. With whatever you use, definitely brace it from underneath because then it spreads the stress across the whole piece of aluminum instead of just at the bolting points.

Thanks guys! Now here is the question, plywood on top of the aluminum bow then trolling motor, or plywood underneath the aluminum bow with the trolling motor on the aluminum bow? Or both, bottom and top?

Under or both. You'll be fine with just one piece of 3/4" under the aluminum bow piece.

I think it would look cleaner with the ply underneath...

TM on top of the aluminum with plywood underneath the aluminum...
Fender washers on the bolts wouldn't hurt either.