Transom mount trolling motor on bow

Next time out I want to experiment with front mounting my electric. The two motors interfere with each other slightly with both on the transom. I'll cut up some neater mounting blocks if this works out ok, but I'm just wondering after looking at the view below if it's going to be deep enough or suck air like a Hoover! What do you guys think, is this worth trying? Or should I just keep this 30" shaft motor in the back and look for a real front mount motor, or at least one with the 36" shaft?

It never hurts to try. But my main concern is if you hit a submerged object ( stump, rock, bottom, etc... ) at a decent speed it could rip the motor off or crack the composite shaft. A good bow mount with a breakaway mount or a shock absorbing spring will prevent this from happening. I Suggest a 42 inch shaft at minimum & nothing over 45 inches. On my boat I run an old second hand MotorGuide Brute Competition with a hand me down Gator II Mount ( the double spring mount ) it has saved my trolling motor countless times when I've hit stumps at speed. If looking for a new motor MinnKota's Edge series are good & MotorGuide's X3 series are good choices. If looking for a used motor, MinnKota's Maxxum Series are good choices along with the older All Terrain Series. If picking an older MotorGuide try to find one with a stainless steel shaft; if it comes with one of the flimsy mounts replace it with a used Gator Mount ( I did this to mine, had to cut the old mount off with a sawzaw ). The original Gator mounts are pretty common, most dealers, service centers, & boat repair places usually have a couple laying around for cheap.
Hopes this helps & the best of luck to you from ccm.

Hey Cliff - check this out https://orlando.craigslist.org/boa/4827955577.html
I thought about getting it for my wife's boat but she is not too keen on the idea.
It might still be available.
You could use the bracket for your forward motor and use the old shaft and transom bracket
for your Fish Finder Transducer on the stern.

That will run fine. Mines looks the same and runs great.

Sounds like there must be more stress hitting things when it's on the front, I've never seen breakaways or springs on a transom mount. Guess I better be real careful if I even like the setup. My other option is to locate the gas outboard an inch or two off-center to starboard so it gets along with the electric. Perhaps that won't feel as screwy as the electric did moving it 11 inches to port!

And Johnny, thank you but I really can't even afford that right now, which is why I was trying this. There's few things I'd like better than a foot controlled trolling motor, but parts for my Sea King and Johnson are at the top of my priorities, as well as navigation lights. And your wife is absolutely right. That is not a Minn Kota! [-X

Just got to be a little bit more careful with it clamped on the bow. It will also move your boat along better with it on the bow. A good bow mount is ideal but is not always budget friendly. & from the pic you posted it looks like it will be deep enough. I cant remember where I saw it ( I'll try to find a pic of for you ) A guy made a homemade shock absorbing mount for a transom mount motor using two pieces of 2x4, 2 door hinges, & 2 heavy duty springs. The idea was if the trolling motor hit something the spring would take the impact & the motor would fold Under & the springs would bring everything back to a 90 degree angle.
Found It https://www.secretweaponlures.com/odf/odfsite.html Just scroll down & you will see it.

what would be the structural difference between a bow mount like Cliff has
and the factory "slide and drop" bow mount model ?
IMO, both are firmly anchored in place, both will suffer the same damage if it hits a solid object.
Neither one will flip up over the obstacle.
I have a transom mount on my 1236 and the Slide and Drop bow mount on my 1648 bass boat.
So thinking outside of the box, if it is comfortable for the driver to use and it fits the purpose,
do it.

I've mounted a trolling motor like that. The trouble I ran into was the shaft on transom mounts are just too short when mounted on the bow.

Did you get a chance to try it out?

I have put a transom mount on the bow of a small 14 footer and had no issues at all.

SumDumGuy said:

Did you get a chance to try it out?

I have put a transom mount on the bow of a small 14 footer and had no issues at all.

Click to expand...

Unfortunately, the weather has not been very cooperative this month. Rain or big winds every day that I've been free since Feb. 4 when I registered the boat. I never had this much trouble with weather when I was that outlaw electric guy! Of course, that was in the creek, now I want to get out in 23,000 acres of water. Big difference there. Any day now, any day :roll:

I have used transom mounts on the front for many years with no issue. Nothing fancy just pieces of wood like you show. If ya like it and want a nicer mount check with Custom Gheenoe in Titusville they make to bolt on the nose of gheenoes.

Jerzeystyle said:

I've mounted a trolling motor like that. The trouble I ran into was the shaft on transom mounts are just too short when mounted on the bow.

Click to expand...

I agree.
A 30" shaft worked for me as long as there was no wave action but with small waves the prop was out of the water about half the time. When the motor burnt up, because I was not using a circuit breaker, I bought one with a 36" shaft that works fine because I get off lake when the waves start coming up.

You did A good job by rigging a mount that kept the motor as deep in the water as possible. My first attempt was to mount the motor above the gunnel and this was too high. Most of the store bought mounts are above the gunnel and this raises the motor 3 or more inches higher. I tried drilling no holes but now I have my mount screwed to the boat and it is a lot stronger.

I rigged a line from the motor to the boat in case it gets knocked loose. Also if you are running with only the troll motor in front, you will need to have your outboard in the water on the transom or rig up a fixed rudder on the transom to keep the boat fom crabwalking sideways.

https://www.minnkotamotors.com/Trolling-Motors/Freshwater-Transom-Mount/Endura-C2/

I see where Minn Kota has posted the instructions for reversing the head on their website, so
I reckon that makes it official.