Remote set up

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lgpjr49

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Macon, GA
I've got a 87 Lowe 1448 Jon boat. Now I'm almost done building my deck and at the moment I don't have a running motor. I've been thinking what it would take to get a remote steering outboard set up. I know I need a remote outboard and the steering cables and a console since my boat never had one to begin with. Has anyone ever done this to there boat and if so any suggestions?


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Sure it's been done many times in many different way. Another option would be to add Stick Steering which would save you from having to build or buy a steering console.

Then when you go to look for an outboard for the boat try to locate one that comes with the remote throttle/shift control. Again it will save you money and the hassle of having to go find one. A bonus would be if the engine also has the drag link attached that connects the engine to the steering cable end.

If you keep an eye on craigslist you might be able to find a console complete with steering. Up here in Wisconsin I see them quite frequently.
 
If you use the SEARCH feature you will find several good threads
on this very subject with drawings and photos on how to set it up.

The basics are the same - - - just decide if you want a side console
or full dash with a bow deck over it.
You can do all the rigging before you get the motor. The part that
connects to the motor is pretty universal (I think).
This drawing is for the dash mount remote steering.
It takes a specially designed steering wheel, pulleys, clamps and springs.
The cable is the generic plastic covered cable from the Big Box Store.
 

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  • Remote Steering.jpg
    Remote Steering.jpg
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I have done the search for it and I can't find any post of people actually doing it. Maybe it's me and I'm not doing it right


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I did it with mine - not difficult see my 1436 build thread linked in my signature, nothing really to it. Parts are expensive though. A remote throttle/shift control unit will run $100 +/- used on Ebay depending on condition. Cables are another ~$60 +/- Side console with the plate to mount the remote throttle unit is another $200 +/-. You'll probably want a rotary style remote steering setup - you can buy them new on Ebay based on the length of cable you need for ~$150 with the steering wheel.

All in you're looking @ ~$600 after shipping on everything & before painting.

A few side sonsole sources:

https://springfieldmo.ebayclassifieds.com/parts-accessories/salem/aluminum-side-consoles/?ad=16056438 (this is the guy I bought mine from, I'm very pleased with it)
https://www.akmccallumco.com/store-console.htm


A bit of advice from my experience - buy a set of cables dedicated to the manufacturer of motor. I had an awful time with the cheap plastic adapter connections for the universal cables I tried using originally, but they kept pulling apart until I had to go and make new adapters out of aluminum stock. Even then the tie down for the cables pops apart - finally lost one of the tie-downs trailering the boat prior to my last trip out and found myself on the lake without the ability to shift the motor easily...not good. Got home & ordered the cables with the integrated terminations designed for my motor (usually the same for a given manufacturer, looks like all Mercury/Mariners use the same, Johnson/Evinrude, Yamaha etc...)
 
Pulleys, ropes, horses, all out dated.


I believe I have an extra set of remote controls that came with my tracker bass boat or one of the motors that I have for it...I'll check my box of stuff that I'm supposed to be listing on Ebay & see what's in there.
 
$200 will get a steering wheel, steering rotor and cable at Overtons.
Consoles are on Craigslist, or can be made out of the old seat you remove to place a console.
 
As can be seen here by the comments there are many ways to do this.
Depending on how you want to do this and how quickly will play a big part in how much it's going to cost.

Again I suggest watching craigslist for a used one. They appear on there more times than people think. As a matter of fact I just seen one yesterday on there. The ad had a 50hp Johnson with a console and all controls at what I thought was a reasonable price. When I say reasonable to me just the price for the outboard was within reason and the other stuff was a throw in. The drawback to this is timing, You'll have to be willing to wait for it to show up.

Most of the aluminum consoles have only 2 mounting points. 1 on the gunwale and 1 to the floor/decking. These can usually be easily modified to fit most anything.

Here is a picture of a simple one that was original on my older Sea Nymph. As you can see it mounts right onto the bench seat.

 
sorry for the confusion - - - my mind is stuck in the VINTAGE mode LOL
of the "Old School" system of the pulleys and cables.
Yes, the "modern" system would be the rack/pinion - push/pull cable method.
unless you specifically want to go with the old "horse n buggy" style LOL.

good luck!!
 
I contemplated this for a 16' Monark Jon I had for years. When I got finished researching all the parts and ways to do it I started looking for (and found) a boat all set up. One thing that made it tough was my motor (a 25 Evinrude) was never set up for remote steering and I would have had to fabricate something or find an applicable motor from which to salvage parts. I bought the project boat and ended up selling my tiller steer Jon within a week.
 
I did get lucky and come by the remote conversion kit for my Mariner on ebay after ~a year of looking for it.
 
The motive behind it was getting it so my kids (oldest is 3yrs old) could drive it with me on the river behind the house - I remember loving driving my grandfather's ski boat as a kid & now that he & the lake house are gone I wanted my kids to be able to do it pretty regularly.

It really isn't as bad as I first thought it'd be. My tackle bag fits underneath it, and takes up just about the same floor space (fits under the console), so it's really not making much of a difference. I did mount the console a little strangely though, attaching it to the outside of the gunwale to shift it over a few inches (every little bit helps.) I did the same with the remote mounting as well.

vFiZ0BYl.jpg
 
Where did you get that console and remote box may I ask? That looks like a good idea to mount it on the outside the gunnels to at least give you a little more room


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https://springfieldmo.ebayclassifieds.com/parts-accessories/salem/aluminum-side-consoles/?ad=16056438
 

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