Leccy Bowmount Motors

[Brettrick]

Guys,

Have decided that if I wait until I can afford it, I'll NEVER get an electric motor - so stuff it, I'm getting one straight away.

Question is: In other boats I've seen with bowmounts, the bow cover is a flat sheet of metal and so it's easy to fix the leccy motor to it. My boat is a 3.8 metre Horizon tinny. The bow platform where I'll be mounting the motor has a slight curve in it. Any tips on how to deal with this?

Second question is: anyone got any recommendations on which brand of leccy motor to go with? For remote control, which is best - the electric servo, or the cable steer?

Any tips or comments appreciated.

Cheers,

BRETTRICK

[JoeCool]

Brettrick...Ill be on the market too for a leccy real soon. I think Ill be going with an MK auto pilot in a 55LB. I may even go for that little kepad remote and not bother with using the foot control, as it seems to work real well!

I read a report on another forum and it seems to be great! Ill try and find a link for you.

I have a slight curve on my foredeck too...but I think the mounting plate compensates for it.

[Zeeke]

being the owner of a Minnkota and used to have a Motorguide, id deffinantly suggest the MinnKota, its a totally different machine to the motorguide, they are alot quieter, the engines seem to whine when under power on the motorguides, the cable to the foot control is also too short, i had to put a hole through my bow so i could get the foot control on the floor.. the MinnKota's have a huge cable length to them so u can use the foot pedal from anywhere in the boat.. also the Minnkota's are designed for the salt if u get a Riptide, the cheaper version of the Motorguides are all freshwater, the saltwater models are too big probably and are 24 volt systems.. which requires 2 batterys, with the minnkotas you can go upto 55lb before u need 2 batterys.. steering is easy with the minnkota's too, simple touch pad design, and the auto-pilot feature is awesome for just cruising along the bank and flicking lures, or having a lazy troll and dont feel like constantly adjusting ur steering to head in 1 direction due to wind or tides

I also have that Co-Pilot system, got the 1st one in Australia, customs didnt even know what it was, it cost $500 from the US.. they arent available here otherwise.. bloody good little gadget and everytime someone comes fishing with me we mount a remote rod holder on there rods and i give them a remote and i have a remote and then we can both steer the boat depending on whose doing what and where and when, or if someone is re-rigging instead of having to have someone constantly on the foot pedal, bloody easy as!

i paid $1685 for my MinnKota Riptide 55lb Autopilot Bowmount, you can take your boat to any good boat or aluminium welder and get them to weld on a plate to make it dead level on ur boat, the autopilot feature needs to be within 5 degrees of level for the internal compass to work comfortably


Tim

[Brettrick]

Hi Guys,

Thanks for the info. Joe, the link was very helpful. Tim - good to 'speak' with you again. Thanks for the detailed reply - it was a great help.

I wasn't even aware of the keypad remote, but now I want one. The idea of being able to work without a cable on the floor at all sounds veeeery appealing.

Thanks again guys.

Cheers,

BRETTRICK

[Zeeke]

yea, the keypad remote is awesome, you dont even need to have the foot control attached, there is a cabled version in australia of the co-pilot system, but the wireless remote system is awesome, with a range of about 20 to 30 meters, you can steer your boat around the creeks while walking on the bank and stuff.. very handy.. the co-pilot attachment just fixes itself to the side of the minnkota with the use of 2 screws that come with it and it looks like its always been there, ive got people going upto to me and saying "So where's this co-pilot feature?" and i go "right there!" and they go "Where????" hehehe as for your boat, id suggest u get a 40lb or 55lb MinnKota Riptide and get a quick release bracket so you can take it off your boat after fishing trips so it cant get flogged.. 55lb would be the best, it'll give you alot more grunt and pull your boat around at a top speed of about 7 knots.. maybe more, the 55lb pulls my 4.3 meter kakadu seahunter around at 6 knots on top speed..

Tim