Homemade trolling motor bracket - canoe

[msd7806]

Has anyone ever made a trolling motor bracket for a canoe? I'm trying to be cheap instead of buying the store bought ones that are way over priced for what they are. I got a few ideas but wanted to see if anyone has particular success or failure with a particular idea. Thanks in advance for the help.

[bfish]

A 2x4 and two clamps have worked for me in the past, use the clamp on each side (port and starboard) of the gunnel. As soon as you put a motor on the canoe, you will have to register the boat (unless you are fishing a private pond).

[olduckhunter]

msd, i made one and i'm guessing some here without going out and looking for sure. i used 1x2 channel iron bolted across the front of the canoe where i could reach the motor easily from the seat. i better go out and look before telling you wrong but i fixed it to where it will fold down and lock in the channel iron and be solid with a 2x6 oak for the trolling motor to clamp on. it will hinge over to either side of the canoe and work or fold in an upright position for trailering. it didn't cost but very little to build if you can weld and no, i can't put on pictures. wish i could.

[olduckhunter]

first, can you weld? have a metal saw to cut steel? or will go to the trouble to get it cut. it's not hard to build but will take me some time to explain and if you can't weld or won't have someone build it there's no use for me to type for 30 min to try to make it simple. i don't mind doing it but most times after doing something like that the person thinks it's too much trouble and i've wasted my time. i just wish i could take pictures and do it that way but don't know how and don't even try to explain.

[msd7806]

Thanks ODH. I can weld and have the means. I have a few ideas I was just wondering if there was simply way I haven't thought about. We made one last night for a Buddy's canoe and it works fine but its more fixed. We took unistrut and a 2x4. We are doing a two day trip down a small river this weekend and the last two miles is dead water before it dumps into the big river. We are only planning on using them then. The rest of the time they will be taking up space in the bottom of the canoe. I was just in that Mcgyver mood for a second there wanting to go swing a tool and build something.

Bfish,
for some reason I thought we tried that before and it didnt work to well but this will be the route I'll be taking. This will probably be the only time I ever use it on the canoe and after making the one last night I dont wont to drill holes in my canoe just to take it off in a couple of days. The board kept slipping but I put some nonskid tape on the side of the board and it seems to be working now. I can pick the canoe up and shake it by the trolling motor.

[olduckhunter]

msd, ok. here's what i did and it worked really good and was very strong. i used 1x2 channel to go across the canoe. cut 2 short pieces 1 1/4 or 1/2 of 1x2x 1/4 flat iron. sandwich them together and drill a 1/4 inch hole through both pieces for a 1/4 inch bolt. weld them in the center of the channel one on each side on the edge of the channel. they will now be sticking up. lay that channel across the canoe in front of the front seat. and drill a hole in the channel and on through the canoe edge and bolt it down with a quarter inch short bolt. take another channel and lay it at an angle from about a quarter ways of the first piece to the canoe edge and cut it at an angle at the cross piece and the canoe side. this will brace the cross piece where it will not give when you weld it to the cross piece and bolt it to the canoe edge.. take the cross piece off and weld the other channel on it. you are almost done. nearly. you need two pieces of 1 1/4 x 1/4 flat iron long enough to reach from the two pieces you welded on the first channel probably 6 inches from the canoe edge out. depending on where your front seat will be they will be about 18 or so inches long. now. they will fit inside the two uprights you welded on and the first piece of channel and will swing from side to side and fit down into the first piece of channel. fit them tight by cutting 3 short pieces of the same flat iron and weld on on the top of the two pieces spread out and the other end spread out and one in the middle to make sure they stay spread. this will fit in the two uprights and you will need to mark a hole probably and inch and a half from the end of those and drill a 1/4 inch hole to match the upright pieces. bolt the cross piece to the canoe. bolt the angle piece to the canoe and bolt the two pieces you just made to the uprights. but not real tight. that piece will now swing to either side and lay down inside the channel to make it strong enough that the trolling motor won't twist it. lay that piece over to either side and down into the channel and take a block of wood, oak is better, treated if you don't have oak, and take your trolling motor where you clamp it on a board and take that oak or treated board and stick it up in the trolling motor clamp and mark just below the motor rings and just above straight across. take the board which, guessing, will be at least 3 inchs above amd 3 inches below the flat iron pieces. set a table saw about 1/8th cut and cut a grove between the marks on the board all the way across. you'll do the same thing on the bottom when the flat iorn part is "flopped" over to the other side of the canoe. that way you can mount the motor where you can use it on either side if need be. that gruve will keep the trolling motor from coming off the board if the clamps come loose and they will. you will have to also cut a grove the width of the flat iron probably to slide it in between the flat iron pieces and drill and bolt that board to the flat iron. this sounds a lot harder than it is if you know how to weld and stuff. now you have the trolling motor mounted to the thing you just built but you need a way to lock it out of the water when moving. i used a 1x1/4 flat iron. drill a hole in the end of it and bolt it to the uprights on the outside. you may need a washer or three there to put it out from the uprights. swing the "trolling motor bracket" straight up. swing the 1 inch flat iron to one side of the first piece of channel you cut that is bolted to the canoe and mark it for a 1/4 inch hole at the very end of the channel. drill a hole in the flat iron end and mark the end of the channel for a hole. you'll probably have to take it off to drill it. swing the 1 inch flat iron over to the other end of the channel and do the same. you are done. now all you have to do is when you want to move is raise or fold up the trolling motor and raise it up to center and stick a bolt in the 1 inch brace and end of the channel bolted to the canoe. you can swing the motor to either side. simple to me but i know it looks hard. and i've probably waisted my time again but if you could see mine you would like it. it is solid as a rock. you got any questions i'll try to answer them.

[msd7806]

I had to draw it out while reading it to make sure I understood it but I think i got it. That sounds like a good one there. I will be trying it out the next time I'm out in the mad scientist lab (my shop). I have some small angle and channel but I'll have to get me some flat metal though. Thanks for taking the time to explain it. I'm sure others will find it useful in the future.

[olduckhunter]

if you are not in a big rush to build it i can go out and take some pictures with my digital camera and take the chip to walmart and have them developed and mail to you.

[msd7806]

Thanks ODH but I think I got the concept down. No need to go through all that trouble. Thanks again brother.

[olduckhunter]

ms, if you use channel for the cross piece just make sure the center "arm" out of the flat iron pieces is spread to exactly or near so to fit inside the channel when laid down either side. and when looking at mine for you the "arm" is extended down into the short pieces welded on the channel about 1 1/2 inches. down far enough to be inside the channel when in the raised position for moving around. this gives it more stability. you have any questions pm me as i may not look here.