# Question for 60" bow mt trolling mtr owners



## Salmonid (Apr 14, 2004)

I recently upgraded to a MK Ipilot 60" shaft trolling motor and wondered what kind of "head stabilizer" you guys are using to keep the head of the unit from bouncing up and down while driving around, mine will bounce enough that it will almost hit the side of my gunnel so Im trying to figure out an easy and cheap way to make a brace for it. 

2nd question, I just ordered my quick release bracket for it and since ill be doing some overnight tourneys, wondered what the best way to connect the power cords is so it can be easily taken off when I bring the trolling motor inside, I was thinking of wing nuts and a short bolt through a eye connector on each end? is that recommended? should I wrap over all with electrical tape to protect any shorts from happening? Im open to all ideas..
Thanks guys!

Salmonid


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## Shortdrift (Apr 5, 2004)

I used PVC Pipe and fittings to make a bracket for my first Lund as nothing I could purchase would fit without modification I cut off the the upper half of the lateral run of a tee for the shaft cradle and then cut the supporting piece to suit. The support can be mounted in a flange or a contoured piece of hardwood drilled at whatever angle is needed to accept the support. I sprayed the completed support black and ir worked out well. You can use velcro or the small bungee cords to secure the motor shaft to the tee.
You cord description is confusing to me. I simply used a commercial plug and receptical. I don't remove the motor but used a quality lock.


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## DontForgetTheDrainPlug (Mar 3, 2010)

Cant help with your first question but your 2nd......

I had a boat I sold recently that I wired and mounted a regular 110 Volt outlet in the boat and a 110 volt male plug on the end of the trolling motor wires.....connected to my 12 volt system, of course, in my case

It was a 40 lb thrust motor and I tend to go overboard with things I do... so I used a 50 amp rated plug and outlet from an electric stove. Not sure if you need to go that heavy but I did. 

Worked out great.....just unplugged it whenever I wanted to remove the motor.

I had the stove cord and outlet laying around.....if you had to buy new ones it could be a little expensive.

EDIT: Actually the hardware I used was rated 50A/220V...like I said probably way overkill


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## MikeC (Jun 26, 2005)

Bite the bullet and get a good one.

http://www.cabelas.com/product/RAM1...r+stabilizer&WTz_l=Header;Search-All+Products


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## Salmonid (Apr 14, 2004)

Thanks for the ideas guys, Im certainly not interested in shelling for the Raam mount and figured someone had home made one. I was thinking Id do a piece of hardwood or a 4 x 4 block with some foam on the top of it and use a mini bungee cord to hold it while traveling. 

2nd question is I guess I could look for the plug parts and have a plug in under the dash with 2 loose ends as it doesnt look like i can build in a official mountd plug up front. Space is very limited and access is even worse. 

Salmonid


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## DontForgetTheDrainPlug (Mar 3, 2010)

No reason you couldn't just put the receptacle on the end of wires and hide it as best as you can in the boat. And I would guess that even 15A/110V plug and receptacle would be heavy enough. Depending on the length of the run.

Would be heavier than some of the terminals or clips I've seen on the ends of some trolling motors.


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## Shortdrift (Apr 5, 2004)

"it doesnt look like i can build in a official mountd plug up front. Space is very limited and access is even worse"
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Nothing is impossible...............maybe difficult but never impossible. 

The only thing worse than working on your boat is working on someone else's boat.


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## K gonefishin (May 4, 2004)

They sell plugs just for trolling motors, they are the quick dissconnect kind, you can leave them exposed on the deck of your boat.
https://www.google.com/#sclient=psy....,cf.osb&fp=be136677e0bc5054&biw=1410&bih=779


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## EnonEye (Apr 13, 2011)

Bungee cord will do it Mark.. Guess I don't understand how your motor can be bounsing around that much, seems like a lot of up/down movement to me but at any rate I just use the ol bungee cord wrapped on the TM shaft and other end to my front FF base. I'm sure you'll love the I-pilot, leave some fish for me.


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## Doctor (Apr 5, 2004)

Mark I did what Shortdrift did using PVC Tee, cut slots in it for Velcro, and wrapped it around the shaft, then cut another piece of straight PVC pipe and glued it into the tee, then glued a cane or crutch tip to the pipe, as soon as I get my new trolling motor I'll fabricate another one, cheap and it looks clean had no issues for the three years I had it on my other one, I put it above the depth collar so I could use it as a handle when pulling the head unit to put it in the cradle.................Doc


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## Salmonid (Apr 14, 2004)

Hey Doc or Shortdrift, either of you have a picture?, sounds like a good way to go and the problem i have is the head unit is mounted about 1" above a side railing I have so over 60" there is enough flex in the shaft to allow it to hit if I was driving down a bumpy road, Im trying to eliminate that kind of punishment on the head unit, more preventitive then anything, thanks for the idas guys
Salmonid


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## Shortdrift (Apr 5, 2004)

Sorry, that was three boats ago and I never took a picture.


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## Hetfieldinn (May 17, 2004)

Do it right the first time. Get the Ram unit.


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## Salmonid (Apr 14, 2004)

Nice pic Het! is the boat brand new?, I never seen one so clean, where is all the fish slime, blood chunks and fish poop on that deck?? , Im just too "boat" poor to afford a 60 dollar bracket, I got waaaay too many other things on my list before I have an extra 60 laying around burning a hole in my pocket, LOL, I agree its the perfect match but Im gonna have to hillbilly one up for now and maybe later splurge, but I already have a too small Raam mount for my HB 1197 and again, i hate to blow $115 for the full size raam mount. Thats on my list for the next time I have $115 just laying around, ha ha. Nothing against Raam stuff because its great stuff and works well, just made of Gold and out of my league.

Im looking at removing the rail there and then a simple stap system may work out ok, Im sure it will be a work in progress after a few trial trips with it. 

Salmonid


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## K gonefishin (May 4, 2004)

So wait you have a 1500.00 Terrova and a 1700.00 Hummingbird on your boat and your complaining about 60.00 to PROTECT your 1500.00 Terrova? 

Doesn't make sense man. I would sell some crap you have laying around and protect your investment.


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## Hetfieldinn (May 17, 2004)

Salmonid said:


> Nice pic Het! is the boat brand new?, I never seen one so clean, where is all the fish slime, blood chunks and fish poop on that deck?? , Im just too "boat" poor to afford a 60 dollar bracket


It's an '09, and I keep it clean. The ram unit in the picture was $40. They have different sizes, and from what you describe, you don't need the $110 extra long one. Put your pocket change in a coffee can, and you'll easily have $40 in it by the time April rolls around.


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## Salmonid (Apr 14, 2004)

Kgone, you make a good and obviously overlooked point! , although I saved every penny for 2 years to get a used HB 1197 and then sold everything I could find to get the also used Ipilot Powerdrive. Ill look around on Ebay and see what i can find on the Raam unit. As a tourney fisherman who has to spend $100 a week in gas alone to get to tourneys on the Ohio River, My addiction is like a crack habit and I need every penny I can durring the season, ha ha. Het, you need to spend some time in a catfishermans boat to appreciate what a clean boat looks like, LOL

Thanks for the tips guys. 
Salmonid


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## reo (May 22, 2004)

Salmonid said:


> Hey Doc or Shortdrift, either of you have a picture?, sounds like a good way to go and the problem i have is the head unit is mounted about 1" above a side railing I have so over 60" there is enough flex in the shaft to allow it to hit if I was driving down a bumpy road, Im trying to eliminate that kind of punishment on the head unit, more preventitive then anything, thanks for the idas guys
> Salmonid


I did something very simalar to what shotdrift did and I have a picture. It works OUTSTANDING and cost about $10 (at most) to make. PM me your email and I will be happy to send it to you.

reo


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## K gonefishin (May 4, 2004)

Salmonid said:


> Kgone, you make a good and obviously overlooked point! , although I saved every penny for 2 years to get a used HB 1197 and then sold everything I could find to get the also used Ipilot Powerdrive. Ill look around on Ebay and see what i can find on the Raam unit. As a tourney fisherman who has to spend $100 a week in gas alone to get to tourneys on the Ohio River, My addiction is like a crack habit and I need every penny I can durring the season, ha ha. Het, you need to spend some time in a catfishermans boat to appreciate what a clean boat looks like, LOL
> 
> Thanks for the tips guys.
> Salmonid


I hear ya man. I have the addiction worse than 99% of the guys out there I am a maniac about fishing. I just sold 500 worth of stuff to get 4 new shimano tekota trolling reels, I know what your going through, in process of selling my old reels so I can upgrade my other fish finder!


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